PHNOM PENH: Cambodia on Tuesday (Jun 17) banned imports of fruit and vegetables from Thailand as the two countries face off over a border dispute that led to a bloody military clash last month.
One Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28 as troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
The Thai and Cambodian armies both said they acted in self-defence.
Thailand has imposed border restrictions with Cambodia in recent days, while Cambodia banned Thai dramas from TV and cinemas, closed a popular border checkpoint and cut internet bandwidth from Thailand.
On Monday, Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen on Monday issued an ultimatum to Thailand to lift border crossing restrictions within 24 hours or face a ban on all Thai fruit and vegetable imports.
Cambodian authorities said on Tuesday that their Thai counterparts still imposed the border restrictions, and Hun Sen’s ultimatum took effect.
“We have implemented the ban on imports of Thai fruit and vegetables since this morning,” Sok Veasna, director general of the General Department of Immigration, told AFP.
He said visitors could still cross the border between the two countries.
