Military forces in Banteay Meanchey province prevented more than 400 people from crossing into Thailand from February to early this month, said Major General Chhun Mao, who heads the first regional command of Military Region 5.
He said 7,000 people had returned from Thailand through the provincial border checkpoint in July alone. Only around a dozen made it into Thailand last month and they were arrested.
Driven by a need for income, people were willing to risk illegally crossing the border to find work, Mao said.
