SIEM REAP: The once-thriving tourism hub of Siem Reap, gateway to Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat, is facing its sharpest downturn in years as the Cambodia–Thailand border conflict scares off visitors and drains the local economy.
Flights to the city have plunged from 60 a day before the Covid-19 pandemic to just 16, hotel occupancy rates have collapsed, and entire streets of souvenir shops, tuk-tuks, and eateries sit idle.
Operators say the usual mid-year low season has been worsened by the violence that reignited in late July over the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple area.
The centuries-old dispute saw the International Court of Justice award sovereignty of the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but disagreements over surrounding land have repeatedly flared into clashes.
The latest conflict has killed dozens, displaced more than 300,000 people, and prompted border closures and international travel warnings — even though Siem Reap lies far from the frontline.
A general manager of a four-star hotel, who requested anonymity, told the New Straits Times during a visit from Aug 5 to 8 that the city had yet to recover from the pandemic before the conflict delivered another blow.
“July is always low season, but this is far worse. We need urgent efforts to restore traveller confidence. Before Covid-19, we had 60 daily flights — now we have 16,” he said.
Tuk-tuk driver Hok, 45, said feeding his family of five had become a daily struggle.
“Living costs are high here. Most tourists from Southeast Asia find Angkor Wat’s US$57 (RM241) entrance fee too steep.
Many just hire me for a ride around the temples instead of buying tickets,” he said, adding that sweltering 35°C heat and evening rain have added to the slowdown.
Airport shuttle ticket operator Sovann, 32, described the city as “in a tourism drought”, with fewer flights deepening hotel and business losses.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has weighed in diplomatically, using Malaysia’s standing in Asean to press both Cambodia and Thailand to de-escalate tensions and return to the negotiating table.
Tourism operators here are pinning hopes on such efforts to restore stability and draw back international visitors.
For now, Siem Reap’s markets, hotels and temple grounds remain eerily quiet — a stark contrast to the bustling scenes before Covid-19 and the recent conflict.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
