Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has labelled the nation’s scam centres as “destroying” the country’s economy and tarnishing its international reputation, amid concerns over the growing multibillion-dollar cyber-fraud industry. In a rare interview with AFP, Hun Manet rejected claims that the government has been complicit in the illicit operations.
“The scam network, what we call the black economy, is destroying our honest economy. It has put a bad reputation on Cambodia,” he said, highlighting the negative impact on tourism and foreign investment, which he described as key drivers of the nation’s economic growth.
Authorities have launched a wide-scale clampdown on cybercrime, leading to thousands of arrests and the extradition to China of former adviser Chen Zhi, a high-profile figure alleged to have run an international online fraud network. While Hun Manet acknowledged that some illicit activities may have indirectly stimulated sectors like real estate, he insisted that the Cambodian government did not profit from the cyber-fraud industry.
“Yes, the scam centre may produce some direct result to real estate, to some investment, the building, the buying. But most of the proceeds do not go into the government of Cambodia,” he said.
Experts estimate Cambodia hosts dozens of scam centres employing around 100,000 people, many victims of human trafficking, with annual returns exceeding $12.5 billion—roughly half the country’s formal GDP. Hun Manet, however, rejected the notion that Cambodia’s economy relies on these operations. “A lot of people were saying that the GDP of Cambodia relies on the scam. No. We rely on pure economies such as tourism, manufacturing, and others,” he stated.
Hun Manet defended the government’s handling of Chen Zhi, who had previously served as an adviser to him and his father, former Prime Minister Hun Sen. Authorities claimed they were unaware of Chen’s alleged criminal activities, which included running forced-labour compounds for trafficked workers and directing a sprawling cyber-fraud network across more than 30 countries. After the allegations surfaced, Chen was extradited to China and stripped of Cambodian nationality for using a falsified document.
The prime minister emphasised that Cambodia is committed to eradicating scam centres while preserving the nation’s legitimate economic sectors. “Whatever the activities, we did not know. Action was taken when we learnt of the alleged wrongdoing,” Hun Manet said.
The crackdown on cyber-fraud reflects Phnom Penh’s efforts to restore Cambodia’s credibility internationally and safeguard its key industries from reputational harm.
