Cambodia borders shut for outbound travel: reports

Mar 18, 2021 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck  

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Cambodia has banned its citizens from outbound trips via its borders, in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19 infection, reported the Khmer Times, citing the country’s national police chief. It was not clear from information available, whether the ban applied only to land borders, or to outbound air travel as well.

In terms of inbound travel to Cambodia – a casino jurisdiction popular with people from neighbouring nations that have no legal casino gambling – it was reported in late February that the land border with Thailand at Poipet (pictured in a file photo) was still closed as a pandemic countermeasure.

The management of Australia-listed Donaco International Ltd, operator of Star Vegas Resort and Club, a Cambodian gaming complex on that border, mentioned that during an earnings call. The casino resort nonetheless had remained open, and had been seeking customers from other markets, noted the management.

The Covid-19 situation inside Cambodia, has led to a temporary shutdown of the NagaWorld casino resort in Phnom Penh, although on Sunday the country’s Preah Sihanouk province allowed the Jin Bei Casino and Hotel complex in the provincial capital Sihanoukville, to reopen, the Khmer Times had earlier reported. Travel in and out of that province was still reportedly banned.

The newly-imposed ban on outbound travel was announced by national police chief, General Neth Savoeun, to all regional commanders, according to the Khmer Times and other outlets.

The general specially mentioned outbound travel to Thailand as being banned.

But Cambodia’s provincial authorities would have to take in returning migrant workers if they are Cambodian citizens, and have them quarantined. Any foreigners that tried to enter Cambodia illegally by land and were apprehended, would be sent back via the same checkpoint zone, the news outlets reported.

Cambodia has seen an escalating number of Covid-19 infection cases since last month. Some were connected to what the local authorities termed was transmission via an incident referred to locally as the “February 20 community event”.

The national tally of Covid-19 cases is 1,504, the Khmer Times reported on Thursday morning, citing local health authorities.

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