Bangkok: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) acknowledges a setback in border tourism, with Cambodian tourists dropping by over 60%. Bookings for popular islands in Trat have also plummeted by half. Ms. Thapanee Kiatpaiboon, Governor of TAT, stated that the tense situation and clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have inevitably affected tourism in some areas. Since the incidents began in July 2025, the number of Cambodian tourists visiting Thailand has decreased by approximately 40%, and this decline has continued, currently dropping by over 60%.
According to Thai News Agency, although cross-border tourism as a whole has not been widely affected, safety concerns continue to impact the confidence of foreign tourists, particularly in tourist areas near borders and coastlines such as Koh Kood, Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Trat city, where accommodation bookings have decreased by more than 50% compared to normal periods.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has consistently communicated clearly to tourists which areas should be avoided during this unusual situation. Meanwhile, other tourist destinations in the country remain open as usual, and Thailand continues to be a safe travel destination.
According to initial reports from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Trat office, foreign tourists who had arrived in and were staying in Trat province before the incident were not in a hurry to leave the area, but chose to postpone their return trips, waiting for the situation to improve. As for tourist groups that had planned to travel, although not all of them canceled their trips, they postponed or delayed their travel plans.
Meanwhile, Chanthaburi and Buriram provinces were similarly affected, particularly border areas where almost all travel arrangements were cancelled. This resulted in a near-zero number of visitors in some locations. The extent of the damage to the tourism sector is still being assessed, and a comprehensive calculation of the impact from mid-year to the end of the year is required.