Cambodia deports 79 Thai nationals in scam crackdown

Cambodia has deported 79 Thai nationals following a major sweep against cybercrime and illegal immigration, officials confirmed yesterday. The group, comprising 45 men and 34 women, was expelled through the Poipet International Border Gate and handed over to Thai authorities at the Klong Leuk checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province.

Brigadier General Y Chamroeun, chief of the Poipet Immigration Police Post, said 40 of those deported were linked to online fraud operations, 30 had entered the country illegally, and nine had completed prison sentences in Cambodia. The deportees now face multi‑year entry bans, with 39 barred for five years and the remaining 40 for three.

The move is part of Cambodia’s intensified campaign against technology‑driven scams and cross‑border syndicates. Officials say nearly 800 Thai nationals have already been detained and repatriated through Poipet under the current enforcement drive.

The crackdown reflects growing regional pressure to dismantle scam networks that have flourished along Cambodia’s borders, often targeting foreign victims through call centres and online fraud schemes. Authorities in Phnom Penh have pledged to step up cooperation with neighbouring countries to curb the problem.

For Thailand, the deportations highlight the scale of its citizens’ involvement in Cambodia’s underground cyber‑fraud industry. For Cambodia, they mark another step in a broader effort to restore credibility and tighten border security amid mounting scrutiny of scam operations.

-2026-07-12