The government raised fines for people escaping quarantine from 1 million to 5 million riel, and for private health facilities failing to notify authorities about evaders from 10 million to 50 million riel, or about $250 to $1,250 and $2,500 to $12,500, respectively.
The new fines were announced in a sub-decree dated Thursday, after a month in which 10 workers returning from Thailand were found to have skipped quarantine and gone to Takeo province, a man trying to illegally re-enter Cambodia stepped on a landmine, and a Battambang district police official was arrested for allegedly aiding cross-border people-smugglers.
People’s Center for Development president Yong Kim Eng said he welcomed the increase and hoped the information would be thoroughly disseminated to workers returning from Thailand.
“In order to avoid them from falling into severe punishment, which may affect their living, the government should increase the spread of information to them,” he said.
Health Ministry spokesperson Or Vandine said that quarantine measures would continue for all people arriving in Cambodia.
“This practice of quarantine is the duty of every citizen who travels into the country,” Vandine said.
As of Friday, Cambodia has recorded a total of 484 coronavirus cases, with 470 recovered and 14 active. The ministry has also announced that 3,803 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 so far.
