I can help explain what scam centers are and address your observations about Sihanoukville.

What Scam Centers Are

Scam centers are operations—often large-scale compounds—where workers are forced or coerced into running online fraud schemes. These typically involve:

• Romance scams ("pig butchering") - building fake romantic relationships to manipulate victims into fraudulent investments
• Cryptocurrency investment scams - promising high returns on fake platforms
• Online gambling fraud - rigged games or platforms that prevent withdrawals
• Impersonation scams - posing as officials, businesses, or customer service

The workers are frequently trafficking victims who were lured with promises of legitimate jobs, then had their passports confiscated and were forced to work under threats of violence, sale to other operations, or harm to their families.

The Sihanoukville Situation

You're right that Sihanoukville is legitimately a coastal city with beaches and tourism infrastructure. However, it has a dual reality:

Tourist areas exist with hotels, beaches, and visitors who have normal vacation experiences and leave positive reviews.

Parallel criminal infrastructure has developed, particularly in special economic zones and certain districts where Chinese-owned casino complexes and compounds operate with minimal oversight. These areas house many scam operations.

The scam centers don't advertise themselves—they look like office buildings or casino complexes from the outside. Tourists visiting beaches and restaurants wouldn't necessarily encounter or recognize these operations. The trafficking victims are kept inside compounds, often behind walls with security.

So both things are true: it's a functioning tourist destination and a hub for organized cybercrime and human trafficking, operating in different spaces within the same city.

Let me clarify the human trafficking aspect and address your specific questions about Sihanoukville.

The Human Trafficking Component

The trafficking works like this:

1. Recruitment: People (often from China, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, or other regions) see job advertisements for customer service, gaming, or tech positions with good salaries
2. The trap: When they arrive, their passports are confiscated, they're confined to compounds, and told they must work in scam operations
3. Forced labor: They're required to contact potential victims online, build relationships, and execute scams. Refusal results in beatings, torture, being sold to another compound, or worse
4. Can't escape: The compounds have security, walls, and surveillance. Workers can't leave freely

So the victims are the workers forced to run the scams, not just the people being scammed online.

Your Specific Questions

Chinese groups and stores: Not all Chinese presence indicates trafficking. There was legitimate Chinese investment in Sihanoukville's development, and many Chinese tourists and business owners operate normally. However, criminal syndicates have embedded themselves within this community, making it harder to distinguish legitimate from illicit operations.

The Special Economic Zone (Sihanoukville SEZ): The main SEZ near the airport is actually one of the more legitimate areas—it has manufacturing and industrial operations. The problematic zones are other areas with less oversight, particularly some of the casino complexes scattered around the province.

Flights to Shenzhen: These serve legitimate business travelers, tourists, and workers—not everyone is involved in criminal activity. But these routes have also been exploited by trafficking networks to transport victims.

"Seven Star" (Kaoh Sdach): This refers to offshore areas that have become notorious for particularly brutal scam compounds with even less government oversight than mainland operations. The warnings exist because there are reports of especially dangerous conditions there.

Does this help clarify the situation?

I should search for current information about Prince Holding Group and their operations in Cambodia, as this involves specific recent developments and allegations.Let me search for more specific information about Prince Group's physical locations and properties.Based on the recent investigations and indictments, here's what I can tell you about Prince Holding Group:

Main Activity Regions

Prince Group operates in more than 30 countries but its criminal operations are primarily based in Cambodia. Their legitimate business presence includes real estate, banking, and retail across Cambodia, with major investments transforming Sihanoukville from a coastal resort into a Chinese casino hub.

Specific Landmark Locations

In Sihanoukville:

• Jinbei Casino/Hotel - A seven-story, 16,500 square meter hotel and casino, described as the flagship property that opened in 2017
• Prince Huan Yu Mall (also called Prince Mall) - The first one-stop shopping center in Sihanoukville, part of the Prince Golden Bay complex project, taking up approximately 70,000 square meters

Other compounds mentioned:

• "Jinbei Compound" in Sihanoukville and "Mango Park" in Kampong Speu
• Golden Fortune Science and Technology Park in Chrey Thom (near the Thai border), built by a Prince Group subsidiary and disguised as a "technology park"
• Taiza Compound located about an hour south of Phnom Penh, described as having 5-meter walls topped with barbed wire

You can search "Jinbei Hotel Sihanoukville" or "Prince Mall Sihanoukville" on Google Maps to see these locations.

Connections with Chinese Authorities

This is particularly concerning: According to the DOJ complaint, Chen Zhi and his co-conspirators coordinated directly with officials from China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Ministry of State Security (MSS), using political influence to shield scam compounds from law enforcement. The company's executives allegedly bribed officials to get advance information about raids on compounds.

Ironically, Chinese law enforcement began openly investigating Prince Group in 2020, with Beijing's Public Security Bureau creating a special task force to investigate "the notorious transnational online gambling criminal group".

The situation reveals deep corruption, with Chen Zhi serving as an adviser to Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, former Prime Minister Hun Sen.

You're absolutely right about Chrey Thom - I apologize for the error. It's near the Vietnamese border, not the Thai border. Thank you for the correction.

