Reports of Major Congestion at Poipet Checkpoint

Trucks and other vehicles have been backed up for up to a kilometer on either side of the Poipet border checkpoint for the past three days due to administrative changes on the Thai side, according to Cambodian officials. Khiet Bunleap, chief of staff for the Poipet immigration police chief, said that the changes on the Thai side of the border were made to control illegal immigration. “Thai immigration police are strengthening security with Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand, and for every car or truck crossing the international border checkpoint in Poipet, they have to check them one by one,” Mr. Bunleap said. ... “The problem is a slowdown by Thai immigration border police, who were replaced, but now we are talking with them to make things move quicker,” Poipet City governor Mr. [Ngor] Mechroun said, adding that the clogged checkpoint was not connected to a recent order by Cambodia’s Ministry of Finance to tighten implementation of customs inspection and taxation along the border. ...

Saing Soenthrith
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/reports-of-major-congestion-at-poipet-checkpoint-48643/