Thai Army Nabs Jobless Migrants Returning from Cambodia

Picture courtesy of Thai Army via FM91Bkk

In a bold bid to find work, nine Cambodians were arrested after illegally crossing into Sa Kaeo, Thailand. The crossing comes amid ongoing border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, leaving them jobless after returning home.

Thai soldiers apprehended the group in Aranyaprathet district on Monday.

The Royal Thai Army detailed their arrests, revealing two sneaky entries on the same day. The first group included a 19-year-old man, a 21-year-old woman, and two minors, aged 15 and seven. They were nabbed while meeting with Thai smuggler Thongchai Maenpuen, 37, who was caught waiting in his vehicle near Highway 3383.

Thongchai confessed that a relative had hired him to pick up the migrants at a fee of 300 baht per person. The Cambodians shared that they had collectively forked out 13,000 baht for the illegal venture. Previously employed at the Indochina market, their return home saw them jobless, prompting their risky return, according to the Bangkok Post.

At a natural crossing in Ban Phu Nam Liang village, authorities detained another five Cambodians who were carrying luggage. Among them were a couple aged 42 and 46, their children aged 13 and eight, and a 22-year-old male who tagged along. Previously, the couple sorted shoes at Rong Kluea market, but after becoming jobless in Cambodia, they sought to reconnect with their former employers.

Both incidents reflect the ongoing struggles faced by workers amid border instability. As tensions continue, the flow of job seekers crossing borders highlights the pressing economic concerns in the region.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-13