According to the Tourism Ministry’s latest statistics report, there were just over 14,000 foreign tourists in May, down from more than 570,000 a year earlier — a 97 percent fall.

International travel has been locked down around the world to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 15 million and killed 640,000 so far, according to the World Health Organization.

Cambodian tourists also dropped 74 percent in May compared to a year earlier, but the lesser decline means they now make up 94 percent of all tourists, up from 59 percent.

Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said the number of local travelers was now growing “from week to week.”

“The most visited destinations for local people are coastal areas, mountain areas and ecotourism sites,” Sivlin said. Cultural sites such as Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, however, were generally only seeing visitors from nearby areas, she said.

People had been isolating themselves in recent months to help prevent the spread of the virus, and were now beginning to feel more confident about going out, she said.

The industry hoped to also see regional tourism restored soon, she added.

“We recently had a meeting with Asian leaders for both the private sector and the state to discuss cooperation on the first steps to boost Asian tourism,” Chivlin said. “To restore tourism, we are pushing in the region first.”

Sem Im, head of the popular Trapeang Sangkae Ecotourism Community in Kampot province, said July had seen a resurgence of local tourists, especially from Phnom Penh and Kandal province.

Weekends were especially busy, with 700 to 800 visitors each day, Im said.

“Most visitors come to visit for the boat cruise,” he said.

Ly Ratana, manager of the Daung TE resort, another well-known destination in Kampot, said local tourism usually drops off after May due to the start of the rainy season, but this year there had been a rise instead.

Many of the local visitors were choosing to travel within the country because their plans to travel abroad had been canceled, Ratana said.

He added that most tourism businesses had coronavirus precautions in place, and visitors were happy to comply. “People are more aware of coronavirus, and they know what they need to do to protect themselves.”

There have been 225 cases of coronavirus in Cambodia as of Monday, with 82 of them currently active. A man died in a quarantine center last week after he tested negative for coronavirus, and the death was attributed to “exhaustion.”

Drawing on a recent report by local rights group Licadho, Human Rights Watch said the country’s microfinance borrowers held an average loan of $3,804. The figure is twice the average annual national income.

Local NGOs have highlighted the mounting struggles among the country’s more than 2 million microloan borrowers, with the economy having lost more than 150,000 jobs in the garments sector alone amid the global coronavirus outbreak. Credit Bureau Cambodia’s report for the first quarter of this year shows the nonperforming loan rate for consumer credit growing 62 percent quarter-on-quarter.

“Many Cambodians fear losing their land more than catching the coronavirus because they can’t pay back their loans and the government has done little to help them,” said Human Rights Watch’s deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson.

Indebted families risk having to sell land and housing they depend on to survive, the group said in a statement.

“The government’s response has been insufficient to protect borrowers and violates their rights to an adequate standard of living, notably access to adequate housing,” it said, citing the government’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. “The micro-loan providers are likewise failing in their human rights responsibilities to borrowers.”

Kaing Tongngy, head of communications at the Cambodia Microfinance Association, said lenders acknowledged Human Rights Watch’s concerns and they had already helped 230,000 borrowers by deferring repayments for three to six months on loans worth $1.1 billion.

“For customers facing real impacts, it will be very helpful for them to have enough time to hold on until they can stand again in their business,” Tongngy said.

Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, however, said that despite deferring payments, interests continued to accrue for many borrowers.

“If it doesn’t need to be paid for three months, but interest still accrues for those three months, it is not good. I don’t support that,” Thorn said. “Doing it this way means the banks still hold [borrowers] by the throat. It’s not difficult for the banks. They’ve earned plenty of profit in the past.”

According to a World Bank report, there has been an “explosion” in microloan sizes in recent years, growing more than tenfold in five years to 2019. The loans have been increasingly directed to consumption rather than productive investments, it says.

“Risks are increasing for MFIs and for the Cambodian economy in general,” the World Bank report says.

There have been more than 150,000 job losses in the sector since the global coronavirus pandemic led to a collapse in trade and garments orders from international brands, according to the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia. More than 400 factories have closed down or suspended production, it says. The association said earlier this year that it represents a total of 580 factories, employing 750,000 workers.

According to the Asian Development Bank, the Cambodian economy is expected to contract by 5.5 percent this year, which risks pushing 1.3 million more people into poverty.

Yang Sophorn, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, estimated that 90 percent of workers were in debt, mirroring a recent survey by unions and rights groups.

“This makes their living extremely difficult,” she said. Though banks and microfinance institutions had offered some concessions such as allowing borrowers to make only interest payments instead of repaying the principal, in the end the workers will end up paying more, she said.

