Desperate Cambodians and trafficked workers risk everything to cross Thailand’s closed border as hunger, poverty, collapsed casinos and illicit scam compounds spark a surge in illegal reentries, exposing corruption and abuses under Hun Sen’s regime.
The Royal Thai Army is cracking down on desperate Cambodian migrant workers trying to cross back into Thailand illegally. Many were forced home in late July and early August under the iron grip of Hun Sen’s regime. Officials report a surge in illegal crossings tied to pressured casinos and illicit scammer compounds. These operations are bleeding under stricter Thai enforcement and the closed border. In a stark example, a 19-year-old Cambodian risked his life in the dead of night to sneak back into Thailand early Saturday morning.
The Royal Thai Army is detaining rising numbers of Cambodians, Thais and foreign nationals attempting to re-enter Thailand illegally. These arrests come just weeks after a mass exodus of Cambodian migrant workers, which began in late July and intensified in early August.
That exodus followed two triggers: armed clashes in Cambodia and a government order demanding workers return to their hometowns. However, many of those forced home now face a grim reality — widespread joblessness, deepening poverty and zero government support.
As a result, despite closed borders and tightened security, many are risking their lives to return to Thailand. Desperation, hunger and fear now drive the flow in reverse.
Young Cambodian returns starving by illegally crossing back into Thailand to survive extreme hardship
On August 16, Thai troops arrested a 19-year-old Cambodian man sneaking through a forested area near Ban Pa Rai Mai. The arrest was carried out by the Burapha Task Force and rangers from the 1202nd Company of the 12th Ranger Regiment.
During interrogation, the young man revealed the stark situation in Cambodia. He had previously worked in Thailand as a fish vendor at Rong Kluea Market in Aranyaprathet. But in June, the Cambodian regime ordered him to return home.
Initially, he hoped to find work back in his village. However, that hope quickly faded. Speaking through an interpreter, he stated plainly: “There was no work. The government did not help at all.”
He described long days without food and no income. Eventually, starvation forced his decision. He risked arrest and deportation again — just to survive.
Illegal crossings reveal human trafficking in Cambodia’s casino compounds and workers held captive
This single case is part of a broader crisis. Cambodian returnees are discovering that their government offers no fallback. There are no jobs, no aid programs and no safety nets.
Consequently, many are again attempting to cross the border illegally, even as Thai security forces reinforce their positions. Thai troops now patrol natural trails, erect barriers and use surveillance to block reentry. Still, people come.
Meanwhile, the crisis is hitting not only migrant workers. It is also exposing a far more dangerous undercurrent — the collapse of Cambodia’s shadow economy.
On August 14, just two days before the 19-year-old was caught, Thai soldiers apprehended two Thai men crawling under barbed wire at the same border district. The pair had been fleeing Poipet.
The men, aged 20 and 21, lacked all travel documents. They told authorities they had worked in a locked compound for an online gambling site called “Heng Website,” located in Zone 3 of a Poipet casino complex.
They explained that a friend had lured them there in April. However, once inside, they were confined to a five-storey building surrounded by high walls. They were never allowed to leave.
Casinos and scam centres double as illegal prisons as border closures collapse Poipet business
Then, on August 13, they heard rumours of potential border fighting. Fearing for their lives, they decided to escape. They paid a Cambodian smuggler ฿10,000 to lead them across a canal and through concertina wire into Thailand.
Soon after, Thai patrols intercepted them. The men were handed over to police at Khlong Luek station for prosecution. Their story revealed a grim reality: casinos and scam centres are doubling as illegal prisons for trafficked workers.
Moreover, these operations are unravelling as the border remains sealed. Poipet, once bustling with Thai gamblers and foreign cash, is now silent.
Casinos and hotels are seeing a collapse in business. Room occupancy in Poipet has plummeted by 42%. Staffing is down by 62%. One major victim is Star Vegas, operated by Donaco International, which has suffered sharp losses.
Cambodia’s casino collapse as Thai income is turned off, deepening political and economic instability
The reason is clear. Over 80% of Poipet’s casino revenue comes from Thai customers. Now, with no cross-border movement, cash flow has stopped completely.
Additionally, Thailand has banned its citizens from returning to work in Cambodian casinos. Thousands of Thai workers remain stranded, cut off from their jobs and wages.
As a result, the Cambodian gambling sector has entered freefall. But this is not just a casino crisis. It is a political earthquake.
Poipet’s casino empire isn’t simply a commercial enterprise — it is the financial engine of Cambodia’s ruling elite. At the top of that system is Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former Prime Minister and his powerful family network.
Despite leaving office in 2023, Hun Sen remains the country’s de facto powerbroker. His allies and relatives still control massive business assets.
Billionaire casino tycoons maintain power and exploit loopholes while Cambodia’s elite profits
For instance, Kok An, a billionaire casino tycoon, owns Crown Casino and maintains major influence over Cambodian politics. He is a known ally and financier of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).
Another powerful name is Ly Yong Phat — known as “Sia Phat.” He owns the LYP Group, a conglomerate spanning casinos, hotels, bridges, and industrial estates. His close ties to the Hun family have earned him high-ranking government roles.
Both figures have benefited from years of legal loopholes and lax enforcement. They employ a system of nominee shareholders to hide the real ownership of their businesses. This allows political families to profit while avoiding public scrutiny.
Globally, such practices have been rolled back by strong regulation and policing. But in Cambodia, this structure remains intact — and deeply entrenched.
Cybercrime and human trafficking worsen as Cambodia’s elite profits from forced labour and fraud
To make matters worse, several casino complexes have been linked to cybercrime and human trafficking. Amnesty International has accused Cambodian authorities of ignoring forced labour and abuse inside scam centres disguised as resorts.
International media investigations, including reports by The Times, have linked these operations to relatives of Hun Sen. Allegations suggest the networks are profiting from online fraud schemes and slavery-like conditions.
As borders shut and money stops flowing, these networks are facing an unprecedented collapse. The crisis has exposed how deeply Cambodia’s political elite depends on dirty money.
What began as a border incident in May has evolved into a regional economic and political crisis. The Thai-Cambodian border is no longer just a line on a map — it’s a fracture point in a system built on corruption and desperation.
For Cambodian workers, the situation remains dire. Their home government offers no answers. Job programs are nonexistent. Foreign investment has dried up. Hunger is rising.
Thai authorities expect more illegal crossings while border economy collapses under prolonged stress
Thai officials expect more illegal crossings in the weeks ahead. Patrols are increasing, yet they cannot catch everyone. The human tide continues — fueled by desperation and neglect.
Meanwhile, Cambodian officials remain silent. No new economic aid has been announced. No policy shifts have been made to support job creation or social relief.
What’s left is a hollowed-out border economy, devastated by its dependence on cross-border vice and exploitation. For the Thai military and law enforcement, the challenge is growing. They must secure borders while facing a slow-building humanitarian crisis.
Flailing Hun Sen wages new war on his own nationals in Thailand by threatening them if they don’t return
Cambodians recoils at Thai concertina wire makeshift barriers just erected along the contentious border
But for Cambodia’s ruling class, the stakes are even higher. The casino collapse has ripped away their financial insulation. Their wealth — built on secrecy, gambling, and exploitation — is now in danger.
Unless Cambodia enacts serious reforms, cracks will widen. The regime’s grip on power, once reinforced by casino capital, now looks vulnerable.
And as long as people keep fleeing hunger to cross into Thailand, the world will continue to watch — and judge.
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Further reading:
Tensions are still rising on Thai Cambodian border as 2nd Army commander reveals defensive tactics
Charged situation – Defence chiefs from Thailand and Cambodia meet in Kuala Lumpur. ASEAN damaged
Fear on Eastern border under Martial law. Cambodian Bond nabbed on ฿162 a day from Phnom Penh regime
Cabinet meets after Cambodian ceasefire. Acting PM Phumtham spoke later with Trump for 30 minutes
Acting PM travels to Kuala Lumpur for ceasefire talks. Cambodia’s PM Hun Manet to attend amid PR war
