Thailand turning to Sri Lankan workers to cope with Cambodian exodus, official says
“Thailand’s cabinet has approved the hiring of 10,000 Sri Lankan workers as it tries to address a labour shortage caused by Cambodian workers returning home in the wake of a deadly border conflict between the two countries, a Thai senior official said on Tuesday.”
“More than 30,000 workers from Sri Lanka have already registered and 10,000 will be sent to Thailand in the first stage, Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit told reporters, adding that it would also allow workers from Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines to apply.”
“Before the conflict began, over 520,000 Cambodians worked in Thailand, accounting for 12% of the country’s foreign workforce, according to official data.”
“Sri Lanka, which has emerged as a key source of replacement labour, saw a record 314,786 citizens leave for overseas employment in 2024, official data showed, with economic hardship pushing many to look for work overseas.”