PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Samdech Techo Hun Sen, president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party, said on Friday that the country may suspend importing products from Thailand if the latter refuses to reopen the border checkpoints.
Hun Sen, who is also president of the Senate, said in a post on social media that Cambodia may take six measures in response.
He said the kingdom may announce the suspension of imports of Thai goods into the Cambodian market, which means halting the use of Thai products and replacing them with domestic goods or products from countries other than Thailand.
He added that the country has to prepare to purchase goods, mostly agricultural products, that Cambodian citizens used to export to Thailand, by actively seeking markets for them both domestically and internationally.
Hun Sen said patients, who previously sought medical treatment in Thailand, may be redirected to domestic hospitals or medical institutions in other countries.
He added that the kingdom needs to prepare to receive and manage employment opportunities for workers who will return from Thailand.
"The provinces near the border must be prepared to evacuate residents to safer areas and ensure the supply of food, medicine, and other essential materials," he said, adding that armed forces are required to stay in full alert.
Hun Sen said that if Thailand does not resolve the reopening of border checkpoints to normalcy, Cambodia has no choice but to implement all these measures.
Cambodia has banned the screening of Thai films on its television channels, said a statement of Cambodian Ministry of Information which was released Thursday night.
Chea Vandeth, Cambodian minister of post and telecommunications, said in response to the threat by Thailand side to cut off the Internet bandwidth to Cambodia, all telecommunications operators in Cambodia have disconnected all cross-border Internet links with Thailand.
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Friday reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the ongoing border tensions with Cambodia ahead of the bilateral talks.
In her social media post, Paetongtarn said the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting scheduled for Saturday is a crucial platform for Thailand and Cambodia to engage in constructive dialogue and de-escalation.
She said that Thailand's response measures have been comprehensively and carefully planned to protect the nation's sovereignty and the interests of its people.
The prime minister said the outcome of the first round of talks will be reviewed before determining further actions.
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Thailand's plan to cut off electricity and Internet in border areas is solely intended to protect the local people of both countries by combating transnational crime, human trafficking, and technological offenses, including online scams.
Nikorndej noted that these measures should not be considered a political tool for the purpose of negotiation with the Cambodian side.
Border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have mounted after soldiers of the two countries briefly exchanged gunfire at a disputed border area on May 28, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Enditem
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