Thai - Cambodia Conflict Ceasefire Fails to Reassure Foreign Tourists Amid Thai Border Violence

[webfact]

Thai residents who fled homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers rest at an evacuation centre in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

Thailand’s tourism sector faces turmoil as border clashes with Cambodia continue to escalate. Despite a ceasefire agreement on Sunday, the Royal Thai Army reported further attacks in contested areas as recently as Wednesday, putting the travel plans of foreign tourists at risk.

 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Thai military positions at Phu Makua were targeted by Cambodian forces using small arms and grenades late Tuesday.

 

The ongoing violence, happening just a day after the ceasefire, highlights the struggle authorities face in maintaining peace.

 

Teerasak Tanavarakul, head of research at CGS International Securities, expressed concerns over the situation. He warned that if fighting does not cease within two weeks, foreign and local tourists might fear for their safety and question the ceasefire's validity.

 

Such an outcome could impact confidence significantly, especially if the General Border Committee meeting scheduled in Cambodia on August 4 does not occur.

 

Maybank Securities, based in Kuala Lumpur, described the current border situation as an "uneasy peace." The neighbouring countries' economic interdependence is notable: Cambodia relies on Thailand for trade, fuel, and tourists, while Thailand benefits from Cambodian labourers, officially numbering half a million but possibly up to 2 million and accounting for nearly 5% of Thailand’s workforce.

 

If the ceasefire holds, the conflict’s economic impact is expected to subside over the next two months. However, sectors such as tourism, retail, and air transport could feel the strain more acutely.

 

Maybank warns that if the ceasefire fails for the remainder of the year, Thai GDP might shrink by 0.7 percentage points and Cambodian GDP by 2 percentage points in the latter half of 2025.

 

In summary, the situation remains tense as both nations strive for stability. The tourism sector, a vital component of Thailand's economy, anxiously awaits resolution as the implications of prolonged conflict loom large.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-07-31

 

 

 

 

[Pouatchee]

wow, they are at war but worry about tourism. how many wake up calls does thailand need before they actually start to take care of tourists and long term expats the right way?

[actonion]

Seems like when half the Pattaya Police Farce parade themselves walking through Walking St.. telling Tourists  "we like to make u feel safe"  ......Wotta loada  Cobblers

[mfd101]

23 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

wow, they are at war but worry about tourism. how many wake up calls does thailand need before they actually start to take care of tourists and long term expats the right way?

Wow, how many wakeup calls does Thailand need before they actually realize you can't build a modern society and economy on tourism? But you can destroy much of your traditional culture and values with tourism.

[dinsdale]

29 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

wow, they are at war

Nup! Border skirmishes do not equate to being at war.

[BayArea]

8 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Nup! Border skirmishes do not equate to being at war.

agreed. its similar to India and China with skirmishes over border conflicts from time to time.

its like that with Armenia and Azerbaijan at the moment even though both have fought more intensely in the past and I'm afraid it could start again.

[Lorry]

"The tourists always come" (B Trink)

Thailand is a tropical paradise, with endless palm-fringed beaches.(Never mind more hotels than palm-trees).

Delicious streetfood, served with the famous Thai smile (never mind the toxic formalin and the fake smiles)

 

Civil war for decades, slavery on the seas and islands, toxic air publicized world-wide, a murder-island and mass-suicides by falling from high-rises...

The tourists always come.

 

[ikke1959]

What a stupid statements... Tourists book most of time months ahead, not many Thais do last minute, as foreigners need to free from anything they do and plan their holidays... So indeed some people maybe cancel a trip as they have to be near the border, but the rest of Thailand is safe.. The Embassy wrote in an email that 50km from the border with Cambodia is red( no-go)  zone and the South andn North are orange ( only for needed trips) as the North will face heavy rains and floodings.... All the rest of Thailand is yellow.( because of the political situation)..  If the conflict keeps on going it will be different story but until now it is just normal.....

[ikke1959]

4 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Wow, how many wakeup calls does Thailand need before they actually realize you can't build a modern society and economy on tourism? But you can destroy much of your traditional culture and values with tourism.

100 years to go, as they will never learn

[Chalong circle]

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Nup! Border skirmishes do not equate to being at war.

You can fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap with Bangkok Airways, air Asia, etc...  Business is business;

[norsurin]

5 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

wow, they are at war but worry about tourism. how many wake up calls does thailand need before they actually start to take care of tourists and long term expats the right way?

That will never happen in the thai greedy heads.

[Iron Tongue]

Hey, the Russians might still come!

They still go to the Crimea and sun on the beaches as drone delivered explosives blow up Russian warships in the naval base nearby.

I think it's actually safer for them in Thailand.

 

 

[spidermike007]

If I were a tourist thinking about coming to Thailand this border skirmish would not determine my plans by even 1%, then again I'm familiar with the region and I realize that it's happening in very limited areas, and that would not in any way affect my travel plans. 

 

However a lot of people are timid, the media blows this up into something much larger than it actually is, and people get scared. 

 

Perhaps Thailand's so called leaders could take a moment and start addressing some local issues, and not focus so much of their energy on tourism numbers. It appears a bit myopic at times. 

[daveAustin]

Wouldn’t bother me neither, but newbie tourists might see that and see Gaza. 

[newbee2022]

Only the fact living 400 km away from the temple let me sleep undisturbed.

As a tourist I would avoid those areas or even look for another country for holidays

[har0165]

Malaysia and China are the largest source countries for Thai tourism, accounting for more than 25%, each more than double of the third place country, India. 

Western expats may not care about a border skirmish, but Asian tourists do. 

Thailand has been getting a lot of bad press lately between the fighting, and political instability.

The earthquake earlier this year didn't help either.

