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The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Thai products targeted in Cambodian nationalism wave
BANGKOK: A surge of nationalism has swept through Cambodia, sparking calls on social media for a boycott of Thai products. The action comes as tensions rise once again along the border between the two countries. According to a report by Nikkei Asia on Friday (Aug 15), Thai brands are facing a fierce backlash, from PTT petrol stations and Cafe Amazon coffee shops to popular consumer goods. The social media campaign, featuring hashtags such as 'Khmer Loves Khmer' and 'Boycott Thai Products,' urges Cambodians to support local businesses, putting immense pressure on Thai companies operating in the country. The boycott has had a direct impact on several Thai firms. PTT, which has over 186 petrol stations across Cambodia, has seen some sites take down or cover their branding with tarpaulins. One employee said the number of daily customers has plummeted from around 500 to just a dozen. In a strategic move, the brother of Cambodia's defence minister, Tea Siem, who is a franchisee, is moving ahead with plans to rebrand PTT stations as 'Peace Petroleum Cambodia.' Cafe Amazon, a PTT subsidiary with more than 250 branches in Cambodia, is also a key target. Some staff have resorted to covering up signage and avoiding wearing their uniforms outside of work for safety. Other Thai brands, including Carabao energy drink, the CP Group-owned 7-Eleven convenience stores, and the Siam Cement Group (SCG), have been similarly affected. The nationalist fervour erupted following five days of clashes in late July that killed at least 43 people. While both nations subsequently agreed to a ceasefire mediated by Malaysia and supported by the US and China, the situation remains fragile, with each side accusing the other of violating the terms of the agreement. Despite the boycott, one researcher believes a complete break with Thai goods is unlikely. Nith Kosal of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) stated that Cambodia is not ready to cut off Thailand from its entire supply chain, as local production cannot yet meet demand. In 2023, Thailand's exports to Cambodia were valued at $6 billion, with petroleum products alone accounting for a quarter of that total. Kosal added that if the ceasefire holds and border tensions ease, the online fervour and subsequent boycott will likely fade. He noted that while the current situation offers Cambodia a chance to test its self-sufficiency, it cannot replace Thai products and raw materials in the short term. - The Nation/ANN
The Star
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Cambodia and Thailand now shut land crossings as border row worsens
PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK (Bloomberg): Thailand and Cambodia shut several border crossings in tit-for-tat moves, ratcheting up tensions between the two South-East Asian neighbours as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra fights to save her government from a political crisis triggered by a leaked phone call over the weekslong standoff. The closure of a border crossing in northeastern Buri Ram province was effective from June 21, according to an order by the Thai army late Saturday. Cambodia then retaliated with the permanent shutdown of the same passage as well as another checkpoint, according to Cambodian leader Hun Manet, who criticized the Thai army's move. The Thai army said it was its prerogative to restrict border movements to protect the country's sovereignty for national security reasons, as it's done since June 7. The Cambodian leader also announced a suspension of all fuel and gas imports from Thailand from Monday, saying local companies are able to import sufficient quantity of energy from other sources to meet domestic demand. A unit of Thailand's state-controlled PTT Oil & Retail Business Pcl operates retail fuel stations and its Cafe Amazon coffee stores across Cambodia. Relations between the two countries were tense after troops exchanged fire on May 28 in the disputed Chong Bok border area, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Both countries have massed troops along the frontier and closed or shortened the operational hours of several land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has sought to get the International Court of Justice in The Hague to help settle land disputes in Chong Bok and three other border areas with Thailand. That's angered Bangkok, which has said it doesn't recognize the court's jurisdiction. Tensions escalated earlier this week, after former Cambodian leader Hun Sen - Hun Manet's father - leaked his phone conversation with Paetongtarn, in which she held negotiations about a bilateral reopening of borders and appeared to criticize the Thai army's role in the border standoff. The phone leak has since unleashed fresh political turmoil in Thailand and pushed Paetongtarn's government to the brink of collapse, with one coalition party leaving the bloc and saying the phone call had damaged the country. The exit left Paetongtarn with a wafer-thin majority government, while other coalition parties weighed options. Thailand has called the phone leak "unacceptable conduct between states,' saying it's undermined the trust and respect between the two countries. There was no need for any bilateral agreement on reopening border checkpoints, Hun Manet said in a statement on Sunday. Thailand needs to lift all restrictions first and Cambodia will do the same within five hours, he said. - ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
