Population and censuses
Halt migrant recruitment ads, radio stations told
The Ministry of Information has sent a letter to radio stations ordering them to immediately cease advertisements from recruitment agencies looking to send migrant workers abroad. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5074021/halt-migrant-recruitment-ads-radio-stations-told/
NEC urged to Let Cambodians vote abroad
NGOs on Wednesday renewed a push for the National Election Committee to let Cambodians working abroad register to vote, as an opposition lawmaker also challenged the committee to back up its claim that current laws would need to be amended to make it happen. ...
Phan Soumy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nec-urged-to-let-cambodians-vote-abroad-132706/
As region cracks down on migrants, agencies provide costly, illegal passport service
Amid crackdowns on undocumented migrants in Malaysia and Thailand, demand for passports among Cambodian migrants has seen large spikes in recent weeks, with many making the costly journey to Phnom Penh to get their paperwork in order. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/region-cracks-down-migrants-agencies-provide-costly-illegal-passport-service
Embassy in Malaysia lacks funds to send workers home
An official at the Cambodian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said on Monday that with more Cambodians seeking support and refuge amid a labor crackdown by Malaysian authorities, the embassy’s budget was not enough to pay to bring them home. ...
Leng Len and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/embassy-in-malaysia-lacks-funds-to-send-workers-home-132613/
Hundreds of Cambodian workers repatriated so far in 2017
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assisted the repatriation of more than 450 Cambodian workers in the first six months of the year, according to figures released Saturday. ...
Leonie Kijewski and Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hundreds-cambodian-workers-repatriated-so-far-2017
79 migrant workers arrested in Malaysia
The Foreign Affairs Ministry says the Malaysian government has taken notice of Thailand’s recent crackdown on illegal foreign workers and begun one of its own, wrangling 79 illegal Cambodian migrant workers in two weeks. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5065736/79-migrant-workers-arrested-malaysia/
Embassy in Malaysia sheltering nationals amid crackdown
The Cambodian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has seen an influx of nationals seeking help securing work documents—along with food and shelter—amid a crackdown on unregistered workers in the country, an embassy official said on Thursday. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/embassy-malaysia-sheltering-nationals-amid-crackdown-132519/
Migrant workers overwhelm passport center
On a narrow side street on the outskirts of Phnom Penh on Tuesday, cars and tuk-tuks crept slowly along as hordes of pedestrians and motorbikes blocked their paths. Food carts and steady streams of customers lined the road. ...
Chhorn Phearun and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/migrant-workers-overwhelm-passport-center-132417/
Cambodia, Japan sign deal for trainees
Minister of Labour Ith Samheng yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with his Japanese counterparts to make it easier for Cambodian trainees to find work in Japan. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/40168/cambodia--japan-sign-deal-for-trainees/
Cross-border day workers decry closed checkpoints
Cambodian workers on Saturday protested against the closing of unofficial border checkpoints in Banteay Meanchey, while hundreds of undocumented workers continued to return from Thailand through the official checkpoint in Poipet. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cross-border-day-workers-decry-closed-checkpoints
Passport fees to be investigated
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially instructed the Cambodian Embassy in Malaysia to investigate agencies that ask for exorbitant passport renewal fees for workers there, according to a statement released on Friday, though some sources said corruption in the Passport Department itself is part ...
Leonie Kijewski and Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/passport-fees-be-investigated
Centers in Thailand to grant migrant workers travel documents
The Thai government has agreed to set up stations across Thailand where Cambodian illegal migrant workers can register for documents that will allow them to stay and work in the country, Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng said at a news conference on Thursday. ...
Chhorn Phearun and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/centers-in-thailand-to-grant-migrant-workers-travel-documents-132234/
Workers fear arrest in Malaysia
Cambodian workers continue to fear arrest and deportation amid an ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrant workers in Malaysia, with local media reporting that 2,000 migrants have been arrested since the beginning of the month as of yesterday. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-fear-arrest-malaysia
Cambodian migrant workers return from Thailand
Despite the Thai government’s temporary backtracking on its harsh punishments of undocumented migrant workers, hundreds of Cambodians working in Thailand continued to pour back into their home country yesterday. ...
Leonie Kijewski and Yon Sineat
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-migrant-workers-return-thailand
Confusion drives more legal, illegal workers from Thailand
Hundreds of fearful and confused Cambodian migrant workers—including those with legal documentation—are continuing to flee Thailand, workers said on Tuesday, even as both the Cambodian and Thai governments called for calm among the migrant workforce. ...
Chhorn Phearun and Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/second/confusion-drives-legal-illegal-workers-thailand-132138/
Unofficial crossings into Thailand closed
The Cambodian government closed all unofficial border checkpoints in Banteay Meanchey and Battambang in an apparent response to Thailand’s laws imposing stricter punishments on migrant workers. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/unofficial-crossings-thailand-closed
Thailand backs off law on migrants
Facing a backlash from employers and observers alike, Thailand has backtracked on a new, heavily criticised law that imposes stricter punishments on irregular workers and their employers, though thousands of Cambodians are still being deported. ...
Yon Sineat and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thailand-backs-law-migrants
Embassy calls for calm as workers flee Thai factories
The Cambodian embassy in Bangkok has called on illegal workers not to leave Thailand as officials attempt to negotiate a deal to allow migrants to stay in their jobs. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39903/embassy-calls--for-calm-as-workers-flee-thai-factories/
Spike in workers deported
Immigration police say there has been a spike in the number of Cambodian migrant workers being deported from Thailand following a royal decree on the management of foreign workers. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39855/spike-in-workers-deported/
Ministry to examine passport fees for Malaysia migrants
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will investigate exorbitant passport fees for migrant workers in Malaysia, the ministry’s spokesman said late last week, following an investigation by The Post that found Cambodians in the country were forced to pay up to $800 for renewals. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-examine-passport-fees-malaysia-migrants
March inflation rate rises to 4.3 percent
Although growth in Cambodia’s consumer price index (CPI) went up by 4.3 percent year-on-year in March, according to latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics, an expert maintains that the increase in cost of living will have minimal effect on the lives of Cambodians. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39611/march-inflation-rate-rises-to-4-3-percent/
Opposition requests migrant-friendly voter registration process
The opposition once again will ask the government to make upcoming voter registration more accessible to an estimated 1 million migrant workers by increasing the number of registration centers near the Thai border. ...
Ben Paviour and Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/opposition-requests-migrant-friendly-voter-registration-process-131633/
‘Hostages’ swapped with Thailand
Incensed by Thai authorities’ arrest of their family members, residents of Banteay Meanchey’s Thma Puok district took conflict resolution into their own hands on Saturday by holding Thai trucks hostage on their side of the border for days until Thai and Cambodian officials agreed to ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hostages-swapped-thailand
2011 ban on maids working in Malaysia lifted months ago
The government lifted a 2011 ban on sending Cambodian maids to Malaysia in January, according to a directive Prime Minister Hun Sen signed late last year, contradicting months of government denials. ...
Zsombor Peter and Phan Soumy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/2011-ban-maids-working-malaysia-lifted-months-ago-131127/