"Security Must Come First": Thai Business Leaders Support Tough Government Stance on Cambodia Border Crisis
Thai Chamber of Commerce backs government's right to defend sovereignty but urges swift, decisive resolution and clear international communication to mitigate economic damage
- Thai business leaders, represented by the Thai Chamber of Commerce, have publicly supported the government's right to take decisive action to defend national sovereignty in the border crisis with Cambodia.
- The business community stated that national security and the lives of citizens must take precedence over economic concerns, even while acknowledging the severe economic damage the conflict is causing.
- While backing the government's stance, the Chamber urged for a swift and decisive resolution to the conflict to restore international confidence and limit further harm to trade and investment.
- Business leaders also called for clear international communication to explain that Thailand was not the aggressor, in order to protect the country's global image.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce backs government's right to defend sovereignty but urges swift, decisive resolution and clear international communication to mitigate economic damage.
The Thai private sector has publicly thrown its support behind the government's right to take decisive action to protect its sovereignty along the Cambodian border, even as escalating tensions—which have led to the deaths of Thai soldiers and mass evacuations—inflict severe economic damage.
Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, issued a formal statement on Monday, outlining the business community's position following reports of heavy gunfire and bombings in the border region.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand, representing the Thai private sector, hereby state their position on the situation along the Thai–Cambodian border... We wish to reiterate that the private sector does not support violence, confrontation, or war in any form.
While underscoring the business community’s desire for peace, the statement asserts that Thailand has a fundamental right to self-defence under international law following repeated breaches of agreements and sovereign territory.
Crucially, the Chamber emphasised that national security must take precedence over economic concerns.
"The Thai Chamber of Commerce believes that in this situation, it is necessary to clearly distinguish security issues from economic issues. The security of the nation and the lives of the people must take precedence over the economy," Poj stated.
The business sector acknowledged the significant economic cost, noting that the ongoing tension has resulted in border checkpoints being closed for over six months, severely impacting trade, investment, and "undermining the confidence of both domestic and international investors."
To mitigate further economic disruption, the Chamber urged the government to act swiftly and decisively to end the conflict and restore international confidence in the country.
"The private sector believes that this situation requires a decisive, clear, and swift resolution to restore confidence in Thailand on the international stage and allow the economic system to proceed stably," the statement read.
The Chamber also stressed the critical need for effective diplomatic outreach and communication.
It called on state agencies to "urgently communicate, clarify, and systematically explain that the incident did not originate with Thailand," but resulted from continuous violations by Cambodia.
This, it argued, is essential to correct global perceptions and preserve the country’s image.
The statement concluded with the hope that the situation would resolve quickly, leading to peace and stability for the "long-term benefit of Thailand and the Thai people."
