More arrests of Thais scamming Thais in Cambodia for Chinese gangs:

39 Thais held in Cambodia call scam raids
published : 23 Dec 2021 at 13:17
writer: Wassayos Ngamkham

Police interrogate Thai phone call scammers following a raid on one of two locations in Cambodia. (Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham)

PHNOM PENH: Thirty-nine Thais, including a prime suspect in a fraud case, were arrested on Friday during raids in the Cambodian capital and Sihanoukville.

A team of Thai police and a Cambodian task force stormed two locations in the neighbouring country after an investigation found phone scammers might have been operating from there. The Thai team was led by Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nutchanart, head of the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT).

They allegedly duped Thais into transferring money to their accounts, causing millions of baht in damage.

The first place was the 10th floor of a building in downtown Sihanoukville of Kompongsom province. The team found several Thais making phone calls from there. A total of 32 people were caught.

At the second location, another team of police and soldiers raided an eight-storeyed building near the national airport in Phnom Penh.

Five Chinese nationals and seven Thais were found inside the building. They were suspected phone scammers. At this location, Mr Phayakkhaphon Chinglu, 30, of Chiang Rai who was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Chiang Mai provincial court for colluding in fraud and money laundering, was among the seven Thais caught.

The cooperation between the two countries came after Thai police had been told to take into custody Thais who had allegedly preyed on their compatriots by operating from the neighbouring country, according to Pol Maj Gen Phanthana, who cited orders from national police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk and deputy national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, in his capacity as head of the PCT.

In one of the cases, some victims were swindled by scammers pretending to be police. They threatened to press charges against the victims, who they claimed had been involved in drug-related money laundering. The victims were then asked to empty their bank accounts and transfer all the money to them for examination, said Pol Maj Gen Phanthana.

The money ended up in bank accounts in Phnom Penh. Since September, 60 Thais had fallen victim to the scammers with damage amounting to over 73 million baht, said Pol Maj Gen Phanthana.

More than 100 million baht was found in these accounts. Since other victims might have complied with request but did not file complaints, the damage could top 200-300 million baht, according to the police.

Speaking after a meeting with top Cambodian officials in the afternoon, Pol Maj Gen Phanthana said Cambodian authorities agreed to send all Thai suspects in the afternoon to face charges in the kingdom via the border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo.

The national police chief has asked the Immigration Police to take drastic again against those involved in phone scamming and arrest warrants would be issued for them.

An initial investigation found that the suspects had illegally crossed the border to Cambodia via natural border crossing to work with gangs believed to be operated by Chinese nationals, said Pol Maj Gen Phanthana.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2236687/

Cambodia News (Banteay Meanchey) 23 December 2021: On the afternoon of 21 December 2021, Cambodian border police deported 25 Thai nationals who crossed the border illegally to stay and work in Cambodia. The police held a handover ceremony today at the Cambodia-Thailand Friendship Bridge, Poipet International Port, facing Khlong Lek, Thailand.

Authorities said the handover ceremony was presided over by Lt. Gen. Sam Van Vir: Director of the Department of Internal Security and Brigadier General Eng Ly Hour, Deputy Commissioner for Immigration Planning, representing Lt. Gen. Sithi Loh, Banteay Meanchey Provincial Commissioner.

Brigadier General Eng Ly Hour said that the 25 Thai men and 11 women were detained by police in a rented building east of San Ho Borey in KM4 village, Phsar Kandal commune, Poipet city. Authorities said that the illegal immigrants were enticed to cross the border with offers of lucrative work in Poipet casinos.

49 Thais Repatriated Amid Trafficking Scourge, Police Say They Don’t Ask About Their Work
2 min read
Mech Dara
| Fri Jan 7, 2022 10:18 am

Forty-nine Thai workers were again repatriated this week, following the rescue of hundreds of foreign workers from Cambodian trafficking hubs in recent months. But Banteay Meanchey police chief Sithi Loh said it was usual procedure to “not question what kind of work they do because they are illegal immigrants.”

In late November, 103 Thai nationals were rescued from a Pursat province special economic zone. No arrests were made. Earlier that month, police performed a “handover” of a Chinese victim who later said he was forcibly held at tycoon Try Pheap’s SEZ in the province and made to scam women online. Trafficking victims and local officials said there were thousands of workers at the site, rife with forced labor, detention and unexplained deaths.

On Thursday, Loh would only say that 49 Thai nationals had been sent across the border on Tuesday because they had been in the country illegally.

“These people were from other provinces,” he said. “We, the province, facilitated a procedure to take them to Thailand.”

“In the past we have done this too, when we found that they came to work in Cambodia illegally and we brought them in for questioning,” Loh added. “We do not question what kind of work they do because they are illegal immigrants. When they do not have enough documents we send them away, and we do not go in depth about what they were doing because that is their business.”

