Thailand's land crossings with Cambodia remain closed nearly a year after restrictions began, with military tensions, disputes over sovereignty and weak political trust still preventing any return to normal trade or travel.

Despite ASEAN-led discussions and an offer from China to help facilitate talks, Bangkok and Phnom Penh have not reached the confidence-building arrangements needed to reopen the frontier.

For foreigners, this means overland travel between Thailand and Cambodia remains unavailable. Visitors and residents planning regional journeys should continue to use air routes and check official border announcements before making onward travel plans.

Diplomatic efforts lose momentum

Hopes of limited reopening emerged in April after reports of informal contact between someone close to Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Thai officials near the border. Attention focused on crossings in Chanthaburi and Trat, where relations have generally been seen as less confrontational than in the northeast and Sa Kaeo.

Rear Admiral Parat Rattanachaiphan, spokesman for the Royal Thai Navy, denied reports that the two eastern provinces would reopen crossings for humanitarian supplies. He said the border remained completely closed.

At a May 7 meeting in Cebu, held alongside the 48th ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr agreed to consolidate the ceasefire, show restraint and task their foreign ministers with developing measures to restore trust.

However, a maritime dispute soon undermined the momentum. Anutin told Hun Manet that Thailand had ended MOU 44, the agreement covering overlapping maritime claims, after more than two decades without progress.

Cambodia subsequently sought compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The process can require participation, but its recommendations are not legally binding. Thailand continues to favour bilateral negotiations.

Explosions and military activity persist

Conditions along the frontier remain fragile. Thailand's Second Army Region recorded 19 unexplained explosions near the border from April to mid-July, including six in July. Thai representatives have asked Cambodia to investigate and avoid placing operational positions close to the border fence.

After an explosion injured four Cambodian soldiers in Oddar Meanchey province on July 5, Cambodia said it was investigating the cause. Thailand denied Cambodian allegations that Thai troops were linked to the blast.

Thai authorities have also reported Cambodian troop movements, new operational positions, bunkers and trenches near Thai defensive lines in areas overseen by the First and Second Army regions and the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command.

During Anutin's visit to the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered to facilitate Thai-Cambodian talks. China also addressed Thai concerns over tank deliveries to Cambodia, saying the purchase agreement predated the conflict.

"China delayed the delivery of military equipment while fighting was under way because it recognised the sensitivity of the situation," Anutin said. "However, it eventually had to comply with its contractual obligations."

Politics restrict room for compromise

Cambodia's local council elections, due in June 2027, may encourage a firm public stance on territorial questions. Thailand's new government also faces pressure not to make concessions on sovereignty.

Thailand began restricting Cambodian crossings in June 2025 as territorial tensions grew. All crossings were later closed during fighting in July, and businesses dependent on border commerce remain without their former economic lifeline.

Picture courtesy of The Nation

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22 July 2026

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"... businesses dependent on border commerce remain without their former economic lifeline..."

Thailand’s nationalist border closure comes with a steep economic cost!

A simple fact, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade with Cambodia reached $3.65 billion in 2025, with Thailand exporting $2.92 billion and importing $732 million, leaving Thailand with a $2.19 billion surplus.

Cambodia was ranked as Thailand’s 4th largest trading partner, behind China, the US, and Vietnam.

Since the closure, that surplus has now shrunk to $206 million in Jan–Feb 2026 and $455 million in Jan–Apr 2026.

Cambodia has adapted quickly, diversifying imports from Vietnam, China, and South Korea, narrowing its deficit. Meanwhile, Thailand’s traders, dependent on cross‑border commerce, remain stranded.

The Anutin government’s hard line might be politically popular, but financially it's self‑defeating.

Cambodia has secured alternative suppliers, while Thailand forfeits a key market. Beijing’s offer to mediate only underscores Thailand’s reduced capacity to manage disputes in its own neighborhood.

Nationalism has a price, and Thailand is paying it!

This cannot possibly be correct. What about the likes of Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and probably a host of Western countries. I cannot for a moment imagine that Cambodia is Thailand's 4th largest trading partner or anywhere near it.

4 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Cambodia was ranked as Thailand’s 4th largest trading partner, behind China, the US, and Vietnam.

"However, a maritime dispute soon undermined the momentum. Anutin told Hun Manet that Thailand had ended MOU 44, the agreement covering overlapping maritime claims, after more than two decades without progress."

A politician single handedly ends an MOU and the conflict and resulting misery continues. Lot of businesses and individual lives are unnecessarily affected. JMHO.

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Thailand's land crossings with Cambodia remain closed

And long may this remain the situation, along with the current ban and boycott of Thai produce and products!

Living in Siem Reap, I have witnessed the replacement of the above with IMO a far wider choice of quality local grown or built Cambodian goods, along with similar imported from friendly Nations, including the EU, UK, Vietnam, Singaore and USA.

Yes, there have been some inconveniences such as Thai hospital visits but now the Khmer people have adapted to hospital visits in Vietnam (my landlord and his extended family being examples). for specialised treatment. To visit Thailand these days, one has to fly.

For ex-pats living in Cambodia, there are no such things as border runs, 90 day reports and all the other Thai bureaucracy associated with a retirement visa, so closed land borders are not relevant.

For reference, on the 31st July 2026 MAKRO in Siem Reap will close its doors for the last time, however the 2 remaining stores in Phnom Penh will remain open for the time being.

There are also closures of PTT gasoline stations, 7-11 stores and Amazon Coffee Shops. New Cambodian businesses are now replacing them.

My photo taken from carpark of the entrance to the 4th new Angkor Supermarket in Siem Reap:

Edited July 22Jul 22 by Burma Bill

It's shameful that they haven't been able to work out a plan to re-open the land borders.

