The Thai authorities allowed the return of the first batch of Cambodian workers to tackle the labour shortage in longan orchards and fruit warehouses in Chanthaburi.

After five months of border closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Labour Ministry and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) approved the foreign labour import through a permanent border checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron district of Chanthaburi province, said Dr. Rattawit Tangkiatpachara, the President of Thai-Cambodia Border Trade & Tourism Association of Chanthaburi.

The first batch of 500 Cambodian workers will cross the border to work on Sept 15, he said.

The first group will work at the warehouses for fruit export to facilitate inspection and quarantine.

The screening processes, medical check-ups and quarantine cost around 6,000 baht per person but it drops to only 2,700 baht if they are quarantined in the warehouses, he added.

The warehouses started to place orders for longans, which are now almost ready for harvesting. The fruits are bound for export to China.

Source: TNA