ASEAN Beat | Society | Southeast Asia

Perceptions Matter – Whether Cambodians Like It or Not

Anger over an American media report referring to the country as “Scambodia” needs to be redirected to the root cause of an old pun.

A screenshot of the Wall Street Journal Article, published Apr. 19, 2026, that elicited a strong response from the Cambodian government.

For decades, Cambodia has battled dreadful perceptions – real or otherwise – as a crime hub, a sunny place for shady characters looking for somewhere to cool their heels, or as a comfortable place to practice their arts of deception.

The official response is anger and denial, never acceptance, and heaven help the reporters who dare to reveal an unwanted blight into the public eye.

And so it was with the Cambodian authorities, backed by online outbursts of nationalistic rage from government-friendly NGOs, and media outlets, all of whom demanded an apology from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) after it quoted diplomats as describing the country as “Scambodia.”

That story, published on April 19, was headlined: “How Cybercrime Became a Leading Industry in ‘Scambodia’ – Crime syndicates in Cambodia corrupt officials, enslave workers, and fleece victims worldwide.”

The WSJ did not apologize, nor remove the article. It did publish a protest letter from Cambodian Information Minister Neth Pheaktra, who argued such crimes are “transnational and largely foreign-led” as opposed to an established domestic industry.

True enough. It’s no secret that Chinese organized crime was behind the industrialization of what would have once been obliquely described as a boiler room operation. Prince Group and Chen Zhi laid all that bare after the U.S. Justice Department seized $15 billion in assets.

But “Scambodia” is an old term and its resurrection coincided with a slew of arrests and prison terms for government critics who spoke out on social media as former opposition leader Kem Sokha lost his appeal against a 27-year house arrest sentence for treason.

On the international stage, Cambodia has a high profile for all the wrong reasons.

The WSJ was not the first to coin the term “Scambodia.” It has long been a derogatory term used by some expats. Author Brandon Suggs published “Scambodia – The Dark Side of Paradise” in 2019, noting that Cambodia was not just known for its temples, beaches, and cheap beer.

He exposed more than 40 scams that travelers and expats have experienced, which warranted its reputation as the Wild West of Asia. His 62-page book aside, the term has also all too often been associated with offenders from abroad and........

© The Diplomat