The Second Army Commander led a Philippine military staff delegation to the Chong Jom border to receive information and review evidence of scammer buildings, which are sources of cybercrime in the area.
On 10 Feb 2026 at 10:00, General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and his delegation arrived by army helicopter, landing temporarily at the helipad inside the Border Development Center in Kabchoeng Subdistrict, Kabchoeng District, Surin Province.
They were welcomed by Lieutenant General Weerayut Raksin, Second Army Commander, along with Major General Sompop Pharawech, Commander of the Suranaree Task Force, and his deputy. The group then proceeded to the meeting room of the Border Coordination Unit Area 2 Thailand-Cambodia, located in front of the permanent checkpoint at Chong Jom Subdistrict, Dan District, Surin Province. Lieutenant General Songwit Wayuhed, Military Intelligence Chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, and other Thai officials also accompanied the delegation.
The visit aimed to inspect and study the operational area under the responsibility of the Second Army to strengthen relations and security cooperation between the Thai and Philippine militaries. They also received information about cybercrime sources and online scam networks, which are common issues affecting multiple ASEAN countries.
The delegation was briefed on the Second Army's missions, focusing on the overall security situation along the Thai-Cambodian border, which remains sensitive in some areas. The military has been monitoring, controlling the situation, and integrating cooperation with all sectors closely to maintain peace, safety of life and property, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and manage border traffic, while exchanging views on regional security.
After about one hour of briefing, the group left the meeting room to examine detailed maps of scammer operations in the Chong Jom area prepared by the Second Army and the Suranaree Task Force. The information was divided into seven zones covering 28 buildings, with photographic evidence of scammer offices, including mock police stations from various countries, simulated banks, computers, and numerous multilingual fraudulent documents from around the world.
The delegation then crossed the permanent checkpoint gate at Chong Jom to the Orosamed area in Cambodia, where Thai forces can control the territory near two casinos. This allowed the Philippine military staff to observe the actual site and the scammer operations firsthand.
At approximately 11:30, the Philippine military staff boarded a helicopter at the helipad inside the Border Development Center in Kabchoeng Subdistrict, Kabchoeng District, Surin Province. They departed for the helipad at Phumisrol Wittaya School in Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, arriving at 13:00. From there, they proceeded to Phu Ma Kuea and damaged residential areas in Saothongchai Subdistrict, Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province. They declined to give any interviews to the media.
This visit by the Philippine Chief of Staff underscores the long-standing close ties between the Thai and Philippine militaries. It also provides an opportunity to deepen mutual trust between the armed forces of both countries, forming a crucial foundation for sustainable relations. The visit reflects a shared commitment to enhancing security cooperation to promote stability and peace in the ASEAN region.