Satrey Khmer Online

 
Sweet smile,
the Cambodian way.

Nom Krob Knohr - traditional Khmer sweet made of mung bean and egg.This dessert goes well with hot tea or coffee.
 
Please click on the image to see full recipe in english.

Recipe in Khmer:

(Request from Mrs.Kay N.)

Preah Vihear is Khmer temple NOT HINDU TEMPLE!

Post found in Blog By Khmer:

“According to the joint statement of 18 June 2008, signed by the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Sok An, and by Thai Foreign Minister Mr. Noppadon Pattama, and Mrs. Françoise Rivière, UNESCO Deputy Director for Culture, about the listing of the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site, and a new map that the Cambodian government sent to UNESCO, we found a part of Cambodian territory at the west and the north of the temple (or Area 3) is lost.
“The Cambodian government seems to fall into a trap of Thailand by listing only the body of the Preah Vihear Temple and the areas which extend 30 meters from the temple, but do not include the Area 3 which should also have been listed.

“It is Cambodian troops who invade in our soil”, said Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Friday 18 July 2008.

If we observe the processes of the conflict we can judge who the righteous is and who the provoker and the invader is.

Legally and internationally, the sacred Khmer Preah Vihear temple was undisputedly recognized as Cambodian property and geographically, it is located in Cambodia soil both in the past and the present.

Historically, the sacred Khmer Preah Vihear temple was built in the 10th and 11th century by the august kings of former Cambodian Empire- Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II when the Tai tribe (present Thai) were still in Nan Jao southern of China who later moved southwards to resettle in the then Khmer Empire in the wake of the Mongol invasion of China and this tribe was forgiven and kindly allowed to live in our Empire by our benevolent kings.  

However, our great Empire was weakened by the in-fighting politics and the war with other neighboring states. Taking this chance; the Tai built up its state, attacked and sacked us in the 1431. From then on we have been under the consistent attack and invasions by these neighbors for centuries.

Our country was able to survive under the French protectorate. Some provinces, Battambang, Preah Vihear, and Siem Reap, were given back by the Siam even though many are still under its occupation today, and the new borderline demarcation between Thailand and Cambodia was carried out drawn by the French. Thailand accepted the map and signed the treaties-1904 and 1907 which also used as the foundation for International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Hague in 1962 over the Preah Vihear case which favor Cambodia in the suit.

However, the Thai never give up their greed and honestly accept the loss proudly boasting that they are the superior people to all nations in South East Asia and why must they subject to the Khmer? The war continues. They rewrite their ultra-nationalist history, reject the existence of the Khmer political, cultural, and architectural influences in their society, create hatred and  the look down on Khmer,  Laos as well as Burma, and keep invading Khmer border both land and sea, and treat and kill Khmer like animal.

Now the wound becomes painful again to the Thai when it comes to Khmer Preah Vihear temple seek for World heritage status submitted since 2002 and finally granted its listing in 7 July 2008.

The Thai consider the loss of Preah Vihear as the unforgivable shame. They always think they are superior to Khmer. So how can they give it up easily and accept the loss? Then the frame over the border invasion and Preah Vihear control started. How could this have happened? The Thai know that it would be the loss again if they would contest with Cambodia honestly over the Preah Vihear unless they stage a long-term strategy and carefully frame over Cambodian weakness and the world’s soft politics toward them.  Let’s observe the below process of the political frame of the Thai.

Firstly, they persuaded Cambodia to sign the memorandum of understanding (MOU) over border demarcation, esp., the 2000 MOU. Why do we need MOU? Why don’t we use GPS basing on the existing map of Siam-Franco treaty to demarcate the borderline?

