KhmerTimes-Mar 13, 2026
Thailand’s ban on new migrant workers from across the border amid a territorial spat will have little to no impact on Cambodia, whose economy absorbed the returnee workforce during last year’s conflict and is prepared to absorb more, the Labor Ministry said yesterday. Ministry spokesman Sun Mesa said Phnom Penh will respect Bangkok’s decision while it continues to support Cambodians in finding jobs. The ministry has delivered job opportunities to the people through nationwide recruitment forums. The latest initiative, the Job Forum and Informal Economy Registration Campaign” took place in Kampong Cham yesterday at the Polytechnic Institute of Kampong Cham. Mesa said the National Employment Agency (NEA) of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training collaborated with the Committee for the Coordination of Informal Economy Development and the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation to organize the job forum. Government data showed that more than 950,000 Cambodian migrant workers returned from Thailand during the period of conflict last year. Among them, 630,000 secured employment through mechanisms coordinated by the Labor Ministry and the private and informal sectors.Thailand announced on Monday that it would no longer let in Cambodian migrant workers because of “security concerns”. The decision came amid an acute labor shortage in Thailand, with the private sector reportedly urging the Thai government to urgently tackle the lack of workers, particularly in the industrial, construction and agricultural sectors. The Thai Employment Department reported that the work authorizations of 53,809 Cambodian workers are set to expire on March 31. Read more at: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501860820/labour-ministry-shrugs-off-thailand-ban-on-cambodian-migrant-workers/#google_vignette
