Cambodian workers and their families depart Thailand in December via the Khlong Luek Border Checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo province in December. (Photo: Sa Kaeo Public Relations Office)
The government must take urgent action to tackle a migrant worker shortage that has compounded the economic strains brought about by elevated energy costs and put key sectors in jeopardy, a business body said on Friday.Authorities should fast-track work permit renewals, particularly for Cambodian labour, to prevent workers from losing their legal status, thereby avoiding disruptions to the manufacturing and agriculture sectors during a critical time for the Thai economy, said Wiboon Suphakarnpongkul, vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking.
About 3.9 million migrant workers are in Thailand, but Cambodian numbers have plunged to around 194,000 from about 550,000, he told a briefing. Many Cambodian workers have returned home since a Thai-Cambodian border clash last year.
Cambodian workers are crucial for fruit harvesting in eastern Thailand, which begins in late April and lasts about five months, but many of their permits have expired or are close to expiry as renewals stall over security concerns, he told a briefing.
