Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh (middle) at a working visit to support the Vietnamese community in Cambodia on April 24

The call was made amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the neighbouring country when the numbers of infections and deaths have continued to rise since the “February 20 community incident”.

The Cambodian Government has locked down Phnom Penh capital city as well as Ta Khmao and Preah Sihanouk cities, while applying social distancing in many areas, and closing many markets, factories and production facilities, causing great difficulties to both Cambodian people and Vietnamese Cambodians in the country.

In its message sent to the Vietnamese community in the country, the Vietnamese Embassy advised them to keep calm and strictly abide by all pandemic prevention and control policies and regulations of local administrations.

Expressing sympathy to the community over the difficulties they are encountering, the embassy asked Vietnamese Cambodians and Vietnamese citizens in Cambodia not to attempt to travel to Vietnam through illegal transportation rings.

Currently, border gates and the shared borderline are being tightly controlled by public security and border guard forces of both sides, while strict punishments, including cash fines and imprisonments, are being applied for those who pass the border illegally, the embassy noted.

It added that last week, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued an announcement reaffirming that it would not fine expired tourist passport holders and visitors who are stuck in Cambodia due to the closing of all international flights.

Vietnamese citizens with legal documents, even expired, can still leave Cambodia and enter Vietnam without being requested to pay any fees, according to the embassy.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh said that when Cambodia removes lockdown and travel restrictions, Vietnamese citizens can easily enter Vietnam through the land border gates and undertake quarantine in line with the regulations at low costs and no fines. Those who cross the border illegally will be arrested and strictly punished, and even brought to trial if spreading the virus to the community in Vietnam.

He said that in emergency cases when Vietnamese citizens stuck in Cambodia need to immediately return to Vietnam during the lockdown period, or seek support, can contact the following addresses for help:

The Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh - Phone number: 855 975116789.
The Vietnamese Consulate General in Preah Sihanouk: 855 882248888.
The Vietnamese Consulate General in Battambang: 855 979636636./. VNA