Travel warning for Thailand/Cambodia – what you really need to know

I will try to present this article as neutrally as possible, even if this is difficult for me due to the war of aggression against Cambodia that Thailand is waging.

If you are traveling to Thailand this season or planning a transit there, you should know a few things. The land borders between Thailand and Cambodia are closed without exception. Only air travel is possible. Entering Cambodia is unproblematic. However, if you are planning to travel from Thailand to Cambodia, the Thai “authorities” will check all entry requirements for Cambodia very carefully (hotel reservation, funds, etc.). If you are male and of military age, the Thai “authorities” may also question you more closely. Thailand suspects that Cambodia is hiring foreign mercenaries, e.g. to fly drones. In this context, Eastern Europeans and Russians in Thailand, for example, have simply been placed under general suspicion and are to be monitored “very closely” by the local authorities. This has already led to diplomatic problems with other countries.

As there is a ban on flying drones in almost all of Thailand and the Thais are, to put it kindly, “very xenophobic”, you should not carry any drones or other “suspicious” objects in your luggage.

If you want to travel to Cambodia, it is advisable to transit via another country. For older or female travelers, however, the “exit checks” should be much more relaxed.

Under no circumstances should you travel to areas within 50 km of the Thai-Cambodian land border, on either side. Do not under any circumstances take photos or videos of military installations, military personnel or critical infrastructure.

Regardless of the kilometer limit, we recommend that you do not visit destinations in remote areas. This includes, for example, forests, remote mountains and nature reserves. The risk of new air strikes in less populated and therefore less touristy areas exists and should not be ignored.

The political climate in Thailand can be described as tense. In recent months, the prime minister and the government have been changed several times. Military commanders have declared martial law in their own districts at will and there appears to be no parliamentary control.

Due to this power vacuum, the Thai military is trying to strengthen its position of power. At Bangkok airport, for example, you will no longer only be met by the normal immigration authorities, but in some cases also by military personnel who influence the decisions of the immigration authorities.

New elections are to be held in Thailand on February 8, 2026. In the last election, the actual “winning party” was not able to take on the government as the military, among others, did not agree, meaning that the winning party was forced into opposition in the last election. The situation is therefore all the more tense in view of these new elections and protests or riots could occur at any time. You should therefore avoid large gatherings of people and protests at all costs.

Freedom of speech in Thailand is extremely restricted. For example, you risk prosecution if you even write comments that set the facts straight and thus “expose” higher-ranking people. Also, “entering false information into a computer system” is often prosecuted at will. Pre-trial detention in Thailand is the equivalent of real imprisonment. Pre-trial detention as we know it in Europe is currently only being tested.

In summary, it is therefore advisable to avoid a “military appearance”, do not carry any suspicious items such as drones in your luggage, prepare all documents for your trip or avoid Thailand completely this season and travel to other countries.

Nothing stands in the way of a vacation trip to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. However, it is advisable to check the current situation carefully every day and always be ready to leave, which is likely to be the case for travelers anyway.