Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Thailand reached roughly $3.6 billion last year, a decline of less than 15% from $4.2 billion in 2024, indicating that the prolonged border conflict had only a limited impact on overall trade.
According to Trade Balance Statistics from the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) released Friday, Cambodia exported approximately $732 million in goods to Thailand last year, down 14.1% from $853 million in 2024.
Meanwhile, imports from Thailand totaled around $2.92 billion, a 15% decrease from $3.44 billion the previous year.
Cambodia’s exports to Thailand dropped by roughly $121 million compared to the previous year, while Thailand’s exports to Cambodia fell by over $500 million, reflecting its larger share of bilateral trade.
The figures suggest that Thailand bore a greater financial impact, even though both countries experienced similar percentage declines. According to GDCE data, the prolonged border conflict and associated security measures disrupted some trade channels but did not fundamentally affect overall trade flows.
Essential goods and alternative logistics routes continued to facilitate cross-border commerce, helping bilateral trade remain largely stable despite ongoing tensions.
Despite these reductions, trade volumes remained significant, highlighting the resilience of bilateral commerce even amid political tensions and security-related disruptions to traditional trade routes.
The border situation intensified in June last year, as Thailand shut several land crossings with Cambodia due to escalating territorial disputes and armed confrontations.
Key border checkpoints were closed, limiting travel, trade, and vehicle movement, particularly affecting informal and small-scale cross-border activities. Additionally, the Thai navy increased oversight of strategic shipments, and in December, maritime restrictions were implemented to curb the seaborne transport of fuel and military-related supplies.
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