Seoul: South Korea on Sunday raised the travel alert for border regions in Cambodia and Thailand, marking the second adjustment of the travel warning in three days, as tensions from the two countries' armed conflict are escalating.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cambodia's border provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Pailin, Battambang, Pursat, and Koh Kong were added to the list of the "special travel advisory" zone, starting at 12 p.m., the foreign ministry announced in a message to media. The special travel advisory corresponds to Level 2.5 on South Korea's four-level travel alert system. It advises nationals to refrain from traveling to or to leave designated areas and will be in effect for 90 days, with possible extensions if needed.
The same advisory was additionally issued for Thailand's provinces of Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and Trat, starting at 5 p.m. "We ask that our nationals planning to travel to areas under the special travel advisory cancel or postpone their trips. Those currently staying in the affected regions are advised to move to a safer location," the ministry stated.
On Friday, the ministry issued the special travel advisory for Thailand's southeastern border regions of Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, and the border checkpoints in Chiang Saen and Mae Sai; and Cambodia's northwestern border provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear. At least 33 soldiers and civilians have been killed, and more than 130 others wounded as tensions have flared up anew with exchanges of gunfire, shelling, and rocket fire in the long-disputed border areas since Thursday.