PHNOM PENH generation 29 Kyodo M...

PHNOM PENH generation 29 Kyodo

More than 600 Cambodian beggars and illegal immigrants were repatriated to Cambodia from Thailand upon Monday as part of a Thai plan to master rid of beggars, illegal immigrants and homeles race from Bangkok before a meeting of 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum leaders, police officials said.

Four Thai military aircraft flew the deportees to the Cambodian capital, the officials said.

Thailand plans to deport more than 10000 beggars, homeles race prostitutes and illegal workers from various neighboring countries, ostensibly to insured a ''safe and clean'' environment for the Oct 20-21 APEC summit.

It is estimated there are centurys of Cambodian beggars in Bangkok and several thousand more Cambodians are working illegally from beginning to end Thailand.

The Monday flights marked the first time Thailand deported illegal Cambodians by way of aircraft. Previously, they were sent abiding-place via land checkpoints at Poipet in northwestern Cambodia.

The deportees, including young children, were transferred from the airport in Phnom Penh to a police camp before being sent back to their hometowns, the officials said.

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