AMLO seizes over 70 million baht of Cambodian senator Ly Yong Phat’s assets in Thailand
Thailand’s AMLO has frozen 70 million baht of Cambodian senator Ly Yong Phat’s assets as police and banks intensify efforts to crack down on scam networks.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has seized assets worth over 70 million baht belonging to Ly Yong Phat, a Cambodian senator and influential businessman of Chinese-Thai descent, amid investigations into a major cross-border call-centre scam network.
According to authorities, Ly Yong Phat — who also holds Thai citizenship under the name Phat Suphapha — has been linked to the O-Smach Resort Casino in Cambodia, which is suspected of housing operations connected to scam syndicates targeting Thai and international victims.
The seizure applies only to Ly Yong Phat’s assets within Thailand, pending further investigation.
Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, Commissioner of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), said on Wednesday that the Royal Thai Police has upgraded its efforts against transnational call-centre gangs by establishing a dedicated “war room” in collaboration with banks to strengthen financial surveillance and asset-freezing operations.
He noted that since the establishment of the anti-scam centre, police have successfully blocked more than 40% of attempted fund transfers abroad, disrupting the movement of illicit money from scam operations.
Trairong emphasised that Thailand’s cyber police have long been proactive in pursuing scam networks — even before South Korea’s recent high-profile crackdown — citing previous joint operations with Cambodian authorities in August and September 2024.
“We coordinated with Cambodian police, shared intelligence on the location of casinos and scam networks, and obtained over 160 arrest warrants for both Thai and Cambodian suspects,” he said.
However, he revealed that several planned operations were delayed or cancelled at short notice by Cambodian officials, forcing Thai officers to withdraw without completing the arrests.
“Thai police acted earlier and with clear warrants against identified suspects. The difference lies in Cambodia’s level of cooperation — it is up to them whether they will work with Thailand as they have with South Korea,” he added.
Responding to reports that Cambodian scam gangs have relocated to Thailand, allegedly bringing South Korean nationals into the country to work in illegal operations, Trairong said authorities had no verified evidence to confirm these claims at present.
“So far, these are only media reports. Our investigations have not found concrete proof of illegal entry or smuggling of South Korean nationals into Thailand,” he stated.
The joint efforts between Thai police, AMLO, and banking institutions aim to dismantle the financial networks underpinning regional scam operations, many of which are believed to be based along the Thai-Cambodian border and supported by influential figures in both countries.
