Embassy intervenes after Thais barred from crossing back from Cambodia
The Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh sent an urgent letter to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior after Thai nationals in Cambodia were reportedly barred from returning home through the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province.
Officials from the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Office told Thai PBS on Wednesday, December 11, that Cambodian authorities at the Ban Khlong Luek checkpoint prevented Thai citizens from crossing back into Thailand. No official explanation was provided for the restriction at the time.
Relatives of Thai nationals waiting at the checkpoint also told Channel 3 that Cambodian officials allegedly demanded a payment of 12,500 baht per person to allow them to cross the border.
The situation followed heightened security measures along the Thai-Cambodian border amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
On Wednesday, December 10, Thai authorities ordered Cambodian nationals in Thailand to return to their home country, citing security concerns. Officials claimed they had identified some Cambodian people allegedly acting as informants and attempting to gather military-related information.
After Cambodian officials reportedly blocked Thai citizens from returning home, Thai authorities responded by suspending the repatriation of Cambodian nationals from Thailand until further notice.
Later, the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh issued an urgent letter to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, requesting cooperation to facilitate border crossings and ensure the safety of citizens from both countries.
According to the letter, the embassy informed Cambodian authorities that Thai nationals currently living and working in Poipet had expressed their intention to return to Thailand via the Ban Khlong Luek checkpoint.
The embassy formally requested assistance from the Cambodian Interior Ministry to allow Thai citizens to cross the border safely and without obstruction.
As of the latest update, Cambodian authorities have not issued an official response to the request. Thai nationals were reportedly still waiting at the checkpoint, uncertain when they would be allowed to return home.
According to a report by The Standard, a total of 7,118 Cambodian nationals already returned to Cambodia during the repatriation process. Meanwhile, an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 Thai citizens remain in Cambodia and are awaiting assistance to cross back into Thailand.
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