ABC Scam Centre Report Sparks Debate on Reporting Ethics from Disputed Cambodia-Thailand Border

An Australian television investigation into an alleged online scam compound in O’Smach has sparked debate in Cambodia over whether international journalists should provide greater geographical and political context when reporting from disputed border areas, even when the primary focus is transnational crime. The discussion follows a report by ABC News that gained rare access to what it described as a scam compound on the Cambodia-Thailand border, where Australian journalist Karishma Vyas documented evidence allegedly left behind by criminal syndicates targeting victims overseas. The report showed buildings fitted with barred windows, surveillance cameras, stacks of victim lists, scripts allegedly used to impersonate Australian Federal Police officers, handcuffs, batons and blood-testing equipment. It also featured basement rooms described as detention and torture cells, allegedly for workers who failed to meet scamming quotas. Throughout the report, the ABC crew appeared to be escorted by Thai military personnel, one of whom explained documents he said contained instructions for scam operators on how to deceive victims. While the investigation has drawn attention for exposing the operations of transnational cybercrime syndicates, it has also prompted differing views among Cambodian media professionals and government officials over whether the report adequately reflected the sensitivity of the location where it was filmed. The debate comes against the backdrop of Cambodia’s longstanding position that the compound lies within its sovereign territory but has remained under Thai military occupation since border clashes in late 2025. In a diplomatic note issued on February 3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation lodged what it described as its strongest protest against Thailand after Thai military intelligence officials escorted foreign military attachés and law enforcement representatives to inspect two hotels in O’Smach district without Cambodia’s consent. According to the ministry, the hotels are located about 397 metres from the O’Smach International Border Checkpoint near Border Pillar No. 15 and lie within an area Cambodia says was occupied by Thai armed forces during military operations between December 7 and 27, 2025. Phnom Penh argued that organising visits to the area constituted an unlawful exercise of Thai sovereignty and an attempt to legitimise its occupation of Cambodian territory. Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) president Puy Kea said the ABC report itself was not inaccurate in exposing online scam operations, an issue that has become a global concern. However, he argued that the report failed to explain that the location where the journalists were taken is a disputed area which Cambodia considers part of its sovereign territory. Puy Kea said omitting such context could leave international audiences unaware that the report was conducted in a politically sensitive area under the guidance of Thai military personnel. Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA) executive director Nop Vy, however, said the report remained focused on documenting scam operations rather than addressing competing territorial claims. “If I look at ABC’s report, its primary focus is the scam centre. It did not say whether the land belongs to Cambodia or Thailand,” he told The Post. “From a journalism perspective, it would only become problematic if the reporter explicitly stated that the land belonged to Thailand or identified it as Cambodian territory occupied by Thailand. But the report did not make such claims,” he added. He said journalists should avoid making assertions over territorial ownership unless such issues are central to the story and can be independently verified. “In this kind of case, journalists should not claim whose land it is. They should report verified facts. That is the correct journalistic approach,” he said. He added that the report’s principal objective was to reveal the activities of scam centres and the abuses associated with them rather than the sovereignty dispute. The Ministry of Information offered a more critical assessment, arguing that the report raised broader concerns about professional ethics and balanced reporting. Ministry spokesperson Tep Asnarith told The Post that the report appeared to have relied solely on arrangements made by the Thai military without seeking responses from Cambodian authorities or residents in the area. “If we assess it from the perspective of journalism ethics, this represents a loss of impartiality and balance in reporting,” he said. He argued that the fundamental principles of journalism require reporters to present balanced, transparent and impartial reporting by giving relevant stakeholders an opportunity to respond. According to Asnarith, relying exclusively on one side’s access and narrative without consulting Cambodian authorities or affected communities resulted in a report that did not fully reflect the reality surrounding the location. He also questioned whether ABC had undertaken sufficient verification before entering the disputed border area. “As a major international media organisation, ABC should have conducted thorough research and verified the facts before reporting from such a sensitive border area,” he said. Asnarith warned that by allowing its reporting to rely solely on arrangements made by one party, an international media outlet risked becoming “a tool for propaganda” rather than maintaining editorial independence. He further argued that entering Cambodian territory without authorisation in a disputed border area could contribute to heightened tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, adding that press freedom should always be exercised alongside respect for international law, national sovereignty and professional integrity. “Freedom of the press cannot be used to justify violations of international law, national law or journalism ethics,” he said, adding that such reporting could ultimately undermine the credibility of the media organisation itself. The ABC report is not the only recent international investigation into the compound. Earlier this year, CNA reported that Thai military personnel had recovered extensive evidence from the same O’Smach complex after it was seized during clashes between Cambodia and Thailand. According to CNA, investigators found rooms designed to resemble police stations from at least seven countries, including Singapore, Australia, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, along with documents containing target lists, contact details and scam scripts. Following the report, the Singapore Police Force confirmed that Thai authorities had discovered a room resembling a Singapore neighbourhood police centre and reminded the public that government officials would never ask individuals to transfer money or disclose banking credentials over the telephone. Source: Phnom Penh Post