Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 07, 2021 5:06 pm

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Thu Jan 07, 2021 4:59 pm COVID-19: More Migrant Workers from Thailand Tested Positive
AKP Phnom Penh, January 07, 2021 --

Two more Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand have been tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the tally in Cambodia to 385.

According to a press release of the Ministry of Health made public this morning, the two new cases are Cambodian young men in their twenties living in Thmar Kol district, Battambang province and Mongkul Borei district, Pailin province. They came back to the country on Jan. 2 and 4. They have been admitted to Pailin and Banteay Meanchey Provincial Referral Hospitals.
- AKP

how are these workers coming back from Thailand, are they all flying in via Sinapore or something? or are they allowed across the border?

Thai authorities decided to close the Rong Kluea Market located near the Cambodia-Thailand border from January 10 until further notice as part of their efforts to contain a widespread outbreak of Covid-19 in Thailand.

Sa Kaeo provincial authorities in Thailand sent notice to the Banteay Meanchey provincial governor that they were implementing increased restrictions on their side of the border and they further requested that the Cambodian authorities follow suit.

“Cancel all measures that allow Cambodian people to exit and enter the Rong Kluea Market for the transportation of essential goods from January 10, 2021 onwards,” the notice said.

In the past, Thai authorities had allowed Cambodia to send 50 trucks carrying goods along with 100 people to Rong Kluea Market.

“Previously, we had permission for this allowance because the Covid-19 situation had subsided. But Covid-19 has become widespread there so they have the right to close [the market] and they informed us of this in the correct manner,” he said.

Touch Mony said that everyone who crossed the border was now required to quarantine even if they claimed that they hadn’t gone anywhere or entered the market.

According to Rado, from December 20, 2020 to January 7, 2021, more than 2,500 migrant workers have returned to Cambodia through the border crossing checkpoints in Banteay Meanchey.

Only 20-30 of those workers had been released from quarantine so far, Rado said.

On January 6, two Cambodia migrant workers tested positive for Covid-19.

Whether or not Cambodian Prime Minister HE meant to snub China when he said his nation would only accept internationally-recognized Covid-19 vaccines seems like an increasingly moot point without a coherent inoculation rollout plan.

With an exceptionally weak healthcare system, feeble bureaucracy and faltering finances, Cambodian hopes for entering a post-pandemic era in 2021 are fast diminishing as richer states buy up limited vaccines for their own citizens.

“No one knows anything at all” about when the vaccine rollout will begin, a source with knowledge of the Cambodian government’s planning who spoke to Asia Times on condition of anonymity said.

“Cambodia is really still in ‘will we get it’ mode rather than ‘vaccine preparation’ mode,” the source said, adding that sentiment in Phnom Penh is that it’s a “long way off” before vaccines start to arrive in the country.

“We therefore do not expect Cambodia to immunize 60% of its population until sometime between June 2022 and June 2023,” she added.