Power cut off in border towns creates more hardships for residents

February 11, 2025

HURFOM: At 9 am on February 5^th, 2025, in order to crack down on “call-scam gangs” based in the Thai-Burma border, the Thai government cut off the electricity to border towns such as Myawaddy, Tachileik and Three Pagoda Pass. The power cut was followed by the shutting down of the internet.

Call-scam gangs are largely operated by the Chinese, and residents are fearful of their security, with these criminal operations growing in number.

“There are lots of Chinese people in Three Pagoda Pass. There are approximately 2,000. They’ve been cooperating with the armed groups and doing illegal businesses,” said a local source.

The cuts to the internet and electricity network were the latest of many hardships facing locals, who have been coping with a shortage of water, and a dramatic rise in the price of gasoline.

“We have to stay in the dark at night. We have to buy water for our use. There is scarcity of gasoline. The price goes up quickly due to high demand. The price of other commodities also rises as well. Power cuts create general hardship,” said a Three Pagoda Pass resident.

The price of 1L gasoline has risen from 30 Thai Baht to 70 Baht, and a bag of charcoal has risen from 250 Baht to 300 Baht. The price of a bottle of drinking water has also risen from 12 Baht to 15 Baht.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News