Thai - Cambodia Conflict 100% Booking Cancellations Hit Thai Hotels Amid Cambodia Border Clashes

[webfact]

Reference picture courtesy of Nomadic Matt

 

Clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have upended the tourism industry in seven provinces, with a staggering 100% cancellation rate in affected areas. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) report major setbacks as 4,085 room nights have been axed, and future bookings are sluggish.

 

The situation escalated on July 24, triggering immediate cancellations, particularly impacting provinces like Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, and the Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo. Hotels in these areas have lost all tour group bookings, though some occupancy has been maintained by visits from donors and media personnel.

 

THA President Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun highlighted the uneven recovery among hotels, with a significant loss from Asian markets sensitive to the region's unrest. However, the impact on individual travellers who book online might not be as severe, providing some hope for upcoming high-season activities, according tog to the Bangkok Post.

 

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool detailed the repercussions, noting Buri Ram's closure of major attractions and Surin and Chanthaburi's 80% cancellation rate. Trat's border areas, including the islands of Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kut, have witnessed varying cancellation rates from 30% to 60%.

 

The volatile situation continues to evolve, and authorities aim to reassess its impact shortly. Despite significant challenges, there is cautious optimism that individual travel flexibility might safeguard the high season from total collapse.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-01

 

 

[norsurin]

Why im not surprised?

Blame the war and don't looking at other reasons..so typical thai.

Easy to understand why many foreigner playing in Thaicupid renamed it to Thai stupid.

[blaze master]

F around and find out. 

[BayArea]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

Despite significant challenges, there is cautious optimism that individual travel flexibility might safeguard the high season from total collapse.

good god, they're just so hungry for those tourist bucks to generate their stagnant economy. this government is bush league and have no clue on how to run a country effectively. 

[ikke1959]

Well done Thailand....don't complain now anymore....If you kept the problems small instead of blowing this up to a war, things would be better, but Thai way is making big problems out of nothing and than they are unable to solve to big problems and blaming everybody except themselves

[ozz1]

I would say it's not just the skirmish at the border it's a lot of things baht strength double pricing and violence towards tourists but they need something to blame

[BritScot]

Well, it isn't effecting Krabi as we are paying top price for our hotel on Sunday! Our normal hotel wanted 3 times more than last year!!! Oh I forgot Thai economics!!!

[Travis179]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Reference picture courtesy of Nomadic Matt

 

Clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have upended the tourism industry in seven provinces, with a staggering 100% cancellation rate in affected areas. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) report major setbacks as 4,085 room nights have been axed, and future bookings are sluggish.

 

The situation escalated on July 24, triggering immediate cancellations, particularly impacting provinces like Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, and the Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo. Hotels in these areas have lost all tour group bookings, though some occupancy has been maintained by visits from donors and media personnel.

 

THA President Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun highlighted the uneven recovery among hotels, with a significant loss from Asian markets sensitive to the region's unrest. However, the impact on individual travellers who book online might not be as severe, providing some hope for upcoming high-season activities, according tog to the Bangkok Post.

 

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool detailed the repercussions, noting Buri Ram's closure of major attractions and Surin and Chanthaburi's 80% cancellation rate. Trat's border areas, including the islands of Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kut, have witnessed varying cancellation rates from 30% to 60%.

 

The volatile situation continues to evolve, and authorities aim to reassess its impact shortly. Despite significant challenges, there is cautious optimism that individual travel flexibility might safeguard the high season from total collapse.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-01

 

 

 

[Mywayboy]

If it wasn't for tourism Thailand economy would be Fark%$.

Have nothing much else to offer.

[Travis179]

Hopefully it's all Indians!  

[mikeymike100]

10 minutes ago, Travis179 said:

Hopefully it's all Indians!  

And Chinese?

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have upended the tourism industry in seven provinces, with a staggering 100% cancellation rate in affected areas. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) report major setbacks as 4,085 room nights have been axed, and future bookings are sluggish.

Reap what you sow....

