Khom (, ) is a Thai-language term referring to the people and civilization of the ancient Khmer Empire. Its use is recorded as early as the 13th century, though its exact meaning—whether it refers to a specific empire, a certain historical period, or the Khmer people in general—has been unclear throughout history. The term has been used extensively in 20th-century Thai history writing, partly as a way to disassociate the historical Angkorian civilization—of which many archaeological sites are spread throughout present-day Thailand—from the present-day Khmer people who form the majority population of Cambodia, whom many Thais believe to be an inferior race unrelated to the people of the ancient empire. This is a commonly leveraged theme for anti-Khmer sentiment in Thai nationalist discourse.
Forestry Journal
Khom
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