Border trade marred in 2026 by conflictListen to this articleCambodian workers return to their home country via a checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province amid ongoing border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. The ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is expected to continue to hamper trade in 2026. In September, the Department of Foreign Trade projected total border trade for 2026 would align with 2025 estimates, ranging from 1.81-1.85 trillion baht. Jiraphant Asvatanakul, vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Border Trade and Cross-Border Trade Strategic Committee, forecasts a negative outlook for border trade revenue this year due to tension and closures along the Cambodian border, as well as weak consumer purchasing power in Myanmar and Laos. In 2026, Mr Jiraphant does not expect significant economic changes for neighbouring countries, though Vietnam is an exception.

Source: Bangkok Post December 23, 2025 02:01 UTC