Analysts: Cambodia must develop pathway to joining Thai tourism initiative

The Ministry of Tourism has clarified that Cambodia has not yet expressed formal support for Thailand’s “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative as was reported by some media outlets, but is waiting for Thailand to provide comprehensive details and related documents through official diplomatic channels.

The “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative was raised by Dusit Manapan, an advisor to Thailand’s foreign minister, during a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Tourism Huot Hak on October 21. Following the meeting, some media outlets reported that Cambodia “supported” or backed this initiative, a claim the ministry denied.

In a statement released today, October 23, the ministry clarified the issue, stating that they have requested further details from Thailand, in an official October 22 letter (MOT No. 163) to the Thai embassy in Cambodia.

The proposed scheme aims to facilitate seamless cross-border travel for tourists between six countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

In the first eight months of this year, the Kingdom received a total of 4.29 million international tourists, a 22.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Among the arrivals, Thai tourists accounted for the largest share, with 1.34 million visitors, a 13% rise compared to the same period in 2023. Thai citizens represented 31.32% of all international tourists, according to the ministry’s statistics.

Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, said he supported Cambodia’s participation in the initiative, but suggested that it should be expanded across ASEAN, including Timor-Leste, creating a bloc of 11 countries with a population of over 600 million people.

“If you ask whether Cambodia should join or not, I think it is essential to join. However, we need to ensure our participation is valuable because Thailand often has clear plans in place [that will protect its interests first]. To avoid missing out on benefits, we need to develop our own mechanisms and detailed plans,” he added.

Sinan explained that as the initiator of the plan, Thailand is likely to have strategies in place to benefit its own country. Still, he saw no significant risks for Cambodian participation, as it has strong immigration laws.

According to Sinan, four of the proposed six nations – Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – are already popular destinations for European tourists. Thus, a unified visa policy would benefit Cambodia. He also praised Thailand for its innovation in tourism products. Through this initiative, he noted that the neighbouring Kingdom had positioned itself as the primary gateway for tourists before they visit the other five proposed members.

He added that if Cambodia joins the initiative, it could seize the opportunity by creating a unique mechanism that makes Cambodia a key entry point for international tourists, rather than just being a “spare tyre” to Thailand. This would depend on Cambodian policies, including increased air connectivity.

While Thailand is trying to promote itself as the primary destination for international tourists, offering them the chance to explore the other five countries without additional visa costs, Cambodia could do the same, Sinan suggested.

Chhort Bunthang, a specialist in culture, education and tourism at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, noted that in this competitive era, international cooperation is essential, and believed the initiative presents more of an opportunity than a risk.

“When we participate in any initiative, the strongest and most resourceful countries will benefit the most. But we should not depend on any one country; we must rely on ourselves. The key is to first attract tourists to all six countries, and then each country must enhance its own appeal through tourism policies, services and products,” he said.

“It’s an excellent opportunity. The important thing is whether we dare to play the game and whether we’re prepared for it. It’s like joining ASEAN or the WTO – what benefits do we get in return for our annual contributions? We need to ensure we get something back, like when we sign free trade agreements with China and other countries,” he added.

According to Bunthang, Cambodia needs to be thoroughly prepared and offer its own tourism packages if it wants to benefit from the “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative. Otherwise, it will only receive the “leftovers” from Thailand or other countries’ tourism packages.