Thailand’s cabinet has approved updated regulations governing export-controlled goods along its eastern border, aiming to prevent materials from being used to rebuild properties linked to cyber-scam operations in Cambodia.
According to local media outlet The Bangkok Post, Acting Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Narkphanit said on Tuesday that the revised measures will expand oversight of construction materials such as cement and steel. Authorities are seeking to ensure that these goods are not diverted to repair buildings associated with scam networks operating along the Thai–Cambodian border.
The proposal builds on controls already enforced along the Thailand–Myanmar border, where regulations were strengthened to curb scam-related activities. Gen Nattaphon noted that supervision along the Thai–Cambodian frontier had relied on “outdated rules”, some of which primarily covered fuel exports and no longer reflected current conditions.
The updated framework is intended to modernize and standardize enforcement mechanisms across both borders. According to the acting defense minister, the goal is to ensure “consistency in the control of goods that could be exploited by criminal networks”.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions along the Cambodia–Thailand border, as authorities on both sides face mounting pressure to address transnational scam operations and related criminal activity. Cyber-scam compounds in parts of Cambodia have drawn regional scrutiny in recent years, prompting coordinated crackdowns and policy responses from neighboring governments.
Several cyber-scam hubs have been reported along the Cambodia–Thailand border, particularly in O’Smach town and the Poipet area in Banteay Meanchey province. Thai military officials and international media have identified O’Smach as a major center for organized fraud operations, where authorities have uncovered scam scripts, target lists, and facilities designed to impersonate foreign law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, Poipet, a key border crossing city, has been linked to multiple scam compounds, with Cambodian and Thai authorities previously rescuing foreign nationals from sites in the area. Both locations have been frequently cited in official reports as focal points of cross-border cybercrime activity.
The crackdown in Cambodia has intensified in recent months following the arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi, who was transferred to China. Cambodian authorities have since stepped up enforcement efforts, with the government setting an end-April deadline to shut down all remaining scam hubs nationwide.
