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Cambodia

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Cambodia. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Phnom Penh

Head of State

King Norodom Sihamoni

Head of Government

Prime Minister Hun Manet

The detained individuals are of six nationalities and are accused of running online scam operations or residing in Cambodia illegally, local media report says. Photo: Sohu

Chen Zhi

Cambodia raids sites linked to Chen Zhi, Chinese tycoon accused of scam empire

82 Chinese nationals among 104 people detained in Phnom Penh raids as governments around the world crack down on Chen’s scam business.

21 May 2026 - 5:39PMvideocam

Sri Lanka

The great scam migration: fraudsters fleeing Cambodia find a new hub

18 May 2026 - 11:12AMvideocam

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong court freezes HK$9 billion in assets and properties tied to Chen Zhi

14 May 2026 - 6:25PM

Indonesia

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

12 May 2026 - 8:11PMvideocam

Foreign nationals suspected of running an online gambling operation at an office building in Jakarta await transport after being arrested in the Indonesian capital on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

The Philippines

Remote control: the inmates running crime empires from Philippine prison

What do a South Korean drug ring and a Japanese robbery syndicate have in common? They were both allegedly run from Philippine prison cells.

11 May 2026 - 12:34PMvideocam

Indonesia

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

11 May 2026 - 11:13AMvideocam

Asean

Asean to step up push for South China Sea code, energy security

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says the code of conduct is key to unlocking deeper China-Asean economic cooperation.

8 May 2026 - 10:28PMvideocam

Asean

Asean’s pivot to energy security leaves long-standing issues on summit sidelines

Southeast Asia is one of the worst affected by the global fuel crisis due to its high imports of oil and gas coming from the Gulf.

8 May 2026 - 1:17PMvideocam

Asean

Myanmar could come in from the cold as Asean members warm towards nation

Myanmar has been largely sidelined from top-level Asean meetings since a 2021 military coup that sparked a nationwide civil conflict.

8 May 2026 - 10:18AMvideocam

Thailand

‘No longer a time for war’: Thailand, Cambodia pledge peace at Asean summit

Both sides agreed to build trust and pursue peace after last year’s border fight, with further talks planned to solidify ties.

8 May 2026 - 12:54AMvideocam

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (right), Cambodian leader Hun Manet (left) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr hold hands as they meet ahead of the Asean summit in Cebu, Philippines, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Thailand

Thailand scraps 25-year-old agreement with Cambodia on energy exploration

Cambodia ‌will now initiate a compulsory conciliation ‌mechanism under the ⁠UN Convention on the ‌Law of the ‌Sea.

5 May 2026 - 4:38PMvideocam

Thailand

‘Phantom birth’ scam spooks Thailand as hundreds of babies get fake citizenship

Police believe that some Chinese cyber scammers are using these false registrations to launder money through firms they can fully control.

5 May 2026 - 3:47PMvideocam

Asean

Why Singapore, Thailand are among the world’s ‘happiest’ economies

Southeast Asian countries outdid larger economies in the 178-nation Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025.

1 May 2026 - 8:58PMvideocam

Thailand

‘Destroying the world’s kitchen’: the poisoning of the Mekong River

Many millions depend on the river but toxic run-off from mining for modern technology - including for war - could be an existential threat.

1 May 2026 - 9:57AMvideocam

A man sits in a fishing boat on the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand, with Laos seen on the left, in 2019. Photo: AFP

Malaysia

‘Barrage of questions’: Malaysian Indians least likely to be scammed, police say

Despite all races being equally targeted, ethnic Indians lost the least because they would keep questioning until the scammers gave up.

30 Apr 2026 - 9:16AMvideocam

Little India in Kuala Lumpur. Ethnic Indians account for about 7 per cent of Malaysia’s population. Photo: Shutterstock

Electric & new energy vehicles

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:10PM

Scams and swindles

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

The sanction freezes all US assets linked to Senator Kok An and his named associates, and bars any American national from dealing with them.

