Cambodian police rescue 125 Thais from online scam gangs in Poi Pet so far

Cambodian police rescue 125 Thais from call-centre gangs in Poi Pet after cooperation between the PMs of the two nations.

A senior police officer said on Monday that Cambodian police have so far rescued 125 Thais who were lured into forced labour by call-centre gangs in Poi Pet, following coordination between the premiers of the two neighbouring countries.

Pol Gen Thatchai Pitanilabutr, the police inspector-general, revealed the figure to reporters after meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai at the Defence Ministry to report on the ongoing crackdowns on call-centre gangs in Poi Pet.

Poi Pet is a border town in Banteay Meanchey Province, western Cambodia, on the border with Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district. The city is known for its many casinos, which attract tourists, particularly from Thailand.Thatchai said that, following cooperation with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet, he had been assigned to hold a meeting with Cambodian police on Friday.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday, Cambodian police carried out crackdowns on call-centre gangs in Poi Pet. Thatchai stated that both Thais and foreigners were rescued.

He said he had been informed that, so far, 125 Thais had been rescued, but the final figure had yet to be confirmed, as Cambodian police were still checking additional locations in the border city.

Thatchai mentioned that a coordination centre would be opened for Thailand and Cambodia to align their efforts in combatting online scam operations in Cambodia.

He said it was yet to be determined whether Cambodian police would expand the crackdown to other areas.

The operations in Cambodia followed the suppression of call-centre gangs along the Myanmar border, which has been intensified after Thailand halted electricity and oil supplies to disrupt call-centre gangs there.

Thatchai stated that Thais were not lured to work for call-centre gangs in Myanmar, but were recruited to work in Cambodia and Laos. Most victims were promised jobs in casinos or hotels, only to end up being forced to work for call-centre gangs.

(2025/02/24-00:00)