Talks on Cambodia-Thai border crossings

[geovalin]

In the middle of a growing crisis with Cambodian and Thai nationals illegally crossing the border every day, Cambodian Lieutenant General Seng Thearin, deputy commander and chief of staff of Region 5, attended a Zoom meeting with his Thai counterpart Major General Karipob Chaiyapunth, chief of staff of the 1st army area. The generals discussed several issues including drugs, the outbreak of Covid-19, online gaming, providing jobs for workers and most importantly, how to stop the illegal border crossings of migrant workers.

 

Lt Gen Thearin proposed that migrant workers who are not guilty of any serious crimes should be deported back to Cambodia immediately by Thai authorities. Exact figures are hard to come by and provincial authorities in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pailin and Oddar Meanchey said that there were many “rat holes”along the 817-kilometre border with Thailand which covers seven provinces.

 

Pailin governor Ban Sreymom said: “The brokers on both sides are inhumane to capitalise on the poor and unaware by promising well-paying jobs in Thailand and arranging to smuggle them across the border where their Thai counterparts will be waiting and if successful, those smuggled across disappear to different parts of the country.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50923228/talks-on-cambodia-thai-border-crossings/

 

[unblocktheplanet]

Or Thai authorities could offer free quarantine with wages to encourage compliance.