Let me search for information about the Baolong Group (宝龙) and Poipet to better understand this operation.Let me search more specifically for Baolong and scam operations in Poipet.Now let me try to access the Scribd document you shared to understand more about Baolong Group.The Scribd page requires authentication to view the full document. Let me search for more information about Baolong and Royal Group in Poipet.Based on my research, I can now provide you with a comparison between the operations you're asking about:

Comparison: Prince Holding Group vs. Baolong/Royal Group Poipet SEZ

Prince Holding Group (Chen Zhi)

Scale & Scope:

• Operates in more than 30 countries with criminal operations primarily based in Cambodia
• Made major investments transforming Sihanoukville from a coastal resort into a Chinese casino hub
• Directly linked to scam operations and human trafficking

Known Locations:

• Sihanoukville: Jinbei Casino/Hotel, Prince Mall
• Kampong Speu: Mango Park compound
• Chrey Thom (near Vietnam border): Golden Fortune Science and Technology Park
• Taiza Compound south of Phnom Penh with 5-meter walls topped with barbed wire

Political Connections:

• Chen Zhi serves as adviser to Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet and former Prime Minister Hun Sen
• Coordinated directly with officials from China's Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of State Security

Royal Group Poipet SEZ

Nature: This appears to be a legitimate industrial Special Economic Zone, not directly comparable to Prince Group's criminal operations. Based on my research:

• Located approximately 8 km east of Poipet city center, 3.5 km from the Thailand border
• Owned by Royal Group (led by Kith Meng), publicly listed on Cambodia Stock Exchange as "PPSP"
• Hosts over 90 international companies from 14 nations in legitimate manufacturing

Key Difference from Prince Group: The Royal Group Poipet SEZ appears to be a legitimate manufacturing and industrial zone, similar to many SEZs worldwide. However, Poipet city itself has major problems with scam compounds run by different actors.

The Real Poipet Scam Situation

The problematic operations in Poipet are associated with different actors:

Kok An (Senator):

• Owns Crown Casino Resort in Poipet, accused of running massive call center scam operations
• Wanted for involvement in transnational criminal organization and money laundering
• Has close ties to Hun Sen and the ruling party

LY Yong Phat ("Sia Phat"):

• Owns LYP Group spanning casinos, hotels, bridges, and industrial estates
• His O'Smach Resort has long-standing ties to human trafficking and scam networks

Scale of Poipet Problem:

• Poipet hosts at least 30 scam compounds
• Poipet is home to over 150 casinos drawing 80% of clientele from Thailand

Regarding "Baolong" (宝龙)

I couldn't find specific information about a "Baolong Group" operating scam compounds in Poipet. The document you referenced appears to be promotional material about Poipet's development, but without access to the full content, I cannot determine if it references Baolong Group's involvement in illicit activities.

It's possible:

1. "Baolong" is a smaller player not widely reported in English media
2. It's a subsidiary or front company for larger operations
3. The document conflates legitimate development with problematic operations

The key takeaway: Prince Group is explicitly criminal, while Royal Group Poipet SEZ appears legitimate. The scam problems in Poipet are primarily associated with casino operators like Kok An and Ly Yong Phat, not the industrial SEZ itself.

Let me fetch that Telegram channel to see what information it contains about Poipet.This Telegram channel provides very revealing information about Poipet's scam operations. Let me search for more comparative information between Poipet and Sihanoukville.Thank you for sharing that Telegram channel—it contains extremely detailed insider information about Poipet's scam operations. Based on the Telegram posts and my research, here's a comprehensive comparison between Poipet and Sihanoukville:

Poipet vs. Sihanoukville: A Detailed Comparison

Geographic & Strategic Differences

Sihanoukville:

• Coastal city on the Gulf of Thailand
• Chinese investment turned it from a tranquil beachside town into a casino metropolis
• Numerous high-rise buildings sprung up suspiciously quickly in recent years
• More visible and exposed to international scrutiny

Poipet:

• Border city about 400 kilometers from Phnom Penh, bordering Thailand
• Listed as one of Cambodia's cyber scam hotspots alongside Sihanoukville and Bavet
• Proximity to Thai border makes it strategically valuable for moving people/money
• Scam operations targeting Thais concentrated on the Thailand-Cambodia border

Evolution & Current Status

Sihanoukville:

• After police raided the notorious trafficking hotspot in September 2022, buildings across the city emptied out, with mafia moving bases to Myanmar
• Now resurging despite earlier crackdowns
• Crackdowns mostly confined to Sihanoukville, focusing on small to mid-sized operations while largest operators left untouched

Poipet:

• According to the Telegram channel, operations appear to be expanding and consolidating rather than shrinking
• The channel mentions the "Mango Garden" operations evacuated and moved to Poipet
• More than half of 215 individuals rescued from Poipet's scam compound in late February 2025 were Thai

Specific Poipet Compounds (From Telegram Channel)

The Telegram posts reveal extensive detail about Poipet's infrastructure:

"Baolong" (宝龙) Compounds:

• Baolong 3, 4, 10 - Multiple numbered garden/parks
• Baolong 4, Compound 3, Building A2: Houses "Juxin Guopan" (聚鑫国盘) operation
  • Over 100 people working TikTok/Facebook scams
  • $16+ million in fraudulent proceeds in 6 months
  • 41 customers scammed over $100K each
  • Reports of minors being trafficked and forced to work

Baolong 10 Garden (10号园区):

• Coordinates provided: 13°44'35.0"N 102°45'07.0"E
• Controlled by "Sister Zeng" (曾姐, nicknamed "old woman")
• Accused of human trafficking, kidnapping, drug dealing
• Reports of victims held captive and tortured

Jinhai Property/Garden (金海物业):

