Thailand cut the power supply on Wednesday to multiple regions in Myanmar that are key locations for a sprawling online scam center worth billions globally.
Up to Wednesday afternoon, a local NGO reported that at least one of these scam operations continued to function, despite the uncertainty about the effect of the power cuts on other sites in the region.
In Myanmar, the emergence of online scam centers, often run by Chinese criminal groups, has escalated amid ongoing violent conflict since the 2021 military coup.
Workers, often deceived by promises of high-paying jobs, find themselves imprisoned and forced into fraud activities within highly secured compounds where abuse and torture are reportedly widespread.
Thailand’s Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, visited a national grid control station on Wednesday, overseeing the disconnection of electricity to five areas along the border, broadcast live on television.
Anutin announced that the power cutoff to Myanmar at five key points was a decision made by the National Security Council.
He clarified that the cessation of electricity was not due to contractual violations by the companies, but because the power was being misused for scams, drug operations, and call centers.
One affected area was Myawaddy, located along a river that separates Thailand from Myanmar, near large scam compounds believed to house thousands of captive workers.
Increased attention was drawn to these sites following an incident last month when a Chinese actor was abducted under the guise of a movie casting in Bangkok, only to be taken across the border and forced to work in one of these scam operations.
These scam operations have long thrived, protected by corruption and disorder in Myanmar’s border areas, exacerbated by prolonged civil conflict.
Amid rising pressure, Thailand has recently engaged in high-profile diplomatic meetings aimed at intensifying efforts with Myanmar and China to dismantle these criminal networks.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is currently in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China expressed significant concern on Wednesday about the ongoing issues with online scammers along the Thailand-Myanmar border, stated Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press briefing.
The scam compounds operate similarly to miniature cities, complete with dining establishments, markets, and childcare facilities, as reported by former employees who spoke to the media. In addition to hosting scam activities, these locations also serve as venues for gambling and prostitution.
In Myawaddy alone, an estimated 6,500 individuals from 23 different countries are forcibly detained in these scam operations, including approximately 4,500 Chinese nationals.
This data comes from the Civil Society Network for Victim Assistance in Human Trafficking, a Thai NGO dedicated to combating human trafficking.
Thailand has intermittently disrupted power to these fraudulent sites along its Myanmar border over the past few years. Yet, it remains uncertain whether these previous power cuts have effectively hindered the operations at these sites.
Should power cuts occur, leaders of these compounds can switch to diesel generators for electricity and use Elon Musk’s Starlink for internet, which is already utilized by various groups in Myanmar.
“Tonight you will see the lights,” was a common refrain, reflecting skepticism about the effectiveness of the power cuts in disrupting scam operations.
Local concerns escalated after the power cuts to Myanmar’s Three Pagodas Pass, vital for connections between southeastern Myanmar and western Thailand.
A local resident commented, “Businessmen can afford generators for their operations, but we, the poorer locals, cannot.”
From across the river in Mae Sot, Thailand, doubts remain about whether the power outages will halt the scam operations.
“The lights will still be on in Shwe Kokko tonight,” remarked a Mae Sot resident, pointing to a well-known scam site visible from the border.
The recent kidnapping and subsequent rescue of Chinese actor Wang Xing have intensified the spotlight on these scam centers, prompting numerous Chinese families to urge their government to rescue their loved ones, trapped in these operations for months, or even years.
Four years after its coup, Myanmar’s military is still clashing with armed ethnic militias, with the UN reporting over 5,000 civilian deaths and 3.3 million displacements.
In the midst of its political chaos, Myanmar has emerged as a hotspot for cyber scams, where activities such as fraud, cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering, and corruption thrive, often with the implied approval of the ruling junta, according to experts.
Previously, China collaborated with Myanmar’s authorities to target scam operations in the northern Shan state, close to the Chinese border.
In 2023, as ethnic militias made advances against the junta, influential warlord families supported by the military to govern the region and manage these fraud activities were captured and turned over to Chinese law enforcement.
Chinese officials report that over 53,000 Chinese individuals, including victims of trafficking, have been repatriated from scam operations in northern Myanmar.
However, numerous scam operations have relocated to the southern parts of Myanmar, including Myawaddy, as reported by NGOs and experts who have been monitoring these criminal networks for years.
