Nationalist xenophobia between the two nations has involved asserting that this Angkor period Khmer temple should be located in their own side as it is part of their national identity. This is in a context of a legacy of nationalism, in which the Thai and Cambodian relationship has often been based on rival positions characterised by feelings of ‘mistrust, condescension, and abhorrence’ (Chambers and Wolf, 2010: 6). Each side has raised the Preah Vihear issue in order to build nationalism based upon Thai identity (Thainess) and Cambodian identity (Khmerness). With these two identities, the volatile environment has become extremely tense. Thus, the interchange between the discourses of national pride and national humiliation has been continually expressed throughout the history of enmity over the To avoid confusion, this paper uses the term ‘Preah Vihear’ and not the Thai ‘Khao Phra Viharn’. Neither usage is meant to convey bias. The various research by scholars, the Thai daily newspapers (Bangkok Post and The Nation), and the international community use the former term when referring to the temple.
ownership of the Preah Vihear temple. As a result, pervasive nationalism essentially remains an encumbrance to greater neighbourliness.