Cambodia Enforces Strict Laws Against Online Scams; Nepali Embassy Issues Urgent Notice

Kathmandu. The Nepali Embassy in Bangkok has issued an urgent notice for Nepali citizens residing there, following the Cambodian government's implementation of strict laws to control illegal activities including online scamming.

Under the new law, individuals involved in cross-border crimes such as online scamming face penalties of up to 500,000 US dollars and life imprisonment.

The Cambodian government, which implemented this law last week, has intensified its campaign to shut down, destroy online scamming centers, and arrest those involved. In this context, the embassy has issued a strict directive for Nepalis in Cambodia who have overstayed their tourist visas and are working in illegal scamming centers to immediately cease such activities and return to Nepal.

The embassy has stated that it has received information that many Nepali citizens are lured by high salaries and attractive benefits, go to Cambodia on tourist visas, and later get entangled in fraud schemes.

The embassy has reiterated that working on a tourist visa is illegal and has urged individuals to obtain a labor permit from the Department of Foreign Employment before going for foreign employment and to verify the authenticity of the employer through the concerned embassy.

To understand the actual situation of Nepalis in Cambodia and to facilitate their return to their home country, the embassy has also published an online form. The embassy has urged Nepalis in Cambodia to fill out the form and to immediately inform the embassy or the Consular Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if anyone is in trouble.

Furthermore, the embassy has informed that individuals or agents who lure people and send them to Cambodia can be reported to the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau of the Nepal Police upon returning to Nepal.

According to Cambodia's tourism statistics, 101 Nepalis went to Cambodia on tourist visas in 2021, while in 2022, 1977, in 2023, 2940, in 2024, 6404, and in 2025, 967t Nepalis visited Cambodia. The number of Nepalis facing problems in Cambodia has also increased.

Accordingly, the embassy has been rescuing Nepalis involved in illegally operated online scamming centers, online fraud in casinos, and various other illegal activities.