Southwest border at risk of becoming latest COVID-19 hotspot

This comes as border guards and police positioned around southwestern provinces spare no effort in terms of intensifying their strict controls over border areas in order to prevent acts of illegal entry and exit as a means of preventing potently COVID-19 outbreaks.

At present, Cambodia has recorded over 10,000 positive COVID-19 cases and 79 deaths. Among those infected are people of Vietnamese origin and Vietnamese citizens who either do business in the neighbouring country or who have been left stuck when travelling across the border.

Kandal, Svay Rieng, Preh Sihanouk, and Phnom Penh are home to roughly 80,000 Vietnamese Cambodians, with these localities being greatly affected by COVID-19.

The land border between the two stretches for more than 1,130 km and starts at the "Indochina confluence" in Ngoc Hoi district of Kon Tum province before passing through 10 Vietnamese provinces to Ha Tien district of Kien Giang province.

Furthermore, both nations share an active sea border which is hundreds of kilometres long in the Gulf of Thailand.

Many Vietnamese people seeking to avoid the pandemic in Cambodia are therefore taking advantage of the long border to return to the nation, with hundreds of illegal immigration cases being recorded.

Most notably, there have been cases of illegal entry that have been detected and subsequently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Tightening inspection and control of southwestern border

Amid a challenging COVID-19 situation in Cambodia, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has urged provinces along the southwestern border to strengthen their inspection and control of the area, with the goal of preventing illegal entry and exit, whilst ensuring quarantine capacity and safety for the community.

The National Steering Committee has also requested that localities disseminate information among families whose relatives are studying and living in Cambodia. This is part of efforts to encourage people to follow legal entry and to proactively notify functional agencies of returnees from pandemic-hit areas who fail to make health declarations.

The Ministry of Health has also set up five working groups led by the Minister and four Deputy Ministers to inspect epidemic prevention work ongoing in the southwest region. According to the Ministry of Health, there are currently two working groups based in the region that aim to deal with all issues related to pandemic prevention as swiftly as possible.

Competent agencies work together in COVID-19 fight

In order to contribute to the anti-pandemic efforts of the Cambodian Government, the Embassy and two Vietnamese Consulates General in Sihanoukville and Battambang have made great efforts to co-ordinate with the Vietnam Khmer General Association and its branches to provide relief supplies for people of Vietnamese origin in hard-hit localities.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia has also affirmed its willingness to share the community's difficulties, asking Vietnamese Cambodians and Vietnamese citizens to not attempt to move back to the country by illegal entry channels.

At present, border gates and border lines are under the strict control of security forces and border guards of both countries, whilst there are severe penalties for people who illegally cross the border, including fines and imprisonment.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia has worked closely alongside numerous Cambodian agencies and co-ordinated with Vietnamese firms to arrange vaccination registration for local workers who are working and living in the neighbouring nation.

Recently, the sidelines of the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting saw Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Cambodian counterpart agree to continue co-operation in the COVID-19 fight, whilst imposing strict controls on border lines to prevent illegal entry amid the complicated developments of the pandemic.

Both PMs also reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to support the Vietnamese community in Cambodia, along with the Cambodian community in Vietnam, including working out COVID-19 vaccination plans.