
The Provincial Electricity Authority on Wednesday morning cut off the power it was supplying to border regions in Myanmar, a move targeting the large number of scam centres based there.
The disconnection was carried out from the PEA control centre at its headquarters in Bangkok about 9am.
Three areas where the crime groups are known to operate are being targeted: Myawaddy, across from Mae Sot in Tak province; Payathongzu, opposite Three Pagodas Pass in Kanchanaburi; and Tachileik, opposite Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai.
The electricity supply was cut off to distributors who have contracts with the PEA at five points:
- Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge-Myawaddy
- Ban Huay Muang-Myawaddy
- Three Pagodas-Payathongzu
- Ban Mueang Daeng-Tachileik
- First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge-Tachileik.
The move was overseen by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
He said the government cut the power supply because the electricity was being used in a way that caused trouble for Thailand and affected its security.
The power users would have to correct the problem themselves, he said.
“They may face challenges of lower power supply, but we are at the point now where no one can blame Thailand for being part of or playing a part in supporting illegal acts,” Mr Anutin told reporters.
“They may turn to other sources of power supply or generate their own electricity.”
The PEA said it had cut a total of 20.37 megawatts of supply to the five areas, which would lead to a loss of 600 million baht in revenue per year.
A resident of Payathongzu said many local residents had faced power cuts since Wednesday morning, while Chinese businesses, including scam centres, continue to operate on generators.
“Over the last two days, we have seen big generators arriving into the town. Today, those generators are running and their businesses including scam centres are still operating,” he told Reuters, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“The businesses owned by locals have stopped and the town’s people are in trouble.”
Scam compounds in Southeast Asia, including those along the Thai-Myanmar border, are suspected to have entrapped hundreds of thousands of people in illegal online operations, generating billions annually, according to a 2023 United Nations report.
Actor’s case led to action
Thailand was finally compelled to take drastic action following serious requests from the Chinese government to deny resources to the gangs that were harming Chinese citizens. Chinese actor Wang Xing was among the victims and was reportedly enticed into the gangs’ arms by a compatriot.
Meanwhile, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission said it had once again cut off all internet access to the targeted areas. While unauthorised reconnections are possible, the military has been deployed to prevent them.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said efforts are being made to resolve the issue. He is planning to visit Mae Sot on Thursday to check the border situation.
More power cuts could be carried out in other locations besides Myanmar where criminal groups are active, the National Security Council (NSC) has said.
The PEA also sells electricity to Laos and Cambodia. If notified, it could act as it did with Myanmar, local media quoted an NSC official as saying.
The Thai state utility supplies electricity via eight service points to border areas in Cambodia and four points in Laos.