As a result of the prolonged fighting, thousands of people who are thought to be victims of human trafficking have been compelled to work in Cambodia along the Thailand border in conditions akin to slavery.
Thailand has targeted border casinos in Cambodia that, according to the Thai army, have been converted into shooting positions and arsenals for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Just across the border in Cambodia, Thailand has bombed or hit at least four casinos.
After Thai troops stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national song at the Prasat Ta Muen Thom, an antique temple near the border, in February, the more than 100-year-old territorial dispute turned into an armed battle earlier this year. A Cambodian soldier lost his life as a result of the incident.
A phone conversation between Hun Sen, the most powerful person in Cambodia, and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the prime minister of Thailand at the time, was leaked. In it, the prime minister blamed the February incident on her own soldiers. Tensions between the two sides increased as a result of Shinawatra's impeachment due to the casual chat that was made public.
Centers for Casino Scams
Although the Cambodian side of the Thai-Cambodia border is home to a large number of casinos, the UN claims that these establishments have also functioned as scam hubs, where an estimated 100,000 victims of human trafficking have been coerced into engaging in online scams in an industry valued at billions of dollars.
The Cambodian government has permitted slavery and torture to "flourish inside hellish scamming compounds," according to London-based Amnesty International, an international human rights organization. The group has been able to tour 52 scamming complexes in Cambodia, several of which were formerly casinos and hotels that were converted by Chinese criminal organizations.
"Most victims had been lured to Cambodia by deceptive job advertisements posted on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. After being trafficked, survivors said they were forced to contact people using social media platforms and begin conversations aimed at defrauding them. These included fake romances or investment opportunities, selling products that would never be delivered, or building trust with victims before financially exploiting them, known as ‘pig-butchering,'” Amnesty reports.
“Our findings reveal a pattern of state failures that have allowed criminality to flourish and raise questions about the government’s motivations,” said Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director Montse Ferrer.
United Nations Advisory
This Monday, the UN acknowledged that civilians and victims of human trafficking in Cambodia are still in danger, and that some of them have probably been killed in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
"Casino complexes and suspected scam centers in Cambodia have reportedly been hit,” the UN advised.
“I am alarmed by reports that areas around villages and cultural sites are being struck by fighter jets, drones, and artillery. “Under international humanitarian law, it is very clear that protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure is paramount,” added Volker Türk, the UN’s high commissioner for human rights.