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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Thai border conflict forces Cambodian migrant workers to return home
Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers have been heading home from Thailand as the two countries work to keep a ceasefire in armed clashes along their border. Tensions between the countries have escalated due to disputes over pockets of land along their 800 kilometre border. A five-day clash in July left at least 43 people dead and displaced more than 260,000 in both Southeast Asian nations. A fragile ceasefire brokered by Malaysia, with backing from the US and China, appears to be holding while officials try to resolve issues underlying the conflict. The retreat has left many of the workers streaming back to Cambodia wondering how to get by after they left jobs that enabled them to send money back to their families. Kri Phart, a 56-year-old poultry worker, said he began packing after reading a post by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Facebook urging migrants to return to Cambodia. I have no idea if the fighting will really stop and with fewer and fewer Cambodians in Thailand, I got nervous, said Kri Phart, seated on a stoop with two big bags of belongings and a big electric fan. I didn't want to be the last Cambodian migrant in Thailand. I got scared because of the border conflict, said Kri Phart, one of thousands of Cambodians streaming shoulder-to-shoulder through the Daung International Border Gate last week, hauling rainbow coloured bags, appliances and even guitars in the 40 Celsius (104 F) heat. Many of the Cambodians I knew working in Thailand ran away. Everyday more and more of us fled, he said. The reasons driving Cambodians to flee Thailand are varied. Human rights activists reported that some migrant workers had been attacked by gangs of young Thais. Others were alarmed by unsubstantiated rumours that the Cambodian government would seize their land and revoke their citizenships if they didn't return home by mid-August. Cambodia's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training estimates 1.2 million Cambodians were working in Thailand when the border disputes began to escalate in June. Estimates vary, but Sun Mesa, a ministry spokesman said at least 780,000 about 65 per cent have returned to Cambodia. He said the workers could find jobs with equal pay and benefits back home. Many of those who were driven by poverty or climate change to leave for work in Thailand expressed doubts. Now that I am back, there is going to be no income for a while and this will really put my family in a bad situation, said Thouk Houy, 26, who left a job at a leather factory south of Bangkok that enabled her to send $70 to $100 a month back to her parents. I'm the last of my siblings who is still single, meaning it's my responsibility to support my parents. I don't know how I can do that now that I am back home," she said. Minor spats between Cambodian and Thai workers at the factory and her mother's nightly pleas for her to go home were factors behind her decision to leave, she said. Handing over her belongings to be strapped into the back of a precariously packed van, Thouk Houy said the clincher was a claim by influential former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, father of the current prime minister, Hun Manet, that Thailand was preparing to invade. Now that I'm home, what will I do to make a living? she said. Migrant workers fill vital roles in Thailand's farming, construction and manufacturing industries. They also send home close to $3 billion in remittances each year, according to labour ministry data. The loss of that income can be devastating for families relying on it to manage big debts, said Nathan Green, an assistant professor of geography at the National University of Singapore. These kinds of conflicts demonstrate how precarious migrant livelihoods are in Cambodia, Green said. An overseas advocacy group, the Khmer Movement for Democracy, has urged the government to defer loan payments and provide incentives for companies to hire returning migrants. Without economic safeguards, families of returning migrants will not be able to repay their debts and financial institutions will be at their throats, said Mu Sochua, the group's president. We are talking about the poorest of the poor, who will be deprived of incomes. Meng Yeam, who was trying to wave down a taxi while keeping an eye on his belongings, said he managed to send his family back home 20,000 baht (roughly $600) while working as a manager at a rubber factory in eastern Thailand's Chonburi Province. More than 90 per cent of the Cambodians working in the factory have left, said the 32-year-old. Meng Yeam said he expected his family to be okay, though it won't be able to save as much as it did while he was working in Thailand. And he was glum about the prospects for things to return to normal. Cambodia and Thailand need each other to do well, but for now, it seems like we just cannot get along, Meng Yeam said. I hope we can work in Thailand again one day, but who knows, maybe I will be retired by the time we stop fighting.
Hans India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Cambodian migrant workers face uncertain future as Thai border conflict drives them home
Kamrieng (Cambodia): Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers have been heading home from Thailand as the two countries work to keep a ceasefire in armed clashes along their border. Tensions between the countries have escalated due to disputes over pockets of land along their 800 kilometre border. A five-day clash in July left at least 43 people dead and displaced more than 260,000 in both Southeast Asian nations. A fragile ceasefire brokered by Malaysia, with backing from the US and China, appears to be holding while officials try to resolve issues underlying the conflict. The retreat has left many of the workers streaming back to Cambodia wondering how to get by after they left jobs that enabled them to send money back to their families. Kri Phart, a 56-year-old poultry worker, said he began packing after reading a post by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Facebook urging migrants to return to Cambodia. 'I have no idea if the fighting will really stop and with fewer and fewer Cambodians in Thailand, I got nervous,' said Kri Phart, seated on a stoop with two big bags of belongings and a big electric fan. 'I didn't want to be the last Cambodian migrant in Thailand.' 'I got scared because of the border conflict,' said Kri Phart, one of thousands of Cambodians streaming shoulder-to-shoulder through the Daung International Border Gate last week, hauling rainbow coloured bags, appliances and even guitars in the 40 Celsius (104 F) heat. 'Many of the Cambodians I knew working in Thailand ran away. Everyday more and more of us fled,' he said. The reasons driving Cambodians to flee Thailand are varied. Human rights activists reported that some migrant workers had been attacked by gangs of young Thais. Others were alarmed by unsubstantiated rumours that the Cambodian government would seize their land and revoke their citizenships if they didn't return home by mid-August. Cambodia's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training estimates 1.2 million Cambodians were working in Thailand when the border disputes began to escalate in June. Estimates vary, but Sun Mesa, a ministry spokesman said at least 780,000 — about 65 per cent — have returned to Cambodia. He said the workers could find jobs with equal pay and benefits back home. Many of those who were driven by poverty or climate change to leave for work in Thailand expressed doubts. 'Now that I am back, there is going to be no income for a while and this will really put my family in a bad situation,' said Thouk Houy, 26, who left a job at a leather factory south of Bangkok that enabled her to send USD 70 to USD 100 a month back to her parents. 'I'm the last of my siblings who is still single, meaning it's my responsibility to support my parents. I don't know how I can do that now that I am back home," she said. Minor spats between Cambodian and Thai workers at the factory and her mother's nightly pleas for her to go home were factors behind her decision to leave, she said. Handing over her belongings to be strapped into the back of a precariously packed van, Thouk Houy said the clincher was a claim by influential former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, father of the current prime minister, Hun Manet, that Thailand was preparing to invade. 'Now that I'm home, what will I do to make a living?' she said. Migrant workers fill vital roles in Thailand's farming, construction and manufacturing industries. They also send home close to USD 3 billion in remittances each year, according to labour ministry data. The loss of that income can be devastating for families relying on it to manage big debts, said Nathan Green, an assistant professor of geography at the National University of Singapore. 'These kinds of conflicts demonstrate how precarious migrant livelihoods are in Cambodia,' Green said. An overseas advocacy group, the Khmer Movement for Democracy, has urged the government to defer loan payments and provide incentives for companies to hire returning migrants. 'Without economic safeguards, families of returning migrants will not be able to repay their debts and financial institutions will be at their throats,' said Mu Sochua, the group's president. 'We are talking about the poorest of the poor, who will be deprived of incomes.' Meng Yeam, who was trying to wave down a taxi while keeping an eye on his belongings, said he managed to send his family back home 20,000 baht (roughly USD 600) while working as a manager at a rubber factory in eastern Thailand's Chonburi Province. More than 90 per cent of the Cambodians working in the factory have left, said the 32-year-old. Meng Yeam said he expected his family to be okay, though it won't be able to save as much as it did while he was working in Thailand. And he was glum about the prospects for things to return to normal. 'Cambodia and Thailand need each other to do well, but for now, it seems like we just cannot get along,' Meng Yeam said. 'I hope we can work in Thailand again one day, but who knows, maybe I will be retired by the time we stop fighting.'
The Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Cambodian employment agency, ILO link 3,000 Battambang employees with employers
PHNOM PENH: Around 3,000 migrant workers and youth have been connected with jobs in Battambang province amid an influx of returning Cambodian migrant workers from Thailand following the armed clashes along Cambodia-Thai border. The connection was made at a provincial employment forum, organised by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training's National Employment Agency (NEA), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Battambang on July 25. The conference aimed to share information on recruitment and training opportunities, internships, volunteer programmes and scholarships that are currently on offer across various sectors, ranging from tourism, food-processing and automotive manufacturing. 'The forum represented a timely and strategic initiative aimed at addressing current labour market needs, with a particular focus on youth, jobseekers, persons with disabilities, returning migrant workers and other vulnerable groups,' explained Hang Sereyvorlak, NEA deputy director-general, in a joint press release. She added that NEA values the collaboration and support of all stakeholders, particularly the ILO and UN Children's Fund (Unicef), whose contributions were instrumental in the successful organisation of the important employment event. With an influx of returning Cambodian migrant workers and young people entering the workforce, it is timelier than ever to ensure that they have access to decent employment opportunities and social security benefits for a seamless integration into the economy. According to the General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Battambang province ranks as the fifth most populous province, with a total population of 997,169 — accounting for 6.4 per cent of the population. The province also demonstrates a robust labour force participation rate, with 76 per cent of individuals aged 15 and above actively engaged in the workforce. Because of its demographic advantages, Battambang has a strong economy supported by 49,748 businesses, employing approximately 121,845 individuals. Its economic strength stems mainly from various industries such as services, agricultural processing and manufacturing, according to the Socio-Economic Census of Cambodia 2022. Additionally, Battambang stands out not only for its numerous enterprises and diverse workforce potential but also for its important role in aiding the government with job placement and the effective reintegration of returning migrants into the local labour market. The forum served as a unique platform for over 1,000 attendees to interact with well-known domestic and international companies, institutions and training providers to learn about employment prospects and what capacity building initiatives are available in the market. 'We are honoured by the continuous partnership with the labour ministry to effectively match young jobseekers, vulnerable groups, including women and persons with disabilities as well as returning migrants in Battambang, to the fast-evolving labour market demands,' said Xiaoyan Qian, director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. She noted that despite comprising two-thirds of the population, young people under the age of 30 still struggle with limited access to high-paying jobs. 'Our collective efforts to advance decent work and social protection for all can address these pressing issues and contribute to Cambodia's national priorities outlined in phase one of the seventh-mandate government's Pentagonal Strategy and the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2024–2028,' she added. Labour minister Heng Sour recently warned that the border dispute and the violence against Cambodian workers have forced more than 400,000 workers to return to Cambodia. 'The next two to three weeks is the time for all actors in society to go to all localities where there are workers to bring information and job opportunities to distribute to them to ensure that they have jobs,' he said. The ministry claimed that there are over 250,000 job opportunities available for the Cambodian citizens returning from Thailand. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
