Cambodia suspended sending laborers to neighboring Thailand on Monday after the latter has reported a surge in COVID-19 infections in its Samut Sakhon province, some 300 km away from the border.
In a statement issued to private recruitment agencies and relevant officials, Cambodia's Labor Minister Ith Samheng said, "Sending MoU-based and seasonal laborers to Thailand must be temporarily suspended from now on until further notice."
He also urged the recruitment companies to work closely with Thai employers or employers' association and authorities to provide help to Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand when necessary.
Thailand is the largest market for Cambodian workers. The Labor Ministry's data showed an estimated 1.1 million Cambodian laborers have been working in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Samheng called on those workers to stay calm and comply with local health guidelines over the COVID-19 pandemic, and urged them to wear a face mask properly, to wash hands frequently, and to avoid crowded areas.
Cambodia's Ministry of Health on Sunday also issued a statement, advising local authorities to tighten health measures along the kingdom's border with Thailand.
In the statement, Health Minister Mam Bunheng urged the border area authorities to check the health data of all arrivals, screen their body temperatures and require them to fill in health declaration forms.
"All travelers entering Cambodia must undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine, and their samples must be taken and sent to the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, the National Institute of Public Health, or the Siem Reap Provincial Hospital for testing on the same day they enter Cambodia," he said.
Bunheng said that if anyone has suspicious symptoms of COVID-19, he or she can call the 115 free hotline.
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 363 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with zero deaths and 345 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.