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Well done Thailand....don't complain now anymore....If you kept the problems small instead of blowing this up to a war, things would be better, but Thai way is making big problems out of nothing and than they are unable to solve to big problems and blaming everybody except themselves

I think this is more than about a temple and some ground... Hun Sen & Thaksin have had a big spat about something.

Hun Sen wants to take down the Shins

[BerndD]

Previously there were 2 cancellations, now there are 4 cancellations.
That's really an increase of 100%

[thecyclist]

30 minutes ago, Travis179 said:

Hopefully it's all Indians!  

Pattaya is already half Indian. Let's open another 100 Indian restaurants. Some of them have already more customers than staff. 

[davb]

5 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I think this is more than about a temple and some ground... Hun Sen & Thaksin have had a big spat about something.

Hun Sen wants to take down the Shins

 

I agree on this. Maybe that's why the Thai military has been so restrained - they are protecting civilians but realize there is personal stuff going on.

Supposedly Hun Sen started positioning his military in February, which is when Thailand inexplicably sent some of the Uyghurs back to China, so maybe that country is somehow involved also.

[IsaanGuy]

No <deleted>, Sherlock.

[Caldera]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have upended the tourism industry in seven provinces, with a staggering 100% cancellation rate in affected areas. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) report major setbacks as 4,085 room nights have been axed, and future bookings are sluggish.

 

If 4,085 room nights amounts to 100% of all bookings, that was abysmally low already before the cancelations. 

[geisha]

28 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I think this is more than about a temple and some ground... Hun Sen & Thaksin have had a big spat about something.

Hun Sen wants to take down the Shins

Of course it wasn’t the temple ruin that sparked this chaos. Sparks were flying since the beginning of the year. The unfortunate telephone call between the PM and Hun Manet just made it worse. The two countries have never been friends. It’s all down to Hun Sen , ex Khmer rouge and his puppet son . As always it’s the very poor Cambodians who pay the price, not those who can go to the temple and sing anthems or wave flags looking for trouble. 
Thailand would come to a standstill if there were no Cambodians or Burmese to do the hard labor, serve in restaurants, hotel staff, fisheries etc. 
Welcome them to Thailand where they hope to have a better life than in their own broken down countries. 

[hotchilli]

5 minutes ago, geisha said:

The unfortunate telephone call between the PM and Hun Manet just made it worse.

Wasn't that call between Hun Sen & Paetongtarn ?

[FritsSikkink]

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Well done Thailand....don't complain now anymore....If you kept the problems small instead of blowing this up to a war, things would be better, but Thai way is making big problems out of nothing and than they are unable to solve to big problems and blaming everybody except themselves

Not the end of the world: "4,085 room nights have been axed"  

[newbee2022]

Free bookings for masochists only 😂

[Nabby]

100% Thailand's doing. 

[connda]

I always love when clashing posts are hyped on the right-hand "Popular Posts" on Asean Now.  Happens a lot and is always humorous.

"Farangs are gonna flock to Thailand", but "Everyone is cancelling their bookings." 

 

 

 

 

[connda]

[BarraMarra]

TAT or Tourism is doing what there best at. Ignoring the true facts about the loss of tourism and blaming others, do they not see the Gangs attacking tourists in Holiday areas, and the publicity this attract's to potential new visitors when there friends tell them how they were treated once they return. Its as though they still think when a plane leaves another planeload are waiting to touchdown. I know it will fall on deaf Ears but they must pull in all consuler officials in BKK,  sit round with them and ask them, how can we halt the slide and what we can do to lure back tourists.

[JustinTyme]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I think this is more than about a temple and some ground... Hun Sen & Thaksin have had a big spat about something.

Hun Sen wants to take down the Shins

 

[lordgrinz]

The solution is to double the price of all rooms.

[d2b2]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I think this is more than about a temple and some ground... Hun Sen & Thaksin have had a big spat about something.

Hun Sen wants to take down the Shins

Casinos 

[JackGats]

Now is the time to get a good deal in Koh Chang/Koh Kut !