Thai Embassy warns vs. risky Cambodian call center jobs
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — The Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh issued an urgent warning about high-paying but deceptive call center job offers in Cambodia. These positions, seemingly lucrative, have trapped many Thais in exploitative situations, leading to extreme legal repercussions.
In the past year, numerous Thais were duped by these fraudulent offers. The result for many has been severe, including prison sentences of up to 50 years and substantial financial restitution to their victims.
Issued on January 3rd, the embassy’s advisory emphasizes the importance of thorough background checks on Cambodian companies before accepting job offers. It also revealed a concerning pattern of how often individuals are illegally transported into Cambodia and forced into working with illicit call center operations.
The embassy also advised Thais looking for work abroad to follow legal procedures and obtain appropriate work permits to avoid exploitation and legal issues.
Since 2022, about 4,000 Thai nationals have been involved in these scams. Just last month, nine Thai nationals escaped from a Chinese-run scam call center in Poipet, Cambodia. The escapees said that about 200 other Thais are still being held captive at the call center.
The United Nations Human Rights Office also released a report highlighting the alarming rise of individuals trafficked into online scams in Southeast Asia. They advised exercising caution regarding vague recruitment pitches.
