#cambodia living arts

[clairehtownsend]

The Khmer Empire's Healthcare Legacy: Unveiling Ancient Healing Wisdom at Banteay Srey Spa in Cambodia

In Cambodia I decided to actively support business’ that supported the local economy (there’s a lot of Chinese companies that just take money out of the country.) There was genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s in which around 2 million of people died and the repercussions are still felt today. There are not many people I met over 40- even in the big cities. I found a company, Banteay Srey Spa, ran…

[gelthefunkyblob]

Been meaning to do this thing for a while

[zenkaze-japan]

Where things stand currently…

[schlock-luster-video]

On June 6, 2002, Dawn of the Dead was released theatrically in Cambodia.

[apricitystudies]

crimes of the elite: a deep dive

voted on here. (other editions) bold = favourite

corporate harms

behind the smiles at amazon

the long, dark shadow of bhopal (bhopal gas disaster)

how lobbying blocked european safety checks for dangerous medical implants

7-eleven revealed

who controls the world's food supply?

the true cost of tuna: marine observers dying at sea

how a big pharma company stalled a potentially lifesaving vaccine in pursuit of bigger profits

24 years after, some victims not compensated and still can't live normal lives (pfizer's nigeria vaccine trials)

the corporate crime of the century

uber broke laws, duped police and secretly lobbied governments, leak reveals (the uber files)

the baby killer (nestle infant formula scandal)

2 paths of bayer drug in 80's: riskier one steered overseas (hiv-risk contaminated blood product scandal)

global banks defy u.s. crackdowns by serving oligarchs, criminals and terrorists (fincen files)

the ultra-rich

eliminalia: a reputation laundromat for criminals

the fall of the god of cars (international fugitive carlos ghosn)

a u.s. billionaire took over a tropical island pension fund. then hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly went missing (cyprus confidential)

how the wealthiest avoid income tax (the irs files)

the haves and the have-yachts

madoff and his models (madoff ponzi scheme)

the imposter (blockchain terminal fraud)

the ultra-rich: (allegedly) stolen antiquities

crime of the centuries

stolen treasure traders

a hunt for cambodia's looted heritage leads to top museums (pandora papers)

an art crime for the ages

[talesfrommedinastation]

For Tech Tuesday, I colored in the sketch of my husband as Tech and his grandmother’s psycho dog.

Randomly put Crosshair's tattoo on the old girl and....it works.

Crosshair would totally be a hateful little white Texan shit hound that mauls EVERYONE, kills NONSTOP, pisses on EVERYTHING, and yet, is an absolutely loyal little asshole who lives way too long and looks so fucking SMUG in all her pictures.

"Look at me! I do nothing but hateful garbage all day long, but a rich old doctor's widow and her Golden Child Grandson love me and that's ALL THAT MATTERS!"

----

(I can't say enough about what a fucking asshole Boo the Pekingese was. Boo sucked. Boo bit toddlers, children, old people, Korean War vets, other dogs, mail carriers, construction workers, LDS missionaries, everyone that made the mistake of coming near her. I always gave the little fuck a wide berth whenever we visited.

To clarify, this dog was NEVER abused or anything. According to FIL, GMIL brought her home with her two littermates Mimi and Leela, who were lovely and playful until the day they died.

Meanwhile, Boo marched in, took one look at the massive Art Deco ranch home that was to be hers, and waltzed over to GFIL's art collection from Iran and promptly pissed on it. When GFIL ran over to yank her off, Boo promptly bit him multiple times on the hand and arm.

GFIL almost drop kicked her into oblivion right there and then. Had quite a fight with his wife, GMIL, over Boo, and shortly after, volunteered for Doctors without Borders. Using his retirement and MD to reattach limbs in post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia was preferable to sharing a home with Boo, apparently.

Don't know if that story's true or not, but the incidents are there and Husband's grandpop did serve in MSF/DWB for most of the 90's. I think it's because GFIL was a good person and wanted to spend his golden years and medical background making the world a better place, but who knows. What's a Texan story without insane exaggeration?

Meanwhile, Boo bit my husband, who was a little boy, RIGHT ON THE FACE, when they met. Husband, at only 5 years old, laughed and hugged the dog, despite bleeding from his forehead. I guess he earned Boo's respect there, because whenever Husband came by, Boo would turn from a biting, snarling lunatic to a friendly, happy pup. She'd sit in his lap and let him carry her around like a loaded rifle. I guess once she tasted his blood, but not his fear, things changed. Who knows.

