Cheyenne Suarez

Thai teen jumps out of 8th floor window to escape Cambodia’s brutal scam farms

Article (news)

Reuters Wires

Lured to Cambodia, tortured and forced to defraud strangers online, a Thai teenager said he barely survived after he threw himself from an eighth-floor window last year in a desperate bid to escape one of the Southeast Asian nation’s prison-like scam compounds.The 18-year-old, who asked to be identified only by the nickname Louis, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday (June 25) he endured brutal conditions for almost a year, alongside children as young as 13, in an operation run by Chinese criminals.Trafficked workers lived like &quot;slaves&quot;, he said, they were forced to work from early in the morning until midnight in buildings surrounded by high walls and barbed wire where they were subjected to brutal punishments and guarded by men with electric batons.The transnational scam industry emerged in Southeast Asia during the pandemic and is believed to generate billions of dollars a year for organised crime as people across the globe are defrauded of their life savings.Reuters was unable to independently verify Louis’ account but details matched other accounts by trafficking survivors published by numerous groups including United Nations agencies.Louis spoke to Reuters in the Thai capital of Bangkok a day before London-based rights group Amnesty International published a report on Thursday (June 26) accusing the Cambodian government of “deliberately ignoring” human rights abuses by cybercrime gangs, allegations the Cambodian government rejected, saying the report was “exaggerated”.He said he wanted to tell Thai people looking for work not to go to Cambodia.&quot;It&#x27;s for your own safety, for your life. If you make a mistake there someday, you might never come back.”<div>(Production: Napat Wesshasartar)</div>

Lured to Cambodia, tortured and forced to defraud strangers online, a Thai teenager said he barely survived after he threw himself from an eighth-floor window last year in a desperate bid to escape one of the Southeast Asian nation’s prison-like scam compounds.

Lured to Cambodia, tortured and forced to defraud strangers online, a Thai teenager said he barely survived after he threw himself from an eighth-floor window last year in a desperate bid to escape one of the Southeast Asian nation’s prison-like scam compounds.

Thai teen jumps out of 8th floor window to escape Cambodia’s brutal scam farms

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Thai teen jumps out of 8th floor window to escape Cambodia’s brutal scam farms

Reuters

Published June 27, 2025 11:26 AM PHT

Read More:

cambodia

thailand

scam farm

scam center

ABSNews

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.