• Coordinates: 13.6614920, 102.5794520
• Run by "Boss Bai" (白总) who operates capital disk schemes
• ~500 people in compound
• Accused of: allowing minor recruitment, arbitrary fees, selling workers to other compounds
• Workers report beatings, confinement in "black rooms"

Jinyuan Company (金源公司):

• Located in "Garden Two"
• Accused of "kidnapping for ransom" - demanding $20K-$40K per person to release workers
• Practice of selling workers between compounds

Scale Comparison

Sihanoukville:

• 75 suspects arrested in raids in Sihanoukville
• Historically the epicenter with largest, most visible compounds

Poipet:

• At least 270 Indonesians arrested Wednesday in Poipet
• The Telegram posts suggest dozens of separate compounds operating
• Earlier this year, Thailand cut power and internet service to border scam hotspot Poipet City

Key Differences in Operations

Sihanoukville:

• More established, larger corporate-style compounds
• One enormous compound adjacent to main beach in "Chinatown" precinct, another beside national highway
• Higher international profile = more pressure

Poipet:

• Multiple smaller, dispersed compounds (the "garden" model)
• Based on Telegram posts: More fragmented, more violent internal disputes
• "Black company" culture - compounds routinely sell workers to each other
• Less international media attention until recently
• Direct Thai border access makes it crucial for Thai-targeted scams

Living Conditions

Both locations report extreme abuse, but Poipet compounds appear particularly brutal based on Telegram reports:

• Yellow, corrosive tap water causing skin damage
• $150 medical charges for simple glucose drips regardless of illness
• Handcuffing workers to escort them to dormitories
• Price-gouging company stores (water delivery delayed 30+ minutes despite 1-minute walk)
• Systematic beatings and "black room" confinement
• Comparison made: "Some companies worse than Myawaddy" (Myanmar's notorious KK Park)

Why Poipet is Growing

1. Geographic advantage: Thai border proximity
2. Lower profile: Less international scrutiny than Sihanoukville
3. Sihanoukville displacement: After crackdowns, significant number of scammers relocated to large compounds close to Vietnam border and other areas
4. Target market: Scams targeting Thai citizens concentrated on eastern Thailand-Cambodia border
5. Weak oversight: The "Baolong" economic zones appear to operate with minimal government interference

Recent Developments

• South Korean government issued "black code" travel ban for Poipet in October 2024, sending special rescue teams
• Thailand issued arrest warrant for Cambodian senator Kok An who owns properties in Poipet
• Telegram channel shows ongoing operations despite these actions

Bottom Line

Sihanoukville remains significant but is under more pressure and scrutiny. Poipet is emerging as potentially more dangerous due to:

• Fragmented, violent compound ecosystem
• Lower international visibility
• Strategic location for Thai-targeted scams
• Rapid expansion as operators flee Sihanoukville

The Telegram channel you found is remarkable—it contains detailed coordinates, compound names, operator identities, and first-hand accounts that paint Poipet as a growing nightmare that authorities are struggling to address.

Let me search for information about Pailin and border-area scam operations in Cambodia.Now let me search for information about local Cambodian perspectives and government complicity.Excellent questions. Let me provide comprehensive answers based on the research:

Why Scam Compounds Are Concentrated at Borders

There are several strategic reasons:

1. Jurisdictional Complexity

• Border areas exploit legal gray zones between countries
• Criminal compounds operate just 20 meters across a narrow canal in Cambodia's Pailin province from Thailand
• Makes cross-border law enforcement coordination difficult
• Allows quick evacuation or relocation when pressure increases

2. Target Market Proximity

• Thai call center gangs are increasingly moving from heavily monitored Poipet area to Chanthaburi province, seeking new bases
• Border locations allow scammers to access neighboring countries' telecommunications infrastructure
• Scammer gangs use "SIM box" and "E-SIM" technology, using Wi-Fi from neighboring countries to access Thai mobile networks

3. Infrastructure Exploitation

• Thailand supplies electricity and internet to border towns
• Thailand cut power and internet service to border scam hotspot Poipet City to pressure operations
• Border casinos provide legitimate cover for compounds

4. Escape Routes & Supply Lines

• Easy movement of people, money, and equipment across borders
• More difficult for single-country law enforcement to monitor

Pailin Specifically

Amnesty International identified at least 53 active scam compounds across 13 different areas in Cambodia, with similar compounds existing in special economic zones like Pailin, Anlong Veng, O Smach, Kandal, Pursat, Bavet, and Kampot.

An international law enforcement delegation including officials from Japan, US, China, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, plus UNODC and Interpol inspected massive cyber scam compounds operating just across the Cambodian border in Pailin province, with high-rise buildings surrounded by security fences located just 20 meters away across a narrow canal.

The Douyin link you shared appears to reference "Caishen Second District" (财神二区) in Pailin, but I cannot access that video content directly.

Local Cambodian Residents' Views

This is a complex and difficult topic with limited direct information, but here's what we know:

Economic Dependence:

• The Cambodian scam compound industry generates between $12.5 and $19 billion annually, which equates to more than half of Cambodia's gross domestic product
• This creates massive economic dependence in affected areas
• Local businesses (food suppliers, construction, services) profit from compound operations
• Creates perverse incentive structure for communities

Fear & Silence:

• Several Cambodian journalists who have reported on scam compounds claim to have been targeted with retaliation and intimidation
• The government carried out a pattern of intimidating victims and civil society, including intimidating local officials attempting to investigate or hold high-level government officials accountable
• Local residents likely fear speaking out

Limited Awareness:

• Many ordinary Cambodians may not fully understand what happens inside compounds
• Compounds present as casinos, hotels, or office buildings
• The foreign workers trapped inside are invisible to outside communities

Government & Official Complicity

This is where the situation becomes especially dark. The evidence of systematic official involvement is overwhelming:

High-Level Political Connections

Cambodia under Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party has remained plagued by systemic and deeply entrenched corruption, characterized by consolidation of executive power, centralization of economic resources among political elites, and cultivation of close ties between senior government officials and criminal syndicates.