He would not say how many workers had been returned to Thailand in 2021, but has been quoted in local newspaper Koh Santepheap as saying there were five such transfers: 67 people on November 15; 103 on November 24; 143 on December 3; 25 on December 21; and 39 people on December 23. That makes a total of 377 workers returned, at least 64 of them women.

The Bangkok Post reported that more than 500 Thai nationals had been rescued in December with around 1,000 others still being forced to work in Cambodia.
Full article: https://vodenglish.news/49-thais-repatr ... heir-work/

In yet another strange report coming out of Sihanoukville, local authorities have denied that "distressed" foreign nationals, who went to work in Sihanoukville, were being held captive against their will. According to police, the four Pakistani men were simply unhappy with the food that was provided for them. They have now been repatriated by their embassy.

January 15, 2022
4 foreign nationals rescued after being “held against their will by a foreign company in Sihanoukville”

4 ‘distressed’ Pakistani men ‘who were held against their will by a foreign company in Sihanoukville’ have been rescued – although local police claim that the men were merely unhappy because they found the food supplied ‘difficult to eat’.

In a statement (below) from the Pakistani Embassy entitled Four Pakistanis kidnapped in Cambodia successfully recovered, the Embassy say that “The Embassy of Pakistan in Phnom Penh is pleased to announce that four distressed Pakistanis who were held against their will by a foreign company in Sihanoukville city of Cambodia were successfully recovered within two days of their captivity. The recovery operation was carried out by the law enforcement agencies of the kingdom of Cambodia on the request and untiring efforts of the Embassy of Pakistan.

The four young Pakistanis whose names and details have been kept confidential on their request, approached the Mission through the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal Prime Minister Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU) on 29th December 2021. On 31th December 2021, within two days they were recovered in sound health.”

However, Preah Sihanouk provincial police chief Chuon Narin, appeared to cast doubts that the incident was a kidnapping – saying that the issue had come about because the men did not like the ‘Chinese food’ supplied to them

When contacted on Thursday by VOD, the Chief said ‘“I would like to inform that there was no abduction, and they came to work here, but they found it difficult to eat because it was all Chinese food.

They have their own food, so they contacted the embassy using terms related to ‘abduction.’ In fact there was none, and we went down to their working place and brought them out and they said it was related to the food and they found it difficult to eat.

They worked for an electronics company. Three meals per day like the others, but they couldn’t eat it … so they couldn’t live.”

However, the Pakistani Embassy say that they ‘strongly suggest that all Pakistani citizens travelling to the Kingdom of Cambodia register with the Pakistani embassy on arrival and prior to applying for jobs in order to avoid similar incidents taking place in the future. Travel with individuals claiming to be part of certain organisations should only be carried out after carrying relevant background checks.’

The Embassy adds that the men were safely repatriated to Pakistan 12th January 2022.

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501007181/ ... noukville/

From this report it leaves no doubt the government is in on this.

Teen escapes call hub scam in Poipet
published : 26 Jan 2022 at 04:00
writer: King-oua Laohong

An 18-year-old man has complained to the authorities after he was lured to work for a call centre scam in a Cambodian border town before managing to escape and report the crime.

The man, only identified as Surasak, fled and sought protection from the Justice Ministry with the help of an emergency response webpage called Sai Mai Tong Rod (Sai Mai District Must Survive) founded by Ekkapob Luengprasert.

He said he fears for his safety since escaping from the call centre gang based in Cambodia's Poipet opposite Sa Kaeo province. He was taken to the ministry yesterday by Mr Ekkapob, where he met Thanakrit Jitta-areerat, the justice minister's secretary, who agreed to take up his case.

Mr Surasak said he had been looking for work since early last year when he stumbled upon an advert online for a job in Poipet promising a high monthly salary of 40,000 baht. [Approximately US$1,200].

In September he travelled to Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo where he was picked up by a Thai man who escorted him along a natural trail across the border to Poipet. There, he was placed in a building where he met 100 other Thais who were similarly lured by the call centre.

In the building, which doubled as an office, Mr Surasak said he also saw foreign nationals from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Five people were made to share a room.

Those lured to work were put in call-centre "stations". They were told to pretend to be officials from law enforcement agencies such as the police or the Department of Special Investigation and call people in Thailand.

The victims would be told they were in trouble with the law and must pay a bribe to settle the case.

"Each day, victims would transfer 2-3 million baht to the gang," Mr Surasak said.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -in-poipet

Taiwan Issues Cambodia Warning

Thu, Jan 27, 2022
Ministry warns of employment scam in Cambodia
By Lu Yi-hsuan and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday urged people who are planning to work in Cambodia to exercise caution after Taiwanese were reportedly coerced into engaging in fraudulent activity in the country.

More than 10 such cases have been reported, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news briefing in Taipei, adding that the victims had been forced to work illegally after they had been held against their will and had their passports taken away.

The ministry said it received the reports through its representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, adding that it is working to ensure that the individuals involved can return to Taiwan.

