With the start of the Asia Cross Country Rally in Thailand on Saturday, Phanha Heng and Phan Triệu Dũng Tâm are absent due to the fighting at the border with Cambodia. Their teams are respectively the only Cambodian and Vietnamese outfits entered.

Given they’re from Cambodia, Heng and VKH Racing were somewhat unsurprisingly forbidden from crossing the border into Thailand. Although Vietnam also borders Laos, Phan is from Ho Chi Minh City in the south of the country so his only practical option to get to the race was through Cambodia. After meeting on July 29, Phan and VietNam Rally Team decided to withdraw.

Heng and navigator Kimhuot Vong were supposed to race the #121 Toyota Tacoma, while Phan and Vương Hữu Trí were entered in the #180 Toyota Hilux Revo.

The AXCR was originally planned as a multinational event split by Thailand and Cambodia, but the race was limited to the former amid tensions at the two nations’ border. After sporadic skirmishes throughout the spring, the crisis devolved into full-on conflict by July 24. A ceasefire was agreed upon four days later, though each side has accused the other of trying to break it.

Despite the situation, the Cambodian government agreed to reserve a hotel for 700 competitors and race personnel in the capital of Phnom Penh, where “plans for a grand final day befitting the anniversary of the event will be held.”

Until then, the race will exclusively take place in Thailand. It begins on Saturday and will run through August 16, starting and finishing in Pattaya.

Heng finished 37th overall and eighth in the T1G class at the 2024 AXCR, while Phan was 20th outright and 11th in T1D. Like 2025, last year’s rally was solely held in Thailand after originally being planned to cross into Malaysia due to an insurgency.

Featured image credit: VietNam Rally Team