Please Help Spread Peace Messages

Pork Rice, locally known as Bai Srob, has been my single most favorite food in breakfast of all time. I have happily savored this humble cuisine in virtually every morning for years without any annoyance whatsoever UNTIL a relatively famous local TV news channel started a morning program called The Internet Parliament, whose utmost effort, time, and resources are fully focused not on world affairs and not even on domestic ones but on Thai affair per se.

Cambodia and Thailand have had conflicts sporadically across the history, the most recent of which are those over the Preah Vihear temple and later over the 4.6 square km land adjacent to the ancient structure. These conflicts have now lasted for more than two years now, rendering economic hardship and popular discomfort in both countries. Even worse, the conflict amplifies the historical hatred, prejudice, and fear between one another--at least for some people.

Who are responsible for the negative feelings of these two neighboring countries? The entire population themselves since they are democratic? Ironically, the majority is just victims resulted from minorities' self-serving politics and evil business.

Most Khmer people going to Thailand are insecure, feeling that the surrounding Thai people are out to get them, and vice versa, and hence they blame the people. Let me assure you. This is FALSE feeling and please do NOT blame the people.

Having been in Thailand for many times since the conflict started, never once have I received a smothering look from any Thai knowing I am Khmer, let alone attacking me. Instead, they smiled and welcomed me as they always do to other nationalities, confirming the country's title--"The Land of Smile."

The temple and the land issues have been long settled--both bilaterally and internationally. It is the current government and media that sparkles the flame of false nationalism.

The conflict started in 2008 when the temple got the world heritage title, coinciding with the up-coming election in Cambodia. Wanting popular attraction, Cambodian government dragged the issue for months, making it chronic and more serious. Wanting the King's almighty love and support, the instable Thai government, on the other hand, pushed the conflict to a militarily confronting level, and later battles took place. The problem is more complicated than this, but the point is that the minorities are the ones behind all these conflicts, not the majority.

As the rule of thumb, as time goes by, things can get calm, but another group of minorities do not let that happen. The group is the evil business I mentioned, and it is the media--the powerful ministry of information in Thailand and of course, the CTN in Cambodia with its morning program.

Their agenda setting power proves to be so effective. They keep reinforcing the conflict messages again and again to keep their viewers within the negative paradigm. Plus, they try to find any words from any one at all to keep the story alive. No matter how unimportant the words are, they try to make it sound like a very big deal, deserving to get national attention. They show problems, all sorts of problem. Never once have they showed how difficult people are living in this conflicts. Never once have they displayed friendliness and peace loving attitude of both people. This is not fair at all.

Why using the agenda setting, reinforcement, and framing? Biz. No one knows better than them that bad news makes a much bigger sales than good, peaceful news. Now we all know that they are making profit from our hatred caused not by us at the first place. That is not an ethical manner, and we as educated people are not fine with this.

A few weeks ago, a group of Khmer and Thai youths, me and my girlfriend included, met time and time again for discussions as to how we can have people seeing the peaceful truth beyond what the media has been showing. We need all of you to join us. Come on! Help spread peace messages.

Cambodia-Thai Exchange Program