Published on: December 20, 2025, 09:49h.
Revised on: December 20, 2025, 09:49h.
- The ongoing Thailand-Cambodia tensions are affecting innocent civilians caught in the conflict.
- Thailand aims to dismantle alleged scam operations where trafficking victims are exploited.
Numerous individuals, presumed to be victims of human trafficking, are trapped in forced labor conditions within Cambodia, particularly near the Thai border, amid the current military conflict.
Thailand has targeted casinos along the border in Cambodia, asserting that these establishments have been repurposed as military bases for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. At least four casinos have been bombed by Thai forces.
This longstanding territorial dispute escalated into military confrontations earlier this year, triggered when Thai soldiers stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem at Prasat Ta Muen Thom, an ancient temple located along the border, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
A recently leaked conversation between Paetongtarn Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, and Hun Sen, Cambodia’s powerful leader, revealed a blame game regarding the February incident. This informal dialogue, which became public, led to Shinawatra’s impeachment and heightened tensions between both nations.
Scam Operations in Border Casinos
Although numerous casinos exist on the Cambodian side of the Thai-Cambodia border, the United Nations reports these have also become infamous scam operations, with around 100,000 victims of human trafficking forced to engage in online fraud, contributing to a massive global industry.
According to Amnesty International, a leading human rights organization based in London, the Cambodian government has permitted conditions akin to slavery and torture to thrive within these “scamming compounds.” Amnesty’s investigations have revealed that many of these sites, previously functioning as casinos and hotels, have been converted by Chinese criminal syndicates.
Victims are typically tricked into traveling to Cambodia via misleading job postings on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Once trafficked, survivors report being compelled to initiate conversations on social media to defraud individuals, employing tactics such as fake romantic relationships or investment schemes, and exploiting victims financially in a method referred to as ‘pig-butchering’,” Amnesty reveals.
“Our research uncovers systemic failures by the state that have allowed such criminal activities to prosper, raising important questions about the government’s priorities,” stated Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director.
UN Concerns
The United Nations emphasized this week that civilians, along with human trafficking victims in Cambodia, face significant danger, with some potentially having lost their lives due to the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
Reports indicate that casino complexes and suspected scam centers in Cambodia have been targeted in the conflict,” the UN stated.
“I am deeply concerned by reports of attacks on village areas and cultural landmarks using fighter jets, drones, and artillery. Under international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is of utmost importance,” remarked Volker Türk, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights.