The recent mass arrest in Thailand of hundreds of Cambodian migrant workers – some of whom were photographed chained together in Bangkok – has prompted one NGO to urge the Cambodian government to take action with Thai authorities.

Many of the 800 workers arrested last month didn’t have enough money to pay fees at the border, had expired working permits or didn’t have enough documentation. The workers were returning to Thailand illegally following the recent Khmer New Year holiday, which ran from April 14-16. 

Photos shared on social media showed people linked together, with their hands in chains as they sat with their heads bowed in a police van.

The images were an attempt by Thai authorities to publicly shame illegal migrants and possibly discourage others from coming into Thailand, said Dy The Hoya, the migration program director at the Phnom Penh-based Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, or CENTRAL.

“Most Cambodian people who were arrested were tortured and handcuffed,” a statement from CENTRAL said. “People were detained in a narrow space. These arrests don’t just impact basic human rights, but also their finances and family living standards.”

The actions of the Thai authorities went well beyond normal law enforcement measures and if there is no action from Cambodian authorities, Cambodian migrant workers will continue to face the same treatment, Hoya said.

“When torture is allowed, it is an act of inhumanity and violation of human rights,” he said.  “It can happen to our people again. This could be the tip of the iceberg.”

No statement yet

There are about 2 million Cambodians working in Thailand, about half of whom are undocumented, according to CENTRAL. People who have recently lost their jobs in factories or can’t find work in Cambodia’s construction industry have continued to cross into Thailand to find work, the NGO said.

The Cambodian government should talk to Thai authorities to secure the release of all of those recently arrested, and to ensure that Cambodian workers can work legally and with full legal protection and benefits, CENTRAL said.

One worker told Radio Free Asia that there were nine Cambodians who were arrested along with him who were still in jail. 

Prum Bunthorn said he was detained in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, on April 24 because he didn’t have sufficient documents. He was released when his Thai boss paid his bail, he said.

Cambodians who enter another country illegally face arrest – but in this case, the decision by Thai authorities to put the migrant workers in chains was an insult, said Sim Vibol, a professor and legal adviser in Phnom Penh.

In this case, Cambodia is obliged to submit a diplomatic note to the Thai government or complain to international institutions like the United Nations, he said.

“If this is found to be happening only to Cambodians, we can accuse Thailand of discriminating against Cambodians,” said Soeung Senkaruna, a spokesperson for the Cambodian rights group Adhoc. 

The Cambodian government hasn’t issued a statement about the arrests, although the Cambodian Embassy in Thailand has urged Thai authorities to stop arresting Cambodian migrants. 

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman An Sok Khoeun and government spokesman Phay Siphan didn’t respond to messages left by RFA this week.[VOA/JS]