Trat: Border traders in Trat have emphasized that the ongoing closure of the border between Thailand and Cambodia is having a more significant impact on Thailand than on its neighbor. They have suggested that the government should consider adopting the measures used during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed the border to remain open exclusively for the movement of cross-border goods.
According to Thai News Agency, Chatupat Rerksakul, Vice President of the Trat Provincial Border Traders Association and an exporter to Cambodia, discussed the implications of potentially reopening the Thai-Cambodian border trade checkpoint. He highlighted that the closure should strategically affect Cambodia, but in reality, Cambodia can produce many of the products it imports from Thailand, such as rice, sugar, and construction materials. While Thai-branded food and other items can be sourced from other countries, the focus should be on border security and economic stability.
Chatupat noted that the current situation affects Thailand more, given the trade figures between the two countries, where Thailand exports goods worth approximately 140 billion baht while importing only about 30 billion baht from Cambodia. Additionally, the reduced presence of Cambodian workers has affected local consumption, with Trat Province relying heavily on this workforce for its agricultural sector, employing around 70-80% of its agricultural labor needs.
He expressed reservations about reopening the border solely at the request of Japan to facilitate equipment transport to the Koh Kong industrial estate. However, he acknowledged that if public movement remains a concern, the government could consider a goods-only transport model, similar to the approach during the pandemic.