PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of Cambodians registered as heading abroad for work jumped more than a third in the first six months of this year, local media reported on Friday, citing government's figure.

Nhem Kimhuov, an official at the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying that 4,862 migrant laborers went abroad in the first six months, compared with 3,561 in the same period last year.

"In the first six months, the number of migrant worker in Malaysia increased 150 percent from 1,181 to 2,955, whereas in Thailand they were down one-third to 812," he said.