Cambodia Roundup: Repatriation of Indians, national anthem events 'banned', cashew boosts employment

Over 540 Indian nationals to be repatriated

Over 540 Indian nationals employed in fraudulent "scam farms" in Cambodia will be repatriated to India on Monday in a major operation assisted by the Indian Air Force. According to Dynamite News, the individuals were lured under pretenses and forced to work in online scam operations involving phishing and fraud. Many faced harsh conditions, threats, and even violence.

National anthem event 'banned' at Ta Muen Thom

The New Alternative Party, led by Rachen Trakulwiang, planned a Thai national anthem event at Ta Muen Thom Temple on Sunday, March 9, 2025. However, the military requested a venue change to Ban Phluang Temple due to concerns over potential clashes with Cambodian crowds. The party caravan travelled to Surin Province, with members departing from Nonthaburi early Sunday morning, according to The Nation. Despite earlier military and Ministry of Defense warnings about border tensions, the party insisted on holding the event, citing prior arrangements with the public.

Chinese man jumps out of moving car in Cambodia to escape abductors

A Chinese man living in Australia escaped a kidnapping in Cambodia by jumping from a moving car in broad daylight. The dramatic moment, captured on video and shared on Facebook on 3 March, quickly went viral. The footage shows the man desperately climbing out of a red car around 2:30 p.m. as reported by MS News.

Cambodia's new cashew plant boosts local jobs and exports to China

Va Sokchea, once a garment worker in Phnom Penh, now earns $300 a month sorting and shelling cashew nuts at a local processing plant in central Cambodia. The facility, launched in early 2024 by Kampu Nuts Agro Product Co. Ltd., offers stable jobs close to home, reducing living costs and improving livelihoods. Another worker, So Suos, shifted from rice farming to the plant for better income. Fresh Plaza reports that the factory employs about 200 people and exports 3,000–4,000 tonnes of cashew nuts annually, with 95% sold to China, according to managing director Hout Hyhhaikeang.

The trailblazing female Cambodian tuk tuk group driving change

In a profession long dominated by men, a group of pioneering Cambodian women is reshaping norms by becoming tuk tuk drivers — challenging gender roles and driving social change one ride at a time. As per Inkl, these women, often the sole breadwinners for their families, are breaking barriers in Phnom Penh and beyond by steering tuk tuks, a job once seen as unsuitable for women. Many joined the profession to secure financial independence and escape low-paying, labour-intensive jobs in factories or markets.