Specific Examples:

Ly Yong Phat:

• A powerful billionaire, senator and personal advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet was sanctioned by US Treasury for his role in trafficking people into forced labor at online scam centers
• His O-Smach Resort has been investigated for serious human rights abuses, with victims reporting being lured there with fake job offers

Huione Group:

• A conglomerate whose main shareholder is Hun To, cousin of Prime Minister Hun Manet, has been accused of enabling its marketplace for illegal transactions since 2021—estimated to total $24 billion, considered the world's largest illegal platform
• Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic revealed Huione Guarantee, a Cambodian holding company closely connected to the ruling party, has emerged as the largest ever online criminal marketplace, seen as the backbone of Cambodia's vast elite-driven scam industry

Systematic Official Complicity

The US State Department reported that institutionalized corruption and official complicity in labor trafficking remained widespread and endemic, with some high-level senior government officials, family members of officials, and elite business executives involved with and benefitting from online scam operations or owning properties where compounds operate.

How Officials Facilitate Operations:

1. Advance Warnings: Attempts by senior police officials in Thailand and China to stop human trafficking were stymied by Cambodian officials who either tipped off people running compounds or led investigators to dead ends

2. Bribery System: Observers reported customs and immigration officials accepting bribes to facilitate trafficking victims' entry, and prosecutors and judges accepting bribes for dismissal of charges, acquittals, and reduced sentencing

3. Selective Enforcement: Despite widespread reporting of forced criminality in online scam compounds, law enforcement did not charge any high-level officials, compound operators, or complicit landlords

4. Intimidation: Officials actively impeded anti-trafficking efforts and publicly denounced victim accounts and reporting by international organizations

The Pattern of "Crackdowns"

Crackdowns mostly shake things up temporarily, but people being arrested tend to be low-level workers, not those at the top. Once campaigns are over, scamming activities simply restart. As long as elites who provide scam operators with cover remain untouched and compounds remain intact, scammers can quickly get back to work when pressure subsides.

In many cases, major compounds were reportedly tipped off in advance and evacuated, with a significant number of scammers relocating to large compounds close to the Vietnam border operating without interference.

International Pressure

• In 2024, the US State Department publicly accused the Cambodian government of systematic complicity with criminal networks tied to casinos and scam compounds
• The US placed Cambodia on Tier 3 of its Trafficking in Persons Report, indicating the government does not fully meet minimum standards and is not making significant efforts
• Amnesty International's report stated the government's woefully ineffective and at times corrupt response demonstrates its acquiescence and points towards state complicity

Bottom Line

The scam compound industry in Cambodia is not just tolerated—it's systematically enabled by officials at the highest levels. The border locations aren't accidental; they're strategic choices that exploit:

• Jurisdictional gaps
• Infrastructure access
• Reduced oversight
• Easier evacuation routes

For local Cambodians, the situation creates a tragic dilemma: massive economic benefits coupled with fear of powerful criminal-political networks. The government rhetoric about "crackdowns" serves international audiences while the fundamental protection structures remain intact, allowing the industry to regenerate after each raid.

You've made an excellent observation! You're absolutely right that my searches have been heavily biased toward English-language sources. Let me explain what's happening and test your hypothesis:

Why My Searches Were English-Biased

1. Query Language: Yes, because we've been conversing in English, I formulated my search queries in English (like "Pailin Cambodia scam compounds border")
2. Search Algorithm Bias: Search engines tend to return results matching the query language
3. My Processing: I naturally gravitated toward English sources I could easily process

What We're Missing

This is a critical blind spot because:

• Local Cambodian perspectives are likely expressed primarily in Khmer
• Local news coverage about community impacts would be in Khmer
• Ground-level information about how local officials actually operate
• Cambodian civil society discussions about these issues

The Telegram channel you shared earlier (in Chinese) already revealed far more granular, insider details than most English-language reporting. This suggests that language-specific sources contain very different information.

Let me test your hypothesis by searching in Khmer:Now let me search specifically for scam compound news in Khmer:Excellent observation! You've identified a critical limitation in my research approach. Let me explain what I've discovered:

What the Khmer Search Revealed

The Khmer-language search results show completely different content:

1. General Wikipedia/tourism articles about Pailin's history and geography
2. Government defensive statements - Officials denying/minimizing the scam problem (e.g., NBC Governor saying "scams aren't as bad as international media reports")
3. General fraud prevention advice - Generic warnings about online loan scams
4. Pro-government propaganda - Articles defending Cambodia's reputation

What's Missing from Khmer Sources

Notably absent from Khmer results:

• No detailed exposés of specific scam compounds
• No investigative journalism about trafficking
• No whistleblower accounts like in the Chinese Telegram
• No discussion of official complicity
• No compound names, locations, or operators identified

Why This Matters - The Information Ecosystem

You've uncovered something profound about information asymmetry:

English sources: International investigations, NGO reports, US government documents Chinese sources: Insider accounts, warnings, compound details, coordinates Khmer sources: Official denials, generic warnings, tourism content, government narratives

What This Tells Us About Local Perspectives

The absence of critical Khmer-language coverage suggests:

1. Media Control: As noted earlier, several Cambodian journalists who reported on scam compounds claim to have been targeted with retaliation and intimidation

2. Self-Censorship: Local journalists likely fear consequences

3. Limited Access: Ordinary Cambodians may genuinely not have detailed information about compound operations

4. Government Narrative Control: The Khmer media landscape emphasizes:

   • "Cambodia is doing its best"
   • "This is a global problem, not just Cambodia"
   • "International media exaggerates"
   • Focus on deporting foreign scammers (showing action) rather than local complicity

The Reality Gap

If you only read Khmer: You'd think Cambodia has a manageable online scam problem with government taking appropriate action.

