Bangkok: In response to claims by some Cambodians regarding the origins of the “Thai alphabet,” Mr. Jirayu Huangtrakul, spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, has advised those involved to examine historical facts. He suggested that Cambodians who organized the campaign claiming the Thai script originated from the Khmer alphabet should instead direct their claims to the ancient “Pallava” people.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Jirayu emphasized that the history of this region dates back thousands of years, and those making claims about the origins of the alphabet were not present during its inception. He urged that before asserting ownership, or ‘Ro Boh Knyam’, individuals should study the ancient history of Southeast Asia. The scripts in this region, he noted, originated from the ‘Pallava’ script, an early script that predated the establishment of modern territories and nations.

Historians assert that the Thai or Siamese script, along with others in the region, derived from ‘Pallava’ inscriptions. This script served as a prototype for subsequent scripts in Burma, Mon, Thai, Khmer, Laos, and extended to Java, Bali, and Vietnam. The ‘Pallava’ people of ancient India played a pivotal role in the linguistic development of this region long before the idea of Southeast Asia or defined countries existed. In those times, local lordships and cities were characterized by similar cultural and linguistic attributes.

Mr. Jirayu further criticized the revival of the Khmer script claim, suggesting it reflects a disregard for Asian history and risks inciting conflict among nations. He highlighted that many Asian countries share common linguistic roots, underscoring the interconnectedness of the region’s historical development.