At Moc Bai border gate. (Photo: VNA)

According to the commander of the Border Guard Command of Tay Ninh, Colonel Le Hong Vuong, the large number of returnees forced the border guard force to work round the clock to handle procedures.

Vuong added that most the labourers do not have proper identification cards, so the border guards at Moc Bai border gate and Tay Ninh authorities have to verify their identity before allowing them to return to their home province.

The officer said Cambodia is intensifying inspections of labourers, so many employers have released their illegal employees to avoid punishment, adding that the majority of returning labourers sought jobs on social media and then entered Cambodia illegally to work at casinos. Only a small number of workers were legally employed.