Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, directly criticised Thailand for using online scams as political leverage and a dangerous pretext to conceal ambitions to invade Cambodian territory. He said that although suppressing transnational criminal networks was necessary, Thai armed forces’ military operations and continued presence in the Preah Vihear Temple area and other ancient sacred sites, where he said there were no scam centres, revealed a hidden political agenda to control Cambodian territory.
The independent researcher added that technology-related crime and human trafficking were a global social cancer arising from governance gaps and required sincere international cooperation, rather than being used as tools to gain territorial advantage. He said Thailand’s use of the issue to mislead the public and deploy military force in violation of Cambodian sovereignty was not only wrong but also seriously damaged trust, solidarity and international order, potentially rendering joint strategies against transnational crime entirely ineffective.
Peaceful and diplomatic solutions nevertheless remained the best way forward. Experts pointed to the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, scheduled for September 23–24, 2026, in Phnom Penh, as a crucial strategic forum. The event was expected to help rebuild trust and dialogue among governments, law enforcement agencies and civil society organisations, particularly between Cambodia and Thailand, to address prolonged border disputes together and focus joint efforts on sustainably eliminating actual crime. By: Srey Pi
