His repeated vows not to reopen the border, clearly aimed at pleasing ultranationalist groups, are more than startling. Yesterday, Mr Anutin also told voters he would repeal MOU 44 on maritime border negotiations, which the government signed with Cambodia nearly two decades ago. As the government and the army frame border closures as punishment for Cambodia and the Hun Sen regime, the harsh measures have inflicted serious damage on Thailand's economy. Border trade, which gave Thailand a surplus of more than 109 billion baht in 2024, is now a thing of the past. More worrying still, prolonged border closures are cutting off people-to-people ties -- a key foundation for restoring relations.

Source: Bangkok Post February 05, 2026 23:07 UTC