Soumy Phan wrote:i hope you have learned a lots about Cambodia history especially our relatioship with Vietnam, before you said such thing.

Yeah I have actually.

Ain't there a beach in Cambodia? Why don't all those Khmers in Long Beach and Lowell just live in their own country? And guess what, Kampuchea Krom is part of Vietnam. Perhaps the Khmer Krom should leave too.

One CNRP clown says that Cambodia is the same as Crimea and now Khmers who couldn't find the Russian Market on a map let alone Crimea are parroting it. Jesus.

I do not understand why so many people tend to project current borders back into the past and then begin wondering about population patterns.
The current borders have nothing to do with nationality or how people got a nationality imposed on them. In Laos, the distinction made between Vietnamese and Laotians was made, I think, through traditional housing. Those living in huts built on the ground were considered Vietnamese, those on elevated platforms Laotians. In Thailand Vietnamese live for a very long time north of Surin and have sizable communities all along the Mekong. That southern Isaan is largely Khmer is also no secret.

The Cham are as Cambodian as it gets. The walls of Angkor and Banteay Chmar tell the stories of the wars in which the Khmer kings and the Cham tried to reduce each other. Thus, the idea of them being foreigners is somewhat ridiculous. The Vietnamese communities along the rivers and, perhaps a bit later, along the overland trade routes are also way too old for stupid stereotyping. Chinese communities are probably also very old, say at least 900 years but more likely one can double that. Add to that a wealth of smaller groups often dismissed as hill-tribes and, yes, the old barangs entering the service as appreciated experts for firearms starting in the 16th century.

In sum, the Khmer nationalist ideology that Cambodia was a Khmer only inhabited area was never correct. It was an empire and as such service to the king/state was more important than language and, to some extent also, religion. The fact that the Cham survived well until Pol Pot is a strong indicator that they were most useful, once subdued, to the state. The military elite in Thailand was, at one point, composed of Iranian Muslims (and their descendants are still among today's generals among them the 2006 coup leader) I would be interested in the role of Cham for the state and later the French.

Leaving politics aside, we are all very happy and enjoy the diversity with Vietnamese, Chinese, and also good Muslim food. Cambodian nationalists would do good to base their ideology on values like human and economic rights rather than xenophobia. I was most impressed and filled with admiration when I read in Vientiane at the national museum that the Laotian nation is made of some 90 (dont remember the exact number) nationalities and national groups. The Laotians got it right by respecting each and every citizen and his heritage. The question of democracy, of course, is another matter which is beyond this thread.

Well put.

Additionally, Cambodia simply could not have functioned as a state (such as it was) without its non - Khmer population, they were nearly 100% of the merchants, traders, and in some cases craftsmen. Basically until very recently Khmers were peasants, officials or royalty, that's it.

in awe of pizzalover's concise informative post.

The Add Jay wrote:Got up early this morning and took my little boat for a spin up the tonle saap.

I notices the Vietnamese floating village and then not 1km or 2km past them was the chams floating village.

both villages looked the same just the chams had the minarets in the center and also not as nice when passing by.

My question is. Do they get along with 1 another? They trade and barter with eachother? How about making friends? whats their relationship on the water?

My GF says they are neutral with each other but trust Yuon more then Cham. (She maybe saying this bias)

So anybody got some info?

My missus has had nothing but good things to say about the Chams. She knows their history a bit and in her words " Cham never cause problems". We drove for many days straight through a small Cham village ( with mosque and all) when staying outside of Kampot these past few years.

Youn is not a great term. They are Vietnamese, but I think you know this already.