BANGKOK, THAILAND – The government maintained its entry ban on new Cambodian migrant workers, citing security concerns despite appeals from the business sector.
Government stands by security-focused stance
Labour Minister Treenuch Thienthong reaffirmed on 11 March that no new workers from Cambodia would be allowed into the country. She made clear that the government would not soften this core position.
She referred to security concerns as the main reason for the continued ban. All steps in migration policy would be closely coordinated with the relevant security agencies, she said.
Business sector presses over labour shortages
The statement came after a meeting with the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, which described labour shortages in several sectors as an acute problem. According to participants, the lack of workers is already affecting operations in multiple industries.
Representatives of the private sector warned that the shortfall in foreign workers, especially from Cambodia, could weaken the country’s competitiveness. They urged the ministry to take business concerns into account in further policy decisions.
Background: sensitive issue after border clashes
The employment of Cambodian workers had been politically sensitive since border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia last year. The incidents turned cross-border labour into a matter of heightened public attention.
In this climate, labour migration was treated not only as an economic question but also as an issue of internal security and border policy. Decisions on migrant labour were therefore framed within wider security debates.
Focus on workers with valid documents
Instead of allowing new arrivals, the government aimed to manage Cambodian employees already in the country with valid work permits, according to the minister. The existing pool of documented workers would be the main focus of current policy.
Treenuch said the meeting also served to gather the concerns and proposals of companies facing labour shortages. These inputs would be fed into future decisions, she noted.
Registration and employer proof made mandatory
In future, all Cambodian workers would have to be formally registered and provide clear proof of an employer confirming their job at a specific company. The Labour Ministry said this would tighten oversight of migrant employment.
By doing so, authorities wanted to ensure that residence and work status were traceable and that checks within the system were effective. The ministry presented these steps as a way to strengthen control without changing the entry ban.
Employment department told to enforce strict controls
The Department of Employment was instructed to develop strict and clear measures to continuously monitor and regulate migrant labour. These measures were intended to provide ongoing oversight rather than one-off checks.
The minister stressed that all steps had to be designed so they did not compromise national security and that any new rules would be implemented in close coordination with security agencies.
“All measures must be designed so that they do not affect national security, and any new rules will be closely coordinated with security agencies.”
said Treenuch Thienthong, Labour Minister.
Debate over impact on businesses and security
The government’s course raised the question of whether a strict entry ban during a period of labour shortages was the right path. Some observers asked if the policy might ultimately hit businesses harder than intended.
Public discussion focused on which rules could allow both security and the labour market to function effectively. At the same time, there were concerns about where necessary regulation might turn into overregulation.