Through the first nine months of 2026, bilateral trade between Cambodia and Thailand dropped sharply to about US$2.081 billion, down 28.46% year on year, as the ongoing border tensions further weighed on commerce between the two countries.
Data show that from January to September this year, Cambodia's exports to Thailand totaled about US$538 million, down 6.52% year on year, while Thailand's exports to Cambodia came to roughly US$1.542 billion, plunging 33.88% year on year. The decline in Thai exports was the main driver behind the overall drop in bilateral trade.
The slump in Cambodia–Thailand trade is linked to the persistent border dispute, the closure of land border crossings and restrictions on imports of certain goods. Since the border situation deteriorated in mid-2025, overland trade between the two countries has taken a hit. Cambodia had previously restricted imports of certain Thai products, including fuel, natural gas, vegetables and fruit, further disrupting the flow of goods.
Notably, despite the clear contraction in Cambodia–Thailand trade, Cambodia's overall international trade continued to grow. Figures released the same day by Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce show that in the first nine months of this year, the country's total import and export trade reached about US$58.49 billion, up 22.1% year on year.
On one hand, Cambodia–Thailand trade fell by nearly 30%; on the other, Cambodia's overall trade rose by more than 20%. The contrast between the two sets of figures is striking, reflecting that even as border trade suffered, Cambodia's commercial ties with other international markets continued to expand.