Thailand seeks new sources of workers after Cambodian exodus

The Thai government has agreed to hire Sri Lankan workers with plans to bring in more from other countries to address the labour shortage caused by hundreds of thousands of Cambodians who have fled the country following a deadly border dispute in July.

Thailand’s cabinet last week approved a proposal by the Labour Ministry outlining a ‘pilot project’ that would bring in an initial group of 10,000 Sri Lankans to replace Cambodian workers who have returned home. 

Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit told reporters that 30,000 workers from Sri Lanka have already signed up for the project and will soon be able to apply for workers from Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Thailand relies heavily on foreign workers to support its industries, with Cambodia being one of the country’s major sources of migrant labour. The International Labour Organisation says at least 1 million Cambodian nationals are working across the country, primarily in the construction, agriculture, and fisheries sectors. 

However, after border clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border erupted on July 24, an estimated 300,000-400,000 Cambodian workers have returned to their home country, fueling Thailand’s labour shortage that’s already exacerbated by rising unemployment and an aging population.

The Thai government’s plan to seek new sources of foreign labour has been met with concern from experts, including those warning that it may do more harm than good for the country. 

Adisorn Kerdmongkhol, a coordinator at advocacy outfit Migrant Working Group, said they ‘don’t see a clear plan for how the government will implement this.’

"It is still unclear what types of jobs the government intends to fill with workers from these countries. The cost of air travel [from a distant location] will also be an issue," he added.

Lae Dilokvidhyarat, who is the chief adviser for the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and a prominent Thai economist, also urged the Ministry of Labour to rethink its plan to replace Cambodian workers with Sri Lankans. 

Sri Lankans would need time to adjust to Thai society, Lae said, adding that they may not possess the same skills that Thais and workers from neighbouring countries have. 

Instead, Lae proposed a short-term solution that involves bringing in workers from Myanmar, Thailand’s primary source of migrant labourers, and for the Thai government to adopt new technologies to make the country less reliant on labour-intensive industries.