They had been lured to take up work in Cambodia by criminal groups that promised them high salaries and favorable treatment, Ou said.

However, when they arrived, their freedom of movement was restricted, Ou said, adding that those who resisted had been beaten.

Some of them negotiated with their captors about potential conditions of their release, and were asked to pay for air tickets, accommodation and other expenses, totaling US$10,000 to US$30,000, Ou said.

“If you are going to Cambodia for work, we urge you to be vigilant. Look into the company that is hiring you and make sure you understand the details of the work you will be asked to do,” she said. “Make sure you will not break the law, or worse, endangering your personal safety.”

As the nation’s representative office in Phnom Penh was closed in 1997, Taiwanese in need of consular assistance in Cambodia are asked to contact the office in Ho Chi Minh City, she added.
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan ... 2003772161

It seems the authorities would rather believe the workers are not being imprisoned on a false employment promise

Long read from the South China Morning Post:

Online fraud: how Chinese nationals forced to run internet scams in Cambodia earn millions for their captors, sometimes paying with their lives
Lured or trafficked to Cambodia with promises of lucrative jobs, victims instead find themselves worked relentlessly by brutal bosses fleecing people online
Cindy Liu and Marta Kasztelan
Published: 8:15am, 30 Jan, 2022

Sixteen-year-old Guizhou native Guo Ying had just finished eating dinner one evening last February when her best friend announced that the car taking them to work further south in China had arrived.

Recruited on social media by someone her friend had met while gaming, the teens had little information about the job and were initially reluctant to get into the vehicle. The young women, who lived independently from their families, knew only that it involved typing, a skill both had perfected while playing games online.

“We didn’t think too much about asking what kind of job it was and somehow we ended up going,” says Guo, a petite teenager sporting waist-long pink hair, whose name has been changed for her safety.

Upon arrival at the purported destination, in the mountainous Guangxi region, the two were joined by four other women, unaware they were being trafficked to a country they had never heard of. Their handlers casually told them to keep on walking over the jagged terrain.

“While we were climbing the mountain I already started regretting coming with them,” Guo says. Trekking through the night, the group crossed the border into Vietnam, where they were later bused across the peninsula to the southwestern port city of Sihanoukville, in Cambodia.

Once there, imprisoned in a casino complex, Guo was not allowed to leave the building, and was forced to perpetuate online scams targeting Chinese nationals, amid insults and threats from her captors. On several occasions, she saw a supervisor handcuff and beat another woman who performed poorly at work. “I was scared the same thing would happen to me the next second,” she says.

So Guo kept her head down, doing what she was told. The scam was simple: using Douyin – the Chinese version of TikTok – to convince internet users they could get paid for liking content on the social networking platform. All users had to do was wire money to the scammers’ account before cashing in on their returns. Initially the users were allowed to withdraw their modest profits, but they were soon urged to pay more.

“You tell users to pay 100 yuan [US$15.70] upfront,” she explains, “then ask them to pay more, like 500 yuan, but they [the company] wouldn’t return that.”

Guo’s Chinese captors in Cambodia demanded that she pay US$15,000 to walk free, but the teen didn’t have that kind of money. And although some months she earned US$1,000, toiling around the clock on the Douyin scams – triple what she made waitressing at a hotpot restaurant back home – management regularly took out chunks of her salary for behaviour they deemed inappropriate.

“One time I spoke in dialect to someone sitting next to me and they said, ‘Why are you disturbing the workplace?’, and took US$100 from my salary,” she says.

All the while, Guo was planning her escape. Then came November and a supervisor threatened to sell her to another scamming operation because she had failed to meet her output targets. She broke down.

“I took pills with the intention to kill myself,” the teen says of the 40 sleeping tablets she swallowed. “I just wanted to find a peaceful place.”

Guo woke up the following day in a Sihanoukville hospital. “Maybe because I was pretty obedient, when I went to the hospital they didn’t send anyone to monitor me. They didn’t think I’d run,” she says. But her captors were wrong. Guo immediately contacted a Chinese volunteer group helping trafficking victims and was transported to a safe house in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

She is far from alone. Thousands of Chinese nationals, some as young as 15, are estimated to have fallen prey to transnational crime groups trafficking people from China to Cambodia, although Cambodian police have previously contested similar estimates. Many toil in slave-like conditions, serving online gambling and scamming companies, clicking away for up to 14 hours a day in rooms filled with rows of computers, with no days off, guards watching and trapped in debt bondage.

Those like Guo, who manage to flee, have been stranded in Phnom Penh, where they feel at a safe enough distance from the criminals’ reach, waiting for an affordable flight home. China’s strict zero-Covid entry restrictions have led to regular cancellations and soaring ticket prices. In December, a one-way ticket to Chengdu, the only remaining air route to China, cost more than US$9,000, a sharp rise from a few hundred dollars before the pandemic.
Rest of the article: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-mag ... forced-run

$9000 one way to china and we think the casinos and the slave houses in shitsville are crooks.