More than 200 Cambodian migrant workers were arrested in Thailand last week for having inadequate or no working permits, and are waiting to either be deported or face charges in a Thai court, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the ministry said 225 Cambodians were arrested last Thursday at a construction site in Thailand’s southeastern Chonburi province.
Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said that of the 225, two had “illegal work permits,” 40 were working at a location that was not listed on their permits, and 183 had no documents at all.
He said he did not have enough information to elaborate on what constituted “illegal work permits.”
“I think 183 would return to Cambodia soon, hopefully at the end of this week,” he said, adding that the workers were being detained at a Thai immigration office.
The rest of the arrested workers would be sent to court to face charges in Thailand, he said, and the ministry would seek legal representation for them.
