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Cambodian workers in exodus home from Thailand

By WTOP Staff

SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Tens of thousands of Cambodians have fled neighboring Thailand to return home, fearing a crackdown on migrant workers under Thailand’s new military government, a senior Cambodian official said Saturday. Activists said the workers had been forced out of the country, but Thailand denied the accusation.

More than 84,000 workers have returned this month through the border crossing at the western Cambodian town of Poipet, said Kor Samsarouet, the governor of Banteay Meanchey province, where Poipet is located. About 40,000 crossed over on Friday alone, and 10,000 returned to Cambodia on Saturday morning, he said.

The U.N.-affiliated International Organization for Migration gave similar figures. Earlier in the week, it said more than half of the migrants were women and children. “Aside from transport, there is also a growing need for food, water, health care and shelter,” the IOM said in a statement.

The trigger for the exodus seems to have been comments by Thailand’s military government, which took power in a coup last month, that it would crack down on illegal immigrants and those employing them. Several were reportedly fired from jobs and sent home, and the belief spread that both legal and illegal workers were being ejected.

The numbers of those fleeing swelled as unsubstantiated rumors circulated that Thai authorities had shot dead or beaten several Cambodian workers. Thai authorities have denied the rumors and sought to quell concerns about a crackdown, adding that they have plans to systematize migrant labor.

The Cambodian government has sent scores of trucks to Poipet to take the workers home.

Cambodians, working both legally and illegally, fill low-paying and undesirable jobs shunned by most Thais, as do migrants from Thailand’s other poor neighbors, especially Myanmar.

Cambodian Labor Minister Ith Samheng told reporters that about 200,000 Cambodian migrants had been working in Thailand, just 80,000 of them legally. Other estimates of the number of workers are higher.

As the number of Cambodians seeking to leave ballooned this past week, Thai immigration authorities joined hands with the military to help transport them to the border, said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee, stressing that the process was meant to provide convenience to the Cambodian workers, not to forcibly expel them.

“The Thai authorities realize the importance of migrant workers from neighboring countries toward driving Thailand’s economy forward,” he said. “As a result, we would like to revamp and integrate the management system, as well as to get rid of exploitation from smugglers, in a bid to prevent abuses of the workers and human trafficking problems.”

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, a coalition of 21 nongovernment organizations, saw the matter differently, posting an open letter Thursday deploring what it described as the Thai junta’s decision to deport Cambodian migrants en masse.

“The Thai military violated the human rights of undocumented Cambodian migrant workers when it forcefully expelled them from the country, placing them in crowded trucks,” the letter said, accusing the army of subjecting the workers to “cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.”

Cambodia and Thailand have a history of strained relations. Many Cambodians regard their bigger and richer neighbor as pushy, and the two nations have had several armed skirmishes in the past decade over disputed border territory.

Thailand’s new military leaders also distrust Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as a friend of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by an earlier coup in 2006, and there have been accusations that Cambodia sent terrorists to Thailand to foment trouble on his behalf.

Thai army and paramilitary rangers in the past few years have also been accused of shooting dead several Cambodians they caught allegedly carrying out illegal logging in frontier areas.

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Associated Press writers Grant Peck and Thanyarat Doksone in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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