For the second year in a row, the Asia Cross Country Rally will remain exclusively in Thailand after dropping plans for a multinational route. In 2025’s case, the crisis at the border between Cambodia and Thailand is to blame.

The race was supposed to begin in Pattaya, Thailand, before crossing into Cambodia and finishing there. The Cambodian–Thai border has been a contentious topic for over a century, having been drawn up by France during its colonization of Southeast Asia in 1907 to properly separate Cambodia from Thailand. However, the commission responsible for determining the demarcation placed Preah Vihear Temple on the Cambodian side, which Thailand asserted was inaccurate and it fell under their jurisdiction.

The International Court of Justice ruled the 11th-century Hindu temple was under Cambodian sovereignty in 1962, though nationalist sentiment in both countries further escalated matters. Things reached a flashpoint in 2008 with a series of clashes between the Thai and Cambodian militaries that spanned three years and killed 35 troops and five civilians. The ICJ upheld its ruling in 2011 to end the dispute. Of course, it remained a sore spot for the Thai government.

On May 28, the situation flared up again when they exchanged fire in part of the border that each side claimed was theirs, leading to the death of a Cambodian soldier. While it remains the only skirmish since then, both nations started to tighten their border restrictions by blocking trade, tourism, and other services.

The ruling Thai government has faced significant political fallout due to the crisis, stemming from unhappiness with how it has handled the matter. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by the Constitutional Court in response to a leaked June 18 phone call she had with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, where the two traded warm responses as family friends and Shinawatra criticized a Thai military commander.

With matters still far from resolved and the race set for August, AXCR organizers found it unlikely that they’ll be able to cross the border. Thus, they released the following statement on June 23:

The border closure due to the military clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces at the end of May is still ongoing.

The organizing committee has checked all the information available, but the situation is very unstable, as there is a possibility that the border will open at some point, and even if the border opens again, the border may suddenly close again.

The schedule has already been announced and will be changed accordingly.

There will be no change to the schedule already announced.

New maps and other information will be announced soon.

The 2024 AXCR had also been restricted to Thailand. It was supposed to go to Malaysia, but a series of bombings over the spring because of an insurgency in southern Thailand called off those plans. It was the first AXCR to be held in a single country since 2017.

Thailand was also the sole AXCR host country in 2005, 2007 through 2010, and 2015.

The 2025 Asia Cross Country Rally will take place on August 8–16.

Featured image credit: Team Mitsubishi Ralliart