Recently, unusual activities have been observed at the permanent border port in Surin Province, Thailand, near the tense Cambodian-Thai border. Despite the tensions, a large number of trucks carrying earth and cement continuously enter and exit the construction site behind the casino in Cambodia. Thai law enforcement units have noted that these heavy vehicles operate almost around the clock, passing directly through the main entrance of the casino, which is only a step away from the border port, making their movements conspicuously noticeable.
According to sources close to the law enforcement agencies, these trucks are serving several construction projects dominated by Chinese capital, including new buildings, employee dormitories, walls, and other infrastructure around the casino, with construction ongoing for nearly two years. Additionally, the nearby Osmach market has been completely bought out, with stalls previously rented by local Cambodian vendors now fully leased to Chinese businessmen, forcing local operators to completely withdraw, significantly altering the market dynamics, despite causing public grievances, there has been little actual protest.
Meanwhile, the situation on the other side of the border cannot be ignored. Although a large number of Cambodian workers have been returning home recently, the number of returnees has significantly decreased compared to the initial period when Thailand strengthened border management. The Cambodian Ministry of Labor has even set up tents near the port to open temporary registration offices for the unemployed, indicating a pressured labor market.
The international community is concerned that despite the tense atmosphere at the border, the Cambodian government has maintained a tacit approval of the day and night transport of these building materials, even silently accepting the rapid expansion of Chinese capital at the border, as if quietly constructing a "Chinese capital enclave." This operation undoubtedly highlights the Cambodian government's weakness in the face of Chinese capital, with no compensation plans proposed for the displaced local merchants and citizens.
More worryingly, within Cambodian society, although there is no shortage of criticism towards Thai policies, voices against Chinese influence are few and far between, with resistance almost paralyzed. In fact, Cambodian-Thai economic relations are inseparable, with border trade and labor exports highly dependent on Thailand, now showing an imbalance due to the intervention of Chinese capital.
The frequent back and forth of construction vehicles and the reshaping of land patterns indicate that Chinese capital is silently changing the power dynamics at the Cambodian-Thai border. The lack of regulation by the Cambodian side has triggered alertness from Thailand. Thailand's stance is clear: who is eroding border interests, who is condoning expansion, the international community will judge. Facing the continuous infiltration of Chinese capital, whether Cambodia can truly protect its national sovereignty and the interests of its people is becoming a focal point and test of regional dynamics.
