Friday, 7 August 2009

More Cambodian workers go abroad in first six months this year

www.chinaview.cn
2009-08-07

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of Cambodians registered as heading abroad for work jumped more than a third in the first six months of this year, local media reported on Friday, citing government's figure.

Nhem Kimhuov, an official at the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying that 4,862 migrant laborers went abroad in the first six months, compared with 3,561 in the same period last year.

"In the first six months, the number of migrant worker in Malaysia increased 150 percent from 1,181 to 2,955, whereas in Thailand they were down one-third to 812," he said.

"But in the case of Thailand, it definitely decreased because of political unrest (in Thailand) and the issue in the border," he said.

However, he said there is still good cooperation between Thai and Cambodian counterparts in the labor sector, and with their opposite numbers in Malaysia.

The economic crisis and its impact on migrant workers is a concern, said Ya Navuth, director of the NGO Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility.

"When they return home, they often can't get work, as thousands of garment workers are unemployed," he said.

Editor: Li Shuncheng

No comments: