Seventeen Cambodians were prevented from slipping across the border into Thailand yesterday in Banteay Meanchey’s Malai district, police said.

Cheu Sokhon, a deputy commander on the border, said the group from Siem Reap and Pursat was being questioned in a bid to find their broker.

“They wanted to [find work] in Thailand, they do whatever job they can to earn money to feed their families and the rest to buy fertiliser for their farming,” he said.

Yi Sambo, police chief of Boeng Beng commune, said 60 to 100 Cambodians sneak into Thailand via his commune every day.

To contact the reporter on this story: Phak Seangly at [email protected]