Thailand’s prime minister telephoned South Korea’s president to coordinate a joint response to allegations of forced labour in Cambodia, officials said, focusing on foreign nationals held in so‑called online fraud factories.
Diplomatic outreach from Vientiane
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who was on an official visit to Vientiane at the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, contacted South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung in a call arranged through the South Korean embassy in the Lao capital. The call was scheduled for 15:30 local time and was intended to discuss immediate assistance for South Korean nationals reportedly coerced into working in Cambodia’s online fraud centres.
Focus on trapped workers
The conversation centred on people lured to Cambodia with false job offers who then found themselves confined in closed compounds and forced to carry out internet scams. Many victims have been detained on accusations of online fraud after being brought to the country by criminal networks, the officials said. Anutin said the talks aimed to “deliver concrete assistance for the victims,” according to government sources.
Regional cooperation against organised crime
Thai and South Korean cooperation marks a step toward a more coordinated regional response to trafficking and organised fraud in Southeast Asia. Thailand has faced similar cases and could act as an intermediary in efforts involving Cambodia, where many of the scam centres are located. Officials stressed the importance of cross‑border coordination to dismantle networks operating in the borderlands between Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.
Background on the forced labour reports
In recent years, reports have described large‑scale forced labour in Cambodian casinos and online scam hubs, particularly in coastal Sihanoukville and other urban centres. Workers are frequently recruited via social media with promises of legitimate IT jobs, only to have their passports confiscated on arrival and face threats, abuse and demands to participate in online fraud.
What the talks could deliver
Observers and officials outlined a set of concrete measures they hoped the call would advance: joint rescue operations to free detained workers; stepped‑up border controls between Thailand and Cambodia; enhanced information sharing among law enforcement agencies; and diplomatic pressure on Cambodian authorities to take action against criminal operators. “This could be the basis for coordinated rescue operations and improved regional enforcement,” experts said.
Implications for Thailand
For Anutin, the initiative offered a chance to reinforce Thailand’s role as a regional diplomatic actor and to signal engagement on international human rights concerns. Officials said the move also reflected growing recognition that transnational crime requires collaboration across governments and agencies in the region.
A complex regional crisis
Officials cautioned that resolving the issue would be difficult: criminal networks have adapted their methods, exploiting porous borders and digital recruitment channels. While the phone call may represent an initial diplomatic push, analysts said sustained operational cooperation and pressure on supply chains and safe havens would be necessary to protect victims and disrupt the trafficking networks.