[Vietnamization] Cambodians sent back from Vietnam

Cambodians sent back from Vietnam

Khmer Times | 24 February 2017

Cambodia’s Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City helped repatriate 11 Cambodians, who will arrive home this morning, after crossing into Vietnam to beg and illegally sell lottery tickets.
 

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said yesterday that seven children were among those repatriated, whose ages ranged from three to 77. They are from Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea and Kampong Rou districts as well as Prey Veng province’s Kampong Trabek district. 

 

Mr. Sounry said the Consulate General of Cambodia cooperated with Vietnamese authorities to repatriate them. They were temporarily staying at Ho Chi Minh City’s Social Sponsoring Center before departing for Cambodia.
 

“The Consulate General of Cambodia will bring those 11 people to Cambodia on the morning of February 24, 2017, through the Bavet International Border Checkpoint, and will hand them to the Svay Rieng provincial social affairs department,” he said.
 

Last week, 27 Cambodians were allowed to leave Vietnam after being detained briefly for selling lottery tickets and begging on the streets in Tien Giang province.
 

The group of 10 women and 17 children were from Kampong Rou district and were also repatriated from Vietnam by the Cambodian consulate in Ho Chi Minh City.
 

They arrived home through the Prey Vor-Binh Hiep International Border Checkpoint and were subsequently sent to the provincial social affairs department.
 

Many Cambodians from low-income families take their children across the border to Vietnam to look for jobs and earn money on the streets by selling flowers or lottery tickets and by begging in order to feed their families.