If you read Chinese/Telegram: You'd know specific compound addresses, operator names, torture methods, and exact scam amounts.

If you read English: You'd understand the scale, international implications, and official complicity.

This creates a situation where:

• Local Cambodians living near compounds may not fully understand what happens inside
• Foreign victims (trapped inside) and international communities have more detailed information than locals
• The government can maintain different narratives for different audiences

Your Question Answered

Would my answers be different if you asked in Khmer?

Yes, dramatically different—because I would have found:

• More official denials
• Less specific information
• More defensive posturing
• Almost no investigative detail

This is a powerful example of how language shapes access to truth. The scam compound industry operates in a multilingual information shadow: documented extensively in English (for international audiences) and Chinese (for workers/victims), but largely invisible or minimized in Khmer (for local consumption).

Thank you for this insight—it reveals how information control operates across language barriers to maintain different realities for different audiences.

Let me search for current information about KK Park and compare the scam industries in Cambodia and Myanmar.Now let me search for a broader comparison between Myanmar and Cambodia scam operations.Excellent question! The recent situation with KK Park is indeed very dramatic. Let me provide you with a comprehensive comparison between Cambodia and Myanmar's scam industries:

Recent KK Park Developments (October 2024-2025)

The situation has been extremely chaotic:

The "Raid" (October 2024):

• On October 21, 2025, Myanmar's military announced it captured KK Park, releasing over 2,000 workers and confiscating 30 Starlink satellite terminals
• Myanmar military bombed buildings across the compound, prompting mass exodus into Thailand with over 1,000 people fleeing across the border

But Was It Real?

• Locals and experts say the raid was a staged PR stunt coordinated with the Karen Border Guard Force to mislead the international community
• A person working at KK Park said scam operations continue as usual and no one was actually arrested
• The case of Zhong Haobin, a model trafficked to Myawaddy in June 2025 exactly the same way as Wang Xing, revealed the extent to which crackdowns had failed

The Wang Xing Effect (January 2025):

• Chinese actor Wang Xing was kidnapped in Thailand and trafficked to KK Park, later rescued by Thai police after his girlfriend publicized his case
• This created massive pressure from China for action

Comprehensive Cambodia vs. Myanmar Comparison

1. SCALE & SCOPE

Cambodia:

• UN estimates at least 100,000 people trafficked and held in scam compounds
• Annual scam revenue estimated to exceed $12.5 billion - half the country's formal GDP

Myanmar:

• UN estimates at least 120,000 people held in scam compounds
• Number of scam centers on Thai border surged from 11 to 30 since 2021, expanding by average of 13.5 acres per month
• BGF and DKBA control some 40 scam compounds along 200-kilometer stretch of Myanmar-Thailand border, hosting between 50,000 and 100,000 people

Combined Impact:

• Criminal groups in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar steal about $43.8 billion annually - some 40% of the three nations' combined formal GDP

2. POLITICAL STRUCTURE & CONTROL

Cambodia: Elite-Driven Criminal State

• Centralized government with systematic complicity at highest levels
• Direct ties between ruling party and scam operators
• Corporate-style operations with political protection
• Operates mostly in peacetime with functional (if corrupt) government

Myanmar: Warlord Fragmentation

• Civil war context - military junta controls ~40% of country
• Ethnic armed groups control about 60% of Myanmar, with very direct relationships with mafia
• BGF and DKBA partner with Chinese mafia groups, exploiting military's dependence to ensure complicity and protection
• Multiple armed groups compete for scam revenue
• Myanmar military collects about 50% of $192 million earned by BGF annually from Shwe Kokko project

3. GEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS

Cambodia:

• Coastal (Sihanoukville) + border regions (Poipet, Bavet, Pailin)
• More urban and developed infrastructure
• Special Economic Zones with minimal oversight
• After crackdowns in Sihanoukville, operations moved to rural areas toward Vietnam border, becoming smaller operations

Myanmar:

• Primarily border zones: Myawaddy (Thai border), Kokang (Chinese border)
• Located in weakly regulated and often porous border areas characterized by lack of formal law enforcement structures
• Shielded by corruption and lawlessness that has long saturated Myanmar's border regions, but criminal syndicates exploited four years of civil war to greatly expand
• Purpose-built "cities" like KK Park, Shwe Kokko

4. EVOLUTION TIMELINE

Cambodia (Pioneer):

• Over a decade ago, cheap internet made Cambodia an early hotspot for Chinese and Taiwanese phone scammers
• 2019 ban on online gambling followed by pandemic saw casinos increasingly repurposed as scam centers
• First major crackdowns 2022-2023
• Now dispersing to smaller, rural operations

Myanmar (Rapid Expansion):

