I hate being the person who rocks up with the metaphorical high-vis vest and says “quick safety chat”… but if you’re travelling anywhere near Thailand and Cambodia right now, it’s worth being across what’s happening – especially if you’re asking “is it safe to travel to Thailand?” or “is it safe to travel to Cambodia?” and your plan involved an overland border crossing.
As of mid-December 2025, fighting has flared along sections of the Thailand–Cambodia border, with large-scale evacuations and land borders closed.
Quick answers
Is it safe to travel to Thailand?
For most travellers, yes — if you avoid the Thailand–Cambodia border area and keep tabs on official advice. The current high-risk zone is the border belt, not the whole country.
Where can I go in Thailand right now?
If you’re wondering where can I go in Thailand without being anywhere near the border tensions, focus on Thailand’s big tourist hubs that are well away from the Cambodia border (think major cities and island/Andaman routes). The key is to stay out of the provinces and the 50km buffer zone listed below.
Is it safe to travel to Cambodia?
It can be, depending on where you go. The border provinces are the main risk, and some other areas may have higher caution advice right now. The smartest approach is “Cambodia, but with boundaries.”
What’s going on right now (plain-English version)
- There’s been a renewed escalation of a long-running border dispute, with clashes spreading across multiple border areas and major civilian displacement.
- Thailand–Cambodia land border crossing points are currently closed (and Cambodia’s advice also notes crossings remain closed).
- Thailand’s tourism authority says travel across the rest of Thailand is continuing as normal, while security measures are heightened in specific border provinces/districts.
If you’re planning a trip and thinking “cool cool, so… where can I go in Thailand and still feel relaxed?” — keep reading. The safe-ish answer is basically: anywhere that isn’t hugging the border.
Regions to avoid
Thailand: avoid within 50km of the Cambodia land border
Official advice is do not travel within 50km of the Thailand–Cambodia land border in these provinces:
Sa Kaeo, Buriram, Si Saket, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Chanthaburi, and mainland Trat.
The situation can shift fast, and there’s also risk from landmines.
Cambodia: avoid within 50km of the Thailand border
Advice is do not travel within 50km of the Cambodia–Thailand border in these provinces:
Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Battambang, Pailin, Pursat, and Koh Kong.
Landmines/unexploded ordnance are also a concern in border areas.
A quick reality check on border “temple day trips”
UK travel advice has flagged some border-area temples (including Preah Vihear/Khao Phra Wihan) as closed.
So if your itinerary included “we’ll just pop up to the border for a look”… maybe don’t.
Where can I go in Thailand if I want to avoid the border tensions?
If you’re Googling “where can I go in Thailand” because you want the beach/city/food markets vibe without the stress: aim for destinations that are not in the border provinces above and are clearly outside that 50km zone.
Thailand’s tourism authority says travel is continuing as normal across the country, with heightened measures concentrated in border provinces.
So this is less “panic-cancel Thailand” and more “don’t do the border bit right now.”
Is it safe to travel to Cambodia if I’m going to Siem Reap?
This is where people get anxious (fair). Advice for Cambodia includes “exercise normal safety precautions” overall, but also says “exercise a high degree of caution” in several provinces (including Siem Reap province) due to the border security situation.
That doesn’t automatically mean “don’t go.” It means:
- follow official updates,
- keep your plans flexible,
- and don’t drift toward the border provinces “because it’s only a couple of hours.”
Overland border crossings: assume “no” for now
Both Australian and UK government advice points to border crossings being closed/suspended.
If your itinerary was Bangkok → land crossing → Siem Reap, the safest move is:
- switch to flights, or
- rebuild your route until land borders reopen.
Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting? The backstory
This dispute is old — like, “colonial maps still causing problems” old.
- The modern flashpoint is the Preah Vihear temple area, where border lines were historically mapped in ways each side has contested.
- Cambodia took the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and in 1962 the ICJ ruled the Temple of Preah Vihear is in Cambodia.
- In 2008, Cambodia’s push to list Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage site became another trigger point.
Why it flared again in 2025: recent reporting describes renewed fighting, evacuations, and fragile ceasefire efforts.
If you’re already there: a calm checklist
- Stay well away from the border belt (that 50km buffer is not symbolic).
- Don’t attempt a border crossing “to see if it’s open.”
- Check official advice daily (Smartraveller or your country’s equivalent).
- Keep bookings flexible and build in buffer days.
- Avoid protests and anything that looks like it could turn into one.
- Keep copies of passport/insurance and share your route with someone.
Bottom line
So: is it safe to travel to Thailand? Usually, yes — if you’re not going anywhere near the Cambodia land border right now.
And where can I go in Thailand? Anywhere comfortably away from the listed border provinces is the calmer bet.
As for is it safe to travel to Cambodia? It depends — but the border belt is the clear “no,” and you’ll want to travel with a tighter plan than usual.