Boo did not have a terrible ending. No. Boo died in her sleep, curled up on GMIL's bed in the warm Harris County sunshine, at age 21. She's now happily chilling in Satan's arms, I'm sure.)

[ceilidho]

i saw your post about your recommended nonfiction books and can’t wait to read them! would you happen to have any more you suggest? i love learning about the world and how others perceive it ❤️

oh yes i have sooooo many nonfiction recs......it's probably my favourite genre tbh, i try to always read 1 non-fiction for every fiction book i read.

"a natural history of love" and "a natural history of the senses" by diane ackerman. i'm also currently reading her book "the moon by whalelight (and other adventures among bats, penguins, crocodilians, and whales)". she is the most evocative nonfiction writer on planet earth.

i recommended this in my last list but "underland" by robert macfarlane.

"everybody: a book about freedom" by olivia laing - a very good book by a very good writer. queer history, gay liberation, women's rights, reproductive rights, what does it mean for a body to be 'free'.

mary roach, overall, is a very good and very funny non-fiction writer. i've read "spook" (about ghosts and the afterlife) and "fuzz" (about animals and the law) so far, both such good books.

"all about love" by bell hooks. tbh anything by bell hooks.

"the body in pain" by elaine scarry. not for everyone. it's a study on torture and pain and how pain makes and unmakes the world. i read it for a paper i had to write in grad school because i've always been interested in literary trauma theory and it was so informative. also, maggie nelson's "the art of cruelty" and susan sontag's "regarding the pain of others".

"freedom is a constant struggle" by angela davis. so much i could say about this book - it's not dense, it tackles so so much like palestine, prison abolition, the anti-apartheid movement in south africa, and so much more.

anything by rebecca solnit, but start with "hope in the dark" or "the mother of all questions".

"SPQR" by mary beard. if you are at all interested in roman history, this is where to start.

"a short history of nearly everything" by bill bryson is also a very good like....introductory / condensed history book. so so interesting!!

now i haven't read this quite yet but i'm soooooo excited to read "the dawn of everything: a new history" by david graeber and david wengrow.

"four lost cities" by annalee newitz. this book looks at the ancient cities of pompeii in italy, çatalhöyük in turkey, cahokai in the americas, and angkor in cambodia, and delves into how people lived in these cities and how they were built and used. very cool!!!

most of these are history or cultural conversations because those are my favourite non-fiction books to read (i'm not really a big memoir/biography girl). i left off some of my favourite literary criticism books because idk how many people care about that, but if you want those recs lmk!

[whilereadingandwalking]

Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones is a beautiful memoir in which our narrator confronts the internalized ableism that's haunted her all her life, encouraging her to stay at a safe distance from others. Born with sacral agenesis and living with chronic pain, she is faced constantly with both cruel insults and equally cruel infantilization and "concern." She begins to challenge herself with trips and assignments that she would usually never dare to take, alternately challenging her physical and mental comfort zones in hopes of finding something new, something revelatory, in art or other forms of beauty.

This book covers so much, all with Jones's poetic language, critical gaze, and complex, often-paradoxical (but always honest) descriptions of her emotions. Her fear of being a burden clashes against other people's concern trolling and insistence on trying to help her in situations where she does not need help (ex. a driver stalking her up the block because he's worried about her on icy sidewalks).

All her life, her answer to this paradox has been detachment, dissociation, from her surroundings, but she realizes now that it's a wall—to save herself, it's easier to look down at these others, and then let them confirm the poor opinion she has of them through horrid comments or invasive questions. An attempt to grab at her own agency, prove her own self-autonomy, by denying her place in their world. Identifying with the disability community, finding kinship, would also mean letting her walls fall, an emotional risk she realizes she isn't ready to take. But she might need to, for the sake of her son, and for her own sake as well.

The travelogues, her excursions into Italy and Cambodia, are vivid and rich, and her art analysis is compelling and fits within her own philosophical explorations of what beauty is and how it plays into how people see her body, and how she sees it herself. Everything plays a part in this memoir, and her anxiety, pain (physical and emotional), exhaustion, and joy are all richly felt. A fantastic read, and easy to get through despite dipping into some more academic topics.

CW for ableism, eugenics, suicidal ideation, sexual harassment.

[logolazer]

BUG OF THE DAY TIME 🙀

todays bug is....

the orchid mantis (hymenopus coronatus) !!

so pretty ෆ⁠╹⁠ ⁠.̮⁠ ⁠╹⁠ෆ

they live in the rainforests of southeast asia !!

