Cambodia upsets after Thailand brings FBI, international media to expose scam sites

2026-02-04 - 07:46

Cambodia has lodged what it described as its strongest protest against Thailand, accusing Thai authorities of leading an unauthorised field visit by foreign military attachés and law enforcement officials in Cambodian territory. In a statement, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the visit, led by the Chief of Intelligence of the Thai Army, took place on 2 February at two hotels in O’Smach district, Oddar Meanchey province, without the consent of the Cambodian government. It said the visit violated Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The accusation came after Thai authorities took foreign military attachés, FBI officers and international media to inspect a suspected scam-centre site in the O’Smach area along the Thai–Cambodian border. The inspection uncovered abandoned buildings believed to have been used by call-centre gangs, along with evidence of global fraud, including fake police stations and mock government offices from various countries, as well as counterfeit US dollar banknotes. Cambodia claimed the sites visited are about 397 metres from the O’Smach international checkpoint near border pillar No 15, in an area it said was seized and occupied by Thai armed forces during clashes between 7 and 27 December 2025. Cambodia said it rejects what it called the illegitimate exercise of Thai sovereignty in the area, arguing that the actions violate the UN and ASEAN charters and amount to an attempt to legitimise the occupation of Cambodian territory. It added that it remains committed to resolving border disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law.