Hun Sen Orders Easing of Travel Ban
Police checkpoints at entrances to Phnom Penh enforce the April 9 travel ban. Photo: ThmeyThmey.
- Phoung Vantha
- April 10, 2020 6:13 AM
The April 9 travel ban has been updated to allow for marginally greater freedom of movement, but still aims to prevent mass migration that had been scheduled for Khmer New Year celebrations nationwide.
PHNOM PENH--Police forces have set up checkpoints at nine target entrances to Phnom Penh in a bid to tighten security in the wake of the temporary internal travel ban. The ban was announced on April 9 and came into effect as of midnight the same day, giving Cambodians limited time to make many of the planned journeys between provinces.
While the travel ban will still last until midnight April 16, Prime Minister Hun Sen has issued a new resolution on April 10, easing travel restrictions. Under the latest update to the ban, people can travel between Phnom Penh and Kandal province and can travel from one district to another within the same province. 
Travel between provinces or in and out of Phnom Penh, excluding Kandal province, remains prohibited, although people are now free to move from district to district within a province. There are still no restrictions on travel within Phnom Penh, however nine major entrance points have been closed in accordance with the government’s orders.
These entrance points include the border with Kandal province, Street 115, National Roads 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and National Road 6A, as well as the Tonle Bassac Ta Khmau Bridge.
Other elements of the ban, including the free passage for the shipping of goods, free movement for civil servants, armed forces personnel and workers given a letter of approval from the Ministry of Labour remain unchanged, although checkpoints may request ID and proof of approval from the Ministry of Labour.
People can still travel to the nearest hospital or health center to receive essential and urgent medical services, but are limited to no more than four people per case.
