"Thailand grants 200K migrant work permits", 16 February 2021

More than 200,000 Cambodian workers have been provided legal status by the Thai government to continue working in the country.

This came after Thailand gave migrant workers from neighbouring countries including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar one month … to apply for two-year work and legal residence permits.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour told … that of the 654,864 foreign workers who registered with the Thai Ministry of Labour …, a total of 203,670 were Cambodians.

“Foreign workers from the three countries amounted to 596,502 employed workers – of which 180,476 are Cambodian – and 58,362 unemployed workers with 23,203 being Cambodian,” Sour said.

Sour said that when the Cambodian workers’ permits expire the Thai government may begin to implement strict measure against illegal workers and this would be within its right to do so.

… Bo Ran, a worker who obtained his legal work and residency permit … that for legal workers, there were less challenges if they had an employer who cares about their welfare.

… Dy Thehoya, Centre for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL)’s Migrant Workers Protection Programme Officer, said small numbers of Cambodian migrant workers get legal permission from the Thai government but most of Cambodian migrant workers would not be able to take advantage of this opportunity because of the cost and other requirements.

He is concerned that when the Thai government ends this policy and starts law enforcement against migrant workers, many Cambodians could face difficult challenges and harsher treatment…