- Photo: The Nation/ANN
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (pic) took to his official Facebook page on Sunday (June 29) to share an image of a document from Thailand’s Burapha Task Force, addressed to the Sa Kaeo Immigration Police Superintendent, requesting a temporary relaxation of border crossing restrictions for Thai cargo trucks.
Hun Manet stated that Cambodian authorities had received the request from their Thai counterparts in Sa Kaeo that same morning, urging the partial reopening of several border checkpoints to ease the economic hardship of people on both sides.
He then issued a public clarification directed at both Cambodian and Thai citizens:
“Cambodia understands the difficulties faced by people in both countries due to the border closures. Let it be clear—we were not the ones who initiated these closures.”
Hun Manet emphasised that Cambodia had not closed any border checkpoints since the late May border tension erupted in the tri-border area, insisting that Phnom Penh had no intention of escalating the dispute or disrupting cross-border movement and trade.
Instead, he accused Thai forces of unilaterally initiating the closures, starting on June 7, by adjusting opening hours and limiting cross-border access without bilateral coordination. He claimed that this continued until June 24, when the Thai government ordered a complete closure, citing national security concerns.
“The political ambiguity and unpredictable shifts in Thailand’s stance, along with inconsistencies between what Thai leaders say and what their military enforces on the ground, have become major obstacles to achieving a clear, stable, and lasting solution,” he said.
Hun Manet declared that resolving the border issue is "very simple": if Thailand reopens the border unilaterally—just as it unilaterally closed it—and guarantees no future unilateral closures, Cambodia will reopen its side within five hours.
The post followed Thailand’s announcement earlier in the day that it would temporarily ease border restrictions for a seven-day period, based on orders from the First Army Region and the Burapha Task Force.
The move was intended to alleviate the economic impact on local businesses and allow the clearance of cargo vehicles stranded on both sides—especially those pre-registered with Thai customs before June 25, 2025.
Thailand’s border relaxation (June 29 – July 5):
Nong Ian–Stung Bot (permanent checkpoint):
Up to 100 trucks/day (50 in, 50 out) | Operating: 8am–4pm
Khao Din (permanent checkpoint):
Up to 100 trucks/day (50 in, 50 out) | Operating: 8am–4pm
Nong Prue (temporary trade checkpoint):
Up to 40 trucks/day (20 in, 20 out) | Operating: 8am–12pm
Thailand has stipulated that trucks returning to its territory must not carry any cargo, and all cross-border activities under this temporary measure must be completed within seven days.
Thai authorities stressed that this was a humanitarian and economic relief effort, not a full reopening of the border, and that it should not be interpreted as a political signal amid ongoing tensions. - The Nation/ANN
