Dozens of undocumented Cambodian migrant workers have been dismissed from a Thai dried-durian factory after being brought there by job brokers, leaving them in a vulnerable state in an incident that underscores the risks of ongoing illegal migration.
Cultural identity is a huge part of a person’s selfhood and it is also a quality that distinguishes one community from another. Future Forum’s Thong Sariputta says there needs to be a better understanding of the needs, beliefs and identities of Cambodian migrant communities overseas beyond just their labor.
For as many as 2 million Cambodians living and working in Thailand, making a trip back to their communes to vote will be too difficult in the coming days. Workers and organizers there say obstacles and lack of absentee voting only breeds mistrust.
Thai police officials spoke to VOD about the rising number of Thai nationals lured by scam operations in Cambodia and provided insight into their efforts to rescue victims and the abuses perpetrated by these companies.
Cambodian migrant workers who have been stranded at home said they are aching for the chance to travel abroad again because the earnings they make here are too small to cover their costs of living.
Separating migrant families can affect the health and education of children left behind, but they can suffer even if they migrate with their parents. While the plight of migrant workers has received some attention, their family members also struggle, writes Future Forum’s Thong Sariputta.
Chhay Loeum, a Cambodian migrant, was rounded up by police from Thailand’s Labor Ministry along with seven other workers making an appeal over unpaid wages. Rights advocates say the incident illustrates the Thai government’s broken promises and indifference to one of the most vulnerable groups in Thai society.
At least 373 migrants have been detained in under two weeks during 12 raids on Cambodians crossing into Thailand, a sign of demand for work and confusion over Covid-19 border rules, a labor group said.
Cambodian workers are increasingly looking to illegally cross back into Thailand for work, a labor rights group said on Thursday, after a report showed more
Covid-19 is not the only pressing public health issue for migrant workers and their families. The pandemic is raising the risks of other, indirect health impacts that can have lasting effects even after the outbreak ends, writes Future Forum fellow Thong Sariputta.
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