A cold snap is expected to hit Cambodia from today and run through next Monday, according to forecasts from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology.

In the statement released on Sunday, the ministry appealed to all people living in 13 provinces to be more cautious of the cold weather, which is predicted to drop to a range of 17 to 19 Celsius.

Affected provinces include Phnom Penh, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Battambang, Pailin, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Koh Kong, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Ratanakkiri and Mondulkiri.

Temperatures are expected to be higher in coastal areas.

Ministry spokesman Chan Yutha yesterday said that the chilly weather is due to high pressure from storms in the South China Sea.

Police operating along the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey meanwhile said they were well-prepared for the cold snap.

“Although we live and work in the jungle in mountainous areas, we do not worry about the cold weather, because we have already received jackets, blankets and other materials,” Touch Ra, a border official, said yesterday.