‘Don’t Thai to me’: A critical discourse and linguistic analysis of border crisis in the Cambodia–Thailand armed conflict
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
17506352
eISSN
17506360
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105037065489
Journal Title
Media War and Conflict
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Media War and Conflict (2026)
Suggested Citation
Chutintaranond T., Yurayong C. ‘Don’t Thai to me’: A critical discourse and linguistic analysis of border crisis in the Cambodia–Thailand armed conflict. Media War and Conflict (2026). doi:10.1177/17506352261428390 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/116541
Title
‘Don’t Thai to me’: A critical discourse and linguistic analysis of border crisis in the Cambodia–Thailand armed conflict
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Author's Affiliation
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Abstract
This study examines the discourse ‘Don’t Thai to me’ within the context of the Cambodia–Thailand armed conflict. Data were drawn from Cambodian state media, official Facebook posts, and other authoritative sources from 24–28 July 2025 during the outbreak of armed conflict. The analysis follows Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis, complemented by speech act theory and other relevant linguistic analyses. The discussion addresses three dimensions of this communication event. For text, the term ‘Thai’ shifts from a neutral national identifier to a stigmatized label of dishonesty in a prohibitive, which performs directive, assertive, and expressive speech acts. For discourse practice, production through official communication channels and rapid online circulation demonstrates how digital platforms enable massive engagement and dissemination, resulting also in popular cultural content. At the socio-cultural level, the discourse resonates with long-standing historical antagonisms rooted in Cambodian folklore, further reinforced by concurrent economic and political tensions between the authorities of the two states.