Hun Sen happy with Thailand’s reassurance that migrant workers can stay

ANN/THE PHNOM PENH POST – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that Thailand has responded to Cambodia’s concerns that the Move Forward Party might repatriate Cambodian and Laos migrant workers in Thailand.

The Thai party confirmed that none of their policies involved the repatriation of workers from neighbouring countries.

The remarks came as Hun Sen met with over 18,000 factory workers on Thursday in Samaki Meanchey district, Kampong Chhnang province.

“I am pleased to say that I received information from Thailand yesterday. After I expressed concerns that the Move Forward Party would repatriate Cambodian and Laos migrant workers, the party informed us that not only would it not deport the workers, it proposes to facilitate improved social protections for them,” he said. “We are no longer concerned over the possible deportation of the Cambodians who are working in Thailand. I always pay close attention to matters which concern the loss of jobs or benefits to workers overseas,” he added.

Hun Sen noted that cooperation on concerning immigrant workers is protected by the Asean framework. Therefore, the workers must receive protection.

“In Cambodia, there are also foreign workers. Therefore, we must pay close attention to protecting their working conditions. I have thanked the Thai party for their assurances,” he said.

Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Samheng said on Thursday that migration from one country to another is a global economic norm. According to the Organization for Migration (IOM), 2021 saw 281 million international migrant workers.

He added that in Asia, there were 115 million migrant workers. In Europe, there were 63 million. In Asean, nearly 25 million workers are working in a foreign country.

He said as of May, over 1.3 million Cambodians are working overseas. Of the number, 1.2 million are in Thailand, 49,000 in South Korea, 22,000 in Malaysia and 19,000 in Japan.

Each of these workers enjoy other benefits, including high wages and access to social security funds, according to the labour laws of their host country.

Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) President Pav Sina suggested that the Cambodian government create more job opportunities for Cambodians rather than see its people forced to leave their homeland to work overseas.

“Of course, if the Thai authorities send the migrant workers home, it would be very challenging, because we would be unable to provide them with immediate work,” he said.