• Gambling operations moved from Cambodia to Myanmar where they found welcome home in Karen state
• KK Park construction only began in 2020, largely built during military coup
• After Operation 1027 in Kokang (2023-2024), syndicates moved operations to Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar's Kayin State
• Currently expanding despite "crackdowns"

5. INFRASTRUCTURE & TECHNOLOGY

Both rely heavily on:

• Starlink satellite terminals for internet connectivity - at least eight Myanmar compounds use Starlink either wholly or in part
• Thailand's electricity (until cut off)
• Analysis shows drastic increase in nighttime radiance at major compounds from 2019-2024, especially stark at KK Park and Yatai

Myanmar Advantage:

• Between February-December 2024, over 20 new structures built within KK Park 1 and 2
• Continued expansion despite international pressure

6. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

Cambodia:

• US Tier 3 trafficking designation
• Targeted sanctions on individuals/companies
• Some visible raids and arrests (mostly low-level)
• Since mid-September 2022, raids in at least three cities freed thousands, but many operations simply relocated

Myanmar:

• China encouraged armies opposing central government to attack scam compounds in border regions, sometimes leading to over 1,000 Chinese repatriated at once
• Thai police attempted but failed to obtain arrest warrant for BGF leader Chit Thu
• US Congressional investigation into Starlink access
• BGF and DKBA scored reputational wins by staging "rescues" while most victims remained trapped

7. WORKER CONDITIONS

Both feature extreme abuse, but Myanmar appears more brutal:

Myanmar specifics:

• Workers subjected to 17-hour workdays, frequently spied on, tortured, and threatened with murder when attempting to flee
• KK Park implicated in harvesting and selling trafficking victims' organs when they refused to participate
• Ransoms skyrocketed - two years ago $64K-77K, now over $129K

8. CURRENT TRAJECTORIES

Cambodia: Dispersing but Persistent

• Operations becoming smaller, more rural, harder to detect
• Core elite protection remains intact
• Adapting to pressure by fragmenting

Myanmar: Expanding Despite "Crackdowns"

• Experts say industry will only come back stronger - "Billions of dollars are being invested, they will not stop"
• Current approach of targeting individual compounds results in criminals hop-scotching across borders and diversifying operations
• Civil war context provides cover for continued expansion
• Brand new compounds sprung up in last year in plain sight while military and BGF professed commitment to eradicating industry

Key Differences Summary

Aspect	Cambodia	Myanmar
Government	Centralized, elite-driven corruption	Fragmented warlord control
Context	Relative peace	Active civil war
Stage	Mature, now dispersing	Rapidly expanding
Control	Political elites	Ethnic armed groups + Chinese mafia
Brutality	Extreme	Even more extreme (organ harvesting)
Pressure	Under sustained international scrutiny	Less oversight due to civil war
Trajectory	Fragmenting into smaller operations	Consolidating into mega-compounds

The Bleak Reality

If scam compounds in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos were a country, their economy would be large enough to rank in the middle of all countries worldwide, with GDP per capita around $146,000 - yet workers live in slavery.

The fundamental problem: In Cambodia, it's a feature of the political system. In Myanmar, it's a consequence of state collapse. Both create environments where scam operations thrive, just through different mechanisms. The "chaos" at KK Park you mentioned appears to be theatrical pressure relief rather than genuine change - operations continue while authorities claim victory.

Excellent observation! You're absolutely right that there's a strong concentration around the Golden Triangle region. Let me search for more specific information about Laos and this geographic pattern.Now let me search more about the Golden Triangle geography and why this region specifically.Perfect! Now I have comprehensive information to answer your questions. Let me provide you with a detailed response:

---

You're absolutely right on multiple points! Yes, Laos absolutely has scam compounds, and yes, they're concentrated in the Golden Triangle region, which is indeed quite remote. Let me explain this fascinating (and disturbing) pattern:

Laos & The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ)

The Scale in Laos

According to a 2024 USIP report, approximately 85,000 people are being held in online scam centers in Laos, and 300,000 in the Mekong region as a whole. What's remarkable about Laos is that the industry was, until very recently, almost entirely centered in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, an autonomous area long notorious for organized crime and run by Chinese crime boss Zhao Wei and his Kings Roman Group.

What Makes GTSEZ Unique

It's startling to descend a winding road from the highlands and suddenly see skyscrapers, shopping areas, a casino and an artificial lake, dropped as though by magic onto the Laotian side of the river. This is essentially a city-sized criminal enterprise built in one of the most remote areas in Southeast Asia.

The Numbers:

• In the first half of 2024, as many as 400 call centers were operating in the Golden Triangle SEZ, up from 305 a year earlier
• The GTSEZ was established in 2007 with a 99-year lease to the Chinese-owned Kings Romans Group
• Criminal syndicates based in the Mekong region are now stealing upwards of $43.8 billion annually, with much of this flowing through GTSEZ

Why the Golden Triangle? Geography Matters

You're absolutely correct that it's remote! Here's why that remoteness is precisely what makes it attractive:

Geographic Features:

The Golden Triangle is a large, mountainous region of approximately 200,000 km² in northeastern Myanmar, northwestern Thailand and northern Laos, centered on the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers.

The Golden Triangle, the mountainous region where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet, is wild and remote, distant in every sense from the centers of all three countries. Away from the few towns, settlement gives way to small plantations of coffee and bananas and then to thick, steeply graded forest.

Its location in a remote area and rough terrains have historically made it a difficult area for the government to infiltrate.

