Ly Yong Phat, a well-known Cambodian entrepreneur and Senate member, has thrown his personal weight behind the government's push to wipe out online fraud, calling technology-driven scams a grave cross-border crime that endangers ordinary citizens, honest businesses and the nation's standing abroad.

He said he stood fully and unconditionally behind the government's policies and its firm steps to shut down and permanently dismantle every site and network tied to tech-enabled scams operating in the country.

Declaring "zero tolerance" for online scam crimes "with no exceptions whatsoever," Yong Phat voiced his backing for the two-day International Conference on Combating Online Scams, which began in Phnom Penh on September 23 under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

According to Yong Phat, the crime puts the population at risk, undermines Cambodia's legitimate commercial climate, erodes investor trust and tarnishes the country's image.

Speaking as a Cambodian businessman and investor, he said he was prepared to work alongside the government, law enforcement bodies and international allies to shield the public, defend the nation's reputation and help build a clean digital future.

Aligning with the prime minister's message

His pledge reflected a key theme of Manet's opening speech: investors, property owners, recruiters and other players in the business world have a duty to stop criminal groups from taking advantage of lawful commercial activity.

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

Manet emphasised that the crime neither began in Cambodia nor remained limited to its borders.

"Accountability must be proven through uncompromising internal actions," he said.

He noted that up-to-date anti-scam laws need to reach entire criminal networks, from ringleaders and investors to recruiters, property owners and anyone else who knowingly assists their operations.

Legal framework and enforcement

Cambodia set up 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 said.

He reported that authorities had broken up all large-scale scam compounds across the country, though he cautioned that criminal syndicates were trying to reorganise into smaller, more scattered operations.

Personal context behind the pledge

Yong Phat's open support for the campaign holds particular meaning for him, given that he has previously dismissed reports in the Thai media linking him and his companies to alleged cybercrime and money laundering.

In an interview in November 2025, he rejected claims that Thai authorities had searched 36 properties and frozen assets worth 400 million baht — roughly $12.3 million — supposedly connected to online scams.

He said he had run legal casino businesses for over 20 years and had leased some of his buildings to outside parties after those businesses shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"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.