In February 2025, under pressure domestically and from China, Thailand cut power to Myanmar border areas where the scam industry has developed a foothold. This halted years of cross-border sales of electricity to companies linked to the Myanmar military and its militia, the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which powered the expansion of the cyber scam industry.

Yet, this is not the first time Thailand has suspended electricity to areas where there are cyber scam compounds. Measures were taken by Thailand to cut power to two scam zones in 2023, but Justice For Myanmar’s investigation shows that the cyber scam industry actually expanded, enabled by Thai state-owned and private businesses, the Myanmar military, its militias and their associates.

A deeper examination of the power supply to cyber scam compounds in recent years is therefore necessary to ensure current measures systematically eradicate the cyber scam industry by targeting root causes while taking steps to alleviate the suffering of local communities.

The crackdown must finally end the criminal impunity enjoyed by the Myanmar military, its Karen BGF militia, corrupt Thai officials, businesses and criminal elements that have converted the region into a scam hub.

The Myanmar military is at the centre of a web of criminal businesses and nurtures and harbours the Karen BGF, which is under Myanmar military command. Cyber scams have greatly proliferated in Myanmar since the military’s attempted coup. With the Karen BGF, the Myanmar military profits from cyber scam operations in eastern Myanmar, which fuels its ongoing campaign of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This transnational criminal activity cannot be eradicated without dismantling the Myanmar military and its criminal cartel. This needs to be done with targeted measures that include sanctions and wider criminal prosecutions to end the impunity of the Myanmar military, Karen BGF and their accomplices.  

Thailand should also urgently review cross border fuel and electricity transactions and existing power purchase agreements; and transparently report on the extent to which supplies have enabled criminal activities.  

Going forward, any future power purchase agreements should include automated grid data sharing to Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) so it can monitor signs of illegal use, including transformer-level and feeder-level data on real-time load and frequency.  

Steps also need to be taken to prevent both formal and informal fuel sales that may supply criminal operations, and to provide relief to the general population who have been impacted by power cuts.

A cybercrime hotspot

Over the past decade, Myanmar has become a major node in Southeast Asia’s online cybercrime ecosystem. During this time, criminal groups established and expanded bases in and around Myawaddy, by the Thai border, and in parts of Shan State. Dozens of massive compounds have emerged, some housing thousands of workers.

These compounds accommodate groups running online scams, illegal online gambling platforms, and other cybercrime operations. In addition to extorting billions of dollars from people all around the world, the compounds have become synonymous with serious human rights abuses. Thousands have been trafficked into the industry, often deceived with apparently legitimate job offers, then taken to locations where their documents are seized and they are forced to work. Failure to comply or meet targets often results in brutal punishment, in many cases leading to serious long-term injury or even death. 

These operations could not be possible without the involvement of the Myanmar military, militias under its command, and their associates. In northern Shan State, the industry in Kokang was closely intertwined with the interests of powerful families at the top of the now deposed Kokang BGF hierarchy, under Myanmar military command. In Myawaddy Township, the Karen BGF plays a central role, both controlling cyber scam developments, purchasing and distributing fuel and electricity, and in human trafficking and smuggling across the Thai border. The Myanmar military has overseen the criminal activities of its militia groups for both direct financial benefit of these lucrative operations and to sustain their relationships with groups that it can use in its military operations. These operations involve the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity.  

Myawaddy’s evolution into an online crime hub began in the late 2010s, but accelerated following the illegal coup attempt launched by the Myanmar military on February 1, 2021.

A crackdown on the industry began in northern Myanmar in late 2023. This started in Wa State, followed soon after by the defeat of the Kokang BGF, which hit the online crime industry hard. Tens of thousands of Chinese nationals were detained and returned to China, and while online scam operations are still active in the north, available information indicates they have become more scattered and many groups relocated to other countries or elsewhere in Myanmar. 

The crackdown in the north came about in large part due to pressure from China, whose population has been ruthlessly targeted by scammers operating from Myanmar and elsewhere in the region, and has historically been a major target for online gambling platforms. While China is able to exert influence in areas close to its borders, Myawaddy is more distant and has until recently been less susceptible to such pressure. 

While operations scattered in the north, the industry in Myawaddy continued to thrive, with operators from the north of the country relocating to the area. Reports continued to emerge almost daily of people from numerous countries being trafficked to and trapped in compounds there, with stories of horrific violence and forced criminality continuing. 

As more attention fell upon Myawaddy, in May 2024 the Karen BGF head San Myint (commonly known as Saw Chit Thu) announced that all foreigners doing “online business” in Myawaddy must leave by October. There was some movement during this period, with operators anxious about a potential crackdown moving further south. However, based on information from anti-trafficking groups, media reports, and statements from the agencies of various countries seeking to locate and rescue nationals trapped in the area, it is clear that the October 2024 deadline passed without any significant exodus from Myawaddy.

Powering the scam industry before the 2025 crackdown 

In addition to physical infrastructure and a large labour force, cyber scam compounds require electricity and fuel. Operations in Myawaddy Township have depended to a significant degree on Thailand for all. 

