Cambodia lifts cross-border travel restrictions with Vietnam

The government yesterday informed Vietnam regarding its decision to lift the ban on cross-border movement via borders shared with the country but said prevention guidelines remain in place to mitigate risks of coronavirus transmission. The move comes three months after Prime Minister Hun Sen declared the closure of borders shared with Vietnam, a day after the latter pulled up its drawbridge and imposed a nationwide lockdown in a bid to control imported COVID-19 cases.

In a diplomatic note sent yesterday to the Vietnamese embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs imparted the annulment of border restrictions between Cambodia and Vietnam as of June 19. “Measures as prescribed in the announcement of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Fighting COVID-19 of Cambodia dated 20 May 2020 and the latest related subsequent measures that have been put in place by the Committee and applicable to all countries shall be applied for border crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam,” the diplomatic note, which must be forwarded to Vietnamese authorities, said.

The note was preceded by a letter issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry secretary of state Ouch Borith on June 19 informing Interior Minister Sar Kheng of “allowing Vietnamese people to enter Cambodia” – a decision which was made following the approval of Mr Hun Sen two days prior. However, Mr Borith said Vietnamese nationals who wish to enter the Kingdom must adhere to the health measures issued by the Inter-Ministerial Committee.

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