Senator Ly Yong Phat Backs Government's Drive to Eliminate Online Scam Networks

Ly Yong Phat, a Cambodian senator and influential business figure, has announced his unwavering backing for the government's efforts to stamp out technology-driven fraud operations, calling such criminal activity a grave transnational threat that puts citizens at risk, undermines honest commerce, and tarnishes Cambodia's standing abroad.

The senator said he stands behind the government's strategies and firm actions to dismantle and permanently shut down every site and network connected to tech-enabled scams operating within Cambodia's borders. He emphasized a zero-tolerance stance toward these crimes without any carve-outs or exceptions.

Yong Phat voiced his endorsement of the two-day International Conference on Combating Online Scams that commenced in Phnom Penh on September 23, led by Prime Minister Hun Manet. The senator warned that this form of criminality puts people in danger, corrupts the legitimate business landscape, shakes investor trust, and damages the nation's global image.

Speaking as both a businessman and investor in Cambodia, Yong Phat said he is prepared to work alongside government authorities, law enforcement, and international allies to shield the public, defend the country's reputation, and help build a secure digital environment.

His statement aligned with a key theme from Prime Minister Manet's conference opening remarks: that investors, building owners, hiring agents, and other commercial players must actively prevent criminal organizations from hijacking legitimate business frameworks.

"Cambodia will never be a safe haven for online scams," Manet declared. "Cambodia will not allow criminal syndicates to undermine our country's progress and the livelihoods of over 17 million Cambodian people."

The prime minister noted that these crimes did not start in Cambodia and are not limited to the Kingdom alone. He stressed that genuine accountability demands unwavering domestic enforcement.

Manet explained that effective anti-scam laws must go after complete criminal operations, including masterminds, financial backers, recruiters, landlords, and anyone else who deliberately facilitates their work.

The government formed the Commission on Combating Online Scams under Manet's direct oversight in February 2025 and passed the Law on Combating Online Scams in April 2026.

"We treat law enforcement as a standing national security obligation and not a public relations campaign," the prime minister stated.

He reported that authorities have taken down all major scam compounds throughout Cambodia, though he cautioned that criminal groups are trying to reorganize into smaller, scattered operations.

Yong Phat's public pledge holds particular weight given that he has previously pushed back against Thai media stories connecting him and his enterprises to purported cybercrime and money laundering schemes.

In a November 2025 interview with The Post, he rejected reports claiming Thai officials had raided 36 properties and frozen roughly 400 million baht—about $12.3 million—in assets allegedly tied to online scam rings.

He clarified that he had run lawful casino operations for more than twenty years and leased out certain buildings to third parties after those businesses shut down during the Covid-19 crisis.

"I don't operate scam centres. I built my company with my own hands, and I have always contributed to Cambodia's growth," he said.