OVER 150,000 CAMBODIAN MIGRANTS FLEE FROM THAILAND
Thousands of illegal migrant workers flee from Thailand due to fear of prosecution.
Thousands of Cambodian migrants have fled from Thailand due to fear of prosecution as military junta threatened that they would crack down on undocumented laborers.
About 150,000 have already crossed the border so far with an estimate of 10,000 migrants leaving Thailand every day, said Joe Lowry, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration. The number of migrants could be close to 200,000 if they include people departing in private transport and cars, he said. "People are in cramped area, in crowds of 3,000 to 4,000," Lowry said. "It makes for an uneasy situation."
Cambodian and Thai officials met Tuesday to discuss the issue, reported CNN.
Several migrants have reportedly been fired from jobs and sent home since the army took power in a coup last month.
There were also reports of migrants being beaten up but authorities have denied these rumors. People are terrified of what might happen if they stayed so migrants are even ready to leave Thailand in the most uncomfortable travel options.
The IOM said hundreds of trucks, buses and trains were being used to take the workers back to their hometowns. "The overwhelming priority is to secure enough large vehicles to prevent people being stuck here for a long time in less than ideal conditions," said the IOM's Brett Dickson in the border town of Poi Pet. "Many of these people are severely economically disadvantaged and have spent all their savings, if they had any, to get this far”, he adds.
It is also reported that Cambodia and Thailand have set up a hotline to handle the return of undocumented workers, but we don’t know for sure how effective this plan is and has it benefited the migrants. Thailand military has taken control over the illegal migrants situation since May.
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About 150,000 have already crossed the border so far with an estimate of 10,000 migrants leaving Thailand every day, said Joe Lowry, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration. The number of migrants could be close to 200,000 if they include people departing in private transport and cars, he said. "People are in cramped area, in crowds of 3,000 to 4,000," Lowry said. "It makes for an uneasy situation."
Cambodian and Thai officials met Tuesday to discuss the issue, reported CNN.
Several migrants have reportedly been fired from jobs and sent home since the army took power in a coup last month.
There were also reports of migrants being beaten up but authorities have denied these rumors. People are terrified of what might happen if they stayed so migrants are even ready to leave Thailand in the most uncomfortable travel options.
The IOM said hundreds of trucks, buses and trains were being used to take the workers back to their hometowns. "The overwhelming priority is to secure enough large vehicles to prevent people being stuck here for a long time in less than ideal conditions," said the IOM's Brett Dickson in the border town of Poi Pet. "Many of these people are severely economically disadvantaged and have spent all their savings, if they had any, to get this far”, he adds.
It is also reported that Cambodia and Thailand have set up a hotline to handle the return of undocumented workers, but we don’t know for sure how effective this plan is and has it benefited the migrants. Thailand military has taken control over the illegal migrants situation since May.
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