Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra strengthened 75 years of diplomatic ties, signing seven cooperation deals on labor, infrastructure, and border development, while also addressing issues like online scams, migrant workers, and security. She arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning for an official visit to Cambodia on April 23 and 24.
The agreements covered employment, cross-border pollution control, maintenance of the Cambodia-Thai Friendship Bridge, construction of a new border bridge at Phsar Prum-Ban Pakard, road improvement design support for National Road No. 57, and capacity building for Cambodian-Thai Skills Development Centres.
At a joint press conference, Hun Manet said discussions ranged from priorities, including cooperation on tourism, security, trade promotion, investment, border development and cybercrime.
“We agreed to continue enhancing existing cooperation, particularly through information sharing to combat cross-border crimes, like cybercrime, disinformation, human trafficking, and smuggling of illegal goods,” Hun Manet stated.
He expressed gratitude for Thailand’s commitment to non-interference in Cambodia’s internal affairs—a principle Cambodia will uphold as well.
He also thanked the Thai government for their continued attention to Cambodian workers.
In response, Thai Prime Minister thanked Cambodia for its close collaboration in combating online scam. She also reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to accelerating border development and strengthening the bilateral security partnership.
“We will promote closer military cooperation at all levels to maintain peace and stability along our borders,” she said, adding that Thailand will ensure Cambodian workers are recruited through legal channels and provided with proper health coverage and benefits.
The Thai side further pledged to deepen economic cooperation, aiming to increase bilateral trade from “$10 billion to $15 billion by 2025”. Last year, bilateral trade rose 25 percent to $4.3 billion, according to Cambodia’s General Department of Customs and Excise, with a trade deficit of $2.6 billion.
Regarding the issue of online scam, Phil Robertson, Director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, told CamboJA News that while Thailand is pushing for stronger action against scam centers linked to human trafficking, Cambodia is “merely pretending to cooperate—shielding Chinese criminals and local cronies involved in the operations”.
“The reality on the Cambodian side is there is no political will to shut down what is a very lucrative criminal sector that spreads the wealth around to officials and politicians alike,” he said.
Border city Poipet has recently come under heightened attention after Thai authorities cut telecom services in the city earlier this year, due to their use by scam operations. Thai officials even suggested constructing a border wall to prevent illegal crossings by criminals linked to online scams and smuggling operating from Poipet.
Robertson said despite a handful of rescues and arrests, both Cambodia and Thailand have made limited progress in dismantling human trafficking cyber scam centers. Victims are often treated as criminals, deterring them from coming forward, while public awareness campaigns alone fail to address the root cause of the crisis.
He highlighted growing concerns over transnational repression in Thailand, pointing to the broad-daylight assassination of Cambodian opposition figure Lim Kimya and the forced return of six UNHCR-recognized refugees in late 2024. Despite these serious actions, Thailand continues to suppress Cambodian opposition voices with minimal reciprocity from Phnom Penh.
Meanwhile, Seng Vanly, an Asia Pacific geopolitical analyst, said Cambodia and Thailand share close bilateral ties, rooted in long-standing relationships between the ruling parties—dating back to when both leaders’ fathers served as prime ministers. Despite ongoing border issues, he said the two governments maintain strong connections at the party, state, and elite levels.
He pointed out that Hun Manet’s emphasis on mutual non-interference is often used to justify the persecution of political refugees and critics.
“The discussion on economic, social, and political cooperation as well as the principle of non-interference shows the national and international community just how closely aligned the two governments are, working hand in hand to suppress dissenting voices,” he said.
Chou Bun Eng, Vice President of Cambodia’s National Committee for Counter-Trafficking, did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona declined to address allegations of political refugee persecution by Thailand. Instead, he told CamboJA News that both countries need to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of their people.
Asked to comment on labor issues, Moeun Tola, Executive Director of CENTRAL, said Thai and Cambodian authorities “have not done enough to support Cambodian migrant workers, especially when it comes to the complicated and costly process of registering as legal workers”.
“Thailand and Cambodia should revisit the procedures and make it easier and more affordable for workers to register legally,” he said, noting that many workers cannot afford the current fees and paperwork.
Tola said that the Cambodian government must simplify document preparation and clearly set reasonable job search fees to prevent workers from turning to illegal migration due to high costs and long wait times.
Tola also raised concerns about corruption among Thai border officials, accusing them of extorting money from workers—an issue frequently reported by migrants.
In addition, he highlighted the discrimination faced by Cambodian workers in Thailand, where locals perceive them as taking jobs and causing social challenges.
In response, Labor and Vocational Training Ministry spokesperson Katta Orn urged workers to report any abuses and to avoid illegal employment. “Please go through licensed recruitment agencies to ensure your rights and benefits are protected,” he said.