Peanh Keuon, another officer at the union, said debt, daily expenses, medical costs and rents all weighed on unemployed workers.

“They have to pay for food, buy milk for their children. Some have sick mothers to take care of, and they have to pay for medical treatments,” Keuon said. “Some factory workers sold their motorbikes or any valuables they have to pay the loan. Some borrowed money from private lenders to pay the bank loan.”

Cambodian Labor Confederation president Ath Thorn said there were few jobs available for the more than 150,000 newly unemployed workers.

“They cannot find other jobs to do,” Thorn said. “They have no money for getting food, have nothing to support other needs including paying banks. So it is extremely difficult for them, some to the point of selling property to meet their payments.”

Labor Ministry spokesman Heng Sour did not respond to questions.

Starting on August 12, the EU’s decision to take away Cambodian trade benefits over labor and human rights violations is slated to take effect. The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia this week reiterated its call for the EU to reassess this decision over the “Everything But Arms” (EBA) trade scheme.

The association had already warned the International Labor Organization that “this second blow would lead to even more factory closures and displaced workers, and increase poverty in Cambodia,” it said. Garments and travel goods make up 75 percent of the country’s total exports.

The government has announced various support and stimulus measures, but its promise to pay $40 a month to suspended workers has been criticized by unions for being difficult to access.

Chap Thy, a garment worker, said she was willing to look for any other work if her factory closed down, but was concerned whether she would be able to meet her living expenses. “If the factory that I work at closes, what I’m most worried about is the debt.”

លោក តារា សេង នាយករងនៃនាយកដ្ឋានទំនាក់ទំនងសាធារណៈរបស់អាជ្ញាធរកម្ពុជាគ្រប់គ្រងសកម្មភាពកម្ចាត់មីន និងសង្គ្រោះជនពិការដោយសារមីន (អាជ្ញាធរមីន) មានប្រសាសន៍ថា ចំនួនជនរងគ្រោះដោយសារគ្រាប់មីន និងសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម (ស.ផ.ស) បានធ្លាក់ចុះពី៤៧នាក់សម្រាប់ ខែមករាដល់ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០១៩ មកត្រឹម១៩នាក់ ប្រៀបធៀបជាមួយនឹងរយៈពេលដូចគ្នានៅក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០២០ ប៉ុន្តែក៏មានចំនួនអ្នកស្លាប់រហូតដល់ទៅបួននាក់ ចំពោះបួនខែដំបូងក្នុងឆ្នាំនេះ។

លោកសេង បានបន្ថែមថា ក្នុងចំណោមជនរងគ្រោះទាំង១៩នាក់សម្រាប់បួនខែដំបូងនៅឆ្នាំនេះរួមមាន ជនរងគ្រោះដោយសារគ្រាប់មីនចំនួន៧នាក់ និងជនរងគ្រោះដោយសារសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម ១២នាក់។ ឧប្បត្តិហេតុគ្រោះថ្នាក់នេះបណ្តាលអោយមានមនុស្សចំនួន៤នាក់ស្លាប់ ៦នាក់ពិការអវៈយវៈ និង៩នាក់ទៀតរងរបួស។

លោកនី ញ៉ នាយករងនៃនាយកដ្ឋានសង្គ្រោះជនពិការដោយសារមីនរបស់អាជ្ញាធរមីនកម្ពុជា មានប្រសាសន៍ថា សព្វថ្ងៃកម្ពុជាមានប្រតិបត្តិករដោះមីនចំនួន១១ ដែលត្រូវបានទទួលស្គាល់ និងទទួលបានអាជ្ញាប័ណ្ណជាប្រតិបត្តិករដោះមីននៅក្នុងប្រទេស។ ចំនួនប្រតិបត្តិករបានកើនឡើងចំនួនពីរ បើប្រៀបធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៩។ លោកក៏មានប្រសាន៍ដែរថា ការកើនឡើងនៃចំនួនប្រតិបត្តិករនេះ ជាការរួមចំណែកមួយក្នុងការបង្កើនល្បឿននៃការធ្វើការបោសសម្អាតមីន ក៏ដូចជាការរំដោះដីបន្ថែមជូនដល់សហគមន៍ ហើយនេះក៏ជាការចូលរួមចំណែកមួយក្នុងការកាត់បន្ថយការគម្រាមកំហែងគ្រោះថ្នាក់ដោយសារគ្រាប់មីន និងសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម ផងដែរ។

