PHNOM PENH: Following a violent riot which led to extensive damage to the premises of a Chinese-owned company in Preah Sihanoukville, authorities have detained 290 South Asian nationals on suspicion of breaching the kingdom’s immigration laws.
The arrests followed fighting between groups of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Nepalese workers and their Chinese colleagues, on the night of Oct 4 and into the following morning, said a National Police statement released on Tuesday (Oct 7) morning. The flashpoint for the confrontation was not disclosed.
Security forces detained the 290 foreign nationals on Monday, on suspicion of illegally residing and working in Cambodia. The detainees include 216 Pakistanis, 68 Bangladeshis and six Nepalese. Authorities are currently processing each of the individual cases.
Representatives from the Preah Sihanouk provincial court are overseeing procedures.
On Oct 3, Sok Veasna, director-general of immigration at the Interior Ministry, joined Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Mang Sinet in a meeting to promote laws and reporting procedures related to foreigners’ residency and employment at businesses and casinos in Preah Sihanouk.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Immigration Directorate-General, relevant provincial departments, and the military and provincial police, as well as 540 representatives from the private sector, including casinos, factories and other businesses.
Extensive police forces were deployed to detain the 290 foreign nationals in Sihanoukville. National police
The meeting was the second such outreach event staged in 2025, and served to remind business owners of guidelines and reporting obligations concerning the presence of foreign workers and residents.
Employers were instructed to complete the foreign-worker reporting forms required by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training by Oct 13, so that accurate foreign-national records are available. They were also told to report the presence of foreigners to local police via the FPCS system, in accordance with immigration law.
The officials urged all employers, casinos, factories and other enterprises to comply with the law and refrain from involvement in drug crimes, human trafficking or forcing people to work illegally, among other offenses. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