It seems to anyone who walks upright that the only losers here are the vendors, export companies, and transporters, in Thailand, who have lost an export market.

Meanwhile, the slack has been taken up by other countries in the region.

Well done Thailand.

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

And long may this remain the situation, along with the current ban and boycott of Thai produce and products!

Living in Siem Reap, I have witnessed the replacement of the above with IMO a far wider choice of quality local grown or built Cambodian goods, along with similar imported from friendly Nations, including the EU, UK, Vietnam, Singaore and USA.

Yes, there have been some inconveniences such as Thai hospital visits but now the Khmer people have adapted to hospital visits in Vietnam (my landlord and his extended family being examples). for specialised treatment. To visit Thailand these days, one has to fly.

For ex-pats living in Cambodia, there are no such things as border runs, 90 day reports and all the other Thai bureaucracy associated with a retirement visa, so closed land borders are not relevant.

For reference, on the 31st July 2026 MAKRO in Siem Reap will close its doors for the last time, however the 2 remaining stores in Phnom Penh will remain open for the time being.

There are also closures of PTT gasoline stations, 7-11 stores and Amazon Coffee Shops. New Cambodian businesses are now replacing them.

My photo taken from carpark of the entrance to the 4th new Angkor Supermarket in Siem Reap:

It's all well and good opening new stores but with tourism in the doldrums affecting the average Khmer badly in tourist spots, whose going to buy from them?

It's a double-edged sword, and I have Khmer friends messaging me daily about ways to get back into Thailand, bit I have told them I am unable to assist.

So, as usual, its those with the least, who will suffer the most and it won't be Hun Sen or Anutin.

8 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

I have Khmer friends messaging me daily about ways to get back into Thailand, bit I have told them I am unable to assist.

I know of Khmers entering Thailand, with a Thai police escort. At a cost. Totally illegal, but it happens.

14 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

And long may this remain the situation, along with the current ban and boycott of Thai produce and products!

Living in Siem Reap, I have witnessed the replacement of the above with IMO a far wider choice of quality local grown or built Cambodian goods, along with similar imported from friendly Nations, including the EU, UK, Vietnam, Singaore and USA.

Yes, there have been some inconveniences such as Thai hospital visits but now the Khmer people have adapted to hospital visits in Vietnam (my landlord and his extended family being examples). for specialised treatment. To visit Thailand these days, one has to fly.

For ex-pats living in Cambodia, there are no such things as border runs, 90 day reports and all the other Thai bureaucracy associated with a retirement visa, so closed land borders are not relevant.

For reference, on the 31st July 2026 MAKRO in Siem Reap will close its doors for the last time, however the 2 remaining stores in Phnom Penh will remain open for the time being.

There are also closures of PTT gasoline stations, 7-11 stores and Amazon Coffee Shops. New Cambodian businesses are now replacing them.

My photo taken from carpark of the entrance to the 4th new Angkor Supermarket in Siem Reap:

any decent ham? the viet stuff was horrible when i left.

8 hours ago, Yagoda said:

any decent ham? the viet stuff was horrible when i left.

Yes.

We now have a selection of hams imported from an Australian company DAN MEATS, not only hams but pates and sausages (including English style Cumberland ones)

Out have gone the CP group, TGF (Thai German Food) and Betagro products, all banned or boycotted.

On 7/22/2026 at 10:21 AM, SBNZ said:

This cannot possibly be correct. What about the likes of Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and probably a host of Western countries. I cannot for a moment imagine that Cambodia is Thailand's 4th largest trading partner or anywhere near it.

The Koh Kong/Had Lek Special Economic Zone has grown enormously. What was farmland 10 years ago is now full of factories. The road from the border through Cambodia is really bad but on the Thai side there is a brand new freeway to Laem Chabang port in Thailand. I doubt anything travels to the economic zone on the Cambodian side so the figure is probably correct. The road used have a constant flow of trucks but now is dead quiet. Koh Kong city must be really suffering. I go to Trat city a lot. It doesn't seem to be doing very well either but nobody in government seems to care.

6 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes.

We now have a selection of hams imported from an Australian company DAN MEATS, not only hams but pates and sausages (including English style Cumberland ones)

Out have gone the CP group, TGF (Thai German Food) and Betagro products, all banned or boycotted.

yeah dan meats was just coming in, glad its good. tgf was good stuff too, that vietnamese stuff was hoorible.

have food prices settled down? rent is cheap especially the prime stuff

i would note that one of the reasons i took off on vacation from siem is the border closure. used to be i could go to bkk on a whim for $20. o well.

regroup and reorganize. just a few months more....

27 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

yeah dan meats was just coming in, glad its good. tgf was good stuff too, that vietnamese stuff was hoorible.

have food prices settled down? rent is cheap especially the prime stuff

Food prices tend to vary depending on whether locally supplied or imported from abroad (especially since the Hormuz crisis). We often get special offers on foreign products, for example cartons of Polish long life Full Cream and Low Fat milk at 1.95$ (66 baht) per 1 litre carton.

Rents vary from cheap (hostel type) to reasonable (apartments) and beyond (houses).

Check the website for IPS Cambodia to get comparisons in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Edited July 23Jul 23 by Burma Bill

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Food prices tend to vary depending on whether locally supplied or imported from abroad (especially since the Hormuz crisis). We often get special offers on foreign products, for example cartons of Polish long life Full Cream and Low Fat milk at 1.95$ (66 baht) per 1 litre carton.

Rents vary from cheap (hostel type) to reasonable (apartments) and beyond (houses).

Check the website for IPS Cambodia to get comparisons in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

cool, those specials on milk and cheese make it cheaper than in the usa.

ips is good, i scout it regularly. i want to be just north of 6 in slor kram but im still finalizing my travel schedule. hell, even the resorts are cheap now.