hun sen calls for smugglers of thai goods to be punished warns against use of baht

Cambodia's Senate president Hun Sen is taking a protectionist stance against Thai imports and the use of Thai baht, aiming to strengthen the riel and reduce reliance on foreign currency. This creates regulatory risk for cross-border trade and currency exchange businesses. The border closure and anti-smuggling rhetoric may disrupt informal trade channels, affecting Cambodian retailers and importers who rely on Thai goods. The push for riel usage could impact currency exchange margins and increase transaction costs for businesses. However, the commercial mechanism is weak as no specific companies, investment amounts, or price movements are mentioned; the impact is limited to regulatory and currency-use guidance.