Soldier’s death ignites enmity
Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, and now Thailand and Cambodia. The latest recent global flashpoint over in Southeast Asia, which follows the death of a Cambodian soldier in a clash with Thai military, stands out because of its illegal gambling connection.
banned Thais from crossing the border
In response to Cambodia banning fruit and vegetable imports from Thailand, the latter on Tuesday announced it had banned Thais from crossing the border into Cambodia to work in casinos and gambling dens.
The Royal Thai Army took to X to issue a statement that all Thais with jobs in Poipet’s casinos, gambling establishments, and entertainment venues were banned from crossing into Cambodia:
The RTA said the border restrictions were “to ensure the safety of the Thai people.”
Money laundering
The ongoing territorial beef between the two nations found a focal escalation point after soldiers from both sides engaged in a firefight on May 28 that left a Cambodian dead.
Adding to the political tension is news that on Monday, Thailand’s cybercrime unit revealed it had identified a vast gambling and scam center-linked money laundering operation linked to a prominent Cambodian political family.
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau Commissioner Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan stated vast amounts of money have been channelled into a Cambodian entity known as the Huione Group.
money from a variety of scams flowed through multiple intermediary accounts
The CCIB chief revealed how money from a variety of scams flowed through multiple intermediary accounts before being converted into cryptocurrency.
The Commissioner stated following the money trail from gambling and call centre cases led to Huione.
Political angle
The kicker is, however, that Thai police are investigating a potential link between the Huione Group and a nephew of Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen.
Hun Sen is the father of Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet. The Commissioner acknowledged that the financial trails from a majority of online gambling and call centre cases have led to this specific company.
The Commissioner stated Huione was either legitimate or it was “located within the scammer compounds found along the border.” Ultimately, Gen Trairong said, it appears the firm is “being used to convert digital currency into cash or transfer it to other accounts.”
