The government has decided to increase the budget allocated to four border provinces for the quarantine of Cambodian workers returning from Thailand by 700 million riels ($170,000).

Ministry of Secretary of State York Sambath told local media on January 8 that Pailin, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey have been allocated an additional 200 million riels ($49,000) each. Oddar Meanchey province has been provided with an extra 100 million riels ($24,000).

She said the funds have already been transferred to those province’s governors. Additionally, the government is providing support materials to the border provinces for the battle against COVID-19 in the region.

On January 8, the Pattaya Mail Media Group reported on the challenges facing Cambodian workers returning home from Thailand.

The report cites that although Thai border points remain closed for most purposes, the principal ones are still open and are admitting limited numbers of Cambodian workers returning to Thailand, subject to 14 days quarantine as well as allowing returning Cambodians into their homeland. One problem facing returning Cambodians is that wages in the Kingdom are much lower than in Thailand.

Phorn Chanta, a 51-year-old farmer, said that his job working as a gardener for a real estate company near Bangkok earned him $400 a month prior to his termination because of the recession. Back home in Phnom Penh, he is scraping by while working as a labourer in a seafood market for one tenth of that amount.

 

• Tags: COVID-19 in Cambodia