Chinese and Asean tour companies  have been stating that the demand for Thailand travel packages has declined significantly. 

There's a lot of competition for tourist dollars, people choose to go where they feel safe, whether that's based on fact or not,  perception is everything.

[portisaacozzy]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai residents who fled homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers rest at an evacuation centre in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

Thailand’s tourism sector faces turmoil as border clashes with Cambodia continue to escalate. Despite a ceasefire agreement on Sunday, the Royal Thai Army reported further attacks in contested areas as recently as Wednesday, putting the travel plans of foreign tourists at risk.

 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Thai military positions at Phu Makua were targeted by Cambodian forces using small arms and grenades late Tuesday.

 

The ongoing violence, happening just a day after the ceasefire, highlights the struggle authorities face in maintaining peace.

 

Teerasak Tanavarakul, head of research at CGS International Securities, expressed concerns over the situation. He warned that if fighting does not cease within two weeks, foreign and local tourists might fear for their safety and question the ceasefire's validity.

 

Such an outcome could impact confidence significantly, especially if the General Border Committee meeting scheduled in Cambodia on August 4 does not occur.

 

Maybank Securities, based in Kuala Lumpur, described the current border situation as an "uneasy peace." The neighbouring countries' economic interdependence is notable: Cambodia relies on Thailand for trade, fuel, and tourists, while Thailand benefits from Cambodian labourers, officially numbering half a million but possibly up to 2 million and accounting for nearly 5% of Thailand’s workforce.

 

If the ceasefire holds, the conflict’s economic impact is expected to subside over the next two months. However, sectors such as tourism, retail, and air transport could feel the strain more acutely.

 

Maybank warns that if the ceasefire fails for the remainder of the year, Thai GDP might shrink by 0.7 percentage points and Cambodian GDP by 2 percentage points in the latter half of 2025.

 

In summary, the situation remains tense as both nations strive for stability. The tourism sector, a vital component of Thailand's economy, anxiously awaits resolution as the implications of prolonged conflict loom large.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-07-31

 

 

 

 

of course people will stop cumming to Thailand [ not all! butsome ] each side is still spouting bs] the last thing you want from a peaceful and relaxing holiday is to have a mortar shell land in the the middle of your breakfast porridge !!

[diveasia666]

14 minutes ago, portisaacozzy said:

of course people will stop cumming to Thailand [ not all! butsome ] each side is still spouting bs] the last thing you want from a peaceful and relaxing holiday is to have a mortar shell land in the the middle of your breakfast porridge !!

cumming? 🙈

[portisaacozzy]

1 minute ago, diveasia666 said:

cumming? 🙈

yes,have you naver had a mortar shell cumming in your porridge  !

 

1 minute ago, diveasia666 said:

cumming? 🙈

 

[Formaleins]

Really? Foreign tourists are not "Flocking"  "Swarming" or "Overunning" a war zone? I wonder why, answers on a postcard please.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

what do you expect. A lot of people consider Thailand a moving target as far as stability goes. Just because you sign a cease-fire today people are not gonna jump on a plane tomorrow.  They’re gonna wait to see if you’re stable and  serious.  And they’re going to look at track record in the past.  And that’s why they’re not coming yet.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

what do you expect. A lot of people consider Thailand a moving target as far as stability goes. Just because you sign a cease-fire today people are not gonna jump on a plane tomorrow.  They’re gonna wait to see if you’re stable and  serious.  And they’re going to look at track record in the past.  And that’s why they’re not coming yet.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Nup! Border skirmishes do not equate to being at war.

Hard for the locals in the area,

tourism, some might skip Thailand others will just stay away from the Eastern borders.

[Ctkong]

Skirmishes along borders is just like two siblings having a go at each other once a while to let off steam not to annihilate one another .they want to maintain the status quo. 

[racket]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

If I were a tourist thinking about coming to Thailand this border skirmish would not determine my plans by even 1%, then again I'm familiar with the region and I realize that it's happening in very limited areas, and that would not in any way affect my travel plans. 

 

However a lot of people are timid, the media blows this up into something much larger than it actually is, and people get scared. 

 

Perhaps Thailand's so called leaders could take a moment and start addressing some local issues, and not focus so much of their energy on tourism numbers. It appears a bit myopic at times. 

 

People's plans don't matter much. When a country is at war, insurance companies often stop covering health and travel expenses. Traveling to conflict zones can also lead to higher future premiums. Northeast Thailand isn't a major tourist spot, but many insurers may suspend coverage until things stabilize, causing issues for travelers. Thailand faces border problems with Myanmar, Cambodia, and its south, making the situation worse. If Thailand and Cambodia don't resolve this soon, Vietnam could benefit in the long run.

[kwilco]

7 hours ago, BayArea said:

agreed. its similar to India and China with skirmishes over border conflicts from time to time.

its like that with Armenia and Azerbaijan at the moment even though both have fought more intensely in the past and I'm afraid it could start again.

or Russia and Ukraine?

[The sight]

8 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

wow, they are at war but worry about tourism. how many wake up calls does thailand need before they actually start to take care of tourists and long term expats the right way?

Never

[ronnie50]

Seems to be getting quieter on the border today, some reports claim, despite the propagnda machines that are still churning out stuff.

[Sydebolle]

Surprise surprise ........ are these geeks at the tourism office for real - honestly?????? 

[FritsSikkink]

59 minutes ago, WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot said:

what do you expect. A lot of people consider Thailand a moving target as far as stability goes. Just because you sign a cease-fire today people are not gonna jump on a plane tomorrow.  They’re gonna wait to see if you’re stable and  serious.  And they’re going to look at track record in the past.  And that’s why they’re not coming yet.

Doubt many tourists would be near any of the affected areas.