Cyber-nationalists take Preah Vihear dispute to Wikipedia

Friday, 08 August 2008
Written by Brendan Brady
The Phnom Penh Post

As the border row drags on between Cambodia and Thailand, competing bloggers from both sides are taking their causes online

THE click of a mouse has become the newest weapon in the nationalistic battle over Preah Vihear temple, with Wikipedia - the popular, user-edited online encyclopedia - being bombarded by entries from Thais and Cambodians waging a propaganda tug-of-war.

Since the July 7 listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site, hundreds of contributors have modified its entry, asserting their homeland's sovereignty over the ruins.

Ownership of the temple was given to Cambodia by the World Court in 1962, but many on the Thai side of the border have demanded a re-look at the issue.

Online, temple ownership can switch back-and-forth in a matter of minutes, Wikipedia's history shows.

The debate has focused on the temple's moniker - Prasat Preah Vihear, as transliterated from Khmer, or Prasat Khao Phra Viharn, as transliterated from Thai, giving birth to an entire chapter on the temple's nomenclature.

While the website's overseers are expected to rise above the fray and regulate bickering without censoring content disputes, site administrator Brian McNiel explained that both sides are digging up newspaper articles and government or court documents to bolster their arguments.

"The idealistic hope is that, over time, warring factions will find credible sources to back up their assertions, and the contested article will improve," McNiel told the Post.

Advocates have besieged other online forums as well, including the popular social network Facebook.com, where groups have attempted to mobilise support under banners such as "Prasat (Temple) Preah Vihear Belongs to Cambodia!!!" and "Preah Vihear Thailand's Territory."

Darts are flying through the blogosphere too, where emotional polemics frequently devolve into name-calling. Posts stray from the border dispute to broader historical grievances - with Cambodians recalling Thailand's harsh treatment of refugees fleeing the Khmer Rouge and Thais describing their neighbour as a long-time basket case.

It reminds me of the Korea-Japan issue. Don't those Siems know that Prasar Preah Vihear is a Khmer word?

They are delusional, they think eveything is siem.

Goombaking and other members on AF, are you guys the reason why the article was written?

They are really pathetic. They claimed that both the land and temple is theirs, but the World court already decided it was on Cambodian territory. They are truly a pathetic people if they're willing to disregard the opinion of the world.

You can add google earth to this topic also.

fu-k all the lady boys! they can keep dream on.

I haven't touched the Prasat Preah Vihear wiki-page even once. I looked on the Thai wiki site for the same page, and at first the title was "Prasat Khao Pra Viharn" then a couple days later the page moved to "Prasat Pra Viharn" ปราสาทพระวิหาร which used to be "Prasat Khao Pra Viharn".

Those nationalists can duke it out on Wiki. At least they are providing lots of sources and making the article even more credible.

Ironically the Khmer article for Preah Vihear is weak and doesn't have as much information as Thai or English wiki pages.

What exactly do you mean the Khmer article of Preah Vihear is weak? as in source? ownership?