Phnom penh: Head of the Spokesperson Unit of the Royal Government of Cambodia, H.E. Pen Bona, has called on the Thai Government to stop deflecting blame for its online scam crisis onto Cambodia and instead focus on resolving its internal issues. His remarks came in response to recent statements by Thai Government Spokesperson Mr. Jirayu Huangsab, who reportedly told local media that Thailand would cooperate with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Amnesty International to combat online scams allegedly operating from Cambodia.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, H.E. Pen Bona criticised the move as a diversionary tactic, following a United Nations report identifying Thailand as a key transit hub for scam syndicates operating across Southeast Asia. He stated that Thailand’s approach is a smear campaign that unfairly targets Cambodia while ignoring the root of the problem.

H.E. Pen Bona continued that Cambodia is also a victim of transnational cybercrime networks that exploit regional vulnerabilities. He urged the Thai government to stop this harmful narrative and concentrate on addressing its own challenges. He emphasised that the Royal Government of Cambodia has implemented robust measures in collaboration with all relevant players to combat cybercrime and bring scam operations under control.