24 Apr 2026 - 5:19PMvideocam

The Philippines

This retiree in the Philippines downloaded an app. Then he lost his life savings

Industrial-scale malware is replacing ‘pig-butchering’ as Cambodia’s scam hubs pivot to high-speed digital heists.

24 Apr 2026 - 10:41AMvideocam

“Malware-as-a-service” seizes control of a user’s phone after gaining entry through a fraudulent app, monitoring use in real-time and harvesting data such as fingerprints. Photo: Shutterstock

China-Asean relations

China calls on Cambodia for ‘shared security and risks’ during global turmoil

Defence and foreign ministers meet in Phnom Penh after Hun Manet describes China as a ‘most important and most trustworthy good friend’.

23 Apr 2026 - 5:06PMvideocam

Thailand

Cambodia is boycotting Thai products. Smuggled chicken could show otherwise

The Cambodian public is maintaining a boycott of Thai businesses even as the country’s economy is reeling from the global fuel crisis.

23 Apr 2026 - 3:51PM

Trending in China

China influencer recounts harrowing Cambodia cyber scam plight; live-stream cut short

After her return, Umi tested positive for drugs; doctors suspect her leg pain was from nerve compression due to immobility.

21 Apr 2026 - 2:00PM

Chinese influencer Umi who was tricked into telecom fraud while in Cambodia, recounted her ordeal in a recent live-stream that was cut short. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/RedNote

Asia travel

Asia’s next cocktail capital? The rise of Phnom Penh’s vibrant drinks scene

Bars in the Cambodian capital are redefining the city’s mixology with their focus on local ingredients, creativity and sustainability.

20 Apr 2026 - 9:15PM

A bartender puts the finishing touches on cocktails served at Seekers Spirits’ distillery and bar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Seekers Spirits

Japan

Vietnam, Philippines trust Japan. But Indonesia’s more cautious

Analysts say Indonesia worries about its neutrality as Tokyo ramps up ties with the US and lags behind China on green investment.

22 Apr 2026 - 9:48AMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Asean survey reflects China’s growing strategic influence but also concerns. The question is: will China crowd the US out of the region?

19 Apr 2026 - 9:46PMvideocam

US Politics

Video | Cambodian man deported to Africa by Trump administration

Pheap Rom was among 20 men sent to Eswatini under Trump’s ‘third country’ deals.

20 Apr 2026 - 1:33PM

Cambodian Pheap Rom poses for picture at a restaurant in Phnom Penh on March 30, 2026. A Cambodian refugee long-settled in the United States, ex-convict Pheap Rom, remains bewildered at how he wound up behind bars in the African nation of Eswatini for months after being swept up in Donald Trump’s deportation blitz. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP) / To go with ‘Cambodia-Eswatini-US-Migrants-Rights-Crime’ Focus by Suy Se and Matt Surrusco

02:18

Renewable energy

China begins building US$1 billion hydropower station in Cambodia

As focus switches to renewable energy, pumped-storage hydropower project in Koh Kong province expected to be completed by 2029.

19 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Upper Tatay pumped storage hydropower project in Koh Kong province, Cambodia, on April 10. Photo: Xinhua.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, unlicensed street photography becomes focus of crackdown

Kuala Lumpur authorities have seized photographic equipment from five foreigners since a warning in early April.

18 Apr 2026 - 9:39AM

Thailand

Songkran is here. So is Thailand’s worst energy crisis in years

Soaring costs for fuel and ice fail to dampen the mood as a wave of ‘revenge travel’ provides a much-needed economic boost.

13 Apr 2026 - 3:50PM

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Cambodia

Cambodia raids sites linked to Chen Zhi, Chinese tycoon accused of scam empire

82 Chinese nationals among 104 people detained in Phnom Penh raids as governments around the world crack down on Chen’s scam business.

The great scam migration: fraudsters fleeing Cambodia find a new hub

Hong Kong court freezes HK$9 billion in assets and properties tied to Chen Zhi

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

Remote control: the inmates running crime empires from Philippine prison

What do a South Korean drug ring and a Japanese robbery syndicate have in common? They were both allegedly run from Philippine prison cells.

