Bangkok Post
Population explosion in Poipet after the mushrooming of casinos
Poipet, a small Cambodian border town oppposite Thailand's Aranyaprathet, has become a place of hope for Thais and Cambodians alike. Thai gamblers form a major group of regular visitors to the town to try their luck at several casinos on Cambodian soil. Meanwhile, the town is a point of departure for thousands of Cambodians who want to leave for better-paying jobs in Thailand.
Five years ago, the population of the town was only about tens of thousands. But after it was developed into a casino town, its population rapidly rose to hundreds of thousands as more and more people were attracted to the town by better job opportunities.
More than 3,000 Cambodians enter Thailand through the Klong Luek-Poipet checkpoint daily to make a living as unskilled workers or petty traders.
With temporary border passes, they have to cross back to their country before the checkpoint is closed at 8pm on the same day.
Aranyaprathet immigration officer Pol Lt-Col Sompong Kaenchan said the pass is valid for six months. ''If they fail to make it on the same day, we will blacklist them. That means we will not renew the pass after it expires,'' he said.
However, many Cambodians who want to stay longer in Thailand to work have sneaked in through other passages along the Thai-Cambodian border.
An immigration source said illegal Cambodian migrants usually cross the border in groups of seven or eight people. Transportation is normally arranged for them by illegal job placement agents, who charge a service fee of 3,000 baht per head.
The source said the number of registered Cambodian workers in Thailand is about 26,000 people, but the real number could be as high as 100,000.
Apart from the Aranyaprathet border, other popular channels for Cambodians to sneak into Thailand include Ban Hat Lek in Trat province opposite Jam Yiem town in Cambodia's Koh Kong province, and Chong Jom in Surin province opposite O'Smach town in Oddar Meancheay province.
Five years ago, the population of the town was only about tens of thousands. But after it was developed into a casino town, its population rapidly rose to hundreds of thousands as more and more people were attracted to the town by better job opportunities.
More than 3,000 Cambodians enter Thailand through the Klong Luek-Poipet checkpoint daily to make a living as unskilled workers or petty traders.
With temporary border passes, they have to cross back to their country before the checkpoint is closed at 8pm on the same day.
Aranyaprathet immigration officer Pol Lt-Col Sompong Kaenchan said the pass is valid for six months. ''If they fail to make it on the same day, we will blacklist them. That means we will not renew the pass after it expires,'' he said.
However, many Cambodians who want to stay longer in Thailand to work have sneaked in through other passages along the Thai-Cambodian border.
An immigration source said illegal Cambodian migrants usually cross the border in groups of seven or eight people. Transportation is normally arranged for them by illegal job placement agents, who charge a service fee of 3,000 baht per head.
The source said the number of registered Cambodian workers in Thailand is about 26,000 people, but the real number could be as high as 100,000.
Apart from the Aranyaprathet border, other popular channels for Cambodians to sneak into Thailand include Ban Hat Lek in Trat province opposite Jam Yiem town in Cambodia's Koh Kong province, and Chong Jom in Surin province opposite O'Smach town in Oddar Meancheay province.
2 comments:
This news missed to mention Thai soldiers shot dead the Cambodian workers who sneaked to Thailand for petty cash jobs. I just want to remind Cambodian people also that Thailand is heaven but hell for poor people.
The fucken Thaicong continue to mistreat dirt poor Cambodian people like animal!
So far the Thailane is having a head start in everything and no war for 30 years!
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