Cambodia deports 635 Thais following Poipet call centre crackdown

Cambodian authorities deported 635 Thai nationals back to Thailand today, following a massive crackdown on illegal online operations and call centre networks in the border town of Poipet.

Security officials in Sa Kaeo province prepared for the large-scale repatriation at the Ban Klong Luk permanent border crossing in Aranyaprathet district.

The group, consisting of individuals who had been working in a 13-story building in "Zone B" of Poipet, was required to cross the border on foot via a side gate adjacent to the main checkpoint.

The deportation follows a sweeping operation by the Cambodian government late last week targeting online scam networks across Poipet, which forced Thai workers involved in these industries to return home.

Thai security forces are processing the returnees in two separate shifts, beginning with an initial group of 350 individuals in the morning session followed by the remaining 285 individuals this afternoon.

Upon arrival on Thai soil, officials began a rigorous screening process using ID card verification. Preliminary reports suggest that many in this group are not victims, but active participants in criminal enterprises.

The Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Royal Thai Consulate-General have been working with Cambodian authorities to vet the individuals since their arrest last week.

Initial background checks against the police database have already identified numerous individuals linked to existing "Case IDs" or who have active arrest warrants for online fraud and scams reported at various police stations across Thailand.

Sa Kaeo is an eastern border province of Thailand, located approximately 245 kilometres from Bangkok.