Thailand to Cambodia in 2026: Why You Must Fly (Land Borders Closed) for Americans
All seven Thailand–Cambodia land borders have been closed since June 2025, so in 2026 the only way for Americans to get from Thailand into Cambodia is to fly. Here is how the Bangkok-to-Siem Reap and Bangkok-to-Phnom Penh routes work, the Cambodia eVisa you need before you board, and why the old Poipet overland plan no longer exists.
Can Americans cross from Thailand to Cambodia by land in 2026?
No. All seven Thailand–Cambodia land borders — including Poipet, the busiest, and Cham Yeam near Koh Kong — have been closed since June 2025 and remain closed in 2026. There is no legal overland crossing for Americans or any other nationality, so the only way from Thailand into Cambodia is to fly. The short hops are Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) for the temples and Bangkok to Phnom Penh (Techo International, KTI) for the capital, each about an hour in the air. Before you board you need a Cambodia eVisa — $80 USD all-in for the Tourist eVisa, approved in 3 business days as a printable PDF — plus the separate e-Arrival Card filed in the week before you fly.
نکات کلیدی
- All seven Thailand–Cambodia land borders have been closed since June 2025, so the only way into Cambodia from Thailand in 2026 is by air — there is no legal overland crossing.
- The old plan of taking a bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap through Poipet, or driving to Cham Yeam near Koh Kong, no longer works for Americans or anyone else.
- Fly Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) for the temples or Bangkok to Phnom Penh (Techo International, KTI) for the capital — both are short hops of roughly an hour.
- You need a Cambodia eVisa before you board: $80 USD all-in for the Tourist eVisa, approved in 3 business days and delivered as a printable PDF by email. It is valid at Cambodia’s airports.
- The Cambodia e-Arrival Card is a separate, mandatory step for every air arrival: $5 USD verified through us, 14 fields, submitted within 7 days before you fly.
The short answer: you fly, because the land borders are shut
- Pick your airport
Fly Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) for the temples or Bangkok to Phnom Penh (Techo International, KTI) for the capital — each about an hour.
- Get the Tourist eVisa first
Apply for the $80 USD all-in Tourist eVisa, approved in 3 business days as a printable PDF — it gives a single 30-day stay valid 3 months from issue.
- File the e-Arrival Card
Submit the separate, mandatory e-Arrival Card — 14 fields, $5 USD verified through us — within 7 days before your flight.
- Board with both ready
Airlines check for your approved, printed eVisa at the Bangkok gate, so have the PDF in hand before check-in.
- Clear arrivals by air
At SAI or KTI, present your printed eVisa, e-Arrival confirmation, and passport at immigration, then collect your bags — no land-border crossing involved.
What happened to the Thailand–Cambodia land borders
Flying from Thailand to Cambodia: Bangkok to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh
Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) — for the temples
Bangkok to Phnom Penh (Techo International, KTI) — for the capital
سوالات متداول
Can I cross from Thailand to Cambodia by land in 2026?
No. All seven Thailand–Cambodia land borders, including Poipet and Cham Yeam near Koh Kong, have been closed since June 2025 and remain closed in 2026. There is no legal overland crossing for Americans or any other nationality. The only way from Thailand into Cambodia is to fly — Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) for the temples or Bangkok to Phnom Penh (Techo International, KTI) for the capital.
Is the Poipet border crossing open?
No. Poipet–Aranyaprathet, the busiest Thailand–Cambodia land crossing and the one almost every Bangkok-to-Siem Reap bus used, has been closed since June 2025. Do not buy a through-bus ticket that promises to deliver you to Siem Reap overland, and treat any forum post or tout claiming Poipet has quietly reopened with skepticism — as of this review it is shut to tourist traffic.
How do I get from Bangkok to Siem Reap now?
You fly. With the land border closed, the route is a direct flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), the closest airport to the Angkor temple complex. It is roughly a one-hour flight and runs multiple times a day on full-service and budget carriers. You need an approved Cambodia eVisa before you board — airlines check for it at the Bangkok gate.
Do I need a Cambodia visa if I am flying in from Thailand?
Yes. Americans need a Cambodia eVisa regardless of how they arrive. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in, approved in 3 business days, and delivered as a printable PDF by email. It gives a single 30-day stay and is valid for 3 months from issue. Apply at least a week before your flight, because you must present an approved, printed visa at check-in in Bangkok and again at Cambodian Immigration.
Which Cambodian airports accept the eVisa?
The Cambodia eVisa is valid at the international airports, including Siem Reap-Angkor (SAI) and Phnom Penh’s Techo International (KTI), which opened in September 2025 and replaced the old Phnom Penh airport. You fly into either one from Bangkok, present your printed eVisa and e-Arrival confirmation at immigration, and clear arrivals — there is no land crossing involved.
Can I do a Thailand–Cambodia–Thailand loop on one visa?
Not easily. The Cambodia eVisa is single-entry, so if you enter Cambodia, return to Thailand, and want to come back into Cambodia, that second entry needs its own visa. And because the land borders are closed, you cannot slip back across overland — every entry is a flight. For a straightforward Thailand-then-Cambodia trip ending with a flight home, a single Tourist eVisa is all you need.
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