⮕ cambodia, indonesia, malaysia, laos, thailand, etc 😋

the females can be up to double the size of the males (⁠・⁠o⁠・⁠)

idk why that photos so low quality ignore that..

the mantis has colors and limbs that look like the pink orchid flower, meaning they can blend in with them to hunt !!

⮕ mantises sit in clusters of the flowers, blending in as small insects and flies land on it. the mantis then seizes and eats the insects ⟵⁠(⁠o⁠_⁠O⁠)

theyre carnivorous, so they eat a lot of other smaller bugs 😋

⮕ their diet consists mainly of flies, crickets, fruit flies, bees, and even miniature wasps !

⮕ their diet is also pretty much the same in and out of captivity, and i think thats pretty cool (⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠)

thx for coming to todays bug post

i might post some art l8r so keep ur eyes out 4 that !!

[southeastasianists]

Cambodia has a long history of performing arts that share commonalities with what is grouped under the "circus" banner nowadays. And like many of the country's ancient artforms, these traditions of acrobatics found themselves oppressed and vilified by the Khmer Rouge regime of dictator Pol Pot during the late 1970s. Inspired and supported by Maoist China, the Khmer Rouge intended to replace the country's old culture with a completely new one based on communist ideals. As such, traditional craftsmen and artists were routinely executed along with any dissidents, their relatives and even acquaintances. Cultural persecution thus became a part of one of the worst genocides of the 20th century.

Decades after this genocide, Cambodia still grapples with its consequences, not just in psychological terms but also the economic ripples of missing almost entire generations. As such, cities like Battambang, which was close to the border with Thailand and teeming with refugees, found themselves with high rates of poverty and children living on the streets. It was in this context that Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) was born in 1994.

A team of now adults, who had spent their childhood in refugee camps in Thailand, found themselves inspired by an art therapy program. This made them see their PPS initiative as a way to give other generations of disadvantaged children and young people the tools necessary to change their lives. While PPS's headquarters continue to be based in Battambang, their international flagship is Phare, the Cambodian Circus.

Most Phare performers may have originally lived in Battambang, but they now perform several shows per week in Siem Reap, the country's main tourist city. Their circus style takes some queues from the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, highlighting human acrobatics and an artistic approach to their shows. Phare does not shy from references to the country's troubled history along with universal themes of strife. Phare has several shows that rotate on their performances. "Khmer Metal," for example, starts in a tourist pub the morning after a wild night, and features imagery like beer towers and drunk brawls, while "Influence" shows an authoritarian antagonist in a Mao-collared shirt.

Phare's aesthetic is a bit more DIY than Cirque du Soleil's current shows, but it is all part of their social enterprise aspects. Funds from their performances support PPS's other initiatives, which not only train future performers but also assist schools, art programs, and current performers' families. Following the massive negative impact of COVID-19 in tourism-focused Siem Reap, PPS needed an extreme act to raise additional funds for its reestablishment. It was this that led to their March 2021 performance. Including members of their Battambang and Phare crews, the show lasted just over 24 hours, earning them the still-standing (as of mid-2024) Guinness World Record for longest circus performance.

[talonabraxas]

Vishnu : The Preserver Talon Abraxas

One of the most significant deities in Hinduism is Vishnu, who is regarded as a member of the trinity with Shiva and Brahma. He is a protector of the order of things, and he appears in various forms on Earth to fight against demons and maintain cosmic balance.

In Hindu mythology and religion, Lord Vishnu is regarded as the main deity. He is a preserver, and the other two are Shiva and Brahma, who are regarded as the destroyer of the universe and the creator respectively. It’s believed that Vishnu is a universal and eternal spirit that originated from the primeval waters. He is a combination of various lesser known heroes and divine figures. He has ten primary avatars, which are called Dashavatara, and he is frequently said to have around 1,000 names. Some of these include Hari, Narayana, and Vasudeva.

In Vaishnavism, he is regarded as the Supreme Being, and in various sacred texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita, he is also called Purushottama. According to the Vishnu Sahasranama, Vishnu is regarded as the embodiment of all beings’ essence. Vishnu is also regarded as the Supreme Being who grants moksha or mukti, which is the liberation from the cyclic rebirths, to his devotees.

