Cambodia Accuses Thailand of Sovereignty Violation Over Border Area Media Visit

A high-ranking Cambodian government official has condemned Thailand's action of escorting international media into the O'Smach border area, which Thailand claims is an online scam hub, without Cambodia's consent, calling it a significant violation of Cambodian sovereignty. Mr. Chay Sina Rith, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister in Charge of Special Missions and President of the Secretariat of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Combat Technology Crime (ICCC), emphasized that the crackdown on or fight against transnational crimes must absolutely respect international law and the principle of sovereign equality among states. This statement was made in response to the Thai military organizing a visit for journalists from international news agencies such as Reuters, Associated Press, and Australia's ABC News to the O'Smach area, which is Cambodian territory that has been illegally controlled by the Thai side since clashes in December 2025. Mr. Sina Rith questioned, "This investigation report raises concerns about the scam centers occurring in Cambodia. However, has the principle of respecting the sovereignty of an independent state been applied correctly?" He asserted that these crimes are systematically organized and are transnational issues affecting many countries globally, including Cambodia and Thailand. He declared his firm opposition to Thailand's unilateral actions, which he described as acting like a "world police" and violating the sovereignty of an independent state. During the visit, journalists were shown dormitory-like buildings, training manuals, fake government offices, and what Thai officials claimed were fake Singaporean police stations used by online criminal networks. Thai authorities added that these compounds were once home to thousands of scam workers and were involved in drone operations during border conflicts last year. Cambodia has submitted a formal protest letter, stating that the O'Smach area is internationally recognized Cambodian territory. The Cambodian Ministry of Information stated that the entry of foreign journalists and military attachés into this area without permission is a violation of Cambodia's sovereignty, international law, and the United Nations Charter. Cambodian officials have accused Thailand of using online anti-scam operations as a pretext to maintain its military presence and to mislead the international community regarding this border dispute. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local