Border check points in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Oddar Meanchey, including Pailin and Poipet revealed that it remained closed to movement of people in and out, including tourists and other travelers.
At most borders, all goods traffic was observed and each vehicle was limited to two people, a driver and an attendant. These two have to leave their vehicles when they approach the Cambodian side of the border and take temperature checks, register their personal particulars, a short trip to the immigration post and are off on their way.
However, dangerously and something of grave concern is that on the Cambodian side, there seems to be no efforts to disinfect the vehicles and people besides the temperature checks.
On the Thai side, the vehicles were sprayed with disinfectants when they crossed to and from Cambodia but none on the Cambodian side.
Officials present at all of the borders declined to comment and referred questions to their head office in the capital.
They however conceded that this was indeed a serious concern but were stretched with resources to handle disinfecting vehicles due to the large numbers of people crossing the border into Cambodia, which keeps them on their toes for long hours each day.
The movement of people however are limited to Cambodians crossing it to reenter Cambodia and this is almost exclusively concentrated at Oddar Meanchey province’s O’Smach check point.
O’Smach presents a unique opportunity for Cambodian officials to strictly monitor incoming migrant workers and other Cambodians from Thailand, almost all of whom were using the COVID-19 situation in the neighbouring country to flee from unemployment, fear of the virus and an uncertain jobs market.
“Here at O’Smach, people have no choice but to use the official border check point during this period as to try using unofficial crossings here is simply too hazardous and virtually non-existent.
“There are mountains on both sides which are difficult to hike over and they also to have to watch for landmines left over from the KR era and other periods in Cambodia’s history, including civil wars,” said Khloak Huot, Director of Oddar Meanchey Provincial Health Department.
He added at this time, no passports or immigration papers were necessary and a simple questionnaire enables us to verify the nationality of whether they are Cambodians or foreigners trying to disguise themselves and try to be opportunistic in crossing the border.
“Their language skills and specific details such as from which commune, district and province is another dead giveaway and they also have other forms of evidence that they are indeed Cambodians.”
Once these key information has been recorded, they are categorised into which province they belong and to which quarantine centres they are to go to and are allowed to load their personal effects into the army truck and sent on their way.
