South Korean police arrested 23 individuals for laundering $4.1 million in crypto for a Cambodia-based phishing operation. The alleged ringleader is at large, and authorities seized $431,000 in proceeds. Experts warn the Southeast Asian scam ecosystem remains a persistent concern.
South Korea and Cambodia discussed expanding economic ties and cooperation on official development assistance (ODA) programs, building on their free trade agreement (FTA). Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol in Seoul.
Victims of Cambodia's scam industry, many from African nations, are left stranded and vulnerable after a government crackdown on compounds. Despite rescues, many face homelessness, exploitation, and lack of support, struggling to return home.
The US proposes tariffs (10-12.5%) on countries not adequately addressing forced labour, with rates varying based on enforcement measures; affected governments can challenge inclusion until July 6.
Amnesty International reports 86 online scam compounds in Cambodia as of April, up from 53 a year ago, contradicting government claims of success in dismantling the industry.
A 35-year-old Filipino national, De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, is on trial in Singapore for allegedly belonging to a criminal group involved in impersonation scams that defrauded victims of over S$40 million. She faces charges related to organized crime and conspiracy to cheat.
Cambodia has initiated UN mediation proceedings after Thailand unilaterally terminated a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Thailand. The MOU covered a disputed area estimated to hold $300 billion in natural gas and oil reserves.
Indian travelers can now use UPI to pay in Cambodia by scanning KHQR codes, enabling seamless transactions at millions of merchants. This initiative by NIPL and ACLEDA Bank aims to boost tourism and trade by simplifying cross-border payments.
Thailand has terminated a 2001 agreement with Cambodia concerning maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia's action highlights potential differences in resolving border disputes, despite a fragile ceasefire.
Cambodia's de facto ruler Hun Sen announced on the 25th that he will pardon Kem Sokha, co-founder of the former main opposition Sam Rainsy Party. Sokha, 72, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for treason. Despite the pardon, restrictions on political activities and overseas travel are expected to continue.
Cambodia's acting head of state, Hun Sen, has pardoned opposition leader Kem Sokha, who was sentenced to 27 years for treason. Sokha, arrested in 2017, has denied the charges.
广西交通职业技术学院, 柬埔寨国立理工学院, and 柬埔寨巴塞理工学院 signed an agreement in Phnom Penh to deepen cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to cultivate high-skilled talent for Cambodia's new energy vehicle sector.
Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha has been pardoned by former Prime Minister Hun Sen, allowing him to leave house arrest in Phnom Penh. Convicted of treason in 2023, Sokha's pardon does not lift a five-year travel ban.
Former Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha, sentenced to 27 years for treason, has been pardoned. The decision, announced by ex-PM Hun Sen, is seen by rights groups as a partial reversal of injustice, though Sokha remains banned from politics and leaving the country.
A ceremony in Guangxi marked the establishment of an Overseas Liaison and Exchange Center to support businesses expanding into Cambodia. The center aims to facilitate cross-border trade, provide comprehensive services for companies going global, and foster cultural exchange.
Thailand's Royal Thai Navy faces challenges in its goal to operate eight modern frigates by 2037, as the Budget Bureau cut funding for a second frigate from the 2027 budget. The navy commander stated the frigates are still needed and the request will be resubmitted for the 2028 budget.
A gang has been sentenced to prison for tricking young adults into Cambodian crime rings by promising investment returns. The victims were lured to Cambodia under false pretenses and handed over to armed criminals, where they were held captive before being rescued with the help of the Korean Embassy.
A joint operation in Cambodia has led to the arrest of individuals accused of running a multibillion-dollar online scam empire. Authorities confiscated numerous devices used for technology-based fraud, targeting fake investment schemes.
Two South Koreans were rescued from scam-related captivity in Cambodia in separate operations. A man in his 30s was held in Sihanoukville after a fake job ad, and a woman in her 20s was confined in Phnom Penh after meeting someone online.
A 35-year-old ex-merchant navy captain, Nagesh Kumar, was arrested in Chandigarh for allegedly running a cyber slavery racket. He is accused of trafficking Indian youths to Cambodia via Thailand, where they were forced to work for Chinese-run cyber fraud firms. The racket was exposed in September 2025.
A 35-year-old ex-merchant navy captain, Nagesh Kumar, was arrested in Chandigarh for allegedly running a cyber slavery racket. He lured Indian youth with fake job offers, trafficking them to Cambodia and Laos to work for Chinese-run cyber fraud firms. The racket was exposed in Sept 2025.
Indonesia’s latest wave of police raids has exposed signs that online gambling and scam syndicates, squeezed out of traditional hubs such as Cambodia and Myanmar, are trying to turn Southeast Asia’s biggest economy into a new base. Analysts warned that Indonesia’s porous visa regime, weak law enforcement and welcoming attitude towards foreigners had made it an attractive destination for syndicates looking to avoid scrutiny. Authorities have arrested hundreds of foreign nationals in Jakarta,...
The spectre of the global energy crisis loomed over the three-day Asean summit in the Philippines as regional leaders converge for a final day of talks in Cebu on Friday. Analysts say that while some major flashpoints were addressed – with Thailand and Cambodia’s joint statement of solidarity being a bright spot – surging fuel costs as a result of the Iran war weighed heaviest on the minds of Southeast Asian leaders. The fuel crisis was the “defining issue”, said Vu Lam, an Asean observer and...
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Thursday to pursue trust-building measures to advance a fragile ceasefire and establish peace, after rare talks over last year’s deadly fighting between the two neighbours. Troops remain deployed on both sides of their long-disputed 817km (508-mile) border after battles in July and December when skirmishes quickly escalated into air strikes and heavy exchanges of artillery and rockets. The Philippines, which is hosting Asean meetings on the island...
