“When we go to Thailand, we are known as Khmer. When we stay here, we are known as Thai. So, it turns out that we are Koh Kong people. Not exactly Thai or Cambodian.” Vichet Bunchoo said about being Thai in the Koh Kong province of Cambodia.

 

Koh Kong, the most southwestern province of Cambodia, was once under Siamese administration and many Thais are still living there, especially in the border sub-district of Bang Kayak.

 

Koh Kong in Cambodia and Trat in Thailand were ceded to French Indochina in 1904. Three years later, Trat was returned to Siam, in exchange for the Siamese province of Inner Cambodia, while Koh Kong remained part of French Cambodia.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-community-in-cambodias-koh-kong/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-18

 

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So, how are they Thai, unless they were born before 1904?

 

Also in the Khmer media today 19 April 2023 (full story):

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501275700/identifying-the-thai-community-in-cambodias-koh-kong/