Thailand-Cambodia Border Drama: Baan Khlong Luek Checkpoint Closure Strands Thousands

The closure of the Baan Khlong Luek checkpoint, a pivotal crossing on the Thailand-Cambodia border located in Sa Kaeo province’s Aranyaprathet district, transpired unexpectedly yesterday afternoon, leaving throngs of people in limbo. The once-bustling checkpoint was sealed by security forces from both nations around 4 pm, sparked by a brewing tension across the border. This abrupt closure left a sizable number of Cambodian nationals marooned on the Thai side, their plans quashed, amidst the palpable chaos at the bustling Rong Kluea border market. On the flip side of the passport, numerous Thai nationals hopped over to Poipet for a bit of gambling fun, only to find themselves spirited away from a return.

The authorities have since instituted new operating hours for the checkpoint, now functional from a homely 8 am to 4 pm daily—a hefty reduction from the previous generous hours spanning 6 am to 10 pm. Such changes sent shockwaves across the border towns, with local vendors and travelers alike pondering their daily routines.

The catalyst for this momentous decision emerges as the Royal Thai Army made a strategic move, assuming control over all border checkpoints with Cambodia. This maneuver was a calculated response to the simmering military activities witnessed across the border following a tempestuous clash. Amid an ambiance thick with confusion, some premature reports of impending border closures were proved unfounded, a testament to the fire of rumors burning bright. The army, donning their reassuring mantle, calmed public nerves, stating that border closures would only come to pass when security threats loomed large.

The tempestuous winds stirred once more when the army reinforced their sentry at the border, a direct sequel to a brief but fiery showdown on May 28 in the disputed zone tucked away in Ubon Ratchathani province. The border regions acquired a new ambiance fashioned by military protocol, unsettling the quotidian flow of life.

A concurrent orchestrated closure at Baan Khlong Luek was executed by Thai military personnel from the Burapha Task Force, standing shoulder to shoulder with Cambodian soldiers. The pair locked up the Khlong Luek–Poipet Friendship Bridge, a move first whispered by the Sa Kaeo provincial public relations office. It was an operation reminiscent of a high-stakes chess game. This unanticipated closure precipitated a pandemonium of sorts, with Cambodian vendors embarking on a mad dash back to Poipet, resulting in massive congestion. As the throbbing hubbub of human and vehicular traffic snaked across kilometers, officers from the Khlong Luek Police Station took charge, orchestrating the unwieldy flow into some semblance of order, Bangkok Post reported.

By the twilight hour of June 7, many found themselves cast adrift in this human sea, unable to navigate the tide back home. In tandem with the shrunken crossing hours, the Burapha Task Force unfurled a scroll of additional conditions, casting a new shadow over cross-border exchanges.