Thailand’ s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at Government House for the cabinet meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 4, 2025. She said that Thailand would cut power supplies to Myanmar’s border region, adding that there was never a hesitation in cracking down on call center gangs operating in neighboring countries, local media reported. Photo: VCG
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Phumtham Wechayachai announced on Tuesday evening that internet, electricity, and fuel supplies to the Myanmar region along the Thailand-Myanmar border would be cut off at 9 am local time on Wednesday. Phumtham made this announcement after holding a meeting with the Thai National Security Council that afternoon, according to the China Central Television.
According to a 1996 resolution by the Thai Cabinet, the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand, the largest electricity company in Thailand, is allowed to sell electricity to neighboring villages. Established in 1960, the PEA operates as a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of the Interior.
Currently, the PEA supplies electricity to five regions in Myanmar, including the Myawaddy area.
The Thai government held a Cabinet meeting earlier on Tuesday to discuss the power cut to the Myanmar region along the border. During the meeting, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra instructed the National Security Council to oversee the measures and authorized Phumtham to convene an emergency meeting with the Council to discuss further measures at 5 pm local time on Tuesday, CCTV reported.
Previously,
Southeast Asian foreign ministers gathered on January 19 for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc's new chair, Malaysia. At the meeting, the bloc discussed transnational crimes including online scam syndicates, and called for closer cooperation with China to combat the issue, according to media reports.
Global Times