Over 1,000 Cambodian workers rush to return home amid border clashes, crowding Ban Khlong Luek checkpoint

Over 1,000 Cambodian workers on Saturday gathered at the Ban Khlong Luek Border Checkpoint in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, preparing to return to Cambodia due to the ongoing border clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces. The workers, many with their children and belongings, filled the entrance to the passenger terminal at the checkpoint.

The workers, mostly employed in Thailand, cited fears stemming from the fighting between the Thai and Cambodian armies. Additionally, social media rumours circulated about Thai extremist groups targeting and attacking Cambodians, which heightened their anxiety. As a result, the workers hurried to leave Thailand and return home, with many arriving throughout the night.

They hoped that Thai authorities would allow them to cross the border, as was permitted a few days earlier, but were informed by officials that the border would not be opened that day, leaving many workers disappointed.

Charin Phuchai, the District Chief of Aranyaprathet, along with police from the Klong Luek Police Station, coordinated with the Cambodian Consulate General in Thailand to move the workers to a temporary waiting area at the Municipal Market 2 building in Aranyaprathet Municipality, for better crowd management and safety.

As the checkpoint lacked facilities to accommodate such a large number of people, the workers were relocated to the temporary site while awaiting further instructions from the Burapha Task Force, which supervises the area, regarding the possibility of reopening the border for their return.