Thailand is facing a dire labor shortage following a mass exodus of Cambodian workers, prompted by the ongoing border tensions between the two countries. Estimates suggest almost half of Cambodian workers in Thailand have already left, crippling key industries in Thailand. Empty spaces tell the story. Machinery shutdown, because there's no one to operate it. Out of just over 100 workers at a meat processing factory in Thailand, 45 are Cambodian who have gone home. Many have left abandoning possessions, as tensions remain high along the Thai-Cambodian border just a short distance away. "It's affecting production a lot. We used to run at full capacity every day, but now production has dropped by almost 60 percent. All the Cambodian workers have gone," said Tanagriss Prasittimay, a factory owner. It's a problem being repeated across the country. It's estimated that there are around a million Cambodians in Thailand, with some working legally and some undocumented, filling jobs that have help keep the Thai economy afloat, mostly in construction, foodstuffs and agriculture. But some reports suggest almost half that number have left following border clashes between the two countries. That has led to an acute labor shortage in Thailand and triggered a big loss to the Cambodian economy, where around 6.5 percent of GDP stems from income earned in Thailand. Thailand knows it needs foreign workers, and says it's keeping open jobs for Cambodians despite the tensions in the hope they will return. It's also looking at recruiting more workers from Laos, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. But it's unclear if it can recruit sufficient numbers to fill the gaps. Thai workers say they miss their Cambodian colleagues. "It's really heartbreaking to see so many coworkers gone. It's like a tree having most of its leaves plucked off. The impact has been tough. We have to work a lot more than before but still production has gone down a lot," said Prayong Suebsri, a Thai worker. Despite the exodus, a number of Cambodians working further away from the border have chosen to remain in Thailand, drawn by the need to earn money and the lack of employment at home. Thailand is trying to reassure them, but many are said to be uneasy about their situation. SHOTLIST: Thailand - Recent 1. Various of machines, equipment, worker at workshop; 2. SOUNDBITE (Thai, dubbed into English) Tanagriss Prasittimay, factory owner: "It's affecting production a lot. We used to run at full capacity every day, but now production has dropped by almost 60 percent. All the Cambodian workers have gone."; 3. Various of worker processing meat; 4. Various of equipment, bags of products; 5. Workers; 6. SOUNDBITE (Thai, dubbed into English) Prayong Suebsri, Thai worker: "It's really heartbreaking to see so many coworkers gone. It's like a tree having most of its leaves plucked off. The impact has been tough. We have to work a lot more than before, but still production has gone down a lot."; 7. Various of workers processing meat; 8. Workshop. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]