Thailand’s military, which organized a press tour of the site, called the O’Smach Resort Complex, reported that the entire area covers roughly 197 acres, about the same as 150 American football fields.

A Thai soldier stands guard near scam compounds, which the Thai military said were used for scam operations in the O’Smach area at the Chong Chom –O’Smach border crossing. April 7, 2026. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa TPX

The Thai military took control of the compound in December during a border dispute with Cambodia, saying it had done so because the Cambodian side was using the site to launch military attacks. The facility is known as the O’Smach Resort and is owned by Cambodian politician Ly Yong Phat, who is currently under U.S. sanctions for human rights violations connected to the very same site.

A four-story office building on the grounds still contained leftover snacks from the previous occupants, along with detailed fraud scripts and notes written in Chinese covering various aspects of the operation.

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A dormitory where workers lived amid debris, inside a compound in O’Smach used for scam operations, at the Chong Chom-O’Smach border crossing. April 7, 2026. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The compound contains 157 buildings in total, 29 of which were dedicated to the scam businesses and their offices, while the remainder consisted of large dormitories, apartment blocks, and three-story luxury villas. Thai military officials estimated that at least 10,000 people had been living there. The site also featured multiple Chinese restaurants serving regional cuisines.

According to FBI figures released on the same day as the press tour, Americans alone lost close to $21 billion to online fraud in 2025.

Despite pledges from both Thailand and Cambodia to address the issue, officials acknowledged that the problem extends far beyond their borders. Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, one of the senior officials leading the media tour, stressed that no single country can tackle this alone and that a coordinated global response is essential.