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.
Source: CNA
