Cambodia accuses Thailand of using scam crackdowns as excuse for attacks

PHNOM PENH – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has accused neighbouring Thailand of using scam crackdowns as an excuse to expand into Cambodian territory, even as he vowed to not let his country become a “safe haven” for online scams.

“Online scam issues should never be weaponised by any nation against another,” Hun Manet said at the inaugural International Conference on Combating Online Scams in Phnom Penh on Sept 23.

Anti-scam objectives should not “be used as a pretext by any nation to use force to attack or occupy another nation’s sovereign territory”, he said, adding that the current tense territorial border dispute with Thailand is “a clear violation of principles of international law”.

Since July 2025, Cambodia and Thailand have been locked in fresh clashes over territorial land disputes. In December, Thailand took over O’Smach Resort, a dismantled scam compound in Cambodia, after its soldiers attacked the area.

Thai troops remain at the site, an arrangement Thailand said was agreed upon with Cambodia in a joint statement in December while bilateral border demarcation has yet to be settled.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesperson for Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said: “Thailand regrets that Cambodia continues to exploit platforms such as this international conference to make provocative statements against Thailand, instead of using this opportunity to advance genuine cooperation.”

The spokesperson reiterated that the Thai military had attacked and seized O’Smach because Phnom Penh had used that site as a military operational base. The Thai military later discovered that this was a scam compound.

“Thailand continues to count on Cambodia’s sincere and effective cooperation to join these efforts to eradicate online scams, protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” said the spokesperson.

At the conference, Hun Manet said anti-scam efforts should bring countries closer in collaboration instead of causing conflict.

“Anti-online-scam efforts should be the reason for nations to work together with sincerity and mutual respect in order to tackle the issue for common benefit,” he said. “No single country can effectively tackle this cross-border challenge alone.”

Outlining his country’s efforts, Hun Manet vowed that “Cambodia will never be a safe haven for online scams”.

Over the last 12 months, the Cambodian authorities claim to have investigated 832 suspected locations and carried out crackdowns on 663 of them. Among them, 86 scam compounds have reportedly been dismantled, and these include all large-scale scam compounds. The authorities have also brought 446 cases involving almost 4,000 individuals to court.

Though these efforts have led to positive results, Hun Manet called for greater coordination and collaboration among nations.

He was speaking to more than 1,000 participants including government and law enforcement officials from almost 30 countries, including the US, Britain and Singapore.

Delphine Schantz, the regional representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for South-east Asia and the Pacific, told ST that Cambodia’s efforts are laudable.

“They’ve come a long way, and they’ve acknowledged a lot of criticism from many countries that they’re making insufficient efforts,” she said.

“The fact that this conference is really hosted by the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister just delivered a very strong and vibrant speech, really underlined the strong commitment of the kingdom to dismantle online scams.”

For countries to cooperate more effectively, Schantz also hopes that political differences can be set aside. Thai officials’ presence at the Cambodia conference is vital, she added. “That’s a very, very good sign. That cooperation, at least at the operational level, is there, and it will get better.”

Cambodia showcases anti-scam efforts

In proving it has taken a serious approach to combating scam operations, the Cambodian authorities conducted media tours to three dismantled scam compounds over two days ahead of the conference.

The three sites, occupying land area of between 5ha and 120ha near the Cambodia-Vietnam border, were shut down in January, February and April.

Each site was said to house between 244 and 30,000 people of different nationalities, including Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and Vietnamese.

ST was part of the delegation, and observed emptied buildings with overturned beds, scattered keyboards and personal belongings strewn across dormitory rooms that used to house the scammers.

At one of the sprawling scam compounds known as Jin Zi Hui Property Management, about 2½ hours’ drive from Phnom Penh, ST observed a basketball court, a snooker hall and Chinese restaurants within the self-contained site.

It had a concrete wall erected around the entire property with 55 buildings monitored by security guard posts, iron gates and CCTV cameras.

Cambodian officials also showed journalists a room full of confiscated computer screens, fake Chinese and Japanese police uniforms, and forged police and FBI identification badges.

The authorities then demonstrated how AI was previously used to alter the faces of scammers in real time during operations.

During a briefing, the Cambodian authorities insisted that the efforts to shut down scamming activities are not just for show.

Responding to questions about why they did not crack down earlier, Hak Sokmakara, Acting Governor of Kandal province where Jin Zi Hui Property Management scam compound is located, said: “This was not a matter about turning a blind eye. Scamming (is) a global issue. Don’t blame us in isolation.”

He added: “We work hard to crack down and eliminate the scam operations. Negligence would mean taking no action, but we acted.”

Singapore proposes ASEAN initiatives against scams

Separately, Singapore, as incoming ASEAN chair in 2027, has proposed two initiatives to help the region step up efforts to thwart scam operations

Revealing this at the anti-scam conference on Sept 23, Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, said ASEAN aims to launch a code of practice and a guide on best practices to strengthen collective responses against scamming.

The ASEAN Code of Practice to Combat Scams on Online Platforms will establish a set of “baseline anti-scam safeguards” targeted at online platforms for them to protect their users, he said. Meanwhile, the ASEAN Best Practices Guide will improve the investigative cooperation between ASEAN member states, giving law enforcement agencies a greater understanding of cross-border collaborations to combat online scams.

“When implemented, we hope to uplift anti-scam safeguards and processes across the region. We look forward to your support when these initiatives are discussed at the relevant ASEAN platforms,” said Zhulkarnain.

He noted that global scam losses amounted to US$442 billion (S$565 billion) in 2025, citing INTERPOL data. Dismantling scamming operations will therefore not be an easy task.

“It requires political will, operational capacity and sustained partnership with the private sector. Singapore looks forward to deepening cooperation with partners represented here, so that together, we can build a more coordinated and resilient regional response against scams,” said Zhulkarnain.

At the end of the two-day conference, participants are expected to adopt the Phnom Penh Declaration to commit to a collective resolve to eradicate online scams.