Thailand, Cambodia Sign Joint Plan to Crack Down on Call Centre Scams
BANGKOK – Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a joint action plan to combat cross-border call centre scams after an intensive 10-hour meeting between senior police officials. The agreement marks a significant step in regional cooperation against cybercrime networks that have exploited Cambodian territory to defraud Thai citizens.
Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, National Police Inspector General and Chief of the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT), led the Thai delegation, while Pol Lt Gen Seang Sarid, Deputy Commissioner of the Cambodian National Police, represented Cambodia during the talks. The meeting followed the Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) discussions on September 10 in Koh Kong, which had identified cybercrime as a top priority for bilateral action.
The talks centered on call centre gangs that have long targeted Thai citizens through elaborate scam operations. Victims have been lured into transferring large sums of money under false pretenses, causing widespread financial loss and emotional distress. These criminal groups have also been linked to human trafficking, with victims forced to work in scam operations under harsh conditions.
During the negotiations, Thai officials provided Cambodian authorities with detailed intelligence on the locations of call centre operations within Cambodian territory. This intelligence will serve as the foundation for Cambodia’s enforcement efforts in the coming weeks. Cambodian police pledged to launch sweeping operations against these call centre hubs within a month.
Pol Gen Thatchai emphasized that the prolonged negotiations were necessary to iron out specific enforcement mechanisms and ensure effective follow-up. “The discussions lasted more than 10 hours because every detail of the agreement had to be carefully examined. Ultimately, both sides were able to reach a firm consensus,” he said at a press briefing in Bangkok.
Under the agreement, Cambodia will spearhead the crackdown by dismantling identified call centre operations and reporting progress at the next General Border Committee meeting. Thailand, meanwhile, will monitor the effectiveness of the crackdown by tracking online complaints filed by Thai citizens who fall victim to scams.
The coordinated approach reflects growing urgency in addressing the cybercrime problem, which has escalated in scale and sophistication. Thai authorities have repeatedly called for stronger cross-border cooperation, noting that many scam operations operate outside Thailand’s jurisdiction but target its citizens.
Observers see the agreement as a critical move toward dismantling regional criminal networks that exploit weak borders and digital anonymity. By combining intelligence sharing with enforcement, Thailand and Cambodia aim not only to disrupt existing scam operations but also to deter future criminal activities.
The upcoming results of Cambodia’s crackdown will be closely scrutinized. Both governments have signaled their commitment to making measurable progress, with the goal of restoring public confidence and curbing the devastating impact of call centre scams on Thai citizens.
