When Nationalism Replaces History: A Response to ASEAN Skyline Rising
Calling Cambodians “scammers” and accusing an entire nation of “running out of lies” does not constitute historical evidence. It is simply an attempt to replace scholarship with insult and to turn cultural heritage into a weapon of nationalism.
The claim that the sbai suddenly appeared in Cambodia in 2026 is particularly absurd. The sbai is not a social-media invention. Its history is reflected in Khmer artistic traditions, cultural practices, historical representations and the broader continuity of Khmer civilisation. The Khmer word ស្បៃ sbai itself is deeply rooted in the Khmer language. The fact that the expression “Khmer sbai” has become more visible in contemporary discussions does not mean that the garment or the tradition was invented today.
The real problem is the deliberate attempt to create a false choice: either the sbai is exclusively Thai, or Cambodia must have stolen it. History does not work that way.
Southeast Asia has experienced centuries of cultural interaction, but cultural exchange does not give any modern nation the right to erase the historical identity of its neighbours.
The most revealing aspect of the ASEAN Skyline Rising narrative is its refusal to acknowledge the diversity and historical evolution of Khmer traditional dress. Cambodia has never had only one form of national attire. The sampot, sbai, pleated textiles, embroidered garments, ceremonial clothing, royal dress, village traditions and classical performance costumes are all part of a living and evolving cultural heritage.
If the authors of ASEAN Skyline Rising genuinely believe that history is determined by evidence, then they should respect that principle. Let historians, archaeologists, linguists, art historians and textile scholars examine the evidence, not nationalist Facebook pages.
The attempt to monopolise cultural heritage through aggressive social-media campaigns is not a sign of cultural confidence. A truly confident culture does not need to insult its neighbours or rewrite their history to prove its own worth.
Cambodia does not need to steal another country’s heritage. Khmer civilisation has its own long and documented history, expressed through its architecture, sculpture, inscriptions, literature, performing arts, textiles and living traditions.
The sbai should therefore be discussed through evidence, scholarship and mutual respect, not through nationalist propaganda.
To ASEAN Skyline Rising:
- History cannot be rewritten by shouting louder on Facebook. A thousand nationalist posts do not become historical evidence simply because they are repeated. If you want to debate culture, bring evidence. If you want to rewrite history, no amount of social-media propaganda will make it true.
- Please remember that “Only a thief accuses others of being thieves”: it is deeply ironic when those who have repeatedly attempted to appropriate the heritage, identity or property of others accuse others of doing precisely the same. Genuine respect for truth, history and international norms requires consistency: one cannot claim ownership of what belongs to others while simultaneously accusing them of taking what is rightfully theirs. The credibility of any accusation ultimately depends on facts, evidence and respect for the rights of others — not on repetition or rhetoric.
Roth Santepheap is described as a Phnom Penh-based geopolitical analyst. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-Phnom Penh Post-
