The Ministry of Labour and Vocational training is currently monitoring reports circulating on social media about acts of violence committed against Cambodian nationals in Thailand, amid the ongoing armed conflict between the two countries.
Ministry spokesperson Sun Mesa confirmed that he had seen videos shared online which allegedly showed violent acts committed against Cambodian workers in Thailand. He stated that the ministry’s team is actively reviewing the situation.
“We have seen the videos circulating online and are currently monitoring and reviewing the situation in detail. Our labour attachés are working on this issue. We will assess the severity of the incident — whether it was intentional, unintentional, a dispute or caused by some other factor,” he said.
In addition to reports from Thai media regarding this violence, labour rights NGO CENTRAL reported that at least 15 Cambodian nationals in Thailand had suffered violent attacks by Thai extremists as of this morning, July 25, in separate incidents.
Mesa called on the Thai authorities to take legal action against the perpetrators, if such crimes are verified, and provide justice to the victims.
He also noted that the ministry has prepared mechanisms for further action to assist Cambodian nationals abroad. At the same time, he urged Cambodians living in Thailand to exercise extreme caution given the rising tensions from the border conflict.
For those facing threats or risks to their safety, he advised contacting the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok, the Cambodian consulate in Sa Kaeo province, or local labour offices.
“If you are facing threats or pressure of any kind, you can return to Cambodia, as encouraged by the national leadership. The ministry currently has over 250,000 safe job opportunities available for returnees,” he said.
The spokesperson also noted that around 54,000 workers have returned from Thailand. Of them, more than 20,000 border card holders and more than 13,000 citizens received immediate job opportunities through the ministry. This does not include those who found work themselves or those that are self-employed.