Physical Traits

The temple images of Vishnu show him either sitting or reclining on the coils of Shesha, which is a serpent that lives in the cosmic ocean. He is often depicted in a standing position, and he is wearing royal clothes. He is also represented in a standing position and dressed in royal garments, holding in his four (sometimes two) hands the shankha (conch), chakra (discus), gada (club), or padma (lotus). In his chest is the distinctive curl of his hair, which is referred to as the Shrivatsa mark. On his neck is the Kaustubha, which is an auspicious jewelry. In paintings, he is often depicted as a dark-complexioned figure.

In Hindu art, Vishnu is often depicted in various ways depending on the culture of Southeast Asia and South Asia, such as India, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Although he is usually depicted as a blue-skinned creature, he sometimes rides a half-bird, half-man creature known as Garuda, which attacks and kills snakes. On occasion, he also sleeps on the serpent god Ananta, whose seven heads form an intricate canopy over him. The weapon that Vishnu uses is the discus or Sudarsanacakra, which is believed to represent his association with the sun. It also has thousand spokes, which represent the wheel of time.

Powers and Abilities

Vishnu is regarded as the protector and preserver of the universe. He is also the Supreme Being within Vaishnavism, a major tradition in Hinduism. He is known for his various abilities, such as absolute, meta, and omniverse manipulation. As the preserver, he can actually control everything in the universe. This is the reason why he is referred to as the protector of his devotees.

[mahafamily24]

📢Winter⛈️ came for the second time and we are in tents⛺ Last night it rained heavily and the wind was strong, it was a very cold storm and our tent could not stand it and it broke and the rain fell on us while we were sleeping, we had to take shelter with plastic covers 🥺. We could not sleep, we were wet and walking on mud. 🍉 Asking for help is not easy for us, I ask for a small donation of only $ 20 from each person, $ 20 can be the reason for saving our lives or what is left of our lives in Gaza, a little with a little is a lot and this will make a difference to us. Donate through the link in the bio (GoFundMe), our goal can be reached in a few days if you share the post and donate. Your contribution means everything to us and in these difficult times your kindness is our greatest hope. We would be very grateful for any help you can provide and we thank you, and we trust in your humanity and feelings towards what is happening to us. Please help me spread my campaign so I can achieve my goal of providing food, drink, blankets and clothes for my children and get them out to safety. 🙏Please help me, my life and my children's lives are in your hands 🙏Please help us and donate to us... Link⤵️

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-helping-a-mother-with-4-children-in-gaza

When you want to donate $10, put 100 kr🙏🙏

My number has been verified by @gazavetters, and my number has been verified in the list (#122)

5$=52kr

10$=103kr

20$=207kr

50$=518kr

100$=1036kr

@timetravellingkitty @deathlonging @briarhips @dirhwangdaseul @mahoushojoe@rhubarbspring@schoolhater @pcktknife @transmutationisms @sawasawako@feluka @terroristiraqis @irhabiya@deepspaceboytoy@post-brahminism @khanger @neechees@mangocheesecakes @kyra45-helping-others @marnota @7bitter @tortiefrancis@toilet Potato @fromjannah @omegaversereloaded @vague-humanoid @criptochecca@aristotels @komsomolka @xinakwans @heritageposts @nibeul@ot3 @amygdalae @ankle-beez @communistchilchuck @dykesbat@watermotif@stuckinapril @mavigator @lacecap @yugiohz@socalgal @chilewithcarnage @ghelgheli@sayrug@northgazaupdates2@vakarians-babe @wayneradiotv @anneemay@sar-soor@communistchilchuck@ibtisams@good-old-gossip @sadgremlinanonymous@violottie @narutobrainrotstuff@newsfrom-theworld@longlivepalestina@olovelymoon@akajustmerry@dormimi-zzz@dragon-master-ka i@akajustmerry @vakarians-babe@ot3@schoolhater @aces-and-angels@gazagfmboost @ibtisam @vakarians-babe @7amaspayrollmanager @fallahsart @saying @humanvoreture @kaapstadgirly @sar-soor @dimonds456-art @plomegranate @commissions4aid-international @nabulsi @soon-palestine @communitythings @palestinegenocide @vakarian-shepard @ghost-and-a-half @7amaspayrollmanager @kaapstadgirly @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka-blog-blog @feluka @marnota @toughknit @flower-tea-fairies @the-stray-liger @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisection-gf @communistchameleon @troythecatfish @the-ba stard-king @4ft10tvlandfangirl @el-shab-hussein @2spirit-0spoons @wizardarchetypes @vague-humanoid @buttercuparry @sar-soor @feluka @dirhwangdaseul @jdon @ibtisams @sawasawako @memingursa @thatdiabolicalfeminist @variantsofblue @thedigitalbard @paparoach @newporters @postanagramgenerator @meshugenist

