PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya’s tourism and hospitality sector is grappling with a severe labor shortage amid a booming recovery, with high earnings drawing increased numbers of illegal migrant workers seeking opportunities in the city’s bustling resorts, hotels, and entertainment venues.

Industry insiders report that while businesses are experiencing strong returns following the reopening of international tourism, many are struggling to fill vacancies due to stricter immigration controls and the COVID-era exodus of foreign workers. This labor gap has led some employers and migrants alike to resort to informal or illegal channels to meet demand.

In a stark illustration of the ongoing issue, on the night of July 17, authorities executed a major crackdown on illegal immigration near the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province, seizing 38 individuals attempting to enter Thailand clandestinely. The operation was led by Colonel Chainarong Kasee, commander of the Aranyaprathet task force.

The arrested group included 25 people caught in a sugarcane field near Kud Hin village, Aranyaprathet district, comprising 20 Cambodian nationals—including one child—and 5 Thai nationals. Investigations revealed that most Cambodian migrants were former workers in Thailand who had returned home but faced unemployment and lack of income. They paid between 2,500 and 4,000 baht each to re-enter Thailand to seek work in Bangkok, eastern provinces, and tourist hotspots like Pattaya.

Meanwhile, the Thai nationals apprehended were mostly workers returning from Cambodia, forced to pay higher fees—between 3,500 and 6,000 baht—to the smuggling networks.

Further arrests included 10 Thai individuals traveling on foot through sugarcane fields to re-enter Thailand after working as administrators for online gambling websites in Poipet, Cambodia. Due to lack of proper travel documents, they resorted to crossing via natural border routes.

In another instance, three Thai nationals attempting to cross illegally into Cambodia for construction jobs were also detained near Nongprue village, Sakaeo.

Authorities have emphasized that all detainees will undergo thorough interrogation to uncover larger smuggling networks and will face legal prosecution accordingly.
The recent bust highlights the ongoing challenges Pattaya and the surrounding eastern provinces face in securing a reliable and legal workforce to support the tourism rebound, as well as the security risks posed by illegal crossings.

Local officials and business leaders continue to call for comprehensive solutions, including streamlined legal work permits and international cooperation, to ensure Pattaya’s hospitality industry can sustainably recover without resorting to illegal labor sources.