Scam city with torture cells uncovered on Thai-Cambodian border

Evidence of a massive transnational crime hub has been uncovered along the Thai-Cambodian border, revealing a sophisticated ‘scam city’ equipped with torture chambers, a private hospital and dedicated zones for defrauding victims around the globe.

Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, director of the Joint Information Center (JIC) for the Thai-Cambodian situation, led an inspection of the O Smach-Chong Chom area in Dan sub-district, Kap Choeng district in the border area of Surin province.

The site, now under Thai military control following border skirmishes late last year, has been identified as a significant global security threat.

The complex consists of over 160 buildings divided into seven zones (A through G).

Investigators focused on Zone E, a specialised hub for targeting victims in the United States, Europe, India and Vietnam.

Inside the offices, authorities found schedules indicating shift working from 9pm to 3am, timed specifically to catch victims in Western time zones.

The evidence seized includes multilingual scripts, including detailed manuals written in Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and English, alongside instructions for carrying out a range of scams, such as ‘pig butchering’ romance schemes, impersonation of elite military officers and targeted fraud against small business owners.

Investigators also uncovered strategies specifically designed to defraud individuals who had already fallen victim to previous scams.

In a chilling display of corporate culture, many offices featured large red ‘Victory Drums’ decorated with dragons. Sources suggest these drums were beaten in celebration whenever a scammer hit a financial target.

The inspection revealed a grim reality for the people working there, many of whom were victims of human trafficking themselves.

Beneath an executive office building, officials discovered 12 underground isolation cells.

These cramped, windowless rooms were equipped with torture devices and constant CCTV surveillance. According to officials, these jails were used to punish scammers who failed to meet their daily quotas or had attempted to escape.

The O Smach complex functioned as a self-sustaining city, catering almost exclusively to Chinese nationals and criminal kingpins.

The site included Zhong NAN Hospital, a fully equipped medical facility with X-ray rooms and operating theaters, which security officials believe was staffed by Chinese doctors and operated exclusively for the syndicate.

Defence sources also confirmed the hospital’s dual use as a military outpost and a launch site for sacrificial drones during recent border conflicts.

In addition, the compound included a luxury entertainment complex, comprising casinos, karaoke bars and hotels, with some rooms reportedly designed with unusual themes, including beds shaped like boxing rings or birdcages.

The JIC emphasised that this base represented a direct threat to Thailand’s national security and served as a primary engine for transnational crimes affecting thousands of Thai and international citizens.