កប៉ាល់ទេសចរណ៍ដែលបានបង្វែរទៅវិញដោយប្រទេសមួយចំនួនដោយសារជំងឺខូវីត-១៩ ត្រូវបានអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យចូលចតនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
Cruise ship turned away over COVID-19  by a number of countries allowed to dock in Cambodia

ថ្ងៃពុធ ៤រោច ខែមាឃ ឆ្នាំកុរ ឯកស័ក ព.ស.២៥៦៣ ត្រូវនឹងថ្ងៃទី១២ ខែកុម្ភៈ គ.ស.២០២០
Wednesday the 4th Waning Moon of Māgha B.E.2563 equivalent to February 12, A.D.2020 Year of the Pig
Louis Casiano | Fox News

Thailand had said Tuesday that it would not allow the MS Westerdam to dock at a Thai port after it had already been turned away by the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. Cambodia will allow passengers to disembark there.

A cruise ship that was turned away by four Asian countries over concerns its passengers could be infected by the coronavirus will be allowed to dock in Cambodia.

U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy tweeted Wednesday that Cambodia authorized the MS Westerdam to dock at a port in Sihanoukville. Several American citizens are aboard the ship, Murphy said, but did not say how many.

The ship is expected to arrive Thursday, Holland America told Fox News in a statement.

In a follow-up tweet, Murphy said the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia will work with authorities and the cruise line in assisting the U.S. citizens in transferring to their onward destinations.

The vessel had been rejected Tuesday by Thailand after being turned away by the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan, despite operator Holland America giving assurances that no COVID-19 cases have been confirmed among the more than 2,200 passengers and crew.

“All guests on board are healthy and despite erroneous reports there are no known or suspected cases of coronavirus on board, nor have their ever been,” the company said.

When the Westerdam arrives, the passengers will be able to transfer to charter flights to Phnom Penh to catch flights home. The cruise line will arrange and pay for the flights home and will issue refunds for the 14-day cruise, along with credits for future cruises.

Another cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, has been quarantined at Japan’s port of Yokohama for several days. Authorities have confirmed 174 coronavirus cases aboard the ship.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a strong supporter of China, has played down threats from the virus, which originated in the Chinese province of Hubei. Unlike other nations, he has declined to ban direct flights from China.

Cambodia has one confirmed case of the virus, which came from a single Chinese visitor.