Phumtham threatens to reduce power supply to Myanmar

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that Thailand may halve the power supply to Myanmar’s Shwe Kokko and KK Park to pressure authorities into cracking down on call-centre scam gangs. If no action is taken, a complete power cut could follow.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Monday threatened to halve the power supply to two controversial towns in Myanmar to pressure the neighbouring country into cracking down on call-centre gangs operating within its borders.

Phumtham said the National Security Council (NSC), which he chairs, would target Shwe Kokko and KK Park, both located in Myawaddy, Myanmar, by initially reducing their power supply by 50% as a warning. If no action is taken against illegal activities in these areas, the NSC may impose harsher measures by cutting off the power supply entirely, he warned.KK Park is situated across the Moei River from Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak province. The border area is notorious for its porous nature and has become a hub for illegal activities such as human trafficking and online scams. Shwe Kokko, also on the Moei River opposite Mae Sot, is infamous for large-scale online scam operations run by Chinese crime syndicates. These operations often involve human trafficking, with victims from across Asia forced into fraudulent schemes. The town has also seen the development of casinos and gambling establishments, often operating outside legal frameworks and attracting criminal elements.Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra previously suggested that the Interior Ministry, which oversees the Provincial Electricity Authority, should cut power to the two border towns as part of efforts to combat call-centre gangs. However, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that he lacked the authority to do so, as the power to impose such a measure rested with the NSC.

Speaking on Monday, Phumtham said that the NSC had convened a meeting earlier in the day, during which all security agencies agreed on the need to address the issue of call-centre gangs operating along the Myanmar border. He acknowledged that the NSC had the authority to halt power supply to Myanmar but stressed that the Thai government must also consider the welfare of innocent civilians. He noted that Thailand provides electricity to Myanmar as a humanitarian measure to assist the local population.

As a result, the NSC resolved to have the Foreign Ministry first engage in talks with the Myanmar government, urging them to take action against the illegal operations or face the termination of power supply to the affected areas. As an initial step, Phumtham said the NSC might cut the power supply to these towns by half, making it insufficient as a warning.

Phumtham announced that he would visit the Mae Sot border on Thursday, after which he would issue a clearer directive regarding the power reduction. He also stated that during his visit, he would take action against corrupt officials along the border.

Additionally, Phumtham confirmed that he would meet Liu Zhongyi, China’s Assistant Minister of Public Security, at the Defence Ministry at 3 pm on Tuesday. He said he expected discussions on how Thailand and China could collaborate to combat call-centre gangs, particularly those operating along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

On 28 January, Liu informed Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau that 36 major Chinese-run call-centre scam operations, employing over 100,000 fraudsters, were based in the Myawaddy area along the Thai border.

(2025/02/03-00:00)