How Cambodia-Thailand border dispute affects communities – DW – 06/25/2025

DW

10 hours ago

Following a clash in May, borders have been closed and opening hours reduced. Locals used to crossing with ease say their lives are being disrupted. Tensions are also affecting politics and the economy.
In recent months, long-running border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been reignited following an incident in May during which one Cambodian soldier was killed.
The death occurred when Cambodian soldiers were digging trenches near an area Thailand disputed was theirs, before gunfire was exchanged.
Tensions have been heightened ever since, with both sides massing troops at different checkpoints along the 800-kilometer (480-mile) border.
In recent days, Thailand has closed a border at Chong Sai Taku in Buriram, while Cambodia has closed two checkpoints in its Oddar Meanchey province.
Thailand and Cambodia have 17 official crossings, but the busiest border connects Sa Kaeo province in Thailand with Cambodia's Poipet.
Both Thai and Cambodian nationals cross here for work, while the border is also a popular place for Thais to visit Cambodia's casinos. International tourists also use the crossing.
But following the clash at Chong Bok, far to the east near Laos, Thailand decided to reduce operating hours at Sa Kaeo by eight hours.
The crossing now opens between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., having previously been open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. That change has affected day-to-day life for those living and working nearby.
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Ball, a Thai citizen, owns a cannabis dispensary in the border town of Aranyaprathet. He says his sales have declined by nearly three quarters since the border changes.
"Before the fighting, the business grew very well, I was earning good income," he told DW. "Since last week, it's affected us directly. After 4 p.m. it's very quiet, but normally it's very crowded. More than 70% of my business has been affected."
Lim Num Hong stands patiently as closing time approaches. A Thai citizen of Chinese descent, Hong works at a small taxi stand only steps away from the crossing into Cambodia. Usually, he picks up business from customers wanting to travel to Bangkok.
But since the border conflict of late, that's all changed.
"I've had no bookings for two days. One booking is enough for one day because it's a higher cost to Bangkok. In four days, I only had one booking. The conditions have changed, people can't come in over the border easily, like the customers from the casinos," he told DW.
Mon, who didn't provide his surname, is a Thai national from Sa Kaeo. He says he has lost his job at a casino in Cambodia.
"I worked in customer service at a casino in Cambodia for one year. My job has finished three or four days ago since it was announced the timing of the border changed. I'm back home and have no job right now," he told DW.
Thailand's army has prohibited Thais from crossing the border to work in the Poipet bars and casinos since June 17.
Economic impact of Thailand-Cambodia tensions
According to Thailand's Ministry of Labour, Thailand hosts approximately 500,000 Cambodian migrant workers.
Vatey Mony is from Cambodia but lives in Sa Kaeo with her sister. She runs a small food stall at a market in Aranyaprathet, selling home-cooked meals to Thais, Cambodians and tourists. But she's having second thoughts about staying at the border.
"The border closes early, it's very quiet right now, so I suffer from income loss. My second plan is me and my sister may have to go back to Cambodia. I feel scared and worried about any fighting in the future," she told DW.
Trade has already been affected because of the rising tensions. Cambodia has banned fruit, vegetables, gasoline and propane imports as of Sunday.
Thailand in turn has reportedly banned Cambodian motorcycles entering the kingdom at all land checkpoints.
Tita Sanglee, an associate fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said continued escalations will harm both countries economically.
"I don't see the Thai-Cambodian conflict escalating into a full-blown shooting war. Real escalation is more likely on the economic front," she told DW.
"Both sides are now taking steps to undercut each other's profits, with border closures playing a key role. Both sides have a lot to lose. Thailand relies significantly on Cambodian labour and exports a significant amount to Cambodia. Yet these Thai exports fuel, machinery, beverages, are critical goods in everyday consumption,' she added.
In 2024, bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia reached over $4 billion, while Thailand is Cambodia's fourth-largest trading partner.
Suthien Pewchan is from Sisaket, Thailand, close to where the Chong Bok clash occurred in May. He said at the moment there is no shortage of goods.
"There is no shortage. But we are prohibited from collecting food [like wild mushrooms] from the forest. Right now, we are fully prepared. There hasn't been any [more] fighting, but people are very alert. There is already a contingency plan if anything happens again like in 2011," he told DW.
In 2008 and 2011, Thai and Cambodian soldiers exchanged fire over a century-old dispute based on territorial claims surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple.
Dozens of troops were killed between both countries before a ceasefire was agreed. In 2015, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the area belonged to Cambodia.
Cambodia now wants the ICJ to intervene again and solve the Chong Bok land dispute, as well as several other border disputes with Thailand. Phnom Penh sent a letter last week to the ICJ, but Thailand is keen, however, to solve it through bilateral relations.
"Cambodia wants to take the current conflict to the ICJ because they have had success there in the past," Zachary Abuza, a Southeast Asia expert at the Lowy Institute, told DW.
"Thailand wants to use their economic power, they really think they have significant economic leverage," he added.
The dispute over the border has also caused political turmoil in Thailand.
A recording of a conversation between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen was leaked to the media in which Paetongtarn is heard criticising a Thai military commander related to the border dispute.
The recording led to Thailand's Bhumjaithai Party, the second biggest party in government, quit the ruling coalition led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai Party. This has left analysts questioning the future of the embattled prime minister.
"The Thai-Cambodian border dispute has turned into a full-blown political crisis in Thailand. said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University told DW.
"As Paetongtarn's premiership becomes untenable amid her political isolation and impending government collapse, Thai politics is in a tailspin, whereas Thai-Cambodian relations are set for tension and confrontation for the foreseeable future," Thitinan added.