Recently, a series of shootings and bombings have erupted along the Thai-Cambodian border, leading to speculation that a "reckoning" is approaching for the scam parks. However, despite the recent cessation of hostilities, the lights in the scam parks of Cambodia remain brightly lit. On July 27, thousands of Cambodians working in Thailand lined up to return home, but only 200 Thai employees applied to re-enter Thailand, and only 74 actually crossed the border. The rest, surprisingly, changed their minds just before crossing and chose to stay in the parks.
This is not a sign of "peace arriving," but rather the effectiveness of the scam groups' efficient pacification methods. Many employees describe the park as "stable" and "no more incidents will occur," with additional raises and compensation packages being offered, convincing people to continue staying at their posts. Despite frequent conflicts in the parks, the scam systems, scripts, and platforms continue to operate, with the number of reports maintaining at 800 to 900 per day.
On one hand, this reflects the scam groups' tenacious organizational capabilities; on the other hand, it shows that the park employees have a clear understanding of their jobs—they know what they are doing and feel it's "worth it." For many, the risk is outweighed by the "high salary."
More concerning is whether those who "gave up on entering" really had a choice. Thai police have confirmed that some individuals "cannot freely contact others," not ruling out the possibility that some are controlled or under soft detention. Fundamentally, these individuals may not be greedy but rather without alternatives. For uneducated, resource-less lower-class workers, "scamming" might be their only means of survival.
Even as bombs continue to explode, they do not look back. In this multiple-choice question about fate, poverty, and exploitation, they are being "chosen."
