TAK: People in Phop Phra district of Tak bordering Myawaddy are facing a shortage of diesel while security officials arrest Thais for smuggling fuel into Myanmar.
Local people in the border district of Phop Phra said limited supplies of diesel were available at local petrol stations. Meanwhile, some people were trying to smuggle diesel into adjacent Myawaddy town in Myanmar, to which Thai government cut off supplies of power, oil and internet connectivity in order to tackle scam gangs near the border.
On Saturday night soldiers from the Ratchamanu task force arrested three Thais – a man and two women – as they were pushing four barrels from the bank of Ban Muen Ruechai village in Phop Phra into the Moei River which borders Myawaddy.
The barrels contained altogether 800 litres of diesel.
The three Thais told the soldiers on patrol that they were smuggling diesel into Myawaddy.
There were reports that the retail price of diesel in Myanmar towns near the border with Thailand had nearly doubled after the cutoff.