Thai army halts most border traffic to Cambodia
A Thai soldier stands at the Chong Chom border in Surin province, Thailand, a key crossing with Cambodia. (Photo: CNA/Jack Board)
BANGKOK: Thailand's army closed border crossings with Cambodia in six provinces on Monday (Jun 23) to all vehicles and foot passengers except students and people seeking medical treatment, as a territorial row between the neighbours rages.
A long-running dispute over small stretches of the frontier erupted into military clashes last month in which a Cambodian soldier was killed.
The latest border restrictions apply to foreigners as well as Thais, and mean that tourists cannot enter Cambodia via the popular Aranyaprathet-Poipet crossing point.
The military said that border crossings in the provinces of Surin, Buriram, Sri Sa Ket, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat would be closed with immediate effect to all but essential traffic.
"These measures will allow for medical treatment and for students including the purchase of essential products," Major General Winthai Suvaree said.
The move comes a day after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet ordered a halt to imports of fuel and gas from Thailand.
Cambodia has also stopped imports of Thai fruit and vegetables, banned Thai dramas from TV and cinemas, and cut internet bandwidth from Thailand.
Thailand was Cambodia's third-biggest trading partner in 2022, according to the World Bank, with imports reaching US$3.8 billion, of which fuels accounted for 27 per cent.
Hun Manet visited troops on the border on Monday and an evacuation centre housing some 3,850 people moved from their homes near the border as a precaution.
The standoff has triggered a political crisis in Thailand, where a leaked phone call between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra prompted a major party in the ruling coalition to walk out.
Paetongtarn is facing calls to quit or call an election as she battles to hang on to power. Thailand summoned the Cambodian ambassador on Friday to complain about the leak, which included Paetongtarn making disparaging remarks about the Thai military commander in the border region.
Cambodia has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to help resolve the border dispute in four areas: the site of last month's clash and three ancient temples.
The border row dates back to the drawing of the countries' 800km frontier in the early 20th century during the French occupation of Indochina.
Violence sparked by the dispute has led to at least 28 deaths in the region since 2008.