Then, they published the fake protests, to Cambodia, published widely in media, sent them to international communities, that Cambodia is invading Thai territorial sovereignty, esp., the protests in 2004, 2005, 2007, and April 2008.  Why are they the fake protests? Because have Cambodia ever invaded any country for these centuries? Is Cambodia capable to invade Thailand while she is trying to survive herself from poverty of decades of war and the internal conflicts? Thailand is a forever peaceful country and has its soldiers stationing everywhere along the border and how can the unarmed Cambodian civilian invade Thailand? We hardly believe this accusation of the Thai.

By using the 2000 MOU, the fake protests, and through its soft persuasion and the fake smile, the international communities listened to the Thai and asked Cambodia to negotiate with the Thai for their support in order to list the Preah Vihear temple. They successfully blocked Cambodia from listing the temple as World Heritage site two times 2006 and 2007 and hoped to achieve their greed, i.e., the Joint Management as they proposed.  Their often and basic arguments raised as an objection to the listing of the Khmer Preah Vihear temple is that the borderline is not known, the stair of the temple is in Thailand, the temple is easily accessible only from Thailand, some important sites subordinates to the temple are in Thailand, etc.,  so we must have the Joint Management. How can these people claim that the borderline is not known? Do they lose their mind and forget the Siam-Franco treaty in 1904 and 1907 and the verdict of ICJ 1962 which they themselves signed and recognized? Basing on the ICJ 1962, geographically the borderline is clear and the demarcated distance from the temple stair to the Cambodian-Thai border is as far as 2.6km away. But why the stair is in Thailand now? Did the Khmer build the temple without its subordinate elements and the stairs? So who invades whom?

Boring with the Thai objection and the easy-tricked international community, motivated by the political interest, the Cambodian leaders fell into the Thai trap by redrawing the new map proposed by the Thai. Why is it the trap? Because with the new map redrawn, the Thai will have privilege to lay claim for the 4.6 km2 land surrounding the Preah Vihear temple which is the long planned strategy to get rid of taking over the temple or achieving the Joint Management plan.

We can see it clearly that it is really the bad frame of the Thai. After endorsing the Joint Communiqué, they then rejected it. They are playing with two faces flip-flopping daily over the Khmer Preah Vihear temple issues in order to provoke the conflicts and they will take the opportunity to invade Cambodia. With this, they intentionally ignore the daily protestors who claim over Khmer Preah Vihear temple. And they even allowed these protestors to go into Cambodia illegally and protest inside Cambodia. Who believe that dozens of Thai border soldiers can’t prevent these three protestors from entering Cambodia? Where on earth one can enter into another country freely, illegally and protest against it? Cambodia detained them only four hours and then released without harm. Do we believe the Thai would treat us the same as we did to the three Thais if we entered into Thailand in the same situation? The answer is absolutely “NO”, because we have seen and witnessed so much Cambodian civilian blood covering the ground along the Cambodian-Thai border inhumanly committed by these brutal Thai.

Now it is almost their last step. After having achieved their strategical frames-the 2000 MOU, the Joint Communiqué, and the latest bait of three Thai protestors, they (Thai soldiers) entered into Cambodia freely by claiming that they come to protect their people who were arrested by the Cambodian soldiers. If the Thai are really honest neighbor why didn’t they send their delegates to negotiate for the release? Why soldiers? And it is absurd for the claim because the arrested people were already released and why don’t they withdraw?

With the pressure of Cambodia side and the international eyes, they later on claimed differently as Thai army Colonel Chay Huay Soongnern said, “We all love peace. We are here, we don’t want anything. We came to offer protection in case Thai protestors come here … We came to help Cambodian troops and their people. I don’t think that we will stay here much longer.” Why don’t they station in their country to prevent their Thai extreme protestors? Does Cambodia ask for their help? Do they think Cambodia is incapable for such a protection? I think Hun Sen government is even more capable in prevention than the Thai for such a protest.

