The State of Cambodia's Online Scamming Industry
About this episode
Nathan Paul Southern discusses Cambodia's online scamming industry and the government's efforts to combat organized crime.
Scotsman Nathan Paul Southern is the Operations Director of the Eyewitness Project and an investigative reporter specializing in global conflict, transnational crime, and corruption, primarily in Southeast Asia. Based in Cambodia, he investigates the intersection of war and criminality, uncovering the networks and power structures that drive conflict and illicit activity around the world. Southern spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about the Cambodian government’s crackdown on organized crime and those who were trafficked or duped into the country and then forced to work in scam compounds. He says the government is still struggling with its crackdown given the sheer scale of the scam compounds, which have also frightened off tourists and foreign investors while remaining a thorn in the side of relations with Thailand. Cambodia and Thailand fought a bitter border war last year, which had its roots in organized crime, and government insiders on both sides of the closed border say they fear a return to hostilities is possible. After a recent trip to the border, Southern agrees. “I was last there about two months ago, we had warning shots fired… there were shots coming over from the…
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