Cambodia lowers cash deposit for COVID-19 service charges from foreign travelers to 2,000 USD

[geovalin]

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government has reduced the cash deposit for the COVID-19 service charges from foreign travelers from 3,000 to 2,000 U.S. dollars, according to its statement on Monday.

 

The statement said foreign travelers are required to deposit 2,000 dollars by cash or credit card upon their arrival at international airports in Cambodia, which will be used to cover hotel accommodation cost while waiting for COVID-19 test result, medical examination, local transportation cost from the airport to a reserved hotel and expenses during a quarantine period in case that any fellow travelers are tested positive for COVID-19.

 

Before coming to Cambodia, foreign travelers must have a 72 hours "COVID-19 free" health certificate and must purchase a local health insurance package for COVID-19 treatment, with a cost of 90 U.S. dollars that is valid for 20 days, it said, adding that this insurance package can be purchased from local Forte Insurance Company that can be reached through: https://www.forteinsurance.com/covid-19-insurance/.

 

The remainder of the deposit will be returned if the passenger and the rest of the people on their flight have negative test results. Even so, they must self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival in their chosen accommodation, and they will undergo a second COVID-19 swab test on the 13th day.

 

If anyone of the passengers is tested positive for the virus, the rest of the passengers in the same flight will be quarantined for 14 days, and each of them will be required to pay for tests, a hotel or quarantine facility, meals, and doctors, and all of these costs will be automatically deducted from the deposit.

 

According to the statement, Cambodia has also eased entry restrictions for "sponsored" business-linked travelers during the COVID-19 period.

The business-linked travelers are defined as foreign investors, businesspersons, company staff, experts, skilled workers, technicians and their family members, it said.

 

The statement added that the "sponsored" business-linked travelers are not required to pay the cash deposit, but they must have a validation certificate on payment guarantee, a 72 hours "COVID-19 free" health certificate, and a letter confirming an online hotel booking.

 

To receive the validation certificate on payment guarantee, the business-linked travelers must be sponsored by a chief executive officer or a major shareholder of a company that the foreign travelers are currently working for, it said, adding that the sponsor must request for an online sponsorship at the Cambodian government's Business Registration website: www.registrationservices.gov.kh.

 

"After examining the validity of the guarantee which will take one day, the Royal Government of Cambodia will issue the validation certificate on payment guarantee that can be printed to be used for visa application at Royal Cambodian Embassies or Consulates, and to be carried while traveling to Cambodia," the statement said.

The Southeast Asian nation has so far recorded a total of 240 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 197 patients cured and 43 remained in hospital.

 

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/04/c_139262122.htm

[ChakaKhan]

Keep fishing..no nibbles on that $$$$$ hook of 3000 usd...let alone 2000....pain is a great motivator

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Keep fishing..no nibbles on that $$$$$ hook of 3000 usd...let alone 2000....pain is a great motivator

 

[ChakaKhan]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

 

So regretting walking on a plane in a covid storm back in Mid March as id be loving the peace and quiet..

Hope to get back to work out an agreement with a cutie and have a cold one with Britman at T Bar....

[CorpusChristie]

49 minutes ago, geovalin said:

The remainder of the deposit will be returned if the passenger and the rest of the people on their flight have negative test results

I have a feeling that there wont be too much money left 

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

I have a feeling that there wont be too much money left 

Most people report getting almost all of the money back.

 

The difficulty will arise if someone on your flight tests positive. In that case you have to pay for 14 days supervised quarantine which will make a sizable dent in your deposit.

 

And of course no way to predict.

 

[FalangJaiDee]

So tourists still can’t go right?

[ChakaKhan]

Sorry for that amount of money and having lived in LOS over a decade I would not part with that kind of $$$

 

Or any nearby country before you say its Camb.

[thaibeachlovers]

Has to be a not so subtle way of saying to prospective tourists that they are not wanted, IMO.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Most people report getting almost all of the money back.

 

The difficulty will arise if someone on your flight tests positive. In that case you have to pay for 14 days supervised quarantine which will make a sizable dent in your deposit.

 

And of course no way to predict.

 

Assuming Cambodia is equivalent to LOS, cost of room with ensuite in LOS is 1,000 baht or less, cost of food per day is 300 baht. 1,300 X 14 is 18,200 by my calculation. Hardly US$2,000.

[zzzzz]

 

[tonray]

Keep going...when they reach $20 bucks...then maybe they'll have a shot

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Assuming Cambodia is equivalent to LOS, cost of room with ensuite in LOS is 1,000 baht or less, cost of food per day is 300 baht. 1,300 X 14 is 18,200 by my calculation. Hardly US$2,000.

 

Those are not the costs of ASQ in LOS. You don't just stay in any hotel and eat regular food. You go into an approved private quarantine facility with meals provided. In  LOS costs start at about 36,000 and go over 100,000 baht depending on choice of facility. I don't know the Cambodia costs.

 

The funds also include 2 COVID tests and in case either is positive, any amount for hospitalization not covered by your mandatory insurance.

 

Until recently the required deposit was $3,000, they just lowered it to $2,000.

 

Aside form covering costs of tests, quarantine etc , a purpose of the deposit is to ensure that people allowed to quarantine at home still show up for the day 13/14 repeat COVUD test without the government having to chase them down. You can't get your deposit back until you have had that second test and it was negative.

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Has to be a not so subtle way of saying to prospective tourists that they are not wanted, IMO.

 

Tourism is altogether banned, no tourist visas being issued. This has nothing to do with tourism.

[Sheryl]

17 hours ago, FalangJaiDee said:

So tourists still can’t go right?

 

Correct.

 

I doubt many would want to  in any case given the 14 day quarantine (and in not a few cases, further quarantine upon return to their home country.)

 

This is for people who live in Cambodia: people working there. people with businesses there, retirees who have made it their home etc.