Pictures courtesy of Amarin TV

 

A sudden departure of 50 Cambodian workers from their jobs in Sisaket, Thailand, unfolded today as fears of an impending border conflict prompted their return home.

 

Arriving at the Chong Sangam checkpoint, the group carried numerous possessions, including refrigerators, signalling a significant exodus spurred by safety concerns.

 

Chong Sangam checkpoint, allowing passage from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Thai side and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Cambodian side, was the scene of this unexpected movement. The workers, many of whom had spent up to ten years in Thailand, departed in six vehicles laden with personal effects.

 

They earned between 420 and 450 baht per day, plus overtime, yet opted to abandon their steady jobs due to heightened insecurity along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

 

 

Interviews revealed that the workers returned following a call from their families, reacting to warnings from the Cambodian government about potential war threats over disputed border territories.

 

Mr Chai Ratliang, a long-term migrant in Sisaket, expressed that their departure followed urgent requests from family members amid fears of the area becoming a conflict zone as tensions rose over three contested temples and the neighbouring Mombei region.

 

To facilitate their return, the departing Cambodians pooled resources to rent transport for the journey. Despite having stable employment in Thailand, the immediate safety concerns took precedence, leading to this large-scale movement.

 

While they harbour hopes of returning should conditions stabilise, the reality of uncertain employment in Cambodia looms large. Alternatively, they consider seeking opportunities in other countries.

 

In summary, the exodus underscores the fragility of migrant labour amidst geopolitical tensions. The workers' stories reflect the complex interplay between employment stability and personal safety, with future moves contingent on the evolving political landscape in the region.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Newsroom 2025-06-17

 

 

Even more panicked a few years back when Thailand said it was going to clamp down on migrant workers who had not been processed through official channels. 

 

Thousands fled and Hun Sen had to send buses to the border to ferry the people home. On that occasion Thailand shot itself in the foot because businesses could not get Thais to to do the hard labour that Cambodians were paid peanuts to do. The building industry and horticulture were two of the worst affected.