AmCham Warns Thai Naval Threat Endangers U.S. Citizens, Businesses and Cambodia’s Civilian Economy

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 16, 2025) — The American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham) has raised alarm over Thai military threats to block fuel and cargo shipments, warning the move would endanger U.S. citizens, cripple businesses and devastate Cambodia’s civilian economy.

In a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, AmCham said statements by a Royal Thai Navy spokesperson on Dec. 14 — proposing to classify Cambodian ports as “high risk zones” and intercept supplies — represent a dangerous escalation.

AmCham noted that more than 865 American owned businesses operate in Cambodia, with hundreds more supplying U.S. brands through local manufacturers. Together, they represent billions of dollars in investment and employ large numbers of Cambodian workers. A fuel blockade, the chamber warned, would force closures and leave American families struggling to meet basic needs such as transportation, schooling and medical care.

Because most U.S.–Cambodia trade moves by sea, AmCham cautioned that labeling civilian ports “high risk” would drive up insurance and shipping costs, undermining the 2025 Reciprocal Trade Agreement and pushing more than one million manufacturing workers deeper into poverty.

Calling the Thai naval threat “collective punishment of civilians,” AmCham urged U.S. officials to press Bangkok and international partners to prevent maritime restrictions. The chamber said the conflict’s expansion beyond the battlefield risks imposing the heaviest costs on civilians and foreign nationals.