Thailand Urged to Cut Power and Internet to Myawaddy Scam District

[webfact]

Rangsiman Rome. Picture courtesy: Naewna

 

Thailand has been urged to cut off power and internet supplies to Shwe Kokko, a district in Myanmar's Myawaddy Township, notorious for online scams and gambling operations.

 

House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategies & Reforms Chair Rangsiman Rome has called on Thai authorities, specifically the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and the National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), to halt the provision of these essential services.

 

Rangsiman reports that power poles spanning the Moei River from Mae Sot on the Thai side have been providing electricity to Shwe Kokko. He describes this district as heavily influenced by "grey Chinese capitalists" and claims that the current power contract only facilitates these nefarious activities. The primary aim of this action is to curb the rampant online scams and casino businesses that have allegedly victimised numerous Thais.

 

 

The House chair asserts that many Chinese tourists arriving in Mae Sot are primarily attracted to Shwe Kokko for its gambling opportunities. Cutting off power and internet would presumably make these illegal activities more difficult to conduct and thus help reduce the number of victims.

 

Rangsiman has stressed his determination to meet with senior officials from the National Security Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PEA, and NBTC to discuss the termination of these services. The move is seen as a concrete step to disrupt the unlawful operations and provide some measure of relief to those affected by the scams.

 

This call to action reflects broader concerns about the cross-border influence of organised crime and the responsibilities of neighbouring nations in halting illicit activities that have both domestic and international repercussions. The outcome of Rangsiman’s efforts could lead to significant changes in the way both nations manage their shared border and tackle such complex issues.

 

-- 2024-05-24

 

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[retarius]

Tell me it ain't so! Please tell me Thailand has not been enabling scammers with electric and internet. How silly can you be?

[ChrisY1]

Sure sounds as though someone is making fat! Could the PEA be selling power to this region? Who is the mayor on the Thai side?

Nothing would surprise at all.

[Tropicalevo]

Thailand supports the illegal junta in Burma.

The junta make most of their money from illegal activities.

These businesses are just one of those activities.

Stopping the electricity and internet will reduce the cash going into military pockets.

Never going to happen but I would be happy to be proved wrong.

[watchcat]

3 hours ago, retarius said:

Tell me it ain't so! Please tell me Thailand has not been enabling scammers with electric and internet. How silly can you be?

 

His nickname is "Tony"

[Jenkins9039]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Rangsiman Rome. Picture courtesy: Naewna

 

Thailand has been urged to cut off power and internet supplies to Shwe Kokko, a district in Myanmar's Myawaddy Township, notorious for online scams and gambling operations.

 

House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategies & Reforms Chair Rangsiman Rome has called on Thai authorities, specifically the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and the National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), to halt the provision of these essential services.

 

Rangsiman reports that power poles spanning the Moei River from Mae Sot on the Thai side have been providing electricity to Shwe Kokko. He describes this district as heavily influenced by "grey Chinese capitalists" and claims that the current power contract only facilitates these nefarious activities. The primary aim of this action is to curb the rampant online scams and casino businesses that have allegedly victimised numerous Thais.

 

 

The House chair asserts that many Chinese tourists arriving in Mae Sot are primarily attracted to Shwe Kokko for its gambling opportunities. Cutting off power and internet would presumably make these illegal activities more difficult to conduct and thus help reduce the number of victims.

 

Rangsiman has stressed his determination to meet with senior officials from the National Security Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PEA, and NBTC to discuss the termination of these services. The move is seen as a concrete step to disrupt the unlawful operations and provide some measure of relief to those affected by the scams.

 

This call to action reflects broader concerns about the cross-border influence of organised crime and the responsibilities of neighbouring nations in halting illicit activities that have both domestic and international repercussions. The outcome of Rangsiman’s efforts could lead to significant changes in the way both nations manage their shared border and tackle such complex issues.

 

-- 2024-05-24

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Surely they can just set up solar farms there for the power, and there's numerous solutions to internet from sat to mesh networks connected to neighbouring states. 

[Gottfrid]

Just cut it, and never turn it on again.

[patman30]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

tourists arriving in Mae Sot are primarily attracted to Shwe Kokko for its gambling opportunities. Cutting off power and internet would presumably make these illegal activities more difficult to conduct

Aren't casinos legal in Myanmar?

also have they never heard of solar?
something the casinos can easily afford

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Just cut it, and never turn it on again.

Too much money changing hands to do that.

[soi3eddie]

7 hours ago, retarius said:

Tell me it ain't so! Please tell me Thailand has not been enabling scammers with electric and internet. How silly can you be?

 

Not silly. Someone (or many) Thais, have likely been cashing in big time by supporting the activities in Shwe Kokko.

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Thailand supports the illegal junta in Burma.

The junta make most of their money from illegal activities.

These businesses are just one of those activities.

Stopping the electricity and internet will reduce the cash going into military pockets.

Never going to happen but I would be happy to be proved wrong.

Burma has supplied Thailand with natural gas for decades via a pipeline which feeds the electrical power generating plant in Ratchaburi. Burma's ability to cut off that supply at any time is one of the incentives in maintaining the 'relationship'.

[rwill]

Why don't they spend more time getting rid of the chinese mafia instead of their own citizens

[john donson]

tony or cronies really are working for him in myanmar, my ex brother in law setup business to sell satellite airtime / internet...  lives in a nice 35 million baht moo baan... also worked for yingluck...