“Silence for Survival” : Communication and Anonymity among Cambodian Construction Workers During the Thai–Cambodian Geopolitical Conflict

Abstract

This study aimed to (1) examine the communication patterns and identity-concealment strategies of Cambodian migrant workers in the construction sector, and (2) analyze the contextual factors and power relations shaping their decisions to disclose or conceal their identity amid Thai–Cambodian geopolitical tensions. This research employed a qualitative case study approach in Samut Sakhon Province, guided by an interpretive perspective. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 key informants and analyzed using content analysis and thematic interpretation. The findings revealed that the communication practices of Cambodian workers were characterized by risk-preventive communication. Rather than primarily serving as a means of openly expressing identity, communication functioned as a mechanism for maintaining everyday safety, sustaining work continuity, and reducing conflict in workplaces marked by hierarchy and constant surveillance. Five major patterns and strategies were identified: (1) bounded communication, (2) the management of language and accent to disguise identity, (3) spatial and temporal avoidance, (4) communication through silence and minimal response, and (5) communication control by construction employers. In addition, the decision to disclose or conceal identity was not merely an individual choice, but the result of risk assessment through “reading the situation” under multiple factors, including hierarchical power relations in construction work, surveillance regimes and uncertainty in public spaces, vulnerability in documentation and work rights, economic pressures, and networks of trust. The findings underscore the need for the state, the private sector, and civil society to work together in creating a safe communicative environment, reducing stigmatization, and promoting greater respect for the human dignity of migrant workers.