Former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen is giving Thailand until Tuesday to fully open all checkpoints or face a ban on imports of Thai fruits and vegetables.
“If Thailand does not fully reopen all its border checkpoints with Cambodia from tomorrow onwards, we will impose bans on Thai fruit and vegetables from entering all our border checkpoints,” the Khmer Times quoted him as saying prior to a senate meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday.
Hun Sen, who is the senate president, said Cambodia would lift restrictions at its checkpoints if all crossings between the two countries return to normal hours from 6am to 10pm.
The ultimatum heightened border tensions between the two countries.
He called for a ban on Thai goods as one way to retaliate against Thailand after a brief armed skirmish between soldiers of the two countries on May 28. The Second Region Army, responsible for the northeastern frontier, has insisted that on that day Cambodian soldiers moved into Thai territory at Chong Bok in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province.
Hun Manet, his son and the current prime minister, has already ordered seven border provinces to prepare measures to accommodate Cambodian workers wishing to leave Thailand in view of the spat.
Thai security forces have been given the green light from the government to oversee the operation of all border crossings to Cambodia, including the days and times the gates are open.