Commentary: Cambodia's scam centres aren't going away
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Commentary: Cambodia's scam centres aren't going away
Cambodia has come under international scrutiny, following allegations of Prince Group’s scam links and the gruesome death of a South Korean student, says former foreign correspondent Nirmal Ghosh.
SINGAPORE: Cambodia is under growing international pressure to crack down on the criminal syndicates that have garnered it a reputation as a global scam hub.
Raids and arrests have generated regular headlines. But while a lot of this action is new - and both overdue and welcome - appearances are deceiving.
The pressure on Cambodia comes mostly from countries like China, the United States, the United Kingdom and more recently South Korea. But there is less motivation within Cambodia, where the scam industry remains deeply and structurally embedded.
Neighbouring Thailand is also under pressure. But it is part willing and part obligated to take some action; its own nationalist lobby is an additional motivator as relations with Cambodia veer back to open hostility over their border dispute.