10-2-2025 (BANGKOK) More than 100 Thai workers have been released from notorious scam call centres along the Myanmar-Thailand border following a strategic utilities shutdown implemented by Thai authorities, local sources revealed on Sunday.
The mass exodus comes in direct response to last Wednesday’s decisive action by the Thai National Security Council, which ordered the suspension of power supply, internet services, and fuel exports to five key border regions, targeting illegal operations in Myanmar territory.
Law enforcement officials in Tachilek, situated opposite Thailand’s Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai province, mounted an aggressive three-day operation against gambling establishments from Thursday through Saturday. The crackdown resulted in multiple arrests of both gambling den proprietors and their staff, according to security sources familiar with the matter.
The utilities embargo has proved particularly effective in disrupting the criminal enterprises, with several gambling website operators and online scam syndicates based near Tachilek forced to cease operations. The power shortages have compelled these illegal outfits to release their Thai workers, many of whom have now returned to Mae Sai.
“The impact is clearly visible at the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, where we’ve observed a marked decrease in vehicles belonging to call centre employees who typically commute to Tachilek,” said a border security official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Local residents in Tachilek are now receiving utilities on a rotational basis, whilst surrounding villages grapple with severe fuel shortages and escalating prices. Intelligence reports suggest that scam operators are likely to relocate their operations, as Myanmar authorities intensify their suppression efforts.
