Cambodia reaffirmed its stand on the reopening of border crossings with Thailand, stating that it is dependent entirely on the Thai side while urging them to restore the crossings to their original status prior to June 7.
The stance follows a request by a Thai Eastern Forces commander on June 29 to ease restrictions to allow Thai freight vehicles to pass through the Sa Kaeo border crossing which connects to Banteay Meanchey province in Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on Sunday that any Thai authority and individuals requesting the reopening of the Cambodia-Thailand border crossings “do not need to appeal to Cambodia” but to those who “hold real power” in Thailand, be it the Thai military or any others.
“The reopening of the border crossings on the Cambodian side will follow no more than five hours after the Thai side reopens them,” he said, adding that assurances must be provided to prevent further unilateral closures. “Once these conditions are met, the situation will return to how it was before.”
The General Department of Immigration has also banned the transportation of goods entering or transiting any international gate along Cambodia and Thailand. It said the measure will remain until Thailand restores all the border gates to normal.
National Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata confirmed that the Cambodian navy expelled a Thai oil tanker from entering territorial waters off the coast of Preah Sihanouk on June 27, but declined to elaborate.
The prohibition follows Cambodia’s official suspension of fuel and gas imports from Thailand amid ongoing border tensions, which escalated after a fatal clash involving a Cambodian soldier on May 28.
When contacted, Preah Sihanouk spokesperson Long Dimanche said the transportation of goods including oil imports from Thailand are banned at land and maritime borders. He too declined to comment further.
Quoting PTT, Thai media reported that the oil ban would not “significantly impact” its oil and retail revenue, as there are only 186 gas stations across Cambodia and 254 Café Amazon outlets compared to over 2,000 oil and retail stations in Thailand.
Migrant Worker Returns of Border Closure
Labor Minister Heng Sour told state television that since June 8, approximately 40,000 workers have returned home, and around 10,000 workers have registered for jobs in Cambodia.
“Factory jobs in our country now offer a good environment, including health insurance, work accident coverage, and retirement pension when you are old,” Sour told migrant workers after inspecting land border crossings in Battambang province on Monday.
There are an average of 250,000 jobs currently, with a majority of them in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
Center for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights (CENTRAL) executive director Moeun Tola said he was concerned about the mass return of migrant workers, more than one million of them, warning that Cambodia’s domestic job market cannot absorb them all.
“I don’t have 100 percent confidence that the domestic job market can absorb the labor force that has returned from Thailand.
“If our job market is really strong, workers would not risk crossing the border illegally to Thailand. Some are even deceived and end up in Malaysia,” Tola said.
He said Thailand regularly sets a minimum wage that applies to all sectors, including agriculture, whereas in Cambodia, the minimum wage is designated only for garment workers, and wages in other sectors depend on what employers offer.
Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Pen Sovicheat and Ministry of Finance and Economy spokesperson Meas Soksensan declined to comment.
(Additional reporting by Seoung Nimol)
