PHNOM PENH: The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, has called on tourist port managers and boat owners to be equipped with adequate safety equipment to prevent possible accidents.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the Kep-Koh Tonsay Tourist port, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol requested tourism port managers as well owners of boats or ships to check the technical specifications of both boat drivers and passengers. He emphasized that everyone must wear a life vest to ensure safety during travel, and the driver of a boat or ship must know how to control the boat or the ship in accordance with the technical specifications and know how to use those devices to receive information about incoming weather changes before captaining the boat or ship during navigation. He confirmed that this safety precaution is to increase the safety and reassurance for guests who will not need to worry about accidents.

The Senior Minister stated, "First, the boat does not have the correct technique. Second, there are no airbags. 150 people on a boat, but for example, only 50 life vests is not acceptable. 150 people must have 150 life vests. Each person must have one airbag and must request the boat owner to arrange the right number of life vests on their boat and to check the technical specifications."

The Senior Minister also called on everyone to continue to join the Royal Government in strictly implementing the measures of the Ministry of Health, especially the ‘3 Do’s and 3 Don’ts’ policy, and must continue to adapt and learn to live with Covid-19 in the new normal, especially to prevent the spread of the Omicron virus, save lives and restore Cambodia’s socioeconomic status.