TRAT – Cambodia enforced a sweeping ban on all imports of Thai fruits and vegetables on Tuesday, escalating tensions over Thailand’s refusal to fully reopen shared border checkpoints. The move comes just one day after former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, now serving as senate president, issued an ultimatum demanding Thailand normalize border operations.

Cambodia Threatens Ban on Thai Produce Amid Border Dispute

At the Ban Hat Lek checkpoint in Trat’s Khlong Yai district, Cambodian authorities turned away trucks loaded with Thai produce while permitting other goods to cross. Approximately 30 trucks carrying fresh vegetables, fruit, and frozen seafood were stranded at the border by mid-morning. Soldiers selectively allowed shipments of seafood but blocked all fruit and vegetable cargoes, leaving drivers awaiting further negotiations.

Lt. Gen. Sok Veasna, director-general of Cambodia’s immigration department, confirmed the restrictions apply exclusively to Thai horticultural products. Cross-border movement of people and non-agricultural goods continues unimpeded, with Cambodian students still permitted to attend Thai schools in Trat.

Cambodia has begun blocking all Thai fruit and vegetable imports in response to what it calls “threats and insults” from the Thai military amid rising border tensions between the two countries.
And Thai boxers are now temporarily banned from competing in Cambodia 😧 pic.twitter.com/YQWQomucCa

— Nga Pham (@ngahpham) June 17, 2025

Koh Kong customs officials directed the embargo, which Khlong Yai district chief Cherdsak Chumnasiaw noted exempts construction materials and other commodities. The targeted nature of the ban suggests an attempt to pressure Thailand while minimizing broader economic disruption.

For Thai truckers, the sudden policy shift brought uncertainty. Chatree Em-od, a frozen seafood transporter, reported normal passage, while fruit hauler Siwanart Prachanthasri faced indefinite delays with his shipment from Pathum Thani’s Talad Thai market to Koh Kong vendors.

The trade dispute coincides with heightened diplomatic friction over contested border territories. Cambodia has petitioned the International Court of Justice in The Hague to adjudicate the boundary issues, a move Thailand opposes in favor of bilateral resolution.

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Market analysts warn prolonged restrictions could disrupt regional supply chains, particularly affecting Thailand’s durian and mango exporters during peak season. Both nations appear entrenched in their positions, with no immediate resolution in sight.

-Thailand News (TN)