Over 400 Cambodian workers were arrested by the Thai police on 12 October 2023 in Ayutthaya Province. The workers, most of them employed in construction, reached out to their embassy to request the Thai authorities for their release, after their brokers failed to produce promised legal documentation.

The Cambodian government is planning to open a new consulate in Songkhla, but its decision to prioritize increasing the number of consulates over reducing passport fees has raised concerns among Cambodian workers abroad, who are seeking affordable passport renewal options for easier access to essential services.

Thai authorities should immediately and impartially investigate the attack on a Cambodian opposition activist who had sought refuge in Thailand, Human Rights Watch said today. Three Khmer-speaking men beat Phorn Phanna at around noon on August 22, 2023, in Rayong province, causing injuries to his face and chest.

3 years after activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit went missing while living in exile in Cambodia, no progress has been made into the investigation of his disappearance, while activists in Cambodia and Thailand held public gatherings on Sunday (4 June), the anniversary of his disappearance.

<p>The luring of Thais to work for scam organizations in neighbouring countries has become a regular tragedy in the age of pandemic lockdowns. In the past two years, thousands have been rescued only to become victims of the judicial system, while the traffickers escape free through loopholes.</p>

<p>Thai-Cambodian discussions at the recent ASEAN summit put labour issues on the table. Despite the pleasant chat, migrant workers in Thailand have yet to see what, if any, measures the authorities will adopt to help address their problems.</p>

<p>With the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, to be held in Thailand on 18-19 November, political refugees from Cambodia are extremely worried that tightened security measures may affect their already fragile safety.</p>

<p>More and more Cambodian workers are coming to Thailand to look for work and many start families here. Those having children often face discrimination and financial challenges when trying to access health care services.</p>

<p>Despite Thailand&#39;s long-standing commitment to a policy of <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_099886.pdf">Education for All (EFA)</a> which allows stateless and migrant children to attend public schools, the children of illegal and impoverished Cambodian labourers are still being denied an education.</p>

<p>Living far away from home during the Covid-19 outbreak, Cambodian students who came to Thailand to pursue their studies experienced problems stemming from lockdown, lonesomeness, and a sense of loss.</p>

<p>The recent returns of Thai, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian nationals tricked into becoming job scam victims in Cambodia highlights the persistence of human trafficking and forced labour rings preying upon unwitting workers across Southeast Asia.</p>