BANGKOK, THAILAND – A new report by Amnesty International linked twelve Cambodian casinos to human trafficking, forced labour, child abuse and torture, prompting Thai authorities to call the operations a cross-border threat requiring international cooperation.
Thai authorities warn of cross-border threat
Royal Thai Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, director of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Information Coordination Center, confirmed the allegations and described the structures as a transnational criminal network. At a briefing on 8 January 2026, he stressed that the issue went beyond a border dispute.
“It is not only a border problem but a threat to the international community, which requires transparency and cooperation.”
said Prapas Sornchaidee, director of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Information Coordination Center.
He said independent reports should be used as the basis for joint action. He pointed to existing mechanisms such as ASEAN frameworks and bilateral border cooperation, which he said had to operate in line with international law and human rights standards.
Buildings used as cover for trafficking and scams
According to Prapas, buildings officially registered as hotels, restaurants or offices were used to detain victims and force them into human trafficking and scam operations. As evidence, he cited satellite imagery, survivor testimonies and information gathered from social media.
The Thai side framed the issue as a cross-border security concern affecting the wider region. Officials said the alleged network showed how legitimate-looking commercial structures could conceal organised crime.
Amnesty: Licences issued despite documented abuses
Amnesty International reported that the Cambodian Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) had issued casino licences in December 2025 and January 2026, even though serious abuses had been documented in connected complexes. The organisation said this raised questions about regulatory oversight in Cambodia’s gambling sector.
Amnesty called for existing licences to be suspended. It also urged authorities to launch an independent investigation into the documented violations.
Twelve casinos named as survivors describe forced labour
Among the twelve identified casinos were, according to Amnesty, Crown casinos in Poipet, Bavet and Sihanoukville, Majestic Two, Majestic Hotel & Casino and the New Venetian Casino. Survivors told the organisation they had been trafficked to these locations, locked up for months and forced to carry out online fraud.
At least eleven sites were linked to specific allegations. Amnesty associated Majestic Hotel & Casino and Majestic Two with human trafficking, forced labour and child labour, and the Crown casinos in Poipet and Bavet with unlawful detention and abuse of victims.
Other facilities named included Peak Casino, Long Feng Xuan Casino and Golden Sea Casino. Huang/Wang Chao International was linked to exploitation, torture and enslavement, while Marinan International and Kyom/My Casino were associated with human trafficking and forced labour.
Cambodia cites prosecutions and mass deportations
Cambodian authorities pointed to ongoing measures against online fraud. Between July 2025 and March 2026, 750 suspects were charged in 80 cases, according to BTV News Global.
Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, head of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), said 11,000 foreign nationals had been deported on suspicion of involvement in scams. He added that checks at more than 10,000 locations had identified around 80,000 foreigners from 78 countries.
Licensing practices clash with human rights findings
Amnesty and Thai officials highlighted what they saw as a central contradiction: the CGMC had granted licences while forced labour and the exploitation of children were documented in linked facilities. They argued that this gap between regulation and reality undermined efforts to combat trafficking.
A 2025 Amnesty report described more than 50 scam compounds, almost half of them connected to casinos. Among the companies named were Anco Brothers Co. Ltd., New Venetian Resort Co. Ltd. and Big House Commercial Corporation; according to Amnesty, none of the firms replied to its inquiries.
Legal responsibility and call for regional cooperation
Amnesty referred to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, under which operators are obliged to respect human rights. The organisation stressed that companies could be held legally liable when exploitation occurred on their premises.
Prapas urged governments to use independent reporting as a foundation for coordinated action. He said regional tools, including ASEAN frameworks and bilateral border cooperation, should be strengthened while respecting international law and human rights standards.