Now the Thai trick is clearly revealed when Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, on Friday 18 July 2008, said that, “It is Cambodian troops who invade in Thai soil”.  He claimed this after his country has built up solid military base inside Cambodia and have observed the silence of international communities´s reaction against its invasion over Cambodia. Now they don’t withdraw as they said before but they keep building up their forces and at the same time they start to play diplomacy with the international communities in order to paint the bad image of Cambodia by summoning Cambodian ambassador to Bangkok to accept their protest against Cambodian invasion and inviting eight Asean members to receive their protests signed by PM Samak on 18 July 2008 and some others framed documents, 2000 MOU, the Thai protests against Cambodia invasion 2004, 2005, 2007 and April 2008.

It is even more clearly explained the dirtiness of the Thai if we reflect on the statement of the Thai Supreme Commander Gen Boonsrang Neimpradit who indicated that “Thailand could propose Phnom Penh withdraw about 500 Cambodian villagers from the disputed area as a condition for a Thai military withdrawal.” This statement is clearly referred to Sumak’s latest statement and the new redrawn map –the Joint Communiqué. It means that now they officially claim for the land and greedily want to completely control it.

They do know that if they don’t use forces to pressure Cambodia, the 500 villagers will not be removed and their dream to rob those surrounding lands of Khmer Preah Vihear temple will be failed and the seek for future Joint Management will be completely nonnegotiable and this will put the Thai for another shame.

What will happen if Cambodia doesn’t agree with the condition? I think the Thai will resort to other tricks. They might allow other Thai protesters enter into Cambodia and then provoke the war allegedly protecting their civilians. They might at night use Thai soldiers disguising as Cambodian soldiers and wage the war first against the Thai themselves and then accuse Cambodia as the first to wage war and then invade Cambodia.  Or there might be more invisible tricks. So watch out!

They do hope they will win the war because they think they are always superior to us. Then the villagers will flee from their homes if the war would be erupted. They will control the land and pressure for the last bargain in exchange for the peace, i.e., the rightful control of the land surrounding the temple and it may be even the Joint Management of the Preah Vihear temple.

Do we hope the conflict will be solved easily? I do hope so only if Thailand can become the nation of honesty. For now I see that, “the conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand will not be easily solved if without international intervention, because Cambodia is trying to solve the conflicts basing on its honest, respectful, and friendly relationship with the Thai while the Thai is trying hard to solve it through its dirty political trick for long-term invading and dominant political strategy over Cambodia”. 

My observation is that the Thai trick is easily revealed if we listen to their languages carefully. They always speak their languages flexibly according to the step of the situation development they have planned and achieved.

Source: http://sokheounpang.wordpress.com/

Hundreds of soldiers are facing off in area where border is unclear
__________________________________________________________
Sources: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25755170/
http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2008/07/pictures-of-thai-troop-movements.html

Thai troops invading Cambodia

NEWS ALERT!!!
“By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged
the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in
which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s
territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it
is a blatant aggression and an invasion.”
__________________________________________________________________________

Thai Soldiers

A while back I wrote in my editorials expressing my fears of Cambodia losing the sovereignty of the 4.6 square kilometres of the so-called “disputed zone” in the Preah Vihear precinct to Thailand. Now, with the Thai sending in the troops to occupy that zone, my fears have been realised. By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is a blatant aggression and an invasion. (Full details here).

From a Cambodian perspective, with the Thai refusing to withdraw the troops and with the Cambodian villagers being terrorized to flee this village en masse, the Thai occupation of this so-called “disputed zone” is a fait accompli. For those who were belatedly and proudly claimed that “Cambodia will lose nothing”, the likes of PM Hun Sen, Deputy PM’s Sok An and Hor Namhong and their proponents, they should hang their heads in shame and do the honourable thing by resigning.

Cambodia must not be complacent over the issue of these significant national interests and it must do everything to publicize this Thai invasion of Preah Vihear to the world in a grand scale to expose the Thai flagrant disregards for Cambodia’s sovereignty. Cambodia must bring out all the documents and maps related to the Preah Vihear temple and put them on the negotiating table for the Thai side to see. If need be, should Thailand fails to acknowledge the historical facts, Cambodia should involve outside mediation, based on historical facts. And if necessary, Cambodia should not vacillate in bringing Thailand to the International Court of Justice one more time.

