KUALA LUMPUR - Cambodia says Thailand’s decision to halt the entry of new Cambodian migrant workers will have little impact on its economy as the country is capable of absorbing returning labourers.

The ban was announced by Thailand earlier this week amid rising tensions along the border between the two neighbours, as reported by Khmer Times.

Labour ministry spokesman Sun Mesa said Phnom Penh would respect Bangkok’s decision while continuing to support Cambodian workers in securing employment at home.

“About 850,000 of our migrant workers who departed Thailand have been able to find work in their own country, and we still have tens of thousands of jobs for more returnees,” he said.

Mesa said the government has been connecting job seekers with employers through recruitment forums held nationwide.

He said the latest initiative, the Job Forum and Informal Economy Registration Campaign, was held yesterday at the Polytechnic Institute of Kampong Cham.

“Job seekers can consult directly with companies and receive information about the process of registering as workers in the informal economy,” he said.

Mesa said the National Employment Agency (Cambodia) collaborated with the Committee for the Coordination of Informal Economy Development and the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (Cambodia) to organise the event.

Government data showed that more than 950,000 Cambodian migrant workers returned from Thailand during last year’s conflict period.

Of that number, 630,000 secured employment through mechanisms coordinated by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (Cambodia) along with the private and informal sectors.

Thailand announced on Monday it would stop admitting Cambodian migrant workers due to security concerns.

The move comes despite an acute labour shortage in Thailand, particularly in the industrial, construction and agricultural sectors.

Data from the Department of Employment (Thailand) showed that the work authorisations of 53,809 Cambodian workers are set to expire on March 31.

Another 85,117 Cambodians employed under a bilateral memorandum of understanding system are expected to complete their four-year work terms between November 2025 and December 2026.

Thailand is also considering a temporary three-month extension for 6,072 Cambodian seasonal fruit workers in eastern provinces who hold border passes.

Thai business operators have reportedly urged the government to grant a six-month extension to allow Cambodian workers already employed in the country to remain.

Thai Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong said the government would continue to manage Cambodian workers already in Thailand who still hold valid work permits but would not admit new workers from Cambodia.

She said Cambodian workers currently in Thailand must be registered and verified by their employers, who will also be responsible for their employment status.

Trinuch also dismissed reports that Thailand might reopen border crossings with Cambodia to facilitate labour migration.

She said the government has no policy to reopen the border or allow new Cambodian workers to enter the country.

Thai security agencies are screening the backgrounds of foreign workers as part of stricter monitoring measures.

The ministry said any worker found to pose a threat to national security would be deported.

Policy analyst Seun Sam of the Royal Academy of Cambodia said Cambodian migrant workers have long played an important role in Thailand’s economy.

He said migrant labour has supported Thailand’s investment environment by contributing to industrial expansion and economic growth.

“In return, Cambodian migrant workers benefit from employment opportunities in Thailand, enabling them to send remittances back home and support their families, which contributes to the national economy,” he said.

Sam added that before the recent border tensions the two countries had aimed to reach about US$5 billion in bilateral trade.

He said stronger economic cooperation and people-to-people ties between the neighbouring kingdoms would benefit both economies and support regional growth.