Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has vowed to take down scam gangs based in Cambodia, saying the more they lose, the safer Thais are. She also announced the disconnection of supplies and an invitation for global support to strengthen the fight.
The prime minister made the remarks when she chaired a meeting on the suppression of transnational crimes at Government House on Monday.
Also present were Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, Deputy Defence Minister Natthaphon Nakphanit, Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich, National Security Council secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Songwit Noonpakdee.
In the meeting, Ms Paetongtarn cited the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s description of Cambodia as one of the world’s biggest cybercrime bases.
The prime minister said that Thailand had been working to suppress scam call centres for a considerable time and would impose all possible measures to intensify the fight.
The government's campaign has caused scam centres in Cambodia to lose income opportunities worth about 30 billion baht, she said.
The prime minister said that her government would maintain the suppression because “the greater their income loss is, the safer our people are.”
Ms Paetongtarn’s remark on scam centres in Cambodia echoed Mr Prasert, the digital economy and society minister, who on June 19 blamed Cambodia for harbouring the world’s largest cybercrime networks.
Mr Prasert's remarks came a day after the leak of a recorded phone call between Ms Paetongtarn and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, which drew heavy criticism of her stance towards Cambodia on bilateral border issues.
After the meeting, Ms Paetongtarn told the press that she would invite the international community to join forces with Thailand to tackle scam centres in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said Thailand would intensify control at border crossings with Cambodia.
She said the kingdom will welcome only Cambodian students, patients and consumers. The commanders of the First Army Region, the Second Army Region and other units concerned have issued relevant orders for the restrictions on Cambodian arrivals along the Thai-Cambodian border. All kinds of vehicles are not allowed to cross the border.
Foreign tourists to Thailand will be prohibited from crossing the border to nearby casinos and from taking flights to Siem Reap to visit casinos.
The government will cut off internet connectivity to Cambodia's military and security organisations as well as cross-border supplies of oil, electricity and other products that could reach transnational crime centres in Cambodia.
Citing the United Nations' report, Ms Paetongtarn said that call scam centres contributed 40-60% of Cambodia's gross domestic product.
On the same occasion, Ms Paetongtarn mentioned Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet's decision to stop importing oil and gas from Thailand. She said the measure would raise retail energy prices in Cambodia, and the Cambodian prime minister was the one who was duty-bound to announce energy prices to his people.