Why This Region is Perfect for Criminal Operations:

1. Tri-border Jurisdictional Nightmare

• Three countries meet at one point (Thailand, Laos, Myanmar)
• Each country has different laws, different levels of corruption, different enforcement capabilities
• Criminals can exploit gaps between jurisdictions
• Easy to flee across borders

2. Historical Criminal Infrastructure

• The Golden Triangle has been one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s
• Existing smuggling routes, corrupt networks, and criminal expertise
• Traffickers moved freely along the long, ill-defined and insecure borders, and opium was the sole cash crop for poor hill villages remote from markets and roads

3. Autonomous Zones with Minimal Oversight

• The GTSEZ operates as essentially independent territory
• Zhao Wei, the Chinese crime boss responsible for developing the zone, has little reason to hide the illicit economies thriving within
• Inside Kings Romans casino, millions of dollars are exchanged in cash for chips in what appears to be an open display of money laundering

4. Physical Isolation

• Mountains, dense forests, remote from capital cities
• Difficult for authorities to access
• Crisis Group team identified four guarded high-rise buildings with barred windows and high fences wrapped in razor wire. Locals told them people were locked inside and forced to work as online scammers

Pattern: All Major Scam Hubs Are in Remote Border Areas

Looking at the whole region, there's a clear pattern:

Location	Border	Remoteness	Features
Sihanoukville, Cambodia	Coastal, less remote	Medium	Urban, more visible
Poipet, Cambodia	Thailand border	Medium	Multiple compounds
Pailin, Cambodia	Thailand border	High	Very remote, mountainous
Bavet, Cambodia	Vietnam border	Medium	Border checkpoint city
GTSEZ, Laos	3-country border	Very High	Most isolated, autonomous
KK Park, Myanmar	Thailand border	High	Conflict zone
Kokang, Myanmar	China border	Very High	Ethnic armed group territory

The "August 2024 Crackdown" in GTSEZ

There was a highly publicized "crackdown" in August 2024, but it raises questions:

Official Story:

• 771 people were detained in initial raids, with police raiding 16 centers and arresting 60 more Lao and Chinese nationals
• Deadline of August 25, 2024 for all scam centers to close

The Reality:

• Zhao Wei invited all "businesses" inside GTSEZ to a public meeting about three weeks before the raids, announcing the crackdown was coming, giving criminal kingpins and their senior compound managers ample time to relocate
• Many of them shifted operations to Cambodia or the Myanmar border with Thailand, highlighting how these networks are intertwined across borders
• The zone's major casino, Kings Romans, remains open. Nearby buildings unassociated with the casino appear to be empty

So they basically relocated rather than shut down.

Why Remote = Ideal for Scam Operations

The remoteness you noticed isn't a bug—it's a feature:

1. Invisibility: Out of sight of international observers and media
2. Control: Easier to keep victims trapped with no escape routes
3. Corruption: Local officials easier to bribe in poor, remote areas
4. Autonomy: Special Economic Zones in remote areas operate with minimal oversight
5. Supply chains: Remote areas where poverty makes locals dependent on any economic activity

Dispersing the scam centers could spread corruption to areas outside the Golden Triangle—ironically, the concentration in one remote zone made it easier to monitor, but also created a criminal mega-city.

The Irony

After dark, thumping electronic beats from buildings illuminated with dancing spotlights and neon accents can be heard across the Mekong in Thailand. On the Thai side, tourists visit the "Golden Triangle" as a historical curiosity and take boats to look at three countries. They have no idea that across the river, thousands of people are being held in modern slavery, operating scams that victimize people worldwide.

The remoteness means two parallel realities exist side-by-side:

• Thai tourists visiting museums about the historic opium trade
• Trafficking victims trapped in high-rises running billion-dollar cybercrime operations

Your instinct about the Golden Triangle being remote is exactly right—and that remoteness is precisely why it became the epicenter of this global criminal industry. The same geographic features that made it perfect for opium production 70 years ago make it perfect for cybercrime operations today.

Let me fetch that interview and then search for information about the China-Laos Railway's impact on the Golden Triangle.Now let me search for information about the China-Laos Railway's impact on the Golden Triangle and scam operations.Now let me search specifically about the China-Laos Railway impact:Excellent find! This is a fascinating document that reveals a lot. Let me provide you with comprehensive analysis:

The Zhao Wei Interview: A Propaganda Masterpiece

That interview is pure propaganda from December 2024—literally published right after Zhao Wei received another award from the Lao government. It's remarkable to read alongside what we actually know about the GTSEZ. Let me break down the contrast:

What Zhao Wei Claims in the Interview:

• He's transformed the Golden Triangle from an "opium devil world" into a prosperous modern economic zone
• He's used the "spirit of moving mountains" to build infrastructure comparable to "Manhattan"
• The zone features green agriculture, cattle farming, cultural festivals, and sustainable development
• It's a model Belt and Road Initiative success story

The Actual Reality:

Zhao Wei is a veteran of Myanmar's shady borderland casino scene who has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for his involvement in "drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, bribery, and wildlife trafficking"

The Lao government's 2007 lease agreement with Zhao has "essentially made him the sovereign ruler of 39 square miles of rural Laos", creating a zone where as many as 400 call centers were operating in the Golden Triangle SEZ in early 2024, up from 305 a year earlier.

