Planning to travel to Thailand? India issues BIG travel advisory due to…, says, ‘advised to check…’

The Indian Embassy in Thailand has advised Indian travelers to check official updates before visiting areas near the Thailand-Cambodia border, where tensions have increased in recent days.

“Considering the situation near the Thailand-Cambodia border, Indian travelers planning to visit these areas are advised to check updates from official Thai sources,” the embassy said. he said.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, travel across the country continues as normal and restrictions are limited to selected border areas.

December 11, 2025

“Travel remains normal across Thailand. Security measures are only in place in selected border areas near Cambodia,” the agency said.

Rail services to Ban Khlong Luek are suspended, while buses to Kantharalak are being diverted via Karnchang Junction. Travelers were also advised to avoid Route 348 in Buri Ram. Major tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, Krabi, Pattaya and Ayutthaya will remain open and continue to welcome visitors as usual.

UNESCO has expressed strong concern about renewed tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, including over the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Preah Vihear Temple.

In its statement, UNESCO called for the urgent protection of cultural heritage “in all its forms” and reminded both countries of their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

“UNESCO will continue to monitor the situation of cultural heritage in the region to ensure its protection,” the organization said. It added that it was ready to provide technical assistance and emergency protection measures “as soon as conditions permit”.

The statement came amid reports of rising tensions on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, which began with artillery and rocket attacks on civilians on December 10. According to local media reports, both sides blamed the other for the attacks.

Earlier this year, in May, a Cambodian soldier was killed and Thai soldiers were injured in a mine explosion near the disputed region. This was followed by rocket attacks and cross-border clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least nine civilians, including women and children, as of July 2025.

Following this, US President Donald Trump’s administration and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helped ensure the ceasefire signed between the two countries during the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.

On Thursday morning, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said Thai F-16 planes dropped munitions on five provinces. The ministry described the attacks on both military and civilian areas as a serious violation of international humanitarian law. It was stated that Cambodian forces remained in defensive positions and continued to resist Thai advances.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said on December 10 that houses, schools, roads, Buddhist pagodas and ancient temples were “damaged by intense Thai bombardment and F-16 airstrikes targeting villages and civilian population centers up to 30 km away.” [18.6 miles] within the territory of Cambodia”.

“It should not be forgotten that these brutal acts of aggression by the Thai army opened fire indiscriminately targeting civilian areas, especially schools, and further destroyed the Ta Krabey and Preah Vihear temples, which are extremely sacred cultural sites of Cambodia, and the world cultural heritage,” the statement said.

Nine soldiers were killed and 120 were injured after five consecutive days of attacks, Thailand’s Ministry of Defense said on Thursday, according to a report in the Bangkok Post. Cambodian officials said 10 civilians were killed and about 60 were seriously injured. Military casualties were not disclosed but unconfirmed reports said at least eight soldiers were killed.

The US president said he expects to speak with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia on Thursday to demand an end to renewed fighting. The meeting is likely to be held late on Thursday night, Thai time.

“I think I’m scheduled to talk to them tomorrow,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

“They’ve been fighting for a very long time, for many, many, decades,” he said. “But I got along very well with both of them. I realized they were two great leaders, two great people, and once I got the hang of it. I think I could do that pretty quickly. I think, I think I could get them to stop fighting. Who else could do that? Think about it.” Trump said, as reported in the Bangkok Post.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on his official Facebook page today that he spoke to both the Cambodian and Thai prime ministers last night about the ongoing tensions, but a full resolution has not yet been reached. He added that Malaysia will continue to support peaceful dialogue based on international law and regional cooperation to maintain stability and security.

Cambodia and Thailand have been in a decades-long dispute over jurisdiction over various undemarcated areas along their shared land border stretching more than 800 kilometers.

The two countries have been at odds over land borders since the colonial-era map was drawn by France, Cambodia’s colonial ruler, in 1907. According to the map, the temple was located in Cambodia. Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, tensions flared again in 2008 when Cambodia requested UNESCO World Heritage status for the temple, leading to years of sporadic conflict. Cambodia applied to the court in 2011 after several military clashes that left around 20 people dead. The court reaffirmed the decision in 2013.

(via ANI Inputs)