Cambodia cuts internet from Thailand as tensions grow after border clash

[ad_1] Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand escalated Friday on the eve of talks on a border dispute as Cambodia minimize web providers, stopped airing Thai films and cancelled boxing bouts involving Thai fighters.

Cambodia additionally closed the Doung worldwide border crossing level, often known as Ban Laem on the Thai aspect, after Thailand had minimize its working hours there by half. The transfer left dozens of Thai cargo vans stranded on the border.

The actions marked a deepening of a bilateral spat after a Cambodian soldier died in a conflict on Might 28, the newest episode in a long-running dispute over the demarcation of the 800-kilometer (500-mile) Thai-Cambodia border.

Video: RFA Views — What are Thailand and Cambodia preventing about? The 2 sides are holding talks Saturday in Phnom Penh at a Joint Boundary Fee assembly. Whereas Cambodia will likely be represented by a minister, the Thai aspect is led by a former ambassador.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on Fb that as of Friday, the nation was disconnecting all web bandwidth from Thailand, leaving companies complaining of sluggish speeds.

The Cambodian ministries of knowledge and cultures ordered tv stations and cinemas to cease airing Thai films and TV sequence. The Khmer Boxing Federation instructed all tv stations and boxing arenas to cancel all scheduled matches involving Thai fighters, each female and male.

This picture shared on social media by Cambodian senate president Hun Sen on June 13, 2025, exhibits the closed "Doung" border gate between Cambodia and Thailand in Battambang province. (Hun Sen through Fb) Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who's Hun Manet’s father, posted on Fb that the closure of the Doung border checkpoint was blocking exports of Thai jackfruit heading through Cambodia to Vietnam. He urged Thai farmers to protest in opposition to the Thai army.

“Cambodia will solely reopen this gate when all border checkpoints - unilaterally closed by the Thai army - are restored to mutual coordination as earlier than,” Hun Sen wrote.

He additionally ordered all armed forces to be on 24-hour fight readiness in case of aggression, and instructed provincial governors alongside the border to organize evacuation plans for civilians.

Thailand: Cambodia has misunderstood On Friday, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated that Cambodia has misunderstood the scenario and incorrectly believes the Thai authorities plans to chop electrical energy and web providers to frame areas of Cambodia, Khaosod English, a Thai information portal, reported.

She emphasised this isn't the case and has instructed the Overseas Ministry to make clear the matter with Cambodian counterparts.

Thailand reiterated Thursday that it desires to resolve the border dispute bilaterally, and doesn't help Cambodia’s intention to contain the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice. Bangkok says it doesn't acknowledge the obligatory jurisdiction of The Hague-based court docket.

<img src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/OWY5SVYEWNHVZC6X45ZN5PAQLQ.JPG?auth=99f00082c45788359402940e04137cc8e1d6ca92c158ea95476124eafbc3b782&smart=true&width=1500" alt="This June 11, 2025, photo from the Thai Government shows Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra inspecting a bunker during a visit to Kap Choeng District in Surin Province near the border with Cambodia." height="2333" width="1500" /> This June 11, 2025, photograph from the Thai Authorities exhibits Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra inspecting a bunker throughout a go to to Kap Choeng District in Surin Province close to the border with Cambodia. (Royal Thai Authorities through AFP) The border dispute, which has historic roots, stirs nationalist sentiment on each side. Cambodia is looking for the U.N. court docket to rule on the demarcation of the border at three historic Khmer temples - Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch and Ta Krabei - and at an space close to to the place the Might 28 shootout occurred the place the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.

The final time there was a severe and bloody flare-up in tensions on the border was between 2008 and 2011, over a disputed eleventh century temple at Preah Vihear. The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice has granted sovereignty over the temple to Cambodia.

Thai protesters rally in opposition to the federal government's dealing with of a border dispute with Cambodia in Bangkok on June 10, 2025. (Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP) On Friday, social media posts and information media reporting confirmed lengthy queues of pedestrians on the major border Thai-Cambodia crossing at Aranyaprathet-Poipet, suggesting a number of the a whole lot of 1000's of Cambodian migrant staff in Thailand had been touring residence.

One Cambodian employee in Thailand’s central province of Rayong informed Radio Free Asia that some staff are returning to Cambodia out of concern for his or her security and due to discrimination by Thai nationals at their workplaces.

However the employee, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the difficulty, added that the majority Cambodian staff in his space had not but returned as they had been ready for the end result of Saturday’s talks. He stated that if the scenario worsens, they may return to Cambodia quickly.