Another conflict in the world erupted at the end of last week. This time the conflict involves the Cambodia and the Thailand over territorial issues that may seem complex - or too subtle - from a French perspective. Nevertheless, gunfire, rockets, drones and bombardments at certain points on the border between the two kingdoms - which stretches for 800 km - have all the hallmarks of an undeclared war. However, hostilities are expected to cease at midnight on Monday 28 July, following a ceasefire agreement, signed in Malaysia by the two belligerents under the aegis of ASEAN.
In any case, they have plunged relations between the two countries to an all-time low for nearly two decades..
For travellers, border areas - involving 7 provinces on the Thai side and 5 provinces on the Cambodian side - are now off-limits. In fact, this part of Thailand in the north-east is not a popular region for travellers.
However, for safety reasons, Thailand has closed to the public and banned access to Phanom Rung temple. This magnificent structure, built in the Angkorian style, is located in Buriram province, 60 km from the border.
Cambodian side, exchanges of fire and bombardments at the border are certainly closer to Siem Reapthe town at the gateway to Angkor Wat. The guerrillas on the borders remain more than 150 km away. distance from the famous temples. So it doesn't affect the daily lives of locals and visitors alike.
Travellers to Cambodia can only access the country by air from Thailand.. And on this side, little or nothing has changed so far.
Bangkok-Phnom Penh
Six airlines serve the Phnom Penh-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi route, from which many travellers take intercontinental connections.
Airlines are Air Cambodia, Cambodia Airways and Sky Angkor for Cambodia. These three carriers offer up to 45 flights a week to Bangkok. On the Thai side, three airlines - Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways International and Thai Vietjet - offer up to 42 weekly flights to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.
Nonetheless, Thai Airways has announced the temporary suspension of its evening frequency, reducing its presence from two to one daily flight..
Between Phnom Penh and Bangkok-Don Mueang airportthe Thai capital's main low-cost hub, Thai AirAsia offers 12 flights a week.
Bangkok-Siem Reap
While there are currently no Cambodian airlines serving the Siem Reap-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi route, on the other hand the Thai regional carrier Bangkok Airways has a virtual monopoly with three flights a day. It is rivalled only by Emirates which has traffic rights on the Siem Reap-Bangkok-Dubai route, offering three flights a week. Between Siem Reap and Bangkok Don Mueang, the low-cost Thai AirAsia offers two flights a day. In total, the Siem Reap-Bangkok route records 38 weekly aircraft movements in each direction...
Here again, the announcement last month by the Thai military and the Thai government that the plane would not be allowed into Siem Reap to foreign visitors seems to have gone unheeded. Indeed, it is difficult to prohibit a passenger from travelling to a destination served five times a day, without prohibiting the operation of the line!
