The government has decided to lift its ban on direct flights from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines as it is looking to reopen the economy in phases after the Covid-19 situation in the country has been largely brought under control.
According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Health on October 23, the decision takes effect immediately. The ban was first imposed on August 11 last year to contain the pandemic.
"With an approval from Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Combat Covid-19 have decided to lift the ban on direct flights from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines .... in a bid to reopen the country and resume economic activities in all sectors, including aviation and air transportation, in the context of Covid-19," said the press statement.
The decision came just a day after Hun Sen instructed relevant authorities to look into the possibility of resuming flights from ASEAN member states to welcome tourists and investors.
"[We] have managed the operations at our airports well and we have also reduced quarantine length for inbound travellers in a bid to reopen our country to vaccinated tourists, among others," Hun Sen said at the Council of Minister meeting on October 22.
