Закрытие пунктов пропуска на границе Таиланда и Камбоджи на фоне напряженности из-за протестов

The Thai-Cambodian border checkpoint at Chong Sai Taku in Ban Kruat district, Buriram, has been closed by the military following a protest involving Cambodian visitors at Ta Kwai temple in Phanom Dong Rak district, Surin, on June 21. This temple is a point of contention between Thailand and Cambodia.

A group of 30 Cambodian visitors staged a protest at the temple, prompting the closure of the Chong Sai Taku checkpoint. In response, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet ordered the closure of two checkpoints: Chup Koki, which is adjacent to the Chong Sai Taku crossing, and Choam, opposite the Chong Sa Ngam checkpoint in Si Sa Ket.

The Khmer Times reported that this decision was a reaction to the Thai army's frequent unilateral closures of access points without prior consultation with Cambodia.

Recently, the operating hours of the Chong Sai Taku checkpoint were reduced to three hours daily, from 9am to 12pm, from Tuesday to Thursday. Similarly, the Cambodian authorities closed the checkpoint across the Chong An Ma crossing in Ubon Ratchathani last Thursday, June 19, without prior public notification.

Currently, the only operational crossing between the two countries is the Chong Sa Ngam checkpoint in Si Sa Ket.

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) announced that from June 7, movements across border checkpoints under the control of the Burapha Task Force in Sa Kaeo and the Suranaree Task Force in Buriram, Surin, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani are being strictly monitored due to security concerns.

The RTA advises the public to refer to their official website and the Facebook accounts of the RTA and its spokesperson team to prevent the spread of misinformation, reported Bangkok Post.

This closure comes amid fuel shortages in Cambodia, which has led to a significant increase in cross-border traffic into Thailand, as Cambodian motorists seek to fill their tanks with more affordable and readily available fuel.