I am Thai, and I do not feel that this video poses any issues regarding the identity of Thai people. Thailand has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, including styles such as Khmer, Ayutthaya, Lanna, and many others. The Ayutthaya style, in particular, has its own unique characteristics that are fundamentally different from Khmer art in every aspect. This distinction is comparable to the cultural differences between Chinese and Japanese art, which are easily recognizable. The issue arises from the fact that Cambodia has faced a series of historical challenges, including the collapse of its empire, periods of colonization by Thailand, Vietnam, and France, as well as the devastating Khmer Rouge regime that eradicated intellectuals in various fields. In their efforts to revive their cultural heritage, some Cambodians have attempted to create misunderstandings by claiming that Thai art originated from Khmer traditions. This may stem from the fact that modern Cambodians have been disconnected from their original cultural roots for a long time. Additionally, many Cambodians who come to work in Thailand are exposed to and deeply admire Thai culture, to the extent that they wish to claim it as their own.
@sagimiya_Ай бұрын
If you have access to Thai historical films, I recommend comparing the costumes of the upper class in "Suriyothai" (2001) and "The Legend of King Naresuan" (2011). While both films depict Thailand's Ayutthaya period, you'll notice how Thai culture (from costumes to architecture and everything in between) has significantly "evolved" in their portrayals. Thailand has a novel called "Four Reigns" that covers the period from Rama V to Rama VIII, with several TV drama adaptations. Try comparing the early versions of "Four Reigns" with "The Legend of King Naresuan." You'll notice that the culture of the Rattanakosin period appears far less sophisticated than that of the Ayutthaya period. What? That doesn't make sense, right? Exactly. This phenomenon occurs because contemporary Thais have been increasingly beautifying and "evolving" historical events, particularly the Ayutthaya period. I'm worried that someday, we might see claims that the Thai kingdoms before Sukhothai had spaceships. After all, Thailand's past keeps "evolving" LOL.
@BataOnQАй бұрын
This argument is quite amusing-using a movie as a reference for archaeological claims? The content in movies is primarily created for entertainment. Even historical films are not entirely accurate in depicting history. For instance, the soldier's armor shown in the movie is clearly Western-style, which does not match historical reality. If you want to know what the real artifacts look like, I recommend visiting Thailand and exploring the many museums that showcase these items properly. It’s certainly a better option than watching pirated CDs in Phnom Penh. As for your mention of clothing from the Rattanakosin era, it clearly demonstrates a lack of understanding of the social and cultural context of each period in Thai history.
@sagimiya_Ай бұрын
Hmm, I think a considerable portion of Thailand's archaeological claims are influenced by movie content. For example, the figure of Suriyothai appears in Thai first-year high school history textbooks, but there shouldn't have been any mention of this person until the 1990s. This inclusion was influenced by the 2001 film "Suriyothai." This is because Suriyothai was a person who had been ignored in Thailand until then, and probably didn't even exist. The armor worn by soldiers in the movies is quite interesting. Actually, it wouldn't be strange to see European-style armor since foreign forces (Dutch and Japanese) held significant power in Ayutthaya from the mid-1500s to mid-1600s. Clothing in the Rattanakosin era became westernized during the reign of Rama IV. Before that, Thai people wore clothing that would be... rather inappropriate to describe in the KZbin community. Thai people should make historical claims more realistically and with supporting evidence. See how you're arbitrarily deciding that I'm Cambodian without any basis?
@BataOnQАй бұрын
Suriyothai is indeed a part of Thai history, with her bravery documented in sources such as the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, which predate the 2001 film. The film’s role in popularizing her story does not mean she was fabricated. Claiming that she “probably didn’t exist” without referencing historical evidence demonstrates a lack of careful analysis. Notably, school textbooks from the early 2000s included the same content, with only the film’s visuals added as illustrations. You should conduct more thorough research. Imagining history based on inspiration from movies is more of a Cambodian approach-for instance, how the film Ong Bak led Cambodians to fantasize about it being Khmer boxing. Even the lead actor, Tony Jaa, was falsely claimed as Cambodian, to the point where he had to publicly deny it. Thai historical research follows academic standards, relying on evidence from archaeological sites, artifacts, and historical records, all grounded in established methodologies. Thailand has nearly 500 Ph.D.-level archaeologists and over 600 museums nationwide. Our cultural heritage and traditions have been continuously preserved, unlike Cambodia, which spent centuries as a vassal to foreign powers. Even the stone temples Cambodians take pride in were abandoned and rediscovered by the French during Cambodia’s colonial period. During the civil war era, most educated Cambodians were killed. Cambodians have a habit of inviting disasters into their own country, starting with General Lon Nol, who brought in the Americans to bomb their own people, followed by King Norodom Sihanouk, who invited communists to form the Khmer Rouge, and ending with Hun Sen, who invited the Vietnamese to take control of the country. In the end, there was nothing left, so they resorted to stealing from neighboring countries.
@sagimiya_Ай бұрын
It would be helpful for Thai people to understand that there are two types of evidence in academia: evidence that is accepted and evidence that is not. First, the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya are considered to have almost zero credibility as historical documents. Many of the pieces of evidence and arguments presented by Thai people are not accepted among historians worldwide. I explain the details and the basis for this in depth throughout this video, so please watch it from beginning to end.