Nearly 60,000 Cambodian migrant laborers working illegally in Thailand were reported by their employers to Thai authorities last week, following the opening of centers on July 24 where employers could register undocumented laborers, the U.N. migration agency said on Monday.
As of Saturday, “59,530 Cambodian migrant workers have been reported by employers,” Chris Lom, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, said in an email on Monday, citing information from the Thai Labor Ministry.
Thousands of Cambodian workers streamed back into the country from late June after Thailand enacted strict penalties for undocumented workers.
Bangkok later eased the new rules, suspending enforcement until January.
Cambodia’s Labor Ministry said last month there were about 300,000 Cambodians working illegally in Thailand, half of whom it aims to register in less than four months.
Migrant worker Chhen Chhang, 30, said on Monday that his employer at a Thai fish market was collecting names of employees to gain proper work documents for them.
“I have not registered yet, but I am going to do it when my [temporary permit] expires within two weeks,” he said.
