Thailand Conducts Airstrikes on Cambodian Casinos Amid Escalating Border Conflict

In a significant military escalation, the Thai government has confirmed conducting airstrikes targeting several buildings in Cambodia, including casinos and resorts widely reported to be centers for online scam operations and human trafficking. The confirmed actions, reported on December 18, 2025, represent a direct intervention by Thai forces against complexes allegedly used for military purposes by Cambodian forces.

Thai Military Justification for the Casino Bombing
The Royal Thai Army has publicly stated that its airstrikes were directed at legitimate military objectives, not civilian infrastructure. Official spokespersons asserted that the targeted Cambodian casinos and hotels, such as the O’Smach Casino and Royal Hill Resort, were being utilized as drone command centers, launch areas for attacks, and storage sites for weapons including BM-21 rockets. This frames the bombing campaign as a necessary countermeasure against immediate military threats emanating from across the border.

The Deep Link to Online Scam and Trafficking Networks
Analysts note that the Thai airstrike targets are not random. The border region of Cambodia is infamous for hosting industrial-scale online scam operations. These scam centers often use forced labor, trafficking individuals under false pretenses and holding them in compounds frequently housed within or adjacent to casino complexes. The O’Smach Casino, for instance, had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for its role in human rights abuses linked to forced scam labor. Thailand’s military action, therefore, intersects with a broader, clandestine war against cross-border criminal syndicates, though it raises severe humanitarian concerns for trafficking victims potentially trapped inside the bombed facilities.

Context of the Broader Thailand-Cambodia Border War
These airstrikes occur within the context of intense and renewed border clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces. The conflict has involved artillery duels and ground fighting, resulting in numerous military and civilian casualties and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. A previously brokered ceasefire in July 2024 failed, leading to this more violent phase. The decision to bomb these specific targets also follows a pattern of Thai financial crackdowns on Cambodian oligarchs linked to the scam industry, suggesting a multi-front strategy combining military and economic pressure.

In summary, the Thai government’s bombing of Cambodian casino complexes is a multi-faceted action. It is publicly justified as a direct military response to Cambodian attacks. Simultaneously, it serves as a strategic blow against the infrastructure of vast online scam and human trafficking networks that have proliferated in the border zone. This campaign highlights how regional border disputes are increasingly intertwined with the fight against transnational organized crime, carrying complex legal and humanitarian consequences.