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

Asean to step up push for South China Sea code, energy security

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says the code of conduct is key to unlocking deeper China-Asean economic cooperation.

Asean’s pivot to energy security leaves long-standing issues on summit sidelines

Southeast Asia is one of the worst affected by the global fuel crisis due to its high imports of oil and gas coming from the Gulf.

Myanmar could come in from the cold as Asean members warm towards nation

Myanmar has been largely sidelined from top-level Asean meetings since a 2021 military coup that sparked a nationwide civil conflict.

‘No longer a time for war’: Thailand, Cambodia pledge peace at Asean summit

Both sides agreed to build trust and pursue peace after last year’s border fight, with further talks planned to solidify ties.

Thailand scraps 25-year-old agreement with Cambodia on energy exploration

Cambodia ‌will now initiate a compulsory conciliation ‌mechanism under the ⁠UN Convention on the ‌Law of the ‌Sea.

‘Phantom birth’ scam spooks Thailand as hundreds of babies get fake citizenship

Police believe that some Chinese cyber scammers are using these false registrations to launder money through firms they can fully control.

Why Singapore, Thailand are among the world’s ‘happiest’ economies

Southeast Asian countries outdid larger economies in the 178-nation Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025.

‘Destroying the world’s kitchen’: the poisoning of the Mekong River

Many millions depend on the river but toxic run-off from mining for modern technology - including for war - could be an existential threat.

‘Barrage of questions’: Malaysian Indians least likely to be scammed, police say

Despite all races being equally targeted, ethnic Indians lost the least because they would keep questioning until the scammers gave up.

Li Auto targets BMW and Mercedes with premium SUVs in Middle East, Asia-Pacific

Beijing-based EV maker expects overseas deliveries to account for 30 per cent of its total by 2030, president Ma Donghui says.

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

The sanction freezes all US assets linked to Senator Kok An and his named associates, and bars any American national from dealing with them.

This retiree in the Philippines downloaded an app. Then he lost his life savings

Industrial-scale malware is replacing ‘pig-butchering’ as Cambodia’s scam hubs pivot to high-speed digital heists.

China calls on Cambodia for ‘shared security and risks’ during global turmoil

Defence and foreign ministers meet in Phnom Penh after Hun Manet describes China as a ‘most important and most trustworthy good friend’.

Cambodia is boycotting Thai products. Smuggled chicken could show otherwise

The Cambodian public is maintaining a boycott of Thai businesses even as the country’s economy is reeling from the global fuel crisis.

China influencer recounts harrowing Cambodia cyber scam plight; live-stream cut short

After her return, Umi tested positive for drugs; doctors suspect her leg pain was from nerve compression due to immobility.

Asia’s next cocktail capital? The rise of Phnom Penh’s vibrant drinks scene

Bars in the Cambodian capital are redefining the city’s mixology with their focus on local ingredients, creativity and sustainability.

Vietnam, Philippines trust Japan. But Indonesia’s more cautious

Analysts say Indonesia worries about its neutrality as Tokyo ramps up ties with the US and lags behind China on green investment.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Asean survey reflects China’s growing strategic influence but also concerns. The question is: will China crowd the US out of the region?

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Cambodian man deported to Africa by Trump administration

Pheap Rom was among 20 men sent to Eswatini under Trump’s ‘third country’ deals.

China begins building US$1 billion hydropower station in Cambodia

As focus switches to renewable energy, pumped-storage hydropower project in Koh Kong province expected to be completed by 2029.

In Malaysia, unlicensed street photography becomes focus of crackdown

Kuala Lumpur authorities have seized photographic equipment from five foreigners since a warning in early April.

Songkran is here. So is Thailand’s worst energy crisis in years

Soaring costs for fuel and ice fail to dampen the mood as a wave of ‘revenge travel’ provides a much-needed economic boost.

Opinion | As Iran war fallout hits Southeast Asia, US is losing influence to China

Video | Cambodian man deported to Africa by Trump administration