Bangkok History Highlight: The Cambodian Thai Soap Opera Riots of 2003 [Season 3, Episode 66]

Continuing our series on interesting events in Thai
history, Greg introduces the Thai-Cambodian 'crisis' of
2003.


It started when rumors began spreading that a Thai soap
opera actress, Suvanant Kongying, had said Cambodia had 'stolen'
Angkor Wat from Thailand. After the Cambodian Prime Minister
repeated the allegations and banned Thai radio programs and TV
shows, anti-Thai mobs began to form in Phnom Penh and soon became
violent, leading to looting, evacuations, threats of military
action, and even a border closure! 


The sad kicker is that there was actually no direct
evidence that the original comments had even been made, with the
best theory being that a character played by the actress may have
been the original source of the rumors! Listen in for Greg and
Ed's theories of why the relationship between Thailand and
Cambodia is so fragile and for more incredible details from this
bizarre saga. 


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