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Anti-Khmer sentiment is a sentiment againstCambodia, theKhmers, overseas Khmer, orKhmer culture. As the Khmers are dominant in Cambodia, it can be attributed to anti-Cambodian sentiment and hatreds against Cambodians.
During the time ofMinh Mạng of theNguyễn dynasty, Vietnam implied a policy as "Hán di hữu hạn" 漢夷有限 ("the Vietnamese and the barbarians must have clear borders") when differentiating between Khmers and the Vietnamese.[1] EmperorMinh Mạng, the son ofGia Long stated with regards to the Vietnamese forcing the ethnic minorities to follow Sino-Vietnamese customs that "We must hope that their barbarian habits will be subconsciously dissipated, and that they will daily become more infected by Han [Sino-Vietnamese] customs."[2]
Curiously, theThai perspective towards the Khmer is a complex blend of admiration and animosity. While there is genuine appreciation for Khmer culture and history, a historical undercurrent of hatred also exists. A long-standing historical misperception prevails among educated Thais and the ruling class, erroneously portraying a so-calledKhom ethnic group and theKhmer as distinct peoples. However, this division, rooted in historical misunderstanding, is a unique construct within the Thai narrative, held exclusively by the Thai people. This narrative carries profound consequences, perpetuating historical negationism and masking the genuine historical connection and shared heritage between the two groups. It obscuresThailand’s profound absorption of Khmer culture while simultaneously laying claim to aspects of that culture by acknowledging the contributions of the non-existent Khoms. Thishistorical negationism, which belies the deep-rooted Khmer influence on Thai civilization, has cultivated an anti-Khmer sentiment within Thailand.[3]
In January 2003,riots broke out in Phnom Penh after a Cambodian newspaper falsely reported that a Thai actress had statedAngkor Wat Temple belonged to Thailand. On 29 January, the Thai embassy was burned, and hundreds of Thai immigrants fled the country to avoid the violence.[4] Cambodians in Phnom Penh burned photos of KingBhumibol Adulyadej and Thais in Bangkok protested in front of the Cambodian embassy, burning Cambodian flags. This eventually led to the Thai government severing diplomatic ties with Cambodia.[5] Prime MinisterHun Sen then banned Thai shows and films on TV stations. Throughout 2008–13, Thai and Cambodian military forces engaged in skirmishes against each other over the ownership of theKhmer temple ofPreah Vihear, leading to theCambodian–Thai border dispute. The International Court of Justice's decision in the dispute ruled in favour of Cambodia, which sparked anger among Thai citizens.
Cambodians in the United States have been subject to racial discrimination. Besides general anti-Asian racism, Cambodians were sometimes seen as being related to the Vietnamese opponent from theVietnam War.[6]
