Hun Manet vows to make Cambodia ‘not worth staying’ for scammers

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has vowed to intensify efforts against transnational online scam networks, stating his goal is to make Cambodia an unattractive location for such criminal activities. He acknowledged that these syndicates are evolving by breaking into smaller, decentralized groups across the region. Authorities have already dismantled over 670 illegal scam operations and are enhancing intelligence sharing with international law enforcement, including discussions with US Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel during a recent visit. This increased collaboration aims to disrupt and dismantle these criminal enterprises operating within and from Cambodia.

FBI Director Kash Patel met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Phnom Penh to discuss enhanced security cooperation against international online scam operations. These scams are estimated to have caused billions of dollars in losses globally, with the Asia-Pacific region alone losing up to $114 billion in 2025. The talks followed a U.S.-co-hosted summit in Thailand on scam centers, attended by nearly 20 countries. The U.S. emphasized the need for joint efforts to hold scam bosses accountable and improve information sharing, noting that Cambodia has accelerated its crackdown on these operations, which are often linked to human trafficking. Cambodia plans to host an international conference on combating cyber scams in September.