2003 Phnom Penh riots

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Operation Pochentong 1 ប្រតិបត្តិការពោធិ៍ចិនតុង ១ ปฏิบัติการโปเชนตง 1
Date 29-30 January 2003 Location Phnom Penh International Airport Result Thai citizens safely left Cambodia
Belligerents
Thailand Cambodian government	Cambodian rioters
Commanders and leaders
Thaksin Shinawatra Surayud Chulanont Somtat Attanand Kongsak Wattana Taweesak Somapha Tea Banh	n/a
Strength
110 special forces 5 C-130 1 Alenia G.222 600 Cambodian officers backup unit: 1 aircraft carrier 4 frigates	~1300 rioters

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In January 2003, a Cambodian newspaper article falsely alleged that Thai actress Suvanant Kongying claimed that the Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand. Other Cambodian print and radio media picked up the report and furthered nationalistic sentiments, which resulted in riots in Phnom Penh on 29 January where the Thai embassy was burned and commercial properties of Thai businesses were vandalized. The riots reflect the fluid historical relationship between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the economic, cultural and political factors involving the two countries.