Can Thai teachers stem tide of anti-Cambodia sentiment amid rising hate speech?

With nationalist sentiment raging in the wake of recent border clashes with Cambodia, an expert has urged Thai teachers to avoid sowing seeds of hatred among children.

“When you teach civics and history, don’t encourage hatred or promote violence,” urged Prof Dr Sompong Jitradab, a former lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Education. “Instead, encourage students to think analytically and promote mutual tolerance and coexistence.”

Sompong stressed that education should never be used as a weapon, and called on the Education Ministry to issue clear guidelines to schools and teachers on what is acceptable.

“Always opt for peace, not conflict,” he said.

Teachers’ perspectives

The explosion of hate speech stemming from the deadly border clashes is a trending debate on the Inskru Facebook page, where educators share teaching ideas.

“What should teachers do now that children have access to hate content?” one user asked. Educators responded by suggesting that teachers should foster students’ reasoning skills, help them identify fake news and explain how hatred can be harmful.

Social studies teacher Tanawat Suwannapan has tackled the issue by asking his students to examine their own feelings, knowledge and perspectives – and then discuss the dangers of one-sided beliefs

“The topic may be sensitive, but we need to teach young people what coexistence really means,” Tanawat said. “No matter what, Cambodia will always be our neighbour.”

On ASEAN Day, marked on August 8, Tanawat’s students created a display board to express what the regional bloc means to them.

ASEAN – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. At the height of the border clashes, Malaysia – as the current ASEAN chair – stepped in and helped broker a ceasefire between the two nations.

Tanawat reminded his students that the “ASEAN logo features 10 stalks of rice bound together, representing the unity and cooperation of all 10 countries”.

English teacher Junkoses Sumana said she screens an Al Jazeera news clip in class, showing both Thais and Cambodians speaking about the border clashes and ending with the point that war harms people on both sides.

Primary school teacher Fan Thanachanok said children are naturally open-minded, meaning it is not difficult to point them in the right direction.

She cited a recent incident in which Thai and Cambodian kindergartners were fighting over whose country had “won” the war. She said their teacher told them: “Whoever calms down and forgives first is the winner.”

The quarrel ended immediately, she said, and the children resumed playing together.

Patriotic, not extremist

While many Thais see the clashes as unprovoked aggression on Cambodia's part, the reaction in Thailand is divided between nationalist outrage and those urging peace.

“There’s nothing wrong with being patriotic, but it’s wrong to harm others who don’t share the same beliefs,” Tanawat said. “History shows us – from the Holocaust to the 1994 Rwanda genocide – that hatred underpinned these atrocities.”

People’s Party MP Paramee Waichongcharoen pointed out that hate speech is also infecting Cambodia and must be combated to prevent a dangerous escalation.

“For now, we need to focus on national security, but once the dust settles, we can address deeper social and cultural issues, including extreme nationalism,” she said.

The MP urged teacher exchanges between Thailand and Cambodia to build mutual understanding.

Both Paramee and Tanawat believe Thai schools do not need to reinstate history as a separate subject, as it is already part of the general curriculum. "But, I think we should add more about the shared roots of ASEAN nations," Tanawat suggested.

Paramee warned that generations of Thai students have been taught that Thailand is superior to its neighbours because it was never colonised. Such chauvinist interpretations of history prevent students from understanding that all ASEAN nations are equal, she said.

“We can be proud of our nation, but we should not let that pride undermine the principles of equality, mutual respect and empathy."

Tanawat added that when asked to name a neighbouring country they dislike, many of his students say “Cambodia". This prejudice highlights the urgent need to restore good relations between people on both sides of the border, he said.

In the border province of Trat, schools that have Cambodian students have started holding classes online so they are not left behind. More than 200 Cambodian students have been affected by the border closures.

“As citizens, we may not be able to control the ongoing conflict, but we can help stop the hatred,” Tanawat said, applauding Trat’s schools for not abandoning their Cambodian students.

On his part, Tanawat is also teaching his students how they should respond to information online. They should first fact-check any content about the border conflict they encounter, he said.

“Don’t rush to comment or believe what you read,” he urged, adding that he also reminds his students to stay true to their principles – like treating everyone as equal – even in the face of an upsetting situation.

Paramee said that everyone in Thailand, be they academics, teachers, politicians or ordinary citizens, has a role to play in reviving good ties with Cambodia.

“Obviously, Cambodia cannot be relocated, so we need to find a way to be neighbours on good terms,” the MP said, adding that this would take time but would certainly be worthwhile.