Login Register

Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Migrants told to get permits

Migrants told to get permits

| Publication date 14 July 2014 | 00:47 ICT

Cambodian migrant workers queue at a checkpoint on the Thailand-Cambodia border
Cambodian migrant workers queue at a checkpoint on the Thailand-Cambodia border near the town of Poipet last week. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Migrants told to get permits

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday called on all undocumented Cambodians in Thailand to register for a legal work permit at one of that country’s newly opened one-stop service centres.

Thailand’s junta began piloting the latest temporary registration centres at the end of June and has since rolled out additional sites countrywide. At the centres, workers are required to undergo background screenings, health checks and purchase health insurance before applying for a permit.

Neth Serey, Cambodian consul general in Sa Kaeo, was unable to confirm how many Cambodians have so far registered, though NGOs have reported that thousands of migrants have been lining up daily at the busier sites. The Thai Development Research Centre estimated that prior to the recent exodus of more than 250,000 Cambodian migrants, around 900,000 undocumented foreign labourers worked in the country.

For returned migrants looking to get back to Thailand, the ministry’s statement yesterday said passport-issuing offices will be opened at four locations along the border in Poipet, O’Smach, Cham Yeam and Pailin, which are in addition to current offices in Phnom Penh and Battambang.

“We were informed by the Ministry of Labour that the new system will start tomorrow,” said An Bunhak, president of recruitment agency Top Manpower Co Ltd. “We’ll wait to see how the new system works and then inform our provincial offices to start calling the workers.”

Though the Kingdom’s recent, sudden influx of workers has yet to result in an increase in applicants at recruitment agencies, Banteay Meanchey Governor Korsum Saroeurt said many labourers are continuing to try to surreptitiously cross the border, only to find themselves quickly taken back.

According to Saroeurt, 10,723 Cambodians were repatriated from the end of June to last Thursday, and as many as 40 per cent of those migrants had recently crossed only to find themselves immediately caught and repatriated.

“Workers: do not waste your time and money; stop believing brokers. Thailand will not allow the migrants who cross illegally to stay anymore,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAIGNEE BARRON

Contact author: Sen David

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

Related articles