The Ministry of Tourism has reaffirmed that Cambodia remains a safe, secure and stable destination for domestic and international tourists. The ministry released a January 19 clarification notice in response to the misinterpretation of several travel advisories that were issued by several embassies in the wake of Thai attacks on Cambodia in December.
Several embassies issued warnings about travelling to the border areas where fighting was taking place, generally with recommendations to remain at least 50km from the shared border with Thailand.
At present, the Thai military are maintaining a presence on at least a dozen places within Cambodian territory. Their recent attacks also left certain border regions littered with tonnes of Unexploded Ordnance (UXOs).
Although the ministry expressed gratitude for the widespread sharing of travel advisory information to Cambodia, accompanied by maps published by the embassies, it warned that some of the information published could cause confusion among the public and some tourists, especially international guests.
The ministry noted that caution is only required in limited border regions and should not be used to draw conclusions about public safety throughout the entirety of the Kingdom.
“The ministry wishes to clarify that the Kingdom of Cambodia remains a destination of safety, security and stability for national and international tourists.
“Major tourist areas such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk and many other destinations continue to operate normally and welcome tourists, under the strict safety guarantees of the competent authorities,” it said.
