Why your child's south-east Asia gap year plans need a rethink

Telegraph

6 hours ago

Finally, the nation's 18-year-olds and their parents can breathe a sigh of relief. Well, until results day at least. A-levels are over, the sun is shining, and school leavers now have a couple of months to decide whether to launch straight into university, find a job, or to start planning a gap year.
For many, the final decision will be made in mid-August. But for those leaning towards a gap year, take note: the classic 'Banana Pancake' route in south-east Asia has been split apart at a crucial junction.
This week, Thailand's army closed the border with Cambodia after months of rising tensions between the two countries. Things escalated in May after troops exchanged fire at a contested area of the border, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Since then, relations have soured further. Cambodia has suspended fruit, vegetable and gas imports and even banned Thai films from being screened in its cinemas.
After the border closure, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its advice for Britons to ' take extra care and stay alert ' in the region. It lists the temples Preah Vihear, Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom – all within the contested zone – as places to practice particular caution. They also warn of unexploded landmines in this area, and urge tourists to stay on marked paths, especially around Ta Krabey.
Despite reports to the contrary, it appears that flights between Bangkok and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are operating as normal. But most travellers on a budget go overland, and a leading operator, Gap 360, tells The Telegraph, 'Thailand and Cambodia are always two of our most popular destinations in Asia.'
Reflecting on the border closure, a Trailfinders spokesperson said: 'We are closely monitoring this situation and our Sales Consultants have been briefed about handling any client queries accordingly.'
The Trailfinders rep said that there hasn't been a flurry of queries on this matter, yet, although local television reports show scenes of confusion and crowds building up at the border crossings. This will no doubt have a big effect on the thousands of tourists hoping to make a border crossing in the coming days and weeks.
And hopefully that's the sort of timeframe we're dealing with here. It is in neither Cambodia's nor Thailand's interest to have a lengthy pause on trade and the movement of people, not least because Thailand's tourist numbers have stagnated somewhat in the post-pandemic era. They have dropped from 40 million in 2019 to a predicted 37 million in 2025.
On the flip side, leaders on both sides are under extraordinary pressure over the dispute and are unlikely to want to be seen to be conceding. It's the number one political topic in these countries right now, and there have been protests in Bangkok after a controversial phone call between the political leaders of Thailand and Cambodia was leaked. Schools and villagers on the border are said to be building bunkers and trenches in anticipation of an escalation of tensions, signalling a longer-term stand-off could be on the cards.
Even if things do patch up on the border, there are other considerations that should be high on the minds of prospective gappers, and their parents. In November last year, six foreign tourists tragically died of suspected methanol poisoning after drinking spiked alcohol at a hostel in Laos. The Foreign Office has since expanded its advice to warn tourists to avoid all homemade alcoholic drinks and to only buy alcohol drinks from licenced stores. Drug laws also vary greatly across south-east Asia – right now, three British nationals are facing the death penalty in Indonesia on drug smuggling charges.
The Thailand/Cambodia border dispute shouldn't deter this year's cohort of school leavers from hatching plans to explore south-east Asia. It might, however, serve as a reminder of the benefits of booking with an established tour operator, who will be able to offer personalised support on the ground, if things do go awry.
Jane McLellan-Green, operations director at Gap 360, tells The Telegraph: 'Our local teams and partners on the ground are all highly reactive and prepared with contingency plans for situations such as this.
'We also have the ability to consider re-routing tours through Laos or Vietnam if necessary, as well as changing itineraries to adapt to the evolving situation.'
And, as always, it reminds us of the importance of insurance. If you're ever going to splash out on a comprehensive policy (rather than the cheapest one that pops up on a comparison website) it should be when you are in your late teens or early twenties, embarking on a gap year adventure around this most beautiful, culturally rich – if occasionally precarious – corner of the world.