Farmers in eastern Thailand are currently facing a significant labor shortage that is threatening the viability of their harvests. In provinces like Chanthaburi, growers of fruits such as mangosteen, rambutan, and durian are being forced to prioritize specific crops, leaving others to rot on the trees due to a lack of available hands to pick them.

The shortage has been exacerbated by a recent border dispute that disrupted the movement of migrant workers, particularly those from Cambodia. Many farmers, such as Jomsak Putirattana, report that the loss of their regular workforce has created intense competition for the remaining available labor. This supply-demand imbalance has caused a sharp increase in daily wages, which have risen from approximately 350 baht to 400 baht in some regions, significantly impacting the profit margins of agricultural businesses.

While the immediate cause is linked to border issues, the situation highlights a broader vulnerability in Thailand’s agricultural economy, which relies heavily on migrant labor to sustain its export-heavy fruit industry. As farmers grapple with these increased costs and the physical loss of produce, the long-term stability of the harvest season remains uncertain. The current situation forces growers to make difficult economic decisions about which crops are worth the investment of higher-priced labor and which must be abandoned.