Cambodian migrant workers arrested by Thai authorities in April 2023 are seen chained together in Bangkok. [Mara Yim Facebook page]

 

RFA Khmer

The recent mass arrest in Thailand of hundreds of Cambodian migrant workers – some of whom were photographed chained together in Bangkok – has prompted one NGO to urge the Cambodian government to take action with Thai authorities.

 

Many of the 800 workers arrested last month didn’t have enough money to pay fees at the border, had expired working permits or didn’t have enough documentation. The workers were returning to Thailand illegally following the recent Khmer New Year holiday, which ran from April 14-16.

 

Photos shared on social media showed people linked together, with their hands in chains as they sat with their heads bowed in a police van.

 

The images were an attempt by Thai authorities to publicly shame illegal migrants and possibly discourage others from coming into Thailand, said Dy The Hoya, the migration program director at the Phnom Penh-based Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, or CENTRAL.

 

Full story: https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/thai/cambodian-workers-arrested-chained-in-bangkok-05052023154747.html

 

-- © Copyright Benar News 2023-05-06

 

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They should make it easier for foreign workers, not harder, or the labour shortage might stifle the economic recovery.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The images were an attempt by Thai authorities to publicly shame illegal migrants

But instead have shamed the Thai authorities.

Did they not shame the big Thai companies that employed them ?

what happened to ASEAN citizens being able to work easily in other ASEAN countries?

 

it wouldn't surprise me if they were all still owed wages
this has happened before with large construction companies, they stop paying the workers, then have them rounded up and sent back to Cambodia

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by patman30

2 minutes ago, patman30 said:

Did they not shame the big Thai companies that employed them ?

what happened to ASEAN citizens being able to work easily in other ASEAN countries?

Neither did they shame the ‘officials’ (immigration) who allow them to cross the borders in such numbers in the first place...

... The reality, this is all just a game and ensures a resupply of tea-money once these labourers are repatriated and then have to pay to re-enter Thailand and pass through various checkpoints etc to re-access work in Thailand. 

 

 

The reality is that Thailand ’needs’ these ‘migrant-labourers' without whom much of Thailand would struggle for factory workers, for construction labourers, maids etc etc...  

 

The ‘general mindset’ of Thai authorities towards these migrant labourers is horrific and filters down to general attitudes of Thai’s towards nationals of these nations, in part racism, in part utter bigotry... 

 

For the most part, these workers are not taking the place of Thai’s, they are doing the jobs Thai’s refuse to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Neither did they shame the ‘officials’ (immigration) who allow them to cross the borders in such numbers in the first place...

The one i remember from years ago
they rounded up 500 workers at the 99% completed construction site
and the workers were complaining they had not been paid for 3 or 4 months
i dont know what a khmer salary is here
but lets say 10,000 baht a month
that would equate to 15-20 million baht saved by the company

Note they are all wearing 'uniform' shirts supplied by.........?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Many of the 800 workers arrested last month didn’t have enough money to pay fees at the border, had expired working permits or didn’t have enough documentation. The workers were returning to Thailand illegally following the recent Khmer New Year holiday, which ran from April 14-16.

And not one Thai employer arrested or charged?

All of a sudden such random and highly selected instances make it an issue. 

These undocumented foreign [regional] workers have been integrated into the Thai workforce forever......without incident. 

 

 

That a still from Ben Hur ? 

Oriental Barbarians....

These workers were employed by thai employers, what happens to them? They will also be arrested????

Edited May 6, 20233 yr by ujayujay

21 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

They should make it easier for foreign workers, not harder, or the labour shortage might stifle the economic recovery.

True, if those arrested were working they are obviously needed, just bureaucracy slammed on the poor but then it's always easier to go after the little guy.