DMW says repatriation 'unlikely' for Filipinos near Thai-Cambodia border clash
MANILA, Philippines — Repatriation efforts for Filipino workers affected by recent fighting along the Thailand–Cambodia border are unlikely at this time, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said in a GMA News interview on Monday, December 15, that most Filipinos in the area are legally employed—not illegal workers or trafficking victims—and may return to work once conditions stabilize.
“Ito ay sitwasyon na hindi sila necessarily illegal doon o biktima ng human trafficking. So they legally work in Thailand and 'yung mga teachers and faculty supervisors in Cambodia, respectively,” Cacdac said. (But this is a situation where they are not necessarily illegal or victims of human trafficking. So they legally work in Thailand and the teachers and factory supervisors in Cambodia, respectively.)
Government assistance in border areas. Cacdac said the government remains prepared to repatriate affected Filipinos if the situation worsens.
He said authorities are currently assisting 251 Filipinos across seven areas near the border, where some have sought shelter in evacuation centers or in the homes of fellow Filipinos.
The Philippine government is also providing financial assistance for basic needs, particularly for teachers whose classes have been suspended due to the clashes.
Border fighting displaces thousands
Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz-Paredes said on Saturday, December 13 that at least 188 Filipinos were evacuated following the renewed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.
Fighting along the disputed border reignited on December 9, killing at least 10 soldiers and civilians. There were also 140,000 civilians who fled to avoiding the clashes.
The roughly 800-kilometer (500-mile) border remains contested due to competing claims over historical temple sites, which have repeatedly sparked armed conflict.
This week's clashes mark the deadliest outbreak since a July truce—achieved partly through US President Donald Trump's intervention—and have since expanded to include five provinces in the two nations.
Thailand and Cambodia have each blamed the other for triggering the renewed fighting. — with reports from Agence France-Presse
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