The Immigration Bureau (IB) is gearing up its efforts to prevent thousands of migrant workers from Cambodia and Laos from sneaking into Thailand illegally through natural channels to seek jobs. Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, chief of the IB, said on Saturday immigration police are concerned about illicit border crossings as the border is still closed to limit the spread of Covid-19.

 

Foreigners still aren’t allowed to enter the kingdom, he said. Some migrants crossing the border illegally may bring viral infections with them which will not be caught by screening authorities, observers say. Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, the national police chief, had ordered him to get first-hand information in the four northeastern border provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Bung Kan and Nong Khai about possible crossings.

 

Si Sa Ket has a border with Cambodia while Ubon Ratchathani, Bung Kan and Nong Khai have borders with Laos. Lt Gen Sompong said this when he met his immigration police at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge crossing point in Nong Khai.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50737438/thai-police-on-lookout-for-migrant-workers-from-cambodia-at-illegal-border-crossings/

I have pity with these poor guys, so desperately looking for a job and an income that they take the risk of getting hunted and arrested by Thai police. Cambodia has zero new cases for months, stop using Covid-19 as an excuse to make their lives more miserable.

 

I've noticed quite a few Cambodians (usually piled up in pickups) in my area just the last couple of weeks. Hadn't seen any of that for months. Although there are quite a few of them here in Chantaburi province on a more permanent basis as well. I assumed there had been some relaxation as in this district the fruit season is starting and usually there would be ten times that number any day now.