O SMACH, CAMBODIA – Thai authorities and international journalists have revealed a vast border scam complex that targeted victims worldwide and housed up to tens of thousands of workers under harsh conditions, now fully secured by Thailand after a December 2025 border incident.
Scam city on the Cambodian border
The complex sat in the Cambodian border town of O Smach and covered around 500 rai with more than 250 buildings divided into several zones. Officials identified a “Zone E” as the core of the international scam operations.
Authorities estimated that up to 10,000 people had worked there in total, mostly Chinese nationals with smaller groups from other countries. In Zone E alone, between 2,000 and 3,000 workers were believed to have been spread across ten buildings.
How the international scam teams operated
Investigators found office-style rooms with desks, computers, electronic devices and documents containing pre-written fraud scripts. Work reportedly took place mainly at night between 21:00 and 03:00 to match the time zones of foreign victims.
Target countries included the United States, Europe, India, Vietnam and China. Inside the rooms stood red ceremonial drums with dragon motifs that apparently marked “successes”, accompanied by motivational slogans aimed at boosting performance.
Underground cells and signs of punishment
Beneath an office in Zone E, investigators discovered an underground detention area with twelve small cells, almost no light, no ventilation and 24-hour video surveillance. Each cell contained a plastic bottle for urine, indicating extremely harsh conditions for detainees.
As evidence, officers documented handcuffs, sticks and other items that suggested physical punishment when targets or quotas were not met. Thai authorities said a strict management system had been standard practice inside the complex.
“City within a city” with hospital, casinos and entertainment
According to officials, the site functioned like a sealed-off mini city, including the “Zhong NAN Hospital” staffed by Chinese doctors, nurses and pharmacists. The facility featured treatment rooms, dental services, X-ray units and operating theaters apparently intended mainly for Chinese personnel.
In addition, investigators recorded entertainment areas such as casinos, karaoke venues, hotels and at least two massage establishments. They reported finding condoms, sex toys and accessories, along with other items linked to these entertainment services.
Tools of deception: scripts, manuals and fake authorities
On the grounds, investigators seized extensive working materials, including SIM cards, contact lists and fraud scripts in several languages such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Myanmar and English. They also found training manuals and guides on how to manipulate victims in a targeted way.
Particularly sensitive were replica “police” and “investigation” sets designed to mimic authorities in countries including Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia and European states. Methods mentioned included fake military identities, romance scams, bogus business offers and online sales fraud.
Border clash in December 2025 and its aftermath
During the border incident in December 2025, Thai armed forces reported that Cambodian drones had been launched from the site and that snipers had used the location. Thai airstrikes reportedly caused significant damage to buildings, shattering windows and leaving large holes in walls and roofs.
After the strikes, workers were said to have fled in buses and vans, abandoning meals and personal belongings. The area has since been occupied by Thai military forces and secured with armed personnel, barbed wire and surveillance.
Thai assessment: a global cybercrime threat
Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, director of the Joint Information Center on the Thailand–Cambodia situation, led domestic and foreign media on a third inspection of the site. Visitors were shown the cells, offices, hospital areas and entertainment complexes.
“This is a cybercrime threat on a global level that no country can tackle alone, so international cooperation is necessary.”
said Prapas Sonjaidee, director of the Joint Information Center.
Thai officials stated that the complex had primarily targeted international victims. Financial operations linked to Thailand were said to have been handled mainly at other locations, particularly in Poipet.
From casino to industrialized scam hub
According to Thai authorities, the location had originally been a casino. After business declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the site was repurposed and the scam activities were progressively professionalized.
Operations were described as highly structured, with trainers teaching workers how to deceive people around the world. The discovery of scripts, manuals and staged backdrops was cited as evidence supporting this assessment.
International cooperation as networks adapt
Thailand said it was coordinating with organizations such as Amnesty International and compiling evidence to share with international partners. At the same time, authorities warned that scam operations continued at other sites in Cambodia despite the securing of this complex.
Reports from police and military pointed to a division of labor, with technology-driven scam and call center structures based in Cambodia, while Thailand mainly handled mule accounts, cash withdrawals, currency exchange and gold transactions. Officials on both sides stressed that they remained in contact through formal channels and emphasized compliance with international law.