https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2951127/power-cut-to-scammers-on-hold
Power cut to scammers on hold
Premier to decide on supply to Myanmar
PUBLISHED : 31 Jan 2025 at 05:47
NEWSPAPER SECTION: News
WRITER: Aekarach Sattaburuth
The government has not yet decided whether to broadly cut electricity supplies to Myanmar to combat call-centre scammers believed to operate on the neighbouring country's side of the border.
Chinese scammer operations are understood to be based mainly along the Thai-Myanmar border, especially in areas controlled by armed ethnic minority groups. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper recently suggested that scam networks operating within Myanmar's territory have received support from "neighbouring" countries. While the report did not specify any particular nation, it is widely understood to refer to Thailand.
Rangsiman Rome, a list MP of the opposition People's Party, said on Thursday that call-centre scams are an increasing threat to the country as substantial sums of money are siphoned off across the border to the gangs. Call-centre scams also have an impact on the economy as foreigners may see Thailand as unsafe to visit out of fear they may fall victim to human trafficking gangs linked with the scammers, he said.
He referred to reports of a high-profile trafficking case involving a Chinese actor and a missing Chinese model, which has resulted in many tour groups cancelling their plans ahead of the Chinese New Year.
Mr Rangsiman suggested that more measures should be taken to cripple the call-centre scammer's operations, such as more efforts to cut the electricity supply to the gangs based along the border. He said the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) under the Interior Ministry can do so immediately without waiting for any instruction from the government. He said the electricity supply contract allows the PEA to do so to prevent any threats to national security.
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said anyone supplying electricity across the border to call-centre gangs in Myanmar would be deemed as an accomplice. Responding to Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who said he would ask security agencies to consider further cutting the electricity supply to call-centre gangs believed to be operating on Myanmar soil, Mr Phumtham said that it should be left to Mr Anutin to decide on the matter.
"The Interior Ministry is also one of the security agencies. We have to discuss the issue to integrate efforts to tackle the problem," said Mr Phumtham, who also serves as a deputy prime minister.
He said Thailand still supplies electricity across the border at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and in Mae Hong Son. The electricity is used by ordinary people in communities in the two areas, he said.
Mr Phumtham said that in June last year, the government cut electricity across the border to certain Myanmar towns where call-centre gangs were suspected of using the electricity to operate.
In response, Mr Anutin said on Thursday that that the PEA tried to seek the green light from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to more broadly cut the electricity supply to Myanmar, but the prime minister has yet to give any instructions. "This is an important issue, and we must inform the prime minister and wait for an instruction," Mr Anutin said.
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