Banteay Meanchey provincial administration last week held a meeting with Thai officials to discuss the opening of a new border checkpoint in the Phnom Chhat area of Svay Chek district. The checkpoint would connect to Thailand at Ban Thap Thai village in Ta Phraya district, Sa Kaeo province.
The proposed checkpoint would facilitate the transportation of goods and make travel easier for people in the border provinces.
The June 1 meeting, the first of its kind, took place at the Banteay Meanchey provincial hall, with Banteay Meanchey provincial governor Oum Reatrey and Chawwanate Yimprasert, deputy governor of Sa Kaeo province, in attendance.
Loeung Sopheak, governor of Svay Chek district, confirmed no official outcome has been reached yet. The two sides are currently preparing the necessary documents to be submitted to their respective interior ministries, as this is a new checkpoint.
While the first meeting did not involve in-depth discussions, both sides have agreed to proceed with the request to open the new checkpoint.
Sopheak emphasised the importance of having a border checkpoint in Svay Chek district, stating it would contribute to peace, cooperation, and trade between the two countries. He clarified the initial stage would establish a regional gate, rather than a bilateral or international border gate.
“Nonetheless, the opening of this checkpoint is expected to boost trade, the economy, and travel between Cambodia and Thailand,” he said.
He said that during the meeting, the two sides discussed the government policies of both countries regarding the establishment of border checkpoints.
According to Sopheak, both sides agreed to address this topic in the future provincial and regional meetings. Following these discussions, reports will be prepared for approval from relevant ministries and governments.
Banteay Meanchey province in Cambodia and Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province share a 153.5-kilometre border. Along this border, there are four districts, as well as two international border checkpoints: Poipet-Klong Leuk and Stung Bot-Ban Nong Ian checkpoints, situated between Poipet town and Aranyaprathet district.
