Cambodian migrant workers enter Thailand illegally

The Labour Rights Promotion Network (LPN), a Thai Non-Governmental Organisation has raised a serious concern of hundreds of Cambodian migrant workers entering Thailand over the past seven months despite strict border measures and ban.

Cambodian workers took the risk of crossing the borders to enter Thailand looking for jobs as a consequence of family hardships and suffering.

Due to the lack of workers in Thailand, LPN executive director Sompong Srakaew said factory and construction owners use whomever they get to do their work, legally or illegally, and that is why many from neighbouring countries including Vietnam come to Thailand to work despite the police cracking down on them and deporting them to Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (Central) coordinator revealed that some 700 Cambodian workers had crossed the Cambodia-Thai border illegally.

Also, a Battambang provincial spokesman Sem Bun said sometimes small groups of migrant workers cross over illegally and on the Thai side, there will be brokers waiting to take them to a site to work.

Since August, he added there have been no cases of Cambodians crossing over illegally due to tightened police checks, surveillance, and security, and those caught doing so will be detained and quarantined.