October 2, 2020
Outrage over Thai hotel’s “appropriation of Cambodian culture”

Social media was ablaze today with criticism of a Thai Hotel which seems to be appropriating Khmer culture and landmarks – such as the famed Angkor Wat temple complex – for commercial purposes.

Le Palais hotel, on the Thai island of Koh Phangan, appears to have built an entire complex pastiching some of Cambodia’s most cherished icons under the slogan of “Discover the pride of Angkor”.

A statement on the hotel’s website states that “Our hotel is inspired by the beautiful ruins of Angkor Wat located in Cambodia. All of our buildings, decorations and rooms are handmade to reproduce at perfection what you could see in Cambodia.”

Visitors to Le Palais are offered a choice of rooms, all bearing Cambodian names such as “The Angkor Rooms” described as “As the aesthetic distinctiveness and its cultured surrounding, Angkor Wat is the most valued and admired of the Khmer Empire, The Palace of the King.”

Social media commentators have reacted with a mixture of anger and bemusement, with some criticising the hotel for what they call “cultural appropriation”. One commentator said “Angkor Wat is the property of Khmer people. It is not right that a foreign country steals our culture”.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50769368/o ... n-culture/

Previous outrage, now forgotten, was caused by an Angkor Wat replica built in plastic for a Chinese theme park, Fantawild, in 2018.

Angkor Wat Replica in Guangxi China Theme Park
China is known for creating replicas of the world’s most famous sites. They have entire theme parks that allow you to travel around the world without ever leaving China. The latest is an Angkor Wat replica mimicking the renowned Khmer temple.

An Angkor Wat replica has been built in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. This fake Angkor was built in built in honor of the annual China-Asean exposition.

The renowned World Heritage site of Angkor Wat can now be found at a new tourist attraction built in Nanning, China called “Amazing Angkor”. It may look similar to the architecture of Cambodia’s best known historic temple but seeing as it has been duplicated in plastic, it doesn’t look very realistic.

Many in the Kingdom had a negative reaction upon learning of the Chinese theme park copying their iconic historic and religious landmark.
https://www.salarussey.com/angkor-wat-r ... heme-park/

Meanwhile, the Thai have built Japan land.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Busin ... l-to-Japan

Which has exposed more Thai to Japan who would have otherwise never gone.

And ...

Drum roll ...

Inspired more wealthy Thai to go and visit Japan.

(Before the virus hit, that is.)

Seems to be more of the Khmer ‘you look down on me’ syndrome.

Now if there was a Khmer Rouge inspired S21 or ‘Killing Fields’ theme park which depicts all Cambodians as either bloodthirsty killers or poor victims, there may be more of a leg for outrage.

Gonna put on my tin foil hat on, now.