Hundreds of porters from Poipet who pull carts laden with goods over the Thai-Cambodian border will be required to use a new trade gateway named “Stung Bath” between Cambodia and Thailand, which is set to open next year, according to an official.

It is hoped the new border crossing will reduce the volume of commercial transportation moving through the current checkpoint, which is about six kilometres from Poipet and has already seen a reduction in the number of porters from about 1,000 to 200, resulting from an increase in truck traffic.

“After opening the new gateway, aside from cars of tourists, we will not allow anyone else to cross the existing gateway,” Banteay Meanchey governor Ung Oeun said. “We think the current entrance needs improvements to safety, cleanliness and traffic patterns.”

The porters, who work as day labourers, would need to find other sources of income in accordance with their abilities when the new trade gateway opened no later than end of 2013, Ung Oeun said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rann Reuy at [email protected]