Sixty-one people rescued from Myanmar scam centres handed over to Thai authorities

Date:

Box 1


Thailand has escalated efforts to curtail transnational crime networks by cutting electricity and planning resource suspensions to Myanmar’s border areas, where scam centres have proliferated.

Box 2

On Thursday (6 Feb), authorities in Tak province’s Mae Sot district received 61 individuals who were rescued from a scam compound in Myanmar’s Shwe Kokko complex.

The group consisted of 39 Chinese nationals, 13 Indians, five Indonesians, one Kazakh, one Ethiopian, one Pakistani, and one Malaysian.

They were handed over by Myanmar’s Border Guard Force to Thai officials at the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, according to Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. The rescued individuals underwent a screening process conducted by Thai immigration officials.

Box 3

Electricity cut targets criminal networks

As part of a broader crackdown, Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) cut power supplies a day earlier to five key points along the border where criminal activities thrive.

This includes areas such as Myawaddy, opposite Mae Sot; Payathongzu, near the Three Pagodas Pass; and Tachileik, adjacent to Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai.

Box 4

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul supervised the operation, which targeted areas heavily influenced by Chinese-led scam networks.

The PEA disconnected 20.37 megawatts of electricity, a move expected to result in an annual revenue loss of 600 million baht (approximately US$17 million).

However, Anutin emphasised that national security concerns outweighed the economic impact. “We can no longer be seen as enabling or tolerating illegal activities,” Anutin said.

Generators sustain scam centres amid local hardships

Despite the power cuts, major scam centres and Chinese businesses have continued operations using privately owned generators, sources told Reuters.

In contrast, local residents and small businesses in towns like Payathongzu have faced significant disruption. “Generators have been arriving over the past two days, and today they are fully operational,” said a local resident who requested anonymity due to safety concerns.

The power suspension, intended to disrupt criminal networks, followed a decision by Thailand’s National Security Council (NSC) to cut off energy and consider halting other resources like oil and internet services.

Defence Minister Phumtham said that initial observations suggested a 40% reduction in illicit activities at the Shwe Kokko complex since the suspension began.

Thailand monitors economic impact, prepares for further suspensions

Phumtham acknowledged potential losses, including reduced revenue for Thai state enterprises, but reaffirmed that ensuring the country’s safety was the government’s priority.

The government is currently evaluating whether similar power cuts could be extended to other regions, including areas in Laos and Cambodia where illegal operations may exist.

OR (PTT Oil and Retail Business Plc), Thailand’s largest oil trader, is also preparing to comply with resource suspensions.

The company, which exports 15–20 million litres of fuel per month to Myanmar, stated that oil deliveries were already halted at the Mae Sot border following the NSC’s recent order.

“If our trucks remain stuck at the checkpoint, we will immediately inform our customers,” said Racha Uthaichan, OR’s executive vice-president for international business.

Call-centre scams and international pressure

The crackdown comes amid pressure from China, which has accused the crime networks of targeting Chinese citizens in large-scale scams.

The case of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was allegedly recruited into a scam network, gained international attention and highlighted the cross-border nature of the issue.

The United Nations estimates that such compounds in Southeast Asia generate billions of dollars annually.

In Thailand, over 557,000 cases linked to call-centre scams have been reported, with more than 86 billion baht in damages incurred. This equates to losses of about 80 million baht per day, according to Thai authorities.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has also cut off internet access to affected areas to further isolate the criminal networks. While some reconnections have been attempted, military personnel have been deployed to prevent them.

As Thailand’s campaign unfolds, authorities remain vigilant. The NSC is open to expanding measures, potentially including more resource suspensions along the borders of Myanmar and neighbouring countries, should the criminal activities persist.



Source link

Box 5

Share post:

spot_img

Popular

More like this
Related

The G-DRAGON 2025 WORLD TOUR [ÜBERMENSCH] IN HANOI – Day 2 Tickets Now On Sale At 8Wonder Ocean City

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire –...

Netizens urge balance after Minister Shanmugam defends need for foreign workers in Singapore’s economy

SINGAPORE: Home Affairs and Coordinating Minister for National...

What to Know About ‘Gen Z Protests’ Around the World

new video loaded: What to Know About ‘Gen...

Haidilao under fire for botched use of Singlish in new ad campaign

SINGAPORE: Popular hot pot chain Haidilao has come...