The Royal Thai Army used coordinated diplomacy to bring 635 Thais from Cambodia for screening to identify scammers and bring them back for prosecution

Today (30 April 2026), General Phana Klaewplodthuk, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, and Lieutenant General Theeranant Nanthakhwang, Director of the Army Intelligence Department, assigned Major General Worawet Wanmongkol to coordinate the repatriation of 635 Thais linked to online scamming networks in Poipet. The operation, held at the Ban Khlong Luek border crossing in Sa Kaeo, followed military diplomatic protocols and involved a joint task force from the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Ministry of Labour.

Out of the 635 returnees, 592 held valid passports, while the rest were in the process of visa renewals. All had been working in "Building F," a 13-story twin tower located opposite the Rong Kluea Market. Upon arrival, every individual is required to undergo the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to distinguish genuine trafficking victims from voluntary scammers. This involves rigorous background checks and a screening interview of 70-80 questions.

Major General Benjapol Dechatiwong Na Ayutthaya, Commander of the Eastern Border Command, viewed the handover as a positive sign of cooperation, despite the characteristic delays from the Cambodian side. Reporters noted that while the handover was scheduled for 9:00 AM, it was stalled until 4:30 PM. Cambodian authorities cited a bus shortage, claiming vehicles were diverted to transport Chinese call-center suspects to Siem Reap.

The border finally opened at 4:38 PM, led by Lt. Gen. Som Van Vy Rea, Deputy Commander of the Cambodian National Police. During the proceedings, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thitawat Suriyachai urged Cambodia to increase efforts in repatriating more Thais tricked into these schemes. Notably, Cambodia explicitly requested that ASEAN Observer Teams (AOT) be barred from the area and previously sought to restrict media coverage of the first repatriation batch—actions Thai officials described as typical Cambodian tactical delays.