Myawaddy in chaos after Thailand cuts power to Myanmar scam towns

Households, hospitals and businesses in turmoil as electricity, fuel and internet supplies withdrawn to combat transnational call centre fraud

Residents in Myanmar’s Myawaddy township on the border with Thailand are suffering severe impacts from the Thai government’s decision to cut electricity, internet and fuel supplies to the township on Wednesday.

The move aims to deter the operations of call centre scamming gangs based in the area, which have become a growing international security concern.

Areas affected by the shut-off include Tachileik, Myawaddy and Phaya Thonsu townships on the Myanmar border, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday.



A reporter said on Thursday that villagers and entrepreneurs in Myawaddy, most of whom are not linked to the scamming gangs or illegal activities, are being impacted by the move.

Long queues are building at fuel service stations, while local businesses and hospitals have been severely affected by the power cutoff, he said.

Over 20 service stations in Myawaddy have shut down after running out of fuel, he added.

The border checkpoints at the first and second Thai-Myanmar Friendship bridges which connect to Mae Sot district, Tak province were open as usual on Thursday. However, some transport operators have suspended operations to Myanmar, fearing the impact of power and fuel cutoffs.



The reporter said business operators in Myawaddy are complaining that the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which controls the area, has done nothing to protect the 100 billion baht annual border trade that anchors Myawaddy’s economy. The junta-aligned BGF offers protection for the Chinese-run scam operations in its jurisdiction. 

The BGF’s leader, Major General Saw Chit Thu, has yet to respond to the withdrawal of power and fuel supplies.



Myawaddy business operators have called for emergency talks with the Tak Chamber of Commerce to discuss measures to mitigate the impact of the cutoff policy and salvage the cross-border economy.

(2025/02/06-00:00)