Vexillology: Cambodia

The story of Cambodia's complicated 20th century can be told through its flags. I am back in Thailand now, and wanted to make one more post about some of the fascinating things I learned while I was in Cambodia.

Khmer Empire and the "Middle Period"; 802-1863

The yellow pendant with green fringe was reportedly flown by the Medieval Khmer Empire and in the following "Middle Period"(also known as the "Dark Age" or the "Isolation"). Following the mysterious collapse of the great Khmer Empire, the old Cambodian Kingdom entered a period of rapid decline. At its peak, the Khmer Empire was larger than the contemporary Byzantine Empire; stretching from eastern Vietnam to western Thailand. After the collapse, the kingdom retreated in on itself. Neighboring Vietnam and Siam demanded tribute. To save the kingdom from being absorbed by its neighbors, King Ang Duong finally accepted the offer of Emperor Napoleon III of France to make Cambodia a colonial protectorate.

Protectorat français du Cambodge: 1863–1940

The French Protectorate of Cambodia brought administration reforms to the kingdom. While nominally independent, the Cambodian monarchy was in practice subservient to the French colonial overlords. Cambodia was not resource-rich like neighboring Vietnam. Instead, the Cambodian Protectorate was more important as a gateway to the Mekhong River, an important trade route for expanding political and economic influence throughout Indochina.

The new flag of the protectorate featured a sala, or royal pavilion such as the one that sits along the banks of the Mekong River just outside of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. 

Japanese Occupation of Cambodia; (1940-1945)

Everything changed when the Japanese Empire swept across Southeast Asia in the early-to-mid 1940s. Like its neighbors, Cambodia was quickly overwhelmed by Japanese forces and the colonial government quickly fell and surrendered. The new, short-lived flag of Cambodia consisted of a "Red flag with white-outlined square followed by 4 small full white squares in each angle and another in the center". The Japanese occupation of Cambodia only lasted for a few years before Allied forces retook the country.

Colonial Cambodia (Royaume du Cambodge); 1945–1948

After the French colonial government retook the country in 1945, they introduced a brand-new flag to the country. This flag was the first to feature the ruins of Angkor Wat; a feature which would last as a national symbol for the rest of Cambodia's history. The French government assigned symbolism to each color of the flag. The flag took on the colors of the French flag (red, white, blue), but now featured Angkor Wat - a symbol which would stand resilient throughout the tumultuous 20th century.

White: Integrity, Justice and Heritage

Blue: Liberty, Cooperation and Brotherhood

Red: Bravery

The Kingdom of Cambodia; 1948–1970

Upon gaining independence in 1948, the new Kingdom of Cambodia introduced a flag which was a simplified version of the old colonial flag. It still featured the red, white, and blue of the French colonial government with the white façade of the famed Angkor Wat in the center.

The flag is full of symbolism, and the colors of the previous flag have now taken on new meaning.

White: Religion

Blue: King

Red: Nation

Khmer Republic; 1970–1975

The Khmer Republic was a short-lived pro-US anti-Communist republican government which gained power after the abolishment of the monarchy in 1970. The flag was modeled after the flag of the United States albeit with the colors swapped; with a canton in red, a blue field, and white stars. According to the Khmer Constitution, the colors and stars represent any of the following:

The Nation, the religion and the republic of Cambodia

The Three powers of the State: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial

The Three Jewels of Buddhism (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)

Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge Regime); 1975–1979

The short-lived Democratic Kampuchea (better known as the Khmer Rouge Remime) only lasted four years, but Pol Pot's brutal campaign in Cambodia ended up killing nearly 1/4 of the entire population. The government outlawed money of all kinds, and executed anyone who could speak English or French, anyone who was overweight or wore glasses, and anyone who was educated. In short, it was one of the most violent and brutal regimes to ever rule over a country.

https://michaeldesrosiers.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-killing-fields-at-choeung-ek.html

The flag of Democratic Kampuchea features a stylized Angkor Wat in the style of eastern Communist brutalism. The flag is in the red and gold typical of Communist nations.

People's Republic of Kampuchea; 1979–1989

In 1979, a horrified Vietnam, having driven out the US Army and established a newly-reunified nation, decided to invade Cambodia and depose Pol Pot. The new regime of the Communist People's Republic of Kampuchea was much more compassionate than its predecessor. It prosecuted those who had established the brutal Khmer Rouge. In this period, Cambodia slowly began to rebuild.

The flag was flown over Cambodia for the 10-year period of Democratic Kampuchea's reign (1979-1989).

According to their own description, the flag's symbolism is:

"Red symbolizes blood and revolution. The five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette refers to the unity of soldiers, traders, workers, peasants and intellectuals of Kampuchea."

The State of Cambodia; 1990–1992

In 1990, the new State of Cambodia changed its flag. It now incorporated the previous colors of the Cambodian flag, and began distancing itself from the Pol Pot regime, as well as from the regime of the Vietnamese occupiers. It was a twist on the previous flag, while also using elements of the former royal flag. The main goal of this newly-independent government was to restore the country and re-establish the national monarchy under HM King Sihanouk, who had previously been deposed and had subsequently fled to both China and North Korea respectively for sanctuary following the 1970 coup.

It was a slow transition, but ultimately a successful one.

The UNTAC; 1992–1993

The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, or UNTAC, was the first, and thus far only, time the United Nations has directly taken over the administration of an independent state. For a period between 1992 and 1993, the United Nations Peacekeepers and administrators established a de facto government in the period following the fall of the Khmer Rouge Regime and the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. 46 countries participated in peacekeeping operations, which helped to organize free and fair elections, draft a new democratic constitution, and temporarily took over foreign affairs, national defense, and law and order. UNTAC took charge of Cambodia following decades of civil and proxy wars in order to promote human rights and lead to reconciliation in the war-torn country before the reestablishment of the monarchy in 1993.

Second Kingdom of Cambodia; 1993-present

In 1993, a constitutional assembly restored the Cambodian monarchy - the most recent monarchical re-establishment in history. In recognition of its newly-established period of peace and stability, and of the newly-recognized monarchy (re-established under the previously-deposed King Sihanouk), the flag of the new Kingdom of Cambodia is the same as that of the old Cambodian Kingdom (1948-1970). The flag still flies to this day.

According to Wikipedia:

"This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has five towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylised version used on flags. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year."

Symbolism:

White:     Integrity, Justice and Heritage; Religion

Blue:       Liberty, Cooperation and Brotherhood; King

Red: Bravery; Nation

Royal Standard

The Cambodian Royal Standard, like that of its Thai counterpart, flies over royal sites, temples, palaces, and the homes of those dedicated monarchists in Cambodia

I saw this flag flying many times during my recent stay in Cambodia. It was raised over Wat Phnom and other royal sites, and was flown from the balconies of royalists throughout the kingdom.

Buddhist Flag

And finally, the International Buddhist flag is another official flag in Cambodia. This flag, officially established in the 19th century as the ecumenical Buddhist flag, is flown as an international Buddhist symbol throughout the world (although Thailand is exemplary in that it flies its own independent Buddhist flag).

This flag, adopted in 1885 in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), is seen as the official flag of Buddhism worldwide. It is commonly spotted in Buddhist countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar - albeit with slight differences in color.

Alongside the national flag and the royal standard, the Buddhist Flag flies above the Royal Palace. Cambodia, as established in their most recent constitution, is an officially Buddhist country, and the Buddhist flag flies in a place of honor.