លោកបានបន្ថែមថា ចំនួនប្រតិបត្តិករទាំងនោះរួមមានប្រតិបត្តិករផ្នែកមនុស្សធម៌ចំនួន៨ និងប្រតិបត្តិករផ្នែកពាណិជ្ជកម្មចំនួន៣។

លោកថាសង្គ្រាម និងជម្លោះក្នុងប្រទេសបានបន្សល់ទុកគ្រាប់មីន និងសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម ជាច្រើននៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។

លោក ញ៉ មានប្រសាសន៍ថា៖ «ខេត្តមួយចំនួនស្ថិតក្នុងប៉ែកពាយ័ព្យនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាដូចជាខេត្តបាត់ដំបង បន្ទាយមានជ័យ និងប៉ៃលិនជាដើម សុទ្ធសឹងជាខេត្តដែលទទួលរងផលប៉ះពាល់ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរដោយសារគ្រាប់មីន ហើយខេត្តមួយចំនួននៅប៉ែកឦសានដូចជាខេត្តក្រចេះ កំពង់ចាម កំពង់ធំ និងខេត្តរតនគិរី ទទួលរងផលប៉ះពាល់ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរដោយសារសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម និងគ្រាប់បែកចង្កោម»។

ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាស្ទើគ្រប់ទីកន្លែងទទួលរងផលប៉ះពាល់ដោយសារយុទ្ធភ័ណ្ឌគ្រឿងផ្ទុះជាច្រើនដែលបន្សល់ទុកដោយសារជម្លោះប្រដាប់អាវុធ ហើយភាគច្រើននៅក្នុងកំឡុងទស្សវត្តឆ្នាំ១៩៧០ និង១៩៨០។

លោកនី ញ៉ បានលើកឡើងបន្ថែមថា ចាប់តាំងពីឆ្នាំ១៩៧៩មកទល់នឹងចុងឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ចំនួនជនរងគ្រោះដោយសារគ្រាប់មីន និងសំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាម មានចំនួនប្រមាណជា៦៤.៨៤៤នាក់ ។

គួរកត់សំគាល់ថា ២០ឆ្នាំចុងក្រោយនេះ ថវិការរាប់សិបលានដុល្លារត្រូវបានប្រើប្រាស់ និងចំណាយសម្រាប់បោសសំអាតមីននៅក្នុងប្រទេស។

កាលពីខែកុម្ភៈកន្លងទៅនេះ លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីហ៊ុន សែន បានអះអាងជាថ្មីឡើងវិញថា កម្ពុជាប្តេជ្ញាក្នុងការបោសសម្អាតមីនដែលរកឃើញក្នុងតំបន់ដែលរងផលប៉ះពាល់អោយអស់ត្រឹមឆ្នាំ២០២៥។ លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីបានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា កម្ពុជាត្រូវការថវិកាប្រមាណ ៣៧៧លានដុល្លារ សម្រាប់ធ្វើការបោសសម្អាតគ្រាប់មីន និងគ្រាប់សំណល់ជាតិផ្ទុះពីសង្គ្រាមដែលនៅសល់ផ្សេងទៀតលើផ្ទៃដីប្រមាណ ៨០៦គីឡូម៉ែត្រក្រឡា។

Dara Seng, deputy director of public relations at the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), said casualties had fallen from 47 in January to April 2019 to 19 this year, but four people had still been killed during the first four months of 2020.

This year’s 19 casualties include seven victims of landmines and 12 who were killed or injured by other explosive remnants of war (ERW). This resulted in four deaths, six amputations and nine other injuries, Seng added.

Ny Nhar, CMAA’s deputy director of victim assistance, said there were 11 demining operators currently working in the country, an increase of two from last year. The increase was intended to speed up mine clearance and release more land for the community, as well as help reduce threats and the number of accidents, he said.

The operators included eight nonprofit humanitarian operators and three commercial operators, he added.

The landmines and explosive remnants were a legacy of war and internal conflict, Nhar said.

“The northwest provinces including Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Pailin were severely contaminated by landmines, and ERW and cluster bombs [contaminated] eastern provinces such as Kratie, Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum,” Nhar said. The explosives were scattered across the country largely during the armed conflicts of the 1970s and 1980s.

There have been 64,844 landmines and ERW casualties from 1979 to the end of 2019, Nhar added.

In the last 20 years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in clearing the country’s landmines.

In February, Prime Minister Hun Sen reaffirmed his commitment to clear all known landmine contaminated areas in Cambodia by 2025. Hun Sen said Cambodia needs about $377 million to clear the remaining landmines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war over an area of 806 square kilometers.