Reblogging with links / from others

Indigenous Peoples of Canada, Cambodia, Mexico, Colombia More links to Hawaii from @sageisnazty - Ka Lahui Hawaii, the Hawaiian Nation Sovereignty, Apology Resolution Rejected

From @is-this-a-cool-url: North American Manipur Tribes Association (NAMTA)@tamamita @northgazaupdates2 @90-ghost @schoolhater @timetravellingkitty @deathlonging @briarhips @mazzikah @mahoushojoe @sar-soor @rhubarbspring @pcktknife @transmutationist @sawasawako @feluka @appsa @anneemay-blog @commissions4aid-international @wellwaterhysteria @mangocheesecakes @kyra45-helping-others @7bittersweet @tortiefrancis @ot3 @amygdalae @ankle-beez @dykesbat @aristotels @komsomolka @neptunerings @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @heritageposts @watermotif @stuckinapril @mavigator @lacecap @determinate-negation @deepspaceboytoy @paper-mario-wiki @kibumkim @neechees @chilewithcarnage @ghelgheli @sayruq @himejoshikaeya @rooh-afza @nabulsi @rainbowpitofdoom @randomdog @biburrich @peasantexchangeprogram @karinyosa @angst-is-love-angst-is-life @rhythmlessgay @butchfalin @gifti3 @groguspicklejar @raisthewolf @dulcesilly @raedas @potionesse @girldong @morihaus @lesbianmaxevans @zsnes @guerillawh0refare @omegaversereloaded @clannfearrunt @a-shade-of-blue @poetrylesbian @niqabisinparis @thisismisogynoir @90-ghost @heritageposts @gazavetters @neechees @butchniqabi @fluoresensitivearchived @khanger @autisticmudkip @beserkerjewel @xinakwans @batekush @appsa @nerdyqueerr @butchsunsetshimmer @biconicfinn @stopmotionguy @willgrahamscock @strangeauthor @bryor @shesnake @legallybrunettedotcom @lautakwah @sovietunion @evillesbianvillain @antibioware @akajustmerry @dizzymosher @ree-duh @neptunerings @explosionshark @dlxxv-vetted-donations @vague-humanoid @buttercuparry @sayruq @malcriada @sar-soor @northgazaupdates2 @feluka-blog-blog @dirhwangdaseul @jdon @ibtisamsa @sawasawako @memingursa @schoolhater98 @toesuckler @waskvhai @a-shade-of-blue @c-u-c-koo-4-40k

[glsneeg-enthusiast]

you can 100% help me. tell me EVERYTHING YOU KNOW about that stupid fuckin skeleton guy. i need all of it

OKAY. uh his birthdays may 28th hes called basement boy and femur frank and hes from new york he went to japan and thailand and cambodia alot and he liked cambodia the most he went to an art school he has tattoos he smiles alot he doesnt like carousels he makes stuff out of nail polish he is Kind Of Bony he lives with Several Wives and Several Children he claims to be a rat and a cowboy but he is actually a rat he is only associated with sneeg out of everyone in the cast and he was maybe in a gang ?? also thats him hes pretty my 4 pixel skeleton guy

[themakeupbrush]

Miss Universe Cambodia 2022 National Costume:  

It is a contemporary design that combines prehistoric art of Funon and Angkor Era. Based on the Buddhist tales, she is the goddess that educates people to control their anger, to love the lives of humans, animals and nature, to share happiness and to appreciate harmony. "Plants and trees are a part of life on earth; please take care of them!"

[rizwanlal]

Certainly! Here's a list of some of the world's best places to visit:

1. **Paris, France**: Known as the City of Love, Paris is famous for iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

2. **Rome, Italy**: Home to ancient ruins like the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, as well as Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica.

3. **Kyoto, Japan**: Rich in history and culture, Kyoto is filled with beautiful temples, traditional tea houses, and stunning gardens.

4. **New York City, USA**: The Big Apple offers a mix of culture, art, food, and entertainment, with attractions like Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty.

5. **Machu Picchu, Peru**: This ancient Incan city nestled in the Andes Mountains offers breathtaking views and a glimpse into the region's rich history.

6. **Santorini, Greece**: Famous for its white-washed buildings with blue domes, stunning sunsets, and crystal-clear waters, Santorini is a picturesque island paradise.

7. **Great Barrier Reef, Australia**: One of the world's most spectacular natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef is a haven for snorkelers and divers.

