This is an update about the ongoing political situation between Thailand and Cambodia.  We do not anticipate that this will impact summer 2025 faculty-led programs or fall 2025 semester programs.  

On May 28th, there was an incident near the Chong Bok border in Ubon Ratchathani, between Thailand and Cambodia and close to the Laos border, which unfortunately resulted in one casualty. This border area has been a point of contention between Thailand and Cambodia, particularly regarding construction activities.

Since then, there have been fluctuations in political relations and occasional border disputes involving both nations.  The most recent development involves a temporary land border closure by Thai authorities.  Land border crossings are crucial for local economies, so the impacts are being felt by local communities in the region. 

Additionally, the Thai Prime Minister has made a statement regarding tourist travel to Siem Reap for gambling, which we are working to clarify. Our initial understanding is that this primarily pertains to charter flights and is unlikely to impact regularly scheduled flights, like the ones we book for our programs.

We've been in contact with the airline that we plan to use for CIS Abroad student travel, and they've not reported any changes to their flight schedules. While there's been some talk about officials inquiring about the purpose of travel, particularly concerning gambling, this remains unconfirmed and is not expected to affect students. All indications are that direct air travel between major cities like Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap continues to operate as usual. The U.S. State Department's travel advisories for both Thailand and Cambodia remain unchanged, and we continue to believe both countries are safe for students.

David Jackson, the CIS Abroad Thailand Country Director, and the CIS Abroad Risk Management Team are closely monitoring the situation. They do not anticipate any impact on the program, student safety, or the overall experience. We will continue to track developments and implement any necessary adjustments to ensure student safety should circumstances change.