Repatriation

The bodies of four Cambodian migrant workers killed in an car accident in Thailand last week were returned to their families on Monday via the Poipet border crossing.

Sum Chankea, a coordinator for the local rights group ADHOC in Banteay Meanchey province, identified the four Cambodians as Nov Saban, 27, and his wife Nguon Sophy, 21, and Tun Thorn, 29, and his wife Nov Sabo, 23.

He said the two couples, from Svay Chrum village in Svay Rieng province, died when a taxi they were passengers in crashed en route to Ranong province in Thailand.

“These two families illegally entered Thailand via illegal brokers,” Sum Chankea said. “They were on their way to Ranong to find work but were severely injured when their taxi crashed.”

He said they were taken to a hospital following the crash and later died from their injuries.

Sum Chankea said that at least 200 Cambodian nationals are detained by Thai authorities each day and returned to the Kingdom at the Poipet international border checkpoint for illegally entering Thailand, according to data compiled by the rights group.