Pchum Ben holidays in early October may see another influx of Cambodian migrant workers returning

Cambodian migrant workers in quarantine camps and testing areas at the borders have told Khmer Times in mid August that could be a deluge of Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand to  Cambodia to celebrate the Pchum Ben festival, which officially falls on October 5 to 7. The workers when spoken to at the holding area said many Cambodians are stuck in faraway provinces in Thailand as the internal regulations, poverty and lack of ability to travel to the border as well as the fear of the 21 days quarantine has discouraged them.

“However, they were making plans to return to Cambodia through illegal rat holes, by trying to evade security forces and border patrols on both sides of the border and trying to find their way home with pre arranged transport waiting at designated spots instead of seeking private taxis and busses.

“There are more than 1.5 million Cambodians (their estimate, CENTRAL estimates two million) still in Thailand. Many of them have no jobs while others who have jobs are fearful of leaving as they want to ensure their jobs are secure when they returned back to Thailand,” one  returnee, identified only as Srey Ni, 36, said.

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50937875/pchum-ben-holidays-in-early-october-may-see-another-influx-of-cambodian-migrant-workers-returning/