Cambodia must vehemently reject the proposition and the notion of sharing this zone with Thailand. Cambodia must be firm in any future negotiations with Thailand, not just on this so-called “disputed zone”, but on border disputes in other areas as well. Cambodia has all the relevant documents and maps from the 1907 treaty and then again the decision of the International Court of Justice in 1962, to prove that the “zone” belongs to Cambodia.

The Thai ignorance of the historical facts regarding territorial claims between the two countries cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged. A week ago, the Thai protesters have called for a return of Battambang (Phra Tabong in Thai), Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces to Thailand, by claiming that they were once Thai territories. (Full details here).

Well, the Thai should know the history of their presence in that part of the region very well. They must know that they only moved from Nan Chao in southern China to settle in this region in the 13th century, while the Cambodians had settled in the region for more than 2000 years ago. And as recently as the late 18th century (1796?), Thailand had invaded and claimed suzerainty over more than 10 Cambodian provinces. Battambang and Siem Reap have been occupied by Thailand, then called Siam, in 1796(?) and were only returned to Cambodia in 1904 under the French pressure and in exchange for a return of the provinces of Trat and Buriram to Thailand. Other Cambodian provinces, like Surin, Kok Khan (now called Sisaket), Nokor Reach (Korat), Srah Keo (Sakeo), Baschem Borei (Prachinburi), Cholaborei (Chonburi), Aranya Protess (Aranyaprathet), Kanchanak Borei (Kanachanburi), Chanthak Borei (Chanthaburi) and Boeng Kork (Bangkok) and even up to the Ayuddya regions were all Cambodian territories, taken over by Thailand one by one up until the late 18th century (1796?).

My point in bringing all of these former Khmer provinces into the discussion here was to highlight the historical facts and to jog the memories of the Thai people that Cambodia hadn’t taken any Thai lands. But on the contrary, Thailand had taken vast territories of Khmer lands. If the Thai protesters wanted to reclaim Battambang and Siem Reap provinces, then these Thai protesters and, for that matter, the Thai leadership as a whole, must realise that Cambodia has every right to reclaim the territories of the more than 10 provinces lost to Thailand that have been mentioned above.

I would like to end this editorial by expressing my condemnation of the Thai incursion into the Preah Vihear region and, for the sake of regional peace and stability, I call on Thailand to withdraw their troops immediately and unconditionally.//

(Viewing the pictures of Cambodian and Thai troops facing off each other in Preah Vihear).

Posted by khmerization

Labels: khmerization editorial, Preah Vihear, Thai troops enter Cambodia, Thai-Khmer troops confrontation

Slek Bas -  Vine-vegetable or Ivy gourd is scattered wildly in Cambodia, especially in the mountain area. Slek Bas is also grown at home crawling on the ground or climbing along the fence sometimes along the poles. It has an ivy shape and grown like morning glory with curly string at the tip.The taste is somewhat like watercress and spinach but more mineral bite. Another similar name is “Derm Kabas”  which sounds almost the same but it’s a cotton plant. Do not get mixed up. Cambodian immigrants brought their native flavor to many parts of the world. In US, Slek Bas is widely grown in hot places like Long Beach, CA, Florida, Arizona where Cambodian is highly populated. Recently there is an increasing number of Slek Bas available selling at Asian market.

