Two Kingdoms, Two Paths

Thailand and Cambodia are among the oldest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The two countries share the same historical roots dating back to the old Khmer civilization, which manifest in their similar languages, cultures, and socio-ethnic features. In fact, the Thai royal language is derived from Khmer words and the two languages still retain the same Pali-Sanskrit roots. The two kingdoms even share the same national mantra of “nation-religion-king.” However, they have followed starkly different paths when it comes to how their monarchies engage with politics.