With no explanation, Cambodian customs officials in Poi Pet have stopped allowing Thai trucks to pass beyond their boundary by just presenting a copy of the truck registration book.
Customs officials there yesterday demanded that the drivers present the original truck registration book and submit a security sum of US$5,000 (Bt167,750) each.
Although the procedures are in line with customs regulations, they have long been relaxed.
For years, trucks from Thai soil could move past the Poi Pet checkpoint by just presenting a copy of the truck registration book.
When the procedures suddenly changed, more than 150
trucks got stuck in front of the Baan Klong Luek permanent checkpoint in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district on the Thai side.
The tailback stretched back as far as 500 meters since 9 am yesterday, paralysing traffic in nearby areas.
The trucks were supposed to deliver products to Cambodia.
"We have no way to find money to post the $5,000 security sum," a truck driver complained.
Cambodia-Thailand Border Coordination Office official Leem Tek of reportedly told the drivers that some Cambodian customs officials took the move because they were unhappy with Thai officials.
"They drove to Thailand but were asked to present some documents. Upset with the treatment, they have decided to stop being lenient with Thai trucks," Leem Tek said.
Asked why the Cambodian customs officials did not inform the truck drivers in advance, he refused to give any answer and retreated to the Cambodian side.
However, at 12.30pm, Cambodian customs officials agreed to let the trucks pass the Poi Pet checkpoint with just a copy of the truckregistration book for one day only.
Although the decision quickly eased traffic congestion in front of the Ban Klong Luek checkpoint yesterday, it raised concern among the drivers about what was to come the next day.
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Truckers hit by fee
Writer: POST REPORTERS
Published: 25/09/2009
Bangkok Post
Truck drivers entering Cambodia from Aranyaprathet have been caught off guard after Cambodian customs officers began demanding a refundable cash levy on their vehicles.
About 150 trucks were stopped yesterday at the Poi Pet checkpoint after the customs authority changed its foreign-vehicle screening regulations.
Officers at the checkpoint said drivers must now show truck ownership documents and pay US$5,000 (170,000 baht) before they could take their vehicles into Cambodia, said Capt Charn Wongwaimethee, the border police commander in Aranyaprathet district.
Cambodia imposed the regulation yesterday morning and truck drivers who had not been informed were forced to park their trucks in front of the border checkpoint on the Thai side, Capt Charn said.
Management of Thai and Cambodian transport companies were called in and, after negotiations with the Cambodian authority, the officers agreed to a compromise.
Shortly after noon, they allowed the trucks to deliver their goods, but said they would begin enforcing the regulation without exception from today.
He quoted Maj Leem Tek, of the Office of Cambodian-Thai Border Coordination in Poi Pet, as saying the rules were introduced as a reprisal measure. Thai customs officers closely examine Cambodian vehicle documents whenever they cross into Thailand, he said.
2 comments:
Many times already Thai border authorities have banned Cambodian famers from exporting rice, cassava and other agricultural products to Thailand because they said Thai farmers opposed it. As far as I know, Cambodia and Thailand have a free trade agreement so both countries should be able to export freely to each other. The fact is that Thai authorities had started the bans and restrictions first, so this is a good lesson for Thai authorities that Khmer authorities imposed some restrictions. A tit for tat.
After all the one who will lose is Thailand because it exported nearly $2 billion of its products to Cambodia, while Cambodia exported about a few hundred millions dollars of its products to Thailand.
finally we initiated the fist move!!!!it is very good to see we khmer be the offensive attitudes...now how do they feel the pinched now??next time let them wear our shoes and maybe kiss it to..
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