Some of the larger compounds cover areas exceeding 100 hectares and are populated by dozens of multi storey buildings. Offices running thousands of computers, phones, and other equipment 24 hours a day, along with lighting, air conditioning, and other appliances, create a significant demand for power.

This came under the spotlight in 2023, when the junta-controlled Myanmar Embassy in Thailand requested electricity distribution be suspended to the Shwe Kokko area, which hosts the Yatai scam complex and several others, and the area of Myawaddy where the KK Park compound is situated (both returned to below). Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced that it cut the power to these areas following this request.

After these power cuts, reports indicated that online compounds and casinos switched to generators. Sources who have spent time inside the compounds confirmed to Justice For Myanmar that this was the case. However, generators are expensive to run and maintain. They require a steady and reliable supply of fuel, which is expensive and difficult to procure within Myanmar. Sourcing fuel domestically would require a constant supply of trucks, which poses serious security risks where travel through conflict areas is required, along with coordination and various payoffs along the way, in an environment in which stress on fuel supplies is already severe. Generator fuel has therefore also been sourced in large amounts from across the border in Thailand. Justice For Myanmar has seen evidence that PTT Oil and Retail Business Plc, a subsidiary of the Thai state-owned giant PPT Public Co., Ltd. has supplied fuel to Shwe Myint Thaung Yinn, a key supplier of electricity to cyber scam compounds.

It is a Karen BGF business owned by Major Tin Win, one of the individuals under investigation in Thailand for human trafficking, who is already subject to European Union sanctions. PTTOR did not respond to questions about whether they continue to supply fuel directly or indirectly to any Karen BGF-linked companies. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson said, “we have a defined process for approving sales to customers, ensuring that our transactions meet the necessary criteria.”

Data from the Myanmar junta-controlled Ministry of Electric Power, seen by Justice For Myanmar, shows there was an increase of power to Karen State from the Myanmar grid following the 2021 coup, which could indicate the junta supplied and profited from electricity sales to scam compounds. From 2019 to 2022, Myanmar’s power supply fell by 10 percent, but power supply to Karen state almost tripled, from around 20 megawatts to 58 megawatts. Karen State was one of the only areas in the country that saw such an increase at this time. As power from the national grid increased, illumination around key scam sites in Myawaddy intensified, while residential areas went darker.

However, as Myanmar’s energy crisis worsened, national grid power supply to Karen State started to drop in 2023. The grid has also grown increasingly unreliable, with costs to operations becoming unreasonably high for all types of business. According to a regional energy expert who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, sourcing significant amounts of power from the national grid is currently unlikely. From satellite imagery, we are unable to identify any compounds with rooftop solar, so until recently the most likely feasible sources of power have been generators and continued cross-border electricity supply from Thailand.

Scam compounds’ continued expansion after the 2023 power cuts

There is a wealth of evidence demonstrating the expansion of border crime operations in recent years.

Analysis of data showing nighttime radiance at several major documented scam compounds in Myawaddy show a drastic increase in nighttime activity between the beginning of 2019 and mid-2024. This is especially stark at KK Park and Yatai New City in Shwe Kokko, which were targeted for power cuts in 2023. Available satellite imagery shows that expansion at these sites (and others) has been extensive during this period.

Furthermore, a review of satellite imagery of Myawaddy Township shows that brand new compounds have also sprung up in the last year. This occurred in plain sight at a time when the Myanmar military and its Karen BGF were professing their commitment to eradicating the industry, further indicating their complicity in the expansion of cybercrime.

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KK Park

Although construction of KK Park only began in 2020 and has been largely constructed during the military’s coup attempt. It is now one of the most notorious cybercrime compounds in Southeast Asia. It is currently made up of two main areas, often referred to as KK Park 1 and KK Park 2. Media reports have extensively documented extreme human rights violations inflicted on victims lured to work in the park.

In 2024, an investigation by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis found a single company operating at KK Park had extracted over US$100 million from victims in less than two years. Given the capacity of the zone and the number of groups operating there, it can be assumed that the full figure is many times higher.

In 2024, a Deutsche Welle investigation found that Karen BGF troops were providing security at KK Park, and European Union sanctions applied last year against Karen BGF lieutenant colonel Mote Thone (also known as Mote Thun) and Karen BGF major Saw Tin Win identified both as being involved with and benefiting from KK Park. Mote Thone is a founding member and the Deputy Secretary General of the Karen BGF, and Tin Win a direct subordinate of BGF head Chit Thu.

Between February and December 2024, more than 20 new structures were built within KK Park 1 and KK Park 2, and a large area connecting the two was cleared and prepared for new buildings, with several foundations visible in satellite images. Data for daily nighttime radiance for both areas shows a rapid increase from mid-2022. This increase is especially stark when compared to nighttime radiance in the Karen State capital, Hpa-an, which actually decreased slightly in recent years.

