Thailand Warns Cambodia Against Mixing Scam Fight With Border Claims
Thailand warned Cambodia not to use an anti-scam conference to revive border dispute claims, insisting that crime-fighting cooperation and territorial issues are governed by separate agreements signed in December 2024.
September 18, 2025 — Brigadier General Praphas Saonjai, director of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Information Centre, responded to Cambodia's plans for an international conference on fighting online scams. While Thailand supports genuine efforts to combat scam networks, which he noted are a transnational crime affecting victims across multiple countries, he cautioned against linking such enforcement to accusations of invasion or territorial occupation.
Praphas emphasized that the December 27, 2024 Joint Statement signed by both countries clearly separates these issues. Article 2 requires both sides to maintain force positions at ceasefire and avoid advancing troops; Article 3 protects border demarcation processes through the Joint Boundary Commission; and Article 10 specifically mandates cooperation on transnational crime prevention, including cyber scams and human trafficking. Thailand's counter-scam operations should not be automatically interpreted as justification for invasion claims, he stated, as the two matters fall under different legal frameworks and mechanisms.
The director urged Cambodia to present evidence through agreed channels rather than international forums if it disputes Thailand's actions, and offered Thailand's support for transparent international inspections of Cambodia's anti-scam operations. He stressed that the primary goal should be dismantling criminal networks and protecting civilians, not weaponizing transnational crime issues to escalate bilateral tensions. Praphas concluded by calling on both nations to honour the joint statement: cooperate on crime, use established mechanisms for border issues, and base accusations on evidence rather than claims.
