Thailand Rejects Cambodia Scam-Fighting Critic
Thailand's air force deputy commander rejected Cambodia's criticism of Thai scam-fighting operations, saying transnational crime cannot be treated as a single nation's internal matter and that Thailand seeks cooperation, not interference, w
Air Force Deputy Commander Praphapas Santheartkham, director of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Information Center (JIC), responded on August 18, 2025, to Cambodia's claim that Thailand is acting as "ASEAN's police." He stated that Thailand does not position itself as ASEAN's police and does not interfere in any nation's internal affairs, but it will not ignore transnational crime harming Thais, ASEAN citizens, and people worldwide.
Praphapas emphasized the importance of separating facts from accusations, distinguishing between sovereignty matters, scamming operations, and Myanmar-related issues—three separate topics that should not be mixed to imply hidden Thai intentions. When asked about Cambodia's assertion that Thailand uses scammer suppression as a pretext for invading Cambodia, the JIC director said facts should prevail over political language. Thailand has never declared itself ASEAN's police and respects all member states' sovereignty.
"However, scammers and online crime are not any single nation's internal matter because victims exist worldwide, involving fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, forced labor, and various transnational crimes," he said. Combating these networks is not overreach but a shared responsibility of the international community.
When pressed on Cambodia's claim that Thailand uses scammers as a pretext for territorial disputes, Praphapas said the two issues must be separated decisively. Border disputes must follow international law, agreements, and relevant mechanisms, while scammer suppression is a transnational crime matter. Crime should not shield border issues, nor should border claims protect criminal networks. Thailand is ready to discuss borders factually and through existing mechanisms while protecting citizens from criminal networks.
On whether Thailand has evidence that scamming is a global problem, the JIC director noted that this is not Thailand's view alone. International organizations and countries worldwide recognize that scam centers in Southeast Asia are serious transnational crime and human trafficking problems. Rather than ask "Does Thailand have the right to crack down?" the world community wants to know "How do we cooperate to prevent any ASEAN region from becoming a safe haven for transnational crime?" Thailand stands ready to cooperate with all nations, including Cambodia.
Regarding Cambodia's view that Thailand overreaches, Praphapas said Thailand is not overstepping and does not seek to replace other nations' law enforcement. Thailand seeks "cooperation," not "intervention." When crime occurs in one nation but defrauds citizens across ten others, uses bank accounts elsewhere, crosses telecommunications borders, and involves human trafficking from dozens of countries, it can no longer be called "internal affairs." The solution is cooperation, not accusations.
