March 26, 2020
‘Overstay’ charges might be waived
Sok Phal, Secretary of State at the Interior Ministry, has exclusively told Khmer Times that he is seeking approval from the Minster of the Interior Sar Kheng to waive overstay fines for tourists stranded in the country due to the ongoing severe disruption to flights caused by COVID-19.

“We [the Ministry of Interior] will issue the directive by the end of this week. Many tourists, including a majority of Chinese visitors, have no choice but to stay past their visa expiration date because of cancelled flights and border closures that are happening because of the pandemic,” he said.

Sok added that officials are currently collating the exact number of people whose legal documentation to stay within the country is no longer of use.

“When we receive the total number of ‘overstay’ tourists, we will ask the principle from the Interior Minister and the government to turn our proposal into a directive,” he added. “This issue is not because the visitors do not want to go back their country but because their country closed the borders or there is currently no return flight home,” Sok adds. Currently, the Ministry of Tourism says it is employing a “flexible” approach to aid travellers having problems leaving the country. This includes working with relevant authorities in stranded national’s countries to smooth the process.

“So far there has been no punishment for those whose visas have expired. We are working with the immigration police and health authorities to either extend visas or in some cases, speaking with foreign embassies to organise accommodation for those who need it,” Sok explained.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50705759/o ... be-waived/

Cambodian PM Says No Plans to Close Market, Restaurants, Cafes and Factories
26/03/20 10:18

Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 25 – Cambodian Prime Minister HE, as Chairman of the National Committee for Combatting Covid-19, said that the government has no plans to close the market, restaurants, cafes and factories but will continue operations with improved sanitation.

The premier spoke in a meeting with 400 volunteered doctors to fight Covid-19 on 25 March 2020 at the Peace Palace.

“The government has no plans to close the market, restaurants, cafes, and factories. Also, we will still celebrate the Khmer New Year without mass gathering,” said Prime Minister HE.

Cambodian government, however, shut down clubs, KTVs, beer gardens, cinemas, museums, schools and universities nationwide.
=FRESH NEWS

Government Struggles to Monitor Returning Migrant Workers for Coronavirus
25 March 2020

PHNOM PENH — Only 35 of the around 15,000 Cambodian migrant workers who returned to the country from Thailand have been tested for the coronavirus, with Interior Minister Sar Kheng admitting the government was incapable of testing everyone.

After Thailand announced it was closing all land border crossings with Cambodia, thousands of Cambodians flocked to the border attempting to get back before the ban was enforced on Sunday. The Interior Minister pegged the number of returnees at 15,000.

However, the Banteay Meanchey Health Department reported that only 35 individuals had been tested for the respiratory disease at the Poipet border crossing, a major checkpoint for the movement of workers and goods between Cambodia and Thailand.

Keo Sopheaktra, director at the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Health Department, said the 35 were tested because they had a high temperature and showed some symptoms, such as a sore throat.

“We have found 35 people on Monday and their sample were sent to Phnom Penh,” Kep Sopheaktra said.

He added that the 35 Cambodians were currently placed under observation at Cambodia-Japan Friendship Hospital and Poipet Referral Hospital.

Interior Minister Sar Kheng admitted Tuesday that Cambodian authorities could not monitor all 15,000 of people nor enforce a 14-day quarantine for all the returnees.

However, he ordered provincial authorities to monitor those who had just returned and search for people who may have had the disease.

“Please explain to them not to touch each other,” he said. “If there is any one in the village who is positive, quarantine the whole family or the whole village.”
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/5344353.html

The article about the visa waivers also gives recent tourist numbers. These are obviously going to drop further. I'm not sure if there are still flights coming in from China ?

26 March 2020

While the Ministry of Tourism has appealed to Cambodians and tourists not to travel, it is not mandatory yet. As such, Top says that figures show that around 100 foreign tourists a day are still trickling into Siem Reap province to visit the world-famous Angkor Wat temple complex. But this is a drop in the ocean in comparison with the 2.6 million visitors a year that the attraction usually welcomes. Other figures are demonstrating the early effects of the virus on the Cambodia’s tourism industry. According to the Ministry of Tourism, in January this year, Cambodia welcomed around 547,963 international visitors, a 15.3 percent fall when compared with the same period last year. Among the total of international visitors, air tourists numbered of 332,134, down 17.7 percent and land visitors dropped to 189,412, down 13.6 percent.

Chinese nationals, usually the highest number of visitors to the country, were the first to face travel bans and fell 32.3 percent, dropping to 123,550 from 182,449 compared with the same period last year. Korean tourists dropped about 10 percent to only 37,206 from 41,364 in the same period last year, France was 12.8 percent down, with 19,344 and 71.3 percent fewer visitors arrived from Laos.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:34 am Government Struggles to Monitor Returning Migrant Workers for Coronavirus
25 March 2020

PHNOM PENH — Only 35 of the around 15,000 Cambodian migrant workers who returned to the country from Thailand have been tested for the coronavirus, with Interior Minister Sar Kheng admitting the government was incapable of testing everyone.

After Thailand announced it was closing all land border crossings with Cambodia, thousands of Cambodians flocked to the border attempting to get back before the ban was enforced on Sunday. The Interior Minister pegged the number of returnees at 15,000.

However, the Banteay Meanchey Health Department reported that only 35 individuals had been tested for the respiratory disease at the Poipet border crossing, a major checkpoint for the movement of workers and goods between Cambodia and Thailand.

Keo Sopheaktra, director at the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Health Department, said the 35 were tested because they had a high temperature and showed some symptoms, such as a sore throat.

“We have found 35 people on Monday and their sample were sent to Phnom Penh,” Kep Sopheaktra said.

He added that the 35 Cambodians were currently placed under observation at Cambodia-Japan Friendship Hospital and Poipet Referral Hospital.

Interior Minister Sar Kheng admitted Tuesday that Cambodian authorities could not monitor all 15,000 of people nor enforce a 14-day quarantine for all the returnees.

However, he ordered provincial authorities to monitor those who had just returned and search for people who may have had the disease.

“Please explain to them not to touch each other,” he said. “If there is any one in the village who is positive, quarantine the whole family or the whole village.”
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/5344353.html

This is a big worry...what are the odds of none of them having the virus?

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:34 am PHNOM PENH — Only 35 of the around 15,000 Cambodian migrant workers who returned to the country from Thailand have been tested for the coronavirus,

Nothing really changes because of that, does it. If the virus can spread like wildfire in Cambodia it will, with or without these people.
There’s simply no way an incompetent and corrupt government like the Cambodian government will contain it.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:12 am , speaking with foreign embassies to organise accommodation for those who need it,” Sok explained.

Wowee. i would don a beret and cravat and try to slip in as a Frenchman.
They are famous for their garden parties in situations just like this

A great description
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... -suffering

I hear now. King announced the state of emergency. News is not checked!!