Cambodian-Thai Football Friendship Match to Ease the Tension

It is the historic event that officials from Cambodian Government, Pheu Thai party, and the Thai Red Shirts organized a friendship football match on September 24 to accelerate the harmonization and cross-border relationships enhancement while dispute has been gradually eased.

The match was witnessed by about 50,000 audiences mixing of Cambodians, Thai red shirts, and some few foreigners. About 5,000 Thais cross the border to reach Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium to honor this spectacular mega event. And it was lived by Cambodia’s Bayon International TV, and relayed by Thai TVs, to broadcast over the world.

The match was composed of the Red Shirts (Team A) and Blue Shirts (Team B), which are mixed together of Cambodians and Thais. The red shirt footballers featured Prime Minister Samdach Hun Sen (number 9), Phnom Penh’s Mayor Kep Chuktema- the team leader (number 10), Red Shirts core member Mr. Jatuporn Prompan, and plus with many other Cambodian and Thai officials. On the other hand, the Blue Shirt team is chaired by Mr. Somchai Wongsawat (number 9), Cambodia’s National Assembly President Samdach Heng Samrin, and team up with many other Cambodian and Thai officials.

Although they are not professional players, seeing the public figures that only play roles in political arenas so as leading stages, but turn to play in football arena, was really the great capture memories.

The match was fair play, thrilling, fantastic by having sounds and movements of spectators mixing of Cambodian and Thai together symbolize that these peoples want peace, and wish to end the conflicts.

After completing the 92 minutes contest, the Red Shirt team scored 10 goals, beating the Blue shirt which received only 7 goals. The Red Shirt-Prime Minister Hun Sen who is the central fighter gain hat-trick goals; 48^th minute, 84^th minute, and 89^th minute respectively, and other contributed by the team members. Anyway 7 goals by the blue’s contributed by 4 goals from Samdach Heng Samrin alone; 45^th minute, 64^th minute, 66^th minute, 69^th minute respectively and two goals scored by Mr. Somchai; 81th minute, 92th minute.

The event was thrilled by performers form Cambodian and Thailand performed traditional dances, singings, and hit songs transforming the stadium into a concert pavilon.

Speaking before the match, Samdach Prime Minister Hun Sen said both governments are trying to promote peaceful reconciliations, development for both nations to benefit the people.

“…We want to change from the land of battle fields into the land of development and cooperation, to change the sounds of fire, and artilleries into the sound of music,” said Prime Minister.

In response, H.E. Sonchai Wongsawat, Former Thai Prime Minister, and Head of Thai delegations visiting the match carries the grateful thanks from Thai Prime Minister Mrs. Yingluck Shinawatra to Cambodian government and the people of Cambodia that give a warm welcome to Thai people.

He anyway, invites Cambodian officials for any suitable time to launch fair play football competition back at Thai territory.

“I are so delighted with the warm welcome offer by government of Cambodia so as the Cambodians here. In response, I would like to invite our Cambodian friends to play the football match at Thailand at a suitable time in the near future,” said H.E. Sonchai.

A Thai woman attending the match said she felt so excited to watch Cambodian and Thai high ranking officials playing football together contentedly.

“It is so exciting and funny to watch them kicking, and pasting the ball from one to another, and running very slow in the field since they are old…” she said.

She, who came to Cambodia on Friday and returned back to Thailand the next day after the match ended, says strongly, “I love Cambodia, I love the people of Cambodian too, and they are so friendly.” Adding that, “I have visited Cambodia many times, and I will visit this neighboring land again if possible.”

Anyway, a Wat Koh high school student Ros Narom, 20, said he was so excited to gain privilege honor watching this important match.

“I am absolutely excited to see Cambodia and Thai sitting together in the same stadium to honor the match, I want to see peace for both nations, and I wish to see this friendships last forever in the sake of the development of both neighboring countries too,” Narom said.

Remark that sports have been played pivotal roles to open door for peaceful negotiations, conflict resolutions for nations around the world thousands years so far. The Olympic Truce, for instance, was announced prior and during the Olympic Games to allow athletes and audiences from any nationalities to travel across the borders to watch the games even amid the wartime or conflicts. Not so far different, during the harsh Cambodia-Thai border tension, sporting activities were also initiated to open possibilities for cease-fire negotiation as well.