Phnom penh: Cambodian Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has called upon world and ASEAN leaders to acknowledge the claims made by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra regarding widespread criminal networks operating within Thailand.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Hun Sen took to social media to emphasize the urgency of addressing the issue, highlighting a statement he made on June 27, 2025, in Preah Vihear Province. He pointed out the undeniable presence of online fraud kingpins in Thailand, particularly in Bangkok, which he described as a hub for cybercriminal activities and large-scale money laundering. This criminal network, he noted, has been expanding its reach into Cambodia.
Hun Sen's comments come in the wake of a public admission by Thaksin on July 9, 2025, during a televised interview in Thailand. Thaksin revealed that major online scam operators are living luxurious lives in Bangkok and are able to travel freely to neighboring countries. On the same day, Thai immigration police arrested a significant individual involved in online gambling and money laundering worth 11.52 billion baht at Don Mueang International Airport. Concurrently, a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted an increase in drug production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle region, with Thailand acting as a major transit and distribution hub for narcotics.
Hun Sen urged global and regional leaders to take Thaksin's revelations seriously and called on Thai politicians to cease blaming Cambodia without evidence, while ignoring their own country's role as a sanctuary for scam syndicates, drug traffickers, and money laundering networks. He referenced the suspended Thai Prime Minister's previous statement that closing the border with Cambodia to combat online gambling would be a political immorality, emphasizing the need for regional cooperation to address transnational crime.
Hun Sen also mentioned Thaksin's metaphorical statement about a "diving contest," which he interpreted as a reference to the endurance needed to sustain a border closure. He suggested that Thaksin himself was the mastermind behind this strategy, asserting Cambodia's commitment to endure this "game" as long as necessary.
Reflecting on his past interactions with Thaksin, Hun Sen expressed no surprise at what he described as Thaksin's betrayal, given Thaksin's history of betraying even his own nation. Hun Sen recounted instances where Thaksin sought his advice on political maneuvers within Thailand, including the removal of a defense minister and his derogatory comments about the Thai monarchy.
Hun Sen concluded by highlighting the insights he has gained into Thai politics through his exchanges with Thaksin, which, he noted, were focused entirely on Thai domestic affairs rather than Cambodian interests.