A joint Thai-Cambodian task force will be set up within two weeks to intensify the crackdown on the increasing number of transnational cyber scam operations, which have been migrating between the two countries, Thai Defence Minister Nattaphon Nakpanich said today.
He was speaking after co-chairing the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting with his Cambodian counterpart, Gen Tea Seiha, in Kuala Lumpur.
The new task force will target ringleaders and key figures behind major scam networks, the minister said, adding that both sides will share intelligence, evidence and witness testimonies concerning the operations.
Both governments also agreed to implement witness protection measures, to facilitate faster and more effective investigations.
“Cyber scam syndicates have caused widespread suffering and economic losses, not only to people in Thailand and Cambodia but also across ASEAN and beyond,” Nattaphon said, adding that this cooperation marks an important step in confronting a shared security threat.
Law enforcement agencies from other countries, whose citizens have fallen victim to such schemes, could also take part in future operations.
Other key issues discussed at the GBC included the withdrawal of heavy weapons from border areas, demining operations and the management of village zones in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province.
On the withdrawal of heavy weapons from shared borders, both sides have signed the terms of reference for the International Observer Team (IOT), who will monitor and report on the process.
A joint action plan has also been developed, to be implemented under the supervision of Thailand’s Second Army Region and Cambodia’s Region 4 Command, with further talks scheduled for October 25th.
The minister stressed that the main goal of armament withdrawal is to ensure safety for border residents, as some weapons, such as BM-21 rocket launchers, have destructive ranges that could endanger civilians, schools and hospitals.
On demining, both sides have finalised standard operating procedures for both agreed and disputed zones. Nattaphon said coordination teams will begin joint operations immediately, marking the first time Cambodia has agreed to work with Thailand on detailed demining efforts.
Regarding the border villages in Sa Kaeo province, both countries have agreed to conduct a joint survey of the boundary line between markers 42 and 47 in Khok Sung district, installing temporary markers in the process.
“This will be the first time that both sides will physically survey and agree on temporary boundary markers,” Nattaphon said, adding that the process will not affect Thailand’s legal territorial rights.
Thailand will also begin constructing new border fences in clearly demarcated zones, strictly within Thai sovereign territory, to strengthen border security and prevent cross-border threats.
