Thailand – Cambodia border checkpoint overwhelmed ahead of Songkran

[snoop1130]

Photo via Poipet International Border Checkpoint Police | I

 

The Poipet International Border Checkpoint between Thailand and Cambodia is so busy ahead of the Songkran – or the Southeast Asian New Year – that Thai authorities have had to open a second checkpoint nearby to ease congestion.

 

Like Thailand, Cambodia is celebrating the Buddhist New Year this weekend. In Cambodia, the holiday is called “Moha Sangkranta” and will be celebrated from Friday 14-15 this year.

 

Thousands of Cambodian migrant workers who wish to return home for the holidays are applying for re-entry permits on the Thai side of the border, so they can return to Thailand after the festivities are over, reports the Khmer Times.

 

Chief of Immigration on the Khmer side, Brigadier General E Chamroeun, said that the Thais have informed him that the congestion is because the Thai immigration officers only have one scanner at the Poipet checkpoint to process and issue re-entry permits.

 

Cambodian migrant workers have been lining up for re-entry permits since Monday, added the chief.

 

To speed up the queues, the Thai authorities are sending migrants to a second location equipped with a scanner in the Aranyaphrathet district of Sa Kaeo province.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailand-cambodia-border-checkpoint-overwhelmed-ahead-of-songkran

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-04-12

 

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[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Chief of Immigration on the Khmer side, Brigadier General E Chamroeun, said that the Thais have informed him that the congestion is because the Thai immigration officers only have one scanner at the Poipet checkpoint to process and issue re-entry permits.

Can't being prepared....

[zzaa09]

14 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Can't being prepared....

Are they ever.....?

[mikebell]

Baden-Powell would be turning in his grave.  In 18 years  as an ex-pat here, I read the same stories annually.  Thais are not proactive and act only when confronted by a problem.  Then because they have the memory of a goldfish they forget the problem till next year.