Indonesia is planning to reopen Bali to tourists while Cambodia and Thailand have moved to increase border control to prevent further Covid-19 transmission.

Health workers collect blood samples for Covid-19 testing in South Tangerang city, Indonesia, on May 14 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Indonesia’s popular holiday destination Bali is expected to resume tourism activities soon.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Wishnutama Kusubandio said on May 28 that Bali is one of the Indonesian provinces that could be allowed to reopen to international visitors.

Bali Vice Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati also stated earlier that his province is ready to carry out requirements to become a safe destination for foreign tourists after the pandemic.

The Nusa Dua area of Bali is set to be the pilot area for the “new normal” scenario in the tourism sector as proposed by hotel and restaurant groups in the province.

Last week, the local administration discussed this issue with tourism businesses and provincial agencies to issue new health protocols to ensure safety for travellers when tourism activities resume.

In Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng asked the administration in localities that border Thailand to increase professional measures at border checkpoints to prevent Cambodian workers from entering Thailand, which will shut its border until June 30 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

He said on May 27 that border gates are currently closed, so illegal migration to Thailand must be prevented, especially when the neighbouring country is still in the state of emergency.

Meanwhile, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in cooperation with Phnom Penh City Bus (PPCB) Administration and PPCB Authority, said they are implementing virus prevention measures and training staff to minimise the risk of virus infections for bus drivers and passengers once operations resume.

The PPCB Authority also said it is planning to impose regulations permitting a maximum of 20 passengers per bus in order to adhere to distancing guidelines. However, it doesn’t know when exactly the government will allow operations to resume.

The Cambodian Government on May 26 decided to relax the ban on sports activities after the Covid-19 situation in the country had shown improvement.

In Thailand, the Padang Besar border checkpoint in Sadao district of Songkhla province, which is adjacent to Malaysia, was closed again on May 28 after local authorities had discovered some new Covid-19 cases among Thais returning from overseas.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said some new patients returned from Saudi Arabia through Padang Besar.

Apart from Padang Besar, the Sadao checkpoint on the Thailand-Malaysia border remains closed since April 23 for fear of virus transmission.

Thailand recorded 11 new Covid-19 cases on May 28, the first double-digit increase in several weeks, raising the total to 3,065. The numbers of recoveries and fatalities were 2,945 and 57, respectively.

The CCSA noted all the 11 new infections are Thais returning from India, Qatar and Kuwait and are currently in quarantine, and there were no new locally-infected cases.

Source: VNA