Thailand Cuts Power to Five Areas in Myanmar

BANGKOK, WEDNESDAY — Frustrated with the rampant online fraud crimes at the Myanmar-Thailand border, Bangkok has cut off cross-border electricity supply to five areas in Myanmar. These five areas are two points in Mae Sai, two points in Mae Sot, and one point in Three Pagodas Pass.

The point where the electricity supply was cut off borders Tachileik, Myawaddy, and Payathonzu in Myanmar. "Thailand has stopped the electricity supply to Myanmar at five locations based on the decision of the National Security Council," said Thailand's Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul, on Wednesday (February 5, 2025), to reporters in Bangkok, Thailand.

According to Anutin, the sale of electricity to those five regions is actually quite substantial, around 1.5 million US dollars per month. However, Thailand chose this significant step because it did not want to be involved in online fraud.

"The electricity supply was cut off not because the company violated the contract, but because the electricity was misused for fraud, drugs, and call centers," said Anutin. "Now, no one can accuse Thailand of being part of supporting illegal businesses," Anutin added.

The day before, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai affirmed Bangkok's stance. This assertion followed a meeting between Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the National Security Council to discuss the issue last Tuesday.

"What happened has had a huge impact on many Thai people and the image of the country," Paetongtarn said.

Since Myanmar fell into the hands of the military junta and resistance from various civil groups occurred, several points on the Myanmar-Thailand border have developed into "no man's land" and lawless areas. Online fraud complexes have proliferated.

Alongside this, cross-border crimes such as smuggling and human trafficking are on the rise. The derivatives of crimes carried out by syndicates and criminal gangs are increasingly concerning, one of which is kidnapping. Several tourists, including the actor from China, Wang Xing, have become victims.

Initially, Wang was enticed with the offer of an acting opportunity and a trip to Thailand. However, he was instead taken to the border with Myanmar. The police suspect that Wang was to be employed in an online fraud operation targeting Chinese citizens.

In the border operation, Wang was freed by Thai police. However, the kidnapping has made Bangkok restless. The crime that is rooted in the "no man's land" on the border is considered to tarnish Thailand's tourism image.

"We have to take immediate action, which is to cut off the electricity," Wechayachai said.

According to Wechayachai, the growing online fraud hubs in the border areas are a threat and problem for Thailand's national security and tourism industry.

Thailand does not want to disturb and worry Chinese tourists—who are Thailand's main tourism market. On the other hand, Chinese citizens are also known to be perpetrators of online fraud.

The issue was said to be on the agenda of discussions between PM Paetongtarn who will visit Beijing and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Regarding online fraud syndicates, according to the United Nations, hundreds of thousands of people have become victims of human trafficking. The victims come from various countries in Asia, one of which is Indonesia.

Based on data from the assistance provided by the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI), for example, SBMI has handled 344 cases of Indonesian migrant workers who were forced to work as online scammers or online fraudsters throughout 2020-2024. As many as 95 percent meet the elements of the crime of human trafficking (TPPO). The majority of placement locations are in Myanmar (Kompas.id, Monday, February 3, 2025).

It is recorded that since October 2023 the Myanmar military junta has repatriated more than 55,000 foreign nationals, mostly from China. They were forced to work in online fraud complexes. Last January, the local media run by the Myanmar government, Global New Light of Myanmar, said that “foreign organizations” invested in the online fraud network.

The media argued that electricity and internet connections were not provided by the Myanmar government. On the contrary, the Global New Light of Myanmar said that foreign countries supplied the basic needs of the fraud centers, including electricity and internet connections.

In late January, Chinese authorities arrested a key suspect in a human trafficking case. The suspect, surnamed Yan, was linked to an online fraud ring on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. He was arrested shortly after Wang Xing was kidnapped.

Chinese security authorities say they have cracked down on criminal syndicates in joint operations with neighboring countries, but the efforts have not yet touched the leaders of online fraud syndicates in Myanmar.

From a number of cases handled by the authorities, investors in the criminal practices came from China. They operate a number of casinos in Myanmar, especially in the border region. In practice, they cooperate with local ethnic militias.

In addition to Myanmar, online fraud practices are also widespread in Southeast Asia, especially during the pandemic, including the Philippines. Online fraud perpetrators and syndicates are said to rake in billions of US dollars per year from their actions.

Some time ago, relevant officials from China, Myanmar and Thailand reached a consensus to eradicate online fraud centers in Myanmar.

(AP/AFP/Reuters)