Thailand To Replace Outdated Cambodian Series With Upgraded Sri Lankan Model

BANGKOK — Following a report from the Ministry of Commerce, Thailand’s import commodities council—composed of government officials, industry representatives, private equity stakeholders, and precisely zero end-users—announced plans to retire the long-running Cambodian import line. Once a reliable cross-border commodity for centuries, the model has become increasingly difficult to source after clashes disrupted established supply chains, leaving warehouses bare and distributors scrambling for substitutes. “The unit has now reached obsolescence,” said Somchai Rattananukul, deputy analyst at the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). By contrast, the new Sri Lankan edition is being introduced under a government import contract with fixed quotas and scheduled consignments, ensuring industries can finish production runs without substituting inferior materials. While Cambodian units were easier to adapt and could even be retooled in-house, the Sri Lankan line arrives with certified documentation and a standardized import profile. “The Cambodian model is simply too difficult to retool for modern assembly lines; the Sri Lankan upgrade bolts in with minimal adjustment,” said Wilaiwan Kongsuwan, senior advisor at the Thai Auto-Parts Manufacturers Association (TAPMA). At press time, a port worker seated the cam on a locking lever for a shipping container, slapped the side, and noted, “You can fit so many Sri Lankans in one of these bad boys.”