Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Manet, has labelled the restoration of the country’s international reputation as one of its major challenges following recent negative publicity around the proliferation of scam centers.
His comments were made at a gathering with representatives of small and medium enterprises and handicraft businesses to mark the 3rd National Day of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh on Saturday.
According to Cambodia’s official state news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse, Hun Manet described the effort as a “war to restore reputation” while arguing that the country has been unfairly portrayed as a hub for online scams.
Addressing online fraud, the Prime Minister said such crimes are transnational in nature and occur in many countries around the world, but argued that Cambodia has been disproportionately associated with the problem.
“Online scams are not only a new form of transnational crime but also create an informal or gray economy that seriously affects Cambodia’s reputation and public trust,” he stated. “Therefore, Cambodia will continue to fight against them.”
Hun Manet also reiterated Cambodia’s commitment to dismantling online fraud networks, emphasizing that eliminating such activities is essential to restoring Cambodia’s image and strengthening international confidence in the country.
The proliferation of scam centers operating out of Cambodia has attracted significant international attention, with human rights group Amnesty International earlier this year accusing Cambodia of renewing the licenses of 12 Cambodian casinos despite alleged evidence of severe human rights abuses having taken place within their confines.
In response, the Cambodian government last month designated the combat of such scams as a top priority.
However, the negative headlines have severely impacted the country’s tourism industry, with the number of international tourists visiting Cambodia plummeting by 47.8% in the first five months of 2026.
A local tourism executive last week blamed the decline on negative publicity around the proliferation of scam centers and the country’s ongoing conflict with neighboring Thailand.
RelatedPosts