Slek Bas is very important vegetable for Cambodian and it is used in varieties of authentic soup:
-somlor prohaer - mixed vegetable soup with fermented fish and lemongrass base.
-somlor somlouk - mixed vegetable soup with fermented fish base
-sgnou lek bas with pork rib/chicken in clear broth
-char lek bas trolob klanh - saute slek bas with oil, salt and pepper

Cambodia Cooking Class on Channel News Asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – With the growing number of tourists choosing Cambodia as their holiday destination, the cuisine of the country is gaining popularity as well. The pan-Asian broadcaster Channel News Asia recognizes the resurrection of traditional cooking in the Kingdom by featuring the Cambodia Cooking Class in its ‘Taste Matters’ programme.
In the tv-show, presenter Marc Dass explores the psyche of Phnom Penh, as he learns to cook its signature dish, Fish Amok. Cooking class chef Heng demonstrates how to prepare this fish curry, dry steamed in a cup of banana leaves. There is a lot of time involved in creating Fish Amok, and the result is a superb dish.
As more and more people discover, Khmer food has its own distinct character in a subtle balance of flavours. The Cambodia Cooking Class attracts a steadily increasing number of students. Food is at the heart of every culture, so taking part in the cooking classes gives tourists a unique inside into Cambodia and its people.
Channel News Asia’s programme ‘Taste Matters’ features Cambodian cuisine on Friday July 11th at 6:30pm Cambodian time (11.30am CST/GMT). The program is repeated the following Monday July 14th at 09:30am and Tuesday July 15th at 1:30pm (Cambodian times).

Khor Ch`eung Chomni Chrook - Cambodian caramelized pork rib with eggs and black pepper soup, very rich and flavorful food. This is one of the national dish and is essentially recommended  due to its spices for post-postpartum mother who has just delivered baby. Another similar dish is “Khor Trey,” which will be discussed in a different menu. It is believed that pork meat helps restore red blood cell  and the thick spicy pepper helps blood circulation. Eggs also give extra protein for hair re-growth. It is normal for mother to have blood clot after delivering baby, so “Khor”  should be prepared with huge amount of pepper—as spicy as it can be. Spicier than what is normally prepared.
 
Cambodian have many different kinds of “Khor” - caramelized meat:
-Khor Ch`eung Chomni Chrook Pong`thea - Caramelized pork rib
-Khor Sach Chrook  Pong`thea - Caramelized pork
-Khor Sach Chrook Tawhu neng Tropiang - Caramelized pork with tofu and bamboo
-Khor Trey Ros - Caramelized Cambodian fresh water fish (with sugar cane base )
-Khor Sach Muoan Kyei - Caramelized chicken with ginger
-Khor Sach Ko - Caramelized beef (curry style)
-Khor Kala  - Caramelized pork thigh with tamarind base
-Khor Koun Trey - Caramelized Smelts
-Khor Sach Chrook M`noh- Caramelized pork with pineapple
-Khor Mreah - Caramelized bitter melon stuffed with ground pork
-Khor Bongkong - Caramelized prawn

Request from Bosba (”Satrey Khmer, do you have a recipe for sngou namgau sach moan? Is it ok if you show me how to make it? My mother made it last it
was so good. I want to get this recipe from you. Thank you.”)
-Yes Ms.Bosba, SKO has your request.

Sngou Muoan NamNgau- Cambodian chicken soup with homemade preserved lime.  It’s national and one of favorite preserved dish eaten by Cambodian ( in midland, Kampuchea Krom, Isaan-former Khmer territory).
 
Ingredients:
      
2 1/2 tsp oil
6 cups water
1 chicken breast
1 preserved lime, cut in half
1 garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 sugar
1/2  yellow or white onion (medium size), sliced
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
1 stalk green onion, chopped (diagonally- optional)
8 sprigs coriander, washed
3 tiny rings chili (see photo)

Method:

1) Heat the pot and add oil. Saute garlic until golden, then add onion. Cook onion until  soft. Save it aside on the plate.

2) In the same pot, add water and preserved lime, cover it and bring to boil over medium high heat. -Then add chicken and sauteed garlic/onion bring to boil until chicken is tender. *Break  one of the halves preserved lime to release the the aroma and flavor.

3) Season with salt, sugar, fish sauce, and chicken bouillon. Stir well. Remove the white bubble. -Turn off heat. Sprinkle with green onion and coriander.