Senate President Hun Sen urged Cambodian workers in Thailand to return home, noting that the border dispute will “not be easily resolved”, while giving the Thai government a 24-hour ultimatum to reinstate the normal immigration border operating hours or face the consequence of an import ban on fruits and vegetables from Thailand beginning June 17.
Hun Sen’s call to Cambodian migrant workers today follows Prime Minister Hun Manet’s special message earlier in the morning ordering the Cambodian Embassy in Thailand to assist documented and undocumented Cambodian workers wishing to return home.
He also directed the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training to integrate returnees into the domestic workforce, seeing that there are labor shortages in key sectors.
Over the weekend, Hun Manet told ministries and government agencies to prepare for the return of migrant workers by providing shelter, food and social protection packages.
This morning, Hun Sen issued a special message before the Senate meeting, echoing Hun Manet’s call, and warned of “rising” racism and discrimination against Cambodian workers in Thailand.
“We must accept our citizens, don’t let them [Thai nationals] insult us; don’t let them [Thais] harm us because racism and discrimination against Cambodian workers in Thailand are heating up,” he said.
The ultimatum by Cambodia reflects growing tensions with Thailand after a deadly skirmish near a disputed border area in late May, which killed a Cambodian soldier and reignited long-standing disagreements over land demarcation.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, there are 230,000 job opportunities, and technical and vocational skills training available for Cambodian citizens as well as workers in Thailand who wish to return home.
The warning follows the Cambodian–Thai Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) meeting held over the weekend in Phnom Penh. It was the first high-level discussion since the deadly May 28 clash.
Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the Secretariat of State of Border Affairs, said the discussion was conducted in a “friendly and understanding atmosphere” with an “open and positive dialogue”.
However, Cambodia urged Thailand to resolve the issue of the four disputed border areas in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Cambodia also rejected Thailand’s use of a unilateral map — which Cambodian officials said is the “root of ongoing tensions”.
‘Provocative behavior’
Recall that Thailand reduced the operating hours of several border checkpoints on June 7, despite “diplomatic exchanges”, which further strained bilateral relations.
Thailand said it wanted to negotiate the operating hours with Cambodia but Hun Sen replied, “given that the Thai military unilaterally closed the borders, it is their responsibility—not Cambodia’s—to reopen them”.
“Today, we planned to close all border [crossings] to [stop] fruit and vegetable imports from Thailand,” he said. “However, after [two separate] conversations between me and the Thai Prime Minister, and Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Thai Prime Minister, we postponed the plan for 24 hours. But if the Thai side does not reopen the border today [like normal], we will implement a full border ban tomorrow on the import of fruits and vegetables into Cambodia,” he added.
Hun Sen also called on Cambodian students studying on scholarships in Thailand to return home if they are prevented from continuing their studies or face discrimination, pledging to “personally cover their scholarship expenses”. He said Cambodian patients receiving treatment in Thailand should also return home to seek healthcare services in the country.
Calling Thailand’s actions “provocative”, Hun Sen accused the neighboring country of “declaring war” through its behavior, but reiterating that “Cambodia does not seek conflict”.
He said the Thai military has made its position clear in recent days, declaring war, and that Cambodia is “not lacking in weapons to defend itself” and “has no intention to engage in a conflict”.
“We are not afraid because we are righteous,” he said. “We dare to go to court. You don’t dare to go because you are afraid and have your own political secret,” he added.
Threatened twice, asked to go home
Loeng Sophon, a Thailand-based project officer with labor rights group CENTRAL, said many Cambodian workers in Thailand are worried about their safety. While most continue to work, those who cross the border daily have started to return home.
He said families in Cambodia have urged their relatives to come back, afraid that they might be expelled.
“Many are worried about being forced out and fear for their safety,” Sophon said, adding that some workers are facing discrimination, with Thai vendors refusing to sell them food, and neighbors telling them to leave.
Migrant worker Mech Samnang, who is working in the construction sector, is planning to return to Cambodia as tensions escalate over the Cambodia-Thailand border.
“In some places, [there are cases of] employers discriminating against us and telling us to go back home,” he said.
“There is discrimination, and it’s related to our safety. I’ve been threatened twice,” Samnang said, who has worked in Bangkok for about 10 years now.
He wrote in Thai language on his Facebook page on Saturday that Thai people are “looking down on Cambodians”.
“You act arbitrarily just because your country is bigger than Cambodia. Cambodia is small, but we are polite. We don’t want war but you do. You are trying to provoke war in Asia,” he said.
Following his post, a commenter threatened him, saying that they would ”bring together 400 people to beat him up“. His employer also blamed him for “destroying the company”, and instructed him to return home.
Nhoeb Borey, acting director of the Information Department in Pailin province, said the Prum International border checkpoint banned the import of fruits and vegetables from Thailand since June 14, in response to a unilateral ban by Thai customs on the import of Cambodian fruits and vegetables, including cassava.
Chhin Rathanak, spokesperson for Koh Kong province, said the provincial administration will proceed to stop the entry of fruits and vegetables from Thailand at all border checkpoints if they are not fully reopened border checkpoints.
“Starting tomorrow, if Thailand does not reopen all border checkpoints, we will implement the recommendation of Samdech [Hun Sen],” he said.
He added that Koh Kong province has prepared 13 buses to transport workers who wish to return home.
