PHNOM PENH, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian Consulate-General in Thailand's Sa Kaeo province said on Sunday that Thailand decided to shutter all of its border checkpoints with Cambodia in a bid to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
In its statement to the Cambodian people living, working, studying and doing business in Sa Kaeo province, the Cambodian Consulate-General said two key checkpoints-the Poipet international border checkpoint and the Phnom Dey international border checkpoint-and 17 small border checkpoints between Thailand's Sa Kaeo and Cambodia will be temporarily closed for 14 days from March 23 to April 5.
The statement said all persons and vehicles are not allowed to cross the border during the above period, with an exception for vehicles for transporting cross-border goods and their drivers.
According to the statement, the Thai authorities in other provinces that border Cambodia have also temporarily closed border checkpoints with Cambodia, and some checkpoints had been shuttered since March 18.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian Consulate-General advised the Cambodian people in Thailand not to leave home if not necessary, to self-isolate for 14 days if they suspect that they contract the virus, and to see doctors if they have symptoms such as high body temperature of above 37.5 Celsius, dry cough, and shortness of breath.
Cambodia shares its borders with Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Earlier this week, Cambodia's border with Vietnam was also temporarily closed in an effort to stem the COVID-19 spread.
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 53 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, and two of the patients, a Chinese man and a British woman, have fully recovered and been discharged from hospitals, according to the Ministry of Health statement.
