BANGKOK: About 60,000 Cambodian workers have fled Thailand in the past seven days following rumours that the Thai military is preparing for a crackdown on illegal migrants.

Around 6,000 Cambodian migrants fled Thailand on Saturday and 37,000 left the country on Friday bringing the total number to 60,000 in the past seven days, according to the data given by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for Asia-Pacific.

The foreign workers are fleeing the country following rumours that the Thai military is preparing for a massive crackdown on illegal migrants, local media reported.

IOM is an inter-governmental organisation in the field of migration, with 155 member states, a further 11 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries.

"There are usually only about 100 migrants coming through each day," said Leul Mekonnen, IOM's acting chief of mission in Cambodia.

"But we are already seeing more than 1,000 a day and we do not know what the coming days hold," said Mekonnen.

"IOM's primary concern now is the safety and dignity of vulnerable migrants," said Mekonnen.