Thailand
Cambodia: Gov’t is heeding private sector’s calls for adjustment to business visitors’ compulsory quarantine
The Cambodian government is looking seriously at adjusting compulsory quarantine to facilitate visits by investors, businesspeople and employers as a means of revitalising the economy.
The move is being considered after the private sector raised concerns about compulsory quarantine for non-residents, business owners, employers and employees travelling into Cambodia. The discussion on the matter was held during a government-private forum on law and tax governance held virtually Tuesday.
The discussion was chaired by Aun Pornmonirath, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance and co-chair of the government-private sector working group on law, tax and governance (government side) and by Arnaud Darc, co-chair of the government-private working group on law, tax and governance (private sector side).
During the meeting, the deputy prime minister encouraged members of the working group and sub-committee on entry gate and quarantine management to continue to cooperate closely with the private sector to take a flexible approach when dealing with the issues raised. He sees such flexibility in dealing with quarantine, its duration and the setting of suitable, properly prepared and protocol adherent hotels for stays as a means of facilitating investor visits.
He added that the prioritisation of such measures would ensure “a good environment for the private sector in revising the economy post-Covid-19”.
Lim Heng, vice president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce noted that the government has started to ease burdens related to quarantine for investors and businesspeople entering Cambodia. He added that an additional reduction of requirements will boost confidence among investors and businesspeople coming to Cambodia.
“Some owners of big investment projects only need a short stay in Cambodia for signing contracts or other work. Dealing with this point will contribute to keeping investment flow [positive] in Cambodia both during and post-pandemic,” Heng said.
On July 22, the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Combatting COVID-19 decided to allow passengers, both national and foreign, traveling to Cambodia by air to book hotels themselves for Covid-19 quarantine practice.
Passengers interested in making hotel reservations directly can do so via sokhahotels.com.kh/phnompenh or courtyardphnompenh.com two days before their departure for the Kingdom. Booking this way relieves visitors of the need to render a $2,000 deposit for Covid-19 services during quarantine.
Pornmonirath, calling the proposed measures a “new normal”, praised the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce in its efforts coordinating the private sector and partnering with the government in contributing to the revitalisation of the economy in the post-pandemic era.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50908912/govt-is-heeding-private-sectors-calls-for-adjustment-to-business-visitors-compulsory-quarantine/