Around 500 Cambodian workers gathered at the Ban Khlong Luek permanent border crossing in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, seeking to return to Cambodia.
Many were accompanied by children and carried numerous belongings, as they queued to cross the border. The primary reason provided for this mass return was phone calls from family members urging them to come home immediately. Some mentioned they were simply visiting relatives.
When asked about rumours suggesting that families back home were being threatened with property seizure and revocation of benefits if they did not return, the Cambodian workers expressed uncertainty. They stated that their relatives had only asked them to return, and they were unaware of any threats.
They planned to ask their families about the rumours upon their arrival. Despite the current situation, many workers indicated a willingness to return to work in Thailand once circumstances stabilise, due to a lack of job opportunities in Cambodia, reported KhaoSod.
In similar news, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has announced the country’s readiness to assist citizens returning from Thailand, calling on banks to offer financial support.
In a Facebook post on June 14, Hun Manet said the government is actively coordinating efforts to manage a possible mass return of Cambodian workers. He confirmed that relevant ministries, military units, and the seven provinces along the Thai border are prepared to provide border assistance, shelter, food, and basic healthcare services.
To aid the repatriation, the Ministry of National Defence, the Army, and Lakhon Luang School in Phnom Penh are organizing transport to bring people from border areas back to their hometowns. Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training is standing by to help returnees find employment, amid a national labour shortage of tens of thousands.
The story Cambodian workers flock to border to return home as seen on Thaiger News.
