The tragedy of Alongkorn Deeying, a Thai man who fell to his death from the 14th floor of an 18-story building in Poipet, Cambodia, has once again focused attention on the issue of call center scams operated by transnational crime syndicates in the Mekong region.
Despite international pressure and commitments to crackdown, Cambodian authorities still face significant challenges in addressing this issue, particularly the online scam activities dominated by Chinese gang groups, which continue to run rampant.
In September 2022, Cambodian police raided a notorious human trafficking hotspot in Sihanoukville, resulting in the evacuation of most of the city's buildings.
The gangs have moved their scam bases to Myawaddy in Myanmar, a special economic zone heavily supported by Chinese investors. Despite this, Cambodian human rights organizations still report that online casino activities are resurging locally.
Although preliminary investigations suggest that Alongkorn's death might have been a suicide, possibly due to overwhelming pressure to meet scam revenue targets, his death has raised alarms about the presence of criminal "hotbeds" in Sihanoukville and Poipet.
This 18-story building and its adjacent 25-story building have long been considered centers of call center scam activities targeting victims from Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Just last week, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, citing evidence from Thailand's Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), specifically mentioned these places as threats.
Regrettably, Alongkorn's case is not an isolated incident. In August this year, another Thai man also fell to his death from the same building, sparking external suspicions.
Similarly, in November, an Indonesian woman also met with misfortune. These multiple deaths under similar circumstances indicate possible nefarious activities in these buildings, reportedly controlled by a Chinese crime boss named "Xiao Ma".
International and local media have repeatedly reported that foreign crime syndicates, especially Chinese gangs, blatantly operate scam call centers in Sihanoukville and Poipet, and in recent years, these places have seen a sudden surge in high-rise buildings, raising widespread suspicions.
Despite mounting evidence, Cambodian authorities have yet to dismantle these networks.
The situation in Myanmar is similar, especially near the border area of Mae Sot in Tak province. However, unlike Cambodia, the western border areas are controlled by armed ethnic groups.
Amidst ongoing civil strife, Myanmar's military government is almost unable to effectively combat these gangs until peace is achieved.
Cambodia and regional governments must strengthen cooperation to prevent such scam activities and rescue the victims.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cannot turn a blind eye to this phenomenon, as it not only fosters cross-border scam activities but also damages Cambodia's international reputation.
Thailand must also play an active role. Due to corruption and inefficiency within Thai authorities, trafficking networks easily lure Thai workers to so-called legitimate jobs, only to find themselves trapped in exploitative situations, unable to return home.
If Cambodia continues to ignore this issue and Thailand fails to address its domestic corruption, the call center scam industry will persist, leaving behind a trail of broken lives and lost livelihoods.
