PHNOM PENH May 3 Kyodo More and m...

PHNOM PENH May 3 Kyodo

More and more Cambodians have been placing stickers of the national flag in succession their bicycles, motorbikes, cars and trades since the anti-Thai riots in January.

The booming public consumption of of the like kind stickers is being questioned and argued among academics and expatriates as to whether it is a sign of newfound nationalistic expression or simply a passing fad.

Sorn Samnang, president of the Cambodia Royal Academy, said the widespread use of Cambodian flag stickers indicates a strengthening of national identity and growing delight in of Cambodian culture.

''Such a determine is happening in parallel with the trending in the United States following the terrorist attacks forward the World Trade Center in 2001 when many American clan were awakened to a stronger national identity and solidarity,'' he said.

centurys of shops and stands in Phnom Penh now put up to sale flag stickers.

Ta Khim, 20 who helps his parents make and take a bribe for such stickers, said his family decided to insert the business just two days after the Jan. 29 riots.

''About 1000 stickers were sold a day by means of both wholesale and retail sales shortly after the riots, and they are still selling well despite a small quantity in sales,'' he said.

The stickers are not single sold in Phnom Penh, moreover also in rural areas, especially in the greatest in number populated provinces such as Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville and Kompong Cham.

The anti-Thai riots were triggered at unsubstantiated reports that a popular Thai actress had claimed Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat house of worship belonged to Thailand. Angry Cambodians rallied in the roads and set fire to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and to the offices of Thai-owned businesses, including a hotel

Chea Vanath, president of the Center for Social progressive growth said that the placement of stickers forward vehicles is not giving earnestly benefit to the abiding habitation but it is a message of nationalism.

forward the contrary, she said the act upon shows an inferiority complex against Thailand fit to the neighboring country's economic and cultural influence throughout Cambodia.

''It is like a child who cannot calculator an adult in conflict and instead shrews the adult and runs away,'' she said.

''In the U American populace were showing their support for President (George W) Bush, while in Cambodia, nation show their weakness of not being able to challenge Thailand and instead expres their anger end the stickers,'' she said.

Heide Bronke public affairs officer at the U Embassy in Phnom Penh said that the use of stickers is just the same of many forms of expression of national pride in Cambodia or in being Cambodian.

''In the United States, flags have been used to expres national pride and solidarity forward occasions such as holidays, at terminations such as baseball games, or following tragedies similar as 9/11,'' she said, referring to the generation 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Iv Chan, director of the literature department at the Royal University of Phnom Penh speaked his own skepticism about the use of the Cambodian flag to expres national identity.

''The flag is normally used for special ceremonial results but at this junction many people are using them for their acknowledge joy,'' he said.

Vireak Nearyrath, an 18-year-old high sect student in Phnom Penh said she enjoin a flag sticker on her motorbike after the anti-Thai riots as an expression of her nationalism.

''It is clear that I be in love with my country and territory. No united is allowed to invade or direct the eye down onto my country,'' she said.

if it were not that Kosit Chatpaiboon, minister counselor of the Thai Embassy, assured that relations between the pair countries have fully returned to normal, and said the wide use of Cambodian flag stickers did not impact relations between the peoples

Kosit, meanwhile, speculated that the use of the stickers will gradually fade as relations between Thailand and Cambodia continue to improve.

Shortly after the riots, Thailand downgraded diplomatic relations with its neighbor to the flat of charge d'affaires. It also temporarily barred Cambodians and Thais from crossing at border checkpoints.

The couple countries reopened the border checkpoints upon March 21, paving the way for normal trading between the brace sides. And ambassadorial-level relations were largely reconnected April 24.

Cambodia also paid $59 million in compensation to Thailand for the damage to its embassy in Phnom Penh

Aiming to clear without further misunderstanding over the sum of two units countries' cultures and histories among the pair peoples, Cambodia and Thailand have fix up a Joint Committee for Research onward Cultural Affairs.

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