Senate President Hun Sen has accused Thailand of being the main regional hub for the distribution of transnational online criminal networks, while portraying Cambodia as a victim of these operations.
In a special live broadcast addressing Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and recent border tensions between the two countries, Hun Sen alleged that Thailand’s extensive international flight connections have made it a gateway for cyber scam groups to enter the region, including Cambodia.
Hun Sen responded strongly to Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s recent claim that Cambodia serves as a base for scam syndicates. He called the accusation unfair and damaging, saying it singles out Cambodia while ignoring the broader regional context in which criminal operations flourish along Thailand’s borders with Myanmar and Laos.
He argued that Thailand not only supplies internet and electricity to these border regions but also facilitates the spread of criminal activity. According to Hun Sen, even Malaysia is reportedly planning to build a barrier along its border with Thailand to combat drug trafficking, which he said highlights Thailand’s central role in regional crime networks.
On June 23, Paetongtarn Shinawatra accused Cambodia of being a key hub for cross-border criminal activity, claiming it costs the Thai economy more than 600 billion baht annually. She announced a three-month strategy to crack down on such operations.
Thailand’s prime minister said the government had already imposed strict measures, including the closure of border checkpoints with Cambodia, the shutdown of electricity and internet access in areas linked to online fraud, and the severing of undersea internet connections to Sihanoukville.
She added that the Thai government would begin seizing assets of Cambodian officials and military leaders with ties to online crime networks. The plan also includes halting all fuel exports to Cambodia.
Thailand, she said, will coordinate with international partners and other governments to dismantle transnational cybercrime operations. The country is to serve as a regional center for this campaign.
However, observers noted that these border closures came shortly after Thai military forces acted unilaterally to shut crossings following renewed border disputes with Cambodia. Some analysts suggest that the crackdown may have less to do with cybercrime and more to do with escalating diplomatic tensions.
The Bangkok Post reported earlier this week that in March 2025, the United Nations sent a formal letter to the Thai government requesting clarification on several concerns about its efforts to combat cross-border human trafficking, especially those targeting women and children through online scam operations.
According to the Bangkok Post, the UN emphasized Thailand’s pivotal role as a transit country in the trafficking of victims to scam compounds in neighboring states, particularly in areas along the border with Myanmar’s Karen State.