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KK Park, February 2024 and December 2024

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Yatai New City

Yatai New City, also commonly referred to as Shwe Kokko, after the town where it is located, is another massive compound located in Myawaddy. It was one of the first to establish itself in the area. Originally billed as a “smart industrial city”, the zone quickly established itself as a hotbed of illegal online gambling and scam operations.

The company behind the development is Myanmar Yatai International Holding Group Co., Ltd. a joint venture between She Zhijiang and the Karen BGF, which holds a 20 per cent stake via its company Chit Linn Myaing. The BGF colonel Saw Min Min Oo sits on the company’s board of directors.

She Zhijiang is a Chinese businessperson who acquired Cambodian citizenship in 2017 and was arrested in Thailand in 2022 on an international warrant and is currently fighting extradition to China, which has pursued him for years to answer charges of running illegal gambling operations. The BGF remains loyal to She Zhijiang, and in 2024 Chit Thu organised a prayer ceremony for his imprisoned business partner.

With extensive reporting linking the Yatai New City area to human trafficking, forced criminality and brutality, Saw Chit Thu, his associate Saw Min Min Oo, and She Zhijiang were sanctioned by the United Kingdom in 2023 due to their links to the project. This was followed in 2024 by European Union sanctions targeting Saw Chit Thu, Saw Tin Win, Saw Mote Thone and Chit Linn Myaing Group, which specifically mentioned their involvement in the Yatai project.

In 2020, the Myanmar government led by the National League for Democracy launched an investigation into the Yatai development, halting construction. However, the Karen BGF reportedly struck a deal with the Myanmar military weeks before its illegal coup attempt to take the lead in military operations in the area in exchange for being able to continue to do business. Construction then resumed in Shwe Kokko and has continued through the military’s coup attempt.

The BBC was recently invited to Shwe Kokko for a stage-managed tour of the zone. Yatai asserted that scam activity had been driven out of the zone, and while they strictly controlled where the journalists could go, the BBC reported “it was evident that the scams have not stopped, and are probably still the main business in the city”. This was confirmed by various people working in the area.

An analysis of satellite images shows that between December 2022 and December 2024, construction at the Yatai New City site was extensive, with more than a hundred new structures emerging, including many multi-story tower blocks. Data for daily night time radiance in the area shows a steady increase from 2019, with the suspension of cross-border electricity transmission from Thailand in 2023 apparently having little impact.

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Yatai New City, December 2022 and December 2024

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Yulong Bay Park

A more recent development, Yulong Bay Park was built during 2020 to 2021, and has been operating at least since 2022. Based on a review of corporate records and open-source data, Justice For Myanmar identified that Yulong Bay Resort Tourism Development Co., Ltd. shareholders include Saw Chit Thu’s son, Htoo Eh Moo, Soe Hlaing Oo, and Min Min Oo.

Job posts and reports on social media indicate the park is operational. Members of social media channels used by people working in the scam industry in Myanmar have posted stories detailing detention, abuse and forced criminality at Yulong Bay Park. In a 2023 article from Chinese media Red Star News, a Chinese victim referred to as Li describes how he was lured to Yulong Bay Park after being promised a well-paid job in Thailand. After a failed attempt to escape and making a complaint to the park’s management committee, Li was handcuffed, tortured, and had money extorted from his family. Following the involvement of Chinese volunteers and a complaint to Chinese police, he was rescued and repatriated by a “local military” which likely refers to the Karen BGF.

Between April 2023 and February 2024, satellite imagery shows several new buildings were completed at Yulong Bay, and an area north of the site commenced development with more than twenty new buildings completed and foundations for more in place. Data for daily nighttime radiance at Yulong Bay shows a steady increase from 2019 to 2022, and a rapid climb at the new site, which appears to have become active in 2024.

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Yulong Bay Park, April 2023 and February 2024 

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Apollo Park

Apollo Park, which commenced construction 2019, is another compound tied to the Karen BGF. Apollo Park has a now dormant Chinese language Facebook page that includes job recruitment ads bearing the hallmarks of scam recruitment, as well as photos of the park that show a series of low-rise office blocks, a night club and a convenience store. One post from September 2021 in Chinese describes Apollo as a military cooperation project in a secure military administrative area.

Based on a review of corporate records and open-source data, Justice For Myanmar identified that Myanmar Apolo International Investment Company Limited shareholders include Saw Chit Thu’s son Saw Htoo Eh Moo, Saw Soe Hlaing Oo, Li Chunhuan, who is a Chinese citizen from Hebei, and two residents of Kachin State: Htin Aung and Win Naing.

A review of satellite images show new buildings also emerged at this site between 2023 and 2024.

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Apollo Park, April 2023 and February 2024

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Dongmei Park

Elsewhere in Myawaddy, the Dongmei Park continued to grow in 2024. As earlier reported by Justice For Myanmar, Dongmei Park was set up by Wan Kuok-koi (also known as Broken Tooth). Wan and several of his companies were sanctioned by the United States in 2020 for corruption. Several prominent Malaysian personalities with political links have also been connected to the project. Four large buