Thousands of protesters swamped Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong intersection today, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for his conflict heading on a fueled Cambodia border row. The rally, called by a coalition of opposition parties and activist groups, is the biggest public expression of dissent since the 2023 elections. Protesters waved Thai flags and held up cutout border markers, representing what they claim is “territorial surrender.
Disputed Temple Complex Ignites Tensions
The current standoff is about the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site that sits astride the Thai-Cambodian border. Cambodia’s recent movement of construction materials to the temple has led to allegations that the border is being violated. The images, released by Thai academic groups, suggest Cambodian military engineers are working around 300 meters inside disputed territory, but Phnom Penh says they are operating within their sovereign territory.
Government’s Soft Stance Draws Fury
Protest leaders have also reprimanded PM Srettha for passing the issue to ASEAN intermediaries rather than taking a more forceful stance to assert Thailand’s claims. Previous senator and protest figurehead Wanchai Sornsiri told the masses, “Our government may hold a dialogue session, but Cambodian bulldozers are amending our border. PM’s office countered with leaked diplomatic correspondence that Cambodia agreed to halt work while an investigation took place.
Military Voices Concern
In a rare move, Royal Thai Army commander General Songwit Noonpackdee put out a statement insisting that the soldiers were ready to protect every square metre of Thai territory. Steering clear of outright criticism of the civilian government, the message is seen as subtle disapproval of the administration’s style of governance. Sources in the Defense Ministry say that aerial patrols over the contested border area are stepped up this week.
Economic Fallout Begins
The border tension has already disrupted cross-border trade at the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border crossing, the second busiest land crossing with Cambodia, the report said. Thai fruit exporters say Cambodian customs officers have stepped up sudden checks that are causing perishable fruit to rot. If the disruptions go on, the Commerce Ministry projects daily losses of at least $4.3 million.
Cambodia’s Calculated Response
Prime Minister Hun Manet’s government continues to express cautious rhetoric, stating it had “confidence in the peaceful resolution through ASEAN mechanisms.” Yet Cambodian state media have started broadcasting historical documentaries asserting their ownership of Preah Vihear, which the International Court of Justice assigned to Cambodia in a 1962 ruling that Thailand never wholly recognized.
ASEAN’s Delicate Balancing Act
The regional bloc has proposed emergency talks in Jakarta next week, but both countries are attaching preconditions. Thailand is demanding that Cambodia halt all construction first, and Cambodia demands that Thai troops withdraw first from what they again called “provocative positions”. The race is increasingly on ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn to stem the dispute from snowballing.
Tourism Industry Anxieties
With both countries using the temple as a mutually shared heritage tourist destination, tour operators said bookings have been dropping like flies. The Thai Hotels Association expects a 15% drop in hotel occupancy in the provinces adjacent to the border. “It’s the worst possible time,” Bangkok-based tour operator Pimchanok Srisuk said, referring to the high season when tourists normally descend on the ancient temple site.
Historical Grievances Resurface
The protests have stoked old nationalist sentiments that were never fully satisfied, and the demonstrators are noting the recollections of the military clashes, from 2008 to 2011, which were fought over the same temple. An analysis of hashtag trends on social media reveals that #SavePreahVihear has garnered over 200,000 mentions, and royalist groups are already in the process of coordinating concurrent rallies at the halls of provincial administrative organizations in the northeast.