8. **Serengeti National Park, Tanzania**: Known for its vast plains and diverse wildlife, including the Big Five, the Serengeti offers unforgettable safari experiences.

9. **Marrakech, Morocco**: With its bustling medinas, vibrant souks, and stunning architecture, Marrakech is a feast for the senses.

10. **Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil**: This awe-inspiring natural wonder consists of 275 individual waterfalls and spans the border between Argentina and Brazil.

11. **Dubai, UAE**: A modern marvel with skyscrapers, luxury shopping, and desert adventures, Dubai is a city of contrasts.

12. **Banff National Park, Canada**: Majestic mountain landscapes, turquoise lakes, and abundant wildlife make Banff a must-visit destination for nature lovers.

13. **Bora Bora, French Polynesia**: Famous for its overwater bungalows and pristine beaches, Bora Bora is the ultimate tropical getaway.

14. **Angkor Wat, Cambodia**: The largest religious monument in the world, Angkor Wat is a stunning example of Khmer architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

15. **Rio de Janeiro, Brazil**: Known for its lively carnival, iconic beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema, and the towering Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the city.

These are just a few of the countless amazing places to visit around the world, each offering its own unique charm and experiences.

[rrcraft-and-lore]

Ramayama- the Indian epic some of you know. But did you know of the Ramakien?

It's the Thai national epic which is their version of the Ramayama. It was Thai King Rama VI who traced back the inspirations of the Ramakien to:

Ramayana, the Vishnu Purana, and Hanuman Nataka but how did an Indian epic come to be shaped into a Thai national epic as well?

Simply put? Buddhism.

The more complicated answer? Buddhism but through missionaries after a long history of Indianized states already made it easy to spread parts of Indian culture, stories/myths, and obviously Buddhism.

What is an Indianized state? Well, some were parts of the Indochinese peninsula known as Funan (Phu Nam - Vietnam), Champa, and more (seriously, a lot more).

TLDR, Southeast and Western Asian lands that had heavy Indian influences and or rulers at one time.

Why/how? Well, interestingly, there are Chinese books that have myths/stories of this. The Book of Liang is the most popular source, and some of its stories are reiterated in Indian and Southeast Asian folkore/stories.

They are very beautiful and cool stories but the reality as argued by historians?

Likely Indian merchants seeking wider wealth (migrating through/over the Oceanic silk road routes) into parts of South East Asia who eventually shared stories/treatises and more of Indian political statecraft, eventually leading some merchants into positions of power, rulers marrying across countries to gain/strengthen power, so on. Eventually, voila. Indianized parts of the nearby world bearing Sanskrit inscriptions, Vedic/Hindu statues, and more.

A DNA sample taken from Funan from this time period shows an individual a lot of South Asian DNA admixture approximating 50 percent. The site is what is today known as Cambodia. Note: the sample dates to that time as when the individual lived, not that the sample was collected then. Now, this tradition continued of course over time. Asia was pretty well interconnected.

India and China have a rich tradition (documented) of trade of all sorts including, political craft/statecraft, ruling, censuses, well-being of people, religion/culture, philosophy, arts, and more.

So, dialed up over time, this same Indianization is what's influenced (in part, not wholly) Thailand (as it has a great deal of Chinese influence) as well. But for the purposes of the Ramakien, in the logical sense, this is likely what happened to bring the story of Ramayama, the Buddhist as well as Vedic cultural traditions found there or what evolved from them, such as the worship and reverence of/for Hanuman including him being involved in Muay Thai (note, not credited with/creating it) but he is often depicted in imagery, has a technique named after him, and regarded by many as the ultimate Thai boxer (within the culture) for the traits of the sport he embodies.

Now full circle back to Ramakien. There are some central differences, obviously given that it's more rooted in Buddhism and its tenants than the Vedic epics focused on Dharma (cosmic order/duty) vs. a Buddhist lens of living. Some of the characters are similar (not the same) and serve similar roles with name and slight changes, of course. Not to mention the history and traditions of the Jatka tales spread by Buddhism into the area over time evolved as performed by locals on stage and other venues to be more Thai, feature Thai topography and landmarks and takes.

And this is a light history on the Ramakien's coming to being and some of why there are 300 (yes 300) versions of Ramayama in the world. And, how Indianization happened in parts of the world and its effects. Which all circles back to how stories are traded, evolve and are coopted, adapted, shaped to serve/entertain the cultures they are presented/ended up in.