Thai Authorities Arrest 32 Cambodians for Illegal Stay and Work at Border Market

Thirty-two Cambodian traders residing and selling goods at the Rong Kluea Market in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, were arrested by Thai authorities on the morning of September 11, 2026, on charges of illegal stay and work. They were subsequently sent to the Aranyaprathet District Police Station. Sources from Cambodian traders operating at the market indicated that Thai authorities periodically inspect goods sold by Cambodian vendors. Following recent border disputes, a significant number of Cambodian traders returned to Cambodia. However, some have since returned to Thailand to continue their businesses, leading to successive arrests by Thai officials, regardless of whether they possessed travel documents. Specifically, on September 11th, Thai military personnel apprehended 32 Cambodian nationals found to be residing and selling goods illegally at the Rong Kluea Market. Some Cambodians managed to escape and evade capture. Mr. Ee Chamroeun, the Chief of the Immigration Police Post at the Poipet International Border Gate, confirmed receiving information about the arrests on the afternoon of September 11th, though he had not received any official notification from the Thai side. He noted that in the past, Thai authorities have conducted censuses and crackdowns on Cambodian residents at Rong Kluea Market without providing official notifications. He further stated that the 32 Cambodians arrested, including 18 women, were apprehended by the Aranyaprathet District Inspector and the Sa Kaeo Provincial Department. The exact number of Cambodian nationals currently residing and trading at the market remains unconfirmed, as their methods of crossing the border are not fully known. It is worth noting that prior to border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand, thousands of Cambodian traders used to enter and exit through the Poipet International Border Gate daily to conduct business in Thailand.