Military panel warns of Thai political naïveté in Cambodia dispute

 

Military committee seminar on Thai-Cambodian dispute highlights Thailand’s political naïveté and exposes links between money laundering giant and Hun Sen.

SATURDAY, JULY 05, 2025 

The House Committee on Military Affairs held a seminar at the Parliament Complex under the theme: “Leveraging anti-money laundering mechanisms to address security challenges: A case study of the Thai-Cambodian dispute,” on Saturday (July 5). 

MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, party-list MP from the People’s Party and chair of the committee, along with Chayaphon Satondee, the committee’s spokesperson, Pol Col Seehanat Prayoonrat, former secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), and Supalak Ganjanakhundee, an independent scholar, served as speakers at the seminar.

Wiroj: No need to “burn the house” to catch one rat

In his opening remarks, Wiroj emphasised that modern financial technology, such as mobile banking apps, now enables effective tracking of illicit money transfers. He contrasted this with the past, when authorities felt compelled to close border checkpoints to disrupt illegal trade networks.

"Previously, we applied pressure to open or close border gates because we knew that influential figures on the other side benefited from smuggling untaxed goods," he said. "But now, there’s no need to burn the house just to catch one rat. We have lasers—just one shot and the rat is dead. We no longer need blunt-force measures."

Seehanat warns of “economic bomb” from global blacklisting

Seehanat spoke about the emerging threat of blacklisting by international financial watchdogs, warning that countries perceived as safe havens for criminal enterprises—or lacking robust enforcement—risk being cut off from global financial systems.

He cited Iran, North Korea, and Cambodia as high-risk jurisdictions, noting that these countries are currently restricted from engaging in international financial transactions. Those who do engage with them risk asset seizures and frozen accounts.

 

He added that Cambodia was previously grey-listed, before being removed from the list in 2023—a process he personally assisted with. He expressed confidence that cross-border cooperation, particularly among countries affected by transnational crime, is key to effective suppression.

“If one country refuses to cooperate, they will be blacklisted,” he said, “and that will have serious consequences—not just for that country, but for others like Thailand too.”

Borders must be negotiated, not militarised

Speaking at the seminar, independent scholar Supalak warned against relying on military measures in dealing with territorial disputes, particularly along the Thai-Cambodian border. He stressed that such actions often come at the cost of civilian lives and diplomatic relations.

“I do not support military retaliation between neighbouring countries,” he said. “It’s the people along the border who suffer. I live near Preah Vihear, in Si Sa Ket province. During the 2011 clashes, a neighbour of mine was killed. And even now, more than a decade later, I still haven’t received an answer as to why. Did we reclaim Preah Vihear? Or did we simply lose lives, relationships, and property in exchange for the rhetoric of sovereignty and nationalism?”

 

Confusion and escalation at the border

Supalak also criticised the government’s handling of the recent tensions at Chong Bok and the three disputed temple sites, including its decision to adjust border gate hours—moves that he believes stirred nationalist sentiment in both countries.

He noted that when the Prime Minister visited the area and publicly asked border officials if there were any issues, it may have signalled to Cambodia that Thailand was uncertain or divided, eventually leading to the leaked audio clip scandal.

“That incident caused national embarrassment. It exposed the Thai government’s political naivety. In response, the government handed authority to the military to seal the entire border, including in Ubon Ratchathani, where the incident occurred. This led to the full closure of border checkpoints,” he said.

A costly and unclear strategy

Supalak said he remains unclear about the true nature of Thailand’s current dispute with Cambodia, suggesting that inconsistent and vague messaging may have worsened the situation.

While military officials have claimed that strict border controls are part of a tactical strategy to pressure the other side—including efforts to curb scam call centre operations—he questioned the lack of clear objectives and impact on border communities.

“People along the border are suffering,” he said. “Thailand does 300 billion baht in annual trade with Cambodia, and 60% of that—around 170 billion baht—comes from border trade. Instead of adjusting to actual threats, we’re swinging blindly. We need to ask ourselves: Does Thai sovereignty actually exist in practice, or just in speeches?”

Money laundering network linked to Hun Sen family, seminar told

The speaker argued that resolving complex border and security disputes with Cambodia requires targeted diplomatic and legal action, not military measures. “We should use a sniper’s precision, not a shotgun approach,” he said, referring to the need for accurate, evidence-based pressure rather than broad, unfocused policies.

Supalak revealed allegations linking Huione Group Cambodia, a major financial firm based in Phnom Penh, to transnational crime—and even to Cambodia's former Prime Minister and current Senate President, Hun Sen.

Huione Group: $4 billion laundering operation and US sanctions

According to Supalak, Huione Group Cambodia has been placed on the US Department of the Treasury’s blacklist, accused of laundering up to US$4 billion and holding more than US$37 million in suspicious funds. The group is also reportedly linked to the sale of large volumes of personal data and hacking operations involving North Korea.

What’s more concerning, Supalak said, is that the owner of the company serves as an adviser to Hun Sen, making this not only a financial or legal issue, but a political one with significant ramifications.

“Exerting pressure on the Cambodian government in international forums could directly impact the economic interests of the Hun Sen family,” he noted.

Thai trade restrictions deemed ineffective

Supalak dismissed current Thai measures—such as suspending exports to Cambodia—as ineffective and insufficiently targeted. “Such policies don’t hurt Cambodia where it matters,” he said.

Instead, he proposed that Thai authorities thoroughly investigate whether Cambodian call centre operations are conducting financial transactions through Thailand, and then formulate an appropriate response.

“Huione Group Cambodia is arguably the top criminal actor in Asia today,” he added, calling for coordinated action by regional governments.

Call for international legal standards

Supalak stressed that his intentions were entirely constructive, aiming to raise the bar for Thai and Cambodian law enforcement cooperation and promote international legal standards.

“This is not about punishing one side. It’s about protecting the people of both countries—and the region at large—from being exploited, deceived, or having their assets siphoned away,” Supalak concluded.