China-Laos Railway Impact on Golden Triangle

Now to your excellent question about the railway's impact—this is critically important and underreported:

The Railway's Opening (December 2021)

The China-Laos Railway opened in December 2021, connecting Kunming, China to Vientiane, Laos. In the interview, Zhao Wei specifically mentions:

"The opening of the China-Laos Railway has leveraged our geographical advantages, making the flow of products and services more efficient."

What he means by "products and services":

• Easier transportation of trafficking victims
• Better logistics for criminal operations
• Increased connectivity for Chinese investment (both legitimate and illicit)
• Faster movement of money and people

The Railway's Actual Impact on Criminal Activity

1. Enhanced Connectivity = Enhanced Criminal Operations

The railway doesn't go directly to the Golden Triangle (the nearest station is in Luang Namtha, about 100km away), but it dramatically improved overall connectivity between China and northern Laos. This has:

• Made it easier to bring Chinese workers/victims into Laos
• Facilitated movement of equipment and resources
• Allowed faster evacuation when pressure mounts
• Increased Chinese economic presence as cover for criminal activity

2. Ironic Chinese Response

China promoted the railway as a Belt and Road success story, but it inadvertently facilitated the very scam operations that primarily victimize Chinese citizens. This created pressure for China to act, leading to the 2024 "crackdowns."

The "Crackdown" Theater (August 2024)

The timing of events is revealing:

Pre-Raid Warning: Zhao Wei invited all "businesses" inside GTSEZ to a public meeting about three weeks before the raids, announcing the crackdown was coming, giving criminal kingpins and their senior compound managers ample time to relocate

The Raids:

• 771 people detained in initial raids
• 60 more arrested in follow-up operations
• The zone's major casino, Kings Romans, remains open

Where They Went: Many of them shifted operations to Cambodia or the Myanmar border with Thailand, highlighting how these networks are intertwined across borders

The Reality Check: In December 2024 (just after the "crackdown"), Zhao Wei received the Third-Class Development Medal from the Lao government. The interview you found was published to coincide with this award ceremony.

Zhao Wei's Award Timeline (Absurd but True)

• October 2022: Receives Medal of Bravery (Second Class) right as first reports emerge about forced scamming
• August 2024: "Cooperates" with crackdown by warning operations in advance
• December 2024: Receives Third-Class Development Medal and gives propaganda interview

Sources You Can Look Up

Here are excellent sources for deeper research:

Investigative Reports:

1. Bloomberg (August 2024): "Golden Triangle: How Crypto Scammers Found A Criminal Paradise in Laos"

   • Deep investigation into GTSEZ structure
   • Details Zhao Wei's operations
   • Includes satellite imagery analysis

2. Radio Free Asia: Multiple reports on GTSEZ raids and operations

   • https://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/ (search "Golden Triangle")
   • Ground-level reporting from Laos

3. The Diplomat: Analysis pieces on Laos scam operations

   • Search "Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone"

Academic/Policy Research:

4. US Institute of Peace (USIP) Report (May 2024): "Transnational Organized Crime in Southeast Asia: Evolution, Growth and Impact"

   • Estimated $43.8 billion annual scam revenue
   • 85,000 people held in Laos compounds

5. Crisis Group Reports: On Golden Triangle and organized crime

Official Documents:

6. US Treasury Department: Zhao Wei sanctions documentation
   • Details his criminal activities
   • Lists associated entities

Chinese-Language Sources:

7. Telegram channels (like you found earlier) often have the most detailed, insider information
8. Chinese investigative outlets covering scam operations

The Railway Paradox

The China-Laos Railway represents a perfect paradox:

• Officially: A Belt and Road success connecting China to Southeast Asia, promoting development
• Practically: Inadvertently facilitated the growth of criminal operations that:
  • Primarily victimize Chinese citizens
  • Embarrass China internationally
  • Forced China to pressure Laos for "crackdowns"
  • Led to operators simply relocating elsewhere

The irony: Zhao Wei praises the railway in his propaganda interview for "making the flow of products and services more efficient"—technically true, but those "services" include human trafficking and cybercrime.

Bottom Line

The interview you found is a masterclass in propaganda—Zhao Wei presenting himself as a development hero while running what is essentially a sovereign criminal state. The China-Laos Railway has indeed transformed connectivity, but it's facilitated both legitimate development and criminal expansion simultaneously.

The GTSEZ remains a "zone of exception" where normal laws don't apply, and as long as this structure remains in place, criminal activities of one kind or another will almost certainly continue to flourish.

The "crackdowns" are theater designed to:

• Satisfy Chinese pressure
• Maintain Zhao Wei's position
• Allow operations to quietly relocate
• Preserve the corrupt political relationships that enable the system

Your instinct to question this interview was exactly right—it's a carefully constructed narrative that inverts reality.

You're very welcome! I'm so glad I could help you understand this complex and troubling situation. Your questions were excellent—you picked up on critical patterns like:

• The language bias in information sources
• The strategic importance of border locations and remoteness
• The connection between infrastructure (like the railway) and criminal operations
• The propaganda nature of official narratives

You also shared invaluable resources like the Chinese Telegram channel and the Zhao Wei interview, which revealed information I wouldn't have found otherwise. This really demonstrates how important multilingual, cross-platform research is for understanding these issues.

The scam compound industry is a massive, evolving story that touches on human trafficking, geopolitics, corruption, technology, and international crime—there's always more to learn. I'll be here whenever you want to discuss it further, whether it's about new developments, specific locations, or broader patterns.

Thank you for such a thoughtful and engaging conversation. Stay curious, and I look forward to our next discussion!

Take care! 🙏