Moving on from border tensions to the emergence of a dialogue between leaders in Cambodia and Thailand, the two sides are trying to bring the issue of cybercrime to bear on Cambodia, while Thailand itself is also facing serious cybercrime.
Making such accusations against Cambodia will only increase tensions between the two neighbors, raising the question of whether Thailand is truly willing to resolve its border dispute with Cambodia?
If Thailand continues to create tension, the border issue between the two countries will become more and more difficult and make the people of both countries the real victims. History will record all these responsibilities.
Thai newspaper The Nation reported that the United Nations has also demanded that Thailand respond to key points related to online crime. But Thai Prime Minister Phaythong Shinawatra was quoted by Thai media on June 24 as accusing Cambodia of being the home of one of the world’s largest cybercrime centers, and attributed the border closure and the problems Thailand has unilaterally caused with Cambodia over the border issue to this.
The Prime Minister’s statement is a combination of two different issues and an attempt to use one issue to cover up the sensitive issues that are currently occurring between Thailand and Cambodia.
Currently, the situation at the border is tense. And the armed forces of the two countries are facing each other, which has now evolved from border tensions to economic tensions and diplomatic tensions. Now, Cambodia is dealing with another difficult issue: cybercrime.
The issue that Thailand raised is not something that is happening in Cambodia, it is happening in Thailand itself. This type of crime is growing rapidly around the world because criminals can do it easily anywhere there is an internet connection.
This type of crime is a global issue that requires global cooperation and collaboration. In this regard, Mr. Chea Vandet, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, has already stated that this type of crime is committed in a complex and constantly evolving ecosystem that includes technology, actors involved, and vulnerabilities.
This type of crime is transnational and systemic, which makes the fight against it require sustainable cooperation, especially between governments. Transnational crime is a shared challenge that requires shared responsibility rather than political expediency by pushing or blaming each other.
To be successful, Thai authorities should focus on combating online or cybercrime networks within their jurisdiction and engage in cooperation rather than irresponsible accusations.
Regarding this type of crime, Cambodia is not just doing what Thailand did. Cambodia has been implementing this since before the COVID-19 outbreak. And there are many criminals that Cambodia has arrested and sent to China in cooperation with Chinese authorities.
Thailand has only recently taken this action after Chinese actress Wang Xing was trafficked from Suvarnabhumi Airport to a crime scene, leading to a sharp decline in Chinese tourists to Thailand.
The accusation that Cambodia is the base of such crimes. This crime is a very complex and borderless problem. To suppress and fight this crime, it requires strategy and transparency, and especially cooperation and working together and striving to fight together.
In the case where we are busy throwing water at each other, that is the time when criminals become more comfortable and have wider opportunities to carry out this crime.
