A bustling Bavet-Moc Bai border crossing of 300 to 400 trucks per day has prompted Cambodia and Vietnam to form a joint task force to tackle increased traffic congestion. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) spokesman Vasim Sorya told The Post on November 26 both sides are working on a solution. “It’s not just Cambodia experiencing the congestion, but Vietnam also. In order to solve this, we agreed to form this task force to work together,” Sorya said. The ministry has yet to issue a directive, however, because the relevant ministries have not yet agreed on the structure and the names of the officials to lead the task force. “It depends on the institutions because this work is a joint task involving relevant ministries like the institutions of immigration, health and the ministry of agriculture and Vietnamese side doesn’t know yet how many people,” he said Sorya said MPWT has received many requests, including a detour to a new checkpoint - Prey Vor international border. The Vietnamese side also requested a parking lot and a checkpoint on its land because Vietnam had a plot available. Cambodia Logistics Association (CLA) president Sin Chanthy said there have been problems with traffic congestion along the Cambodia-Vietnam border before the start of Covid-19 outbreak. Chanthy said he welcomed the task force, saying it will help speed up solutions. Minister of Public Works Sun Chanthol led a bilateral meeting on November 25 with his Vietnamese counterpart over cross-border transport. The meeting focused on making cross-border trade improvements and an increase in trade volume. “In order to solve the problems of Bavet-Moc Bai International Border traffic congestion, both sides agreed to create this joint task force involving roads, water, and railway,” he said. “The joint task will cooperate to solve the problems in time and most effectively. They have to meet for talks regularly and make monthly reports to their respective prime ministers,” Chanthol said.