Cambodia and Laos happy as Thailand reopens 37 border checkpoints

A security guard checks a man’s temperature before he enters a Phnom Penh hotel. The Cambodian health ministry has renewed its calls for the public to follow strict hygiene practices. - The Phnom Penh Post/Asian News Network

BANGKOK, June 30 (Xinhua): Thailand will reopen checkpoints on the border with all neighboring states to resume cross-border cargo transport and trading from Wednesday (July 1), according to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha.

CCSA decided on Monday to reopen a total of 37 checkpoints on the borders with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, so that cargoes can be transported and traders can be allowed to cross the border, said CCSA spokesman Thaweesilp Visanuyothin.

That is part of the phase-5 easing of Thailand's lockdown measures against the pandemic.

The Thai border checkpoints which will be reopened include 14 connected with Laos, eight with Myanmar, seven with Cambodia and eight with Malaysia, according to the CCSA spokesman.

Loas and Cambodia, particular, will be happy as they can continue business and trading dealings which has slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, tourists from the neighbouring countries are not allowed to enter Thailand via these border checkpoints.

Meanwhile, The Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodia's Ministry of Health on Monday said a Covid-19 patient has recovered and been discharged from the Khmer–Soviet Friendship Hospital.

This brings the number of recovered patients to 130 out of the 141 patients in the Kingdom – or about 92 per cent. Another eleven remain hospitalised.

The 29-year-old Cambodian man tested positive for Covid-19 on June 13. He had boarded a flight along with other 46 others from Indonesia and arrived in Cambodia on June 12.

“Eleven Covid-19 patients remain at the state hospital. Eight are Cambodian, including a woman. An Indonesian man returning from Indonesia on June 25 also remains hospitalised at the Khmer–Soviet Friendship Hospital.

“The other two patients who returned from Malaysia on June 26 remain hospitalised at the Chak Angre Health Center, Phnom Penh, ” the ministry said.

Cambodia has yet to detect community transmission cases with almost all confirmed ones being imported from abroad, said health officials.

Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng reminded citizens on June 28 to wash hands frequently with soap or gel, wear facemasks or scarves when sneezing or coughing and maintain social and physical distancing to prevent a second wave of infections in Cambodia.