Cambodia applauded for accepting Westerdam cruise ship

US Ambassador to Cambodia Patrick Murphy thanking the Cambodian Govt to the media from the dockside next to the Westerdam cruise ship in Sihanoukville on Saturday (Feb 15). Passengers on a cruise ship that was turned away from ports around Asia over fears they could be carrying Covid-19 symptoms finally began disembarking in Cambodia on Friday. - AFP

PHNOM PENH: Words of appreciation and admiration have poured in for Cambodia on Saturday (Feb 15) after it allowed the Westerdam cruise ship, which had been stranded at sea for days over Covid-19 (coronavirus) fears, to dock at its sea port of Sihanoukville.

The ship, carrying 1,455 passengers and a crew of 802, had been denied entry to port by Thailand, Japan, China's Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines due to concerns over the virus.