Migrant workers stranded at Thai border

Migrant workers camping in the forest near the Cambodia-Thai border. Facebook

Civil Society Organisations are calling on the relevant authorities at provinces along the Cambodia-Thai borders to allow stranded migrant workers to enter the Kingdom.

The Centre for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights (CENTRAL) in Thailand Leung Sophon, told Khmer Times yesterday that he had seen many migrant workers stranded at the border and hope the authorities would let them in.

It said that the migrant workers are staying at the border in the middle of a forest with no clean water, and electricity supply.

“They just want to get home to be with their loved ones. They are living with the hope that the authorities will open the border to let them in,” it said, adding that the migrant workers, both legal and illegal, want to return home due to the spread of the new Delta variant in Thailand.

It said that Cambodians in Thailand are worried that they may get infected with the new variant if they do not return to the Kingdom soon.

Minister of Interior Sar Kheng in an online meeting yesterday said that he wants the provincial governor to allow migrant workers stranded at the borders to enter the Kingdom.

However, he stressed that all those who enter via borders must go through the 14-day quarantine and will only be allowed to return home after they have been given a clean bill of no Covid-19.

With the outbreak in Thailand, Kheng said it is important that the stranded worker’s issue be resolved so that they can return to their houses safely.

“Battambang province which is bordering Thailand has a high number of Covid-19 cases, especially the new variant spread. With migrant workers wanting to return to the Kingdom, it is definitely posing a big challenge,” he added.

Kheng in the meeting yesterday had also expressed deep concern over the province being susceptible to facing an increased transmission of the new variant.

Battambang governor Nguon Ratanak told Khmer Times that the authorities were working with their Thai counterparts to help Cambodian workers have a place to stay at the border.

“We want to make sure that they undergo the 14-day quarantine at the border and be allowed in only if they are free of the deadly virus. We do not want them to bring in the new variant into the community,” he added.

He said the Civil Society Organisations and NGOs can make the request but the authorities want to make sure that these migrant workers do not bring in the new variant and spread it to the community in the province.

Hout Sovan, a vendor in Rong Kluea market said that he wants to return to the Kingdom to get his vaccination shot but at the same time he wants to stay a bit longer for the safety of everyone.

“There are many Cambodians here who have yet to get their Covid-19 vaccine doses. I also know that some of them are going through the 14-day quarantine at the Thai border,” he added.

Sampov Loun District governor Ham Sohan said that he visited the quarantine centre yesterday and provided food and assured the workers that they will be cared for.

Ministry of foreign affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said that the Cambodian councillor in Sakeo Province had distributed food for 185 workers and seven children in the quarantine centre where the Thai authorities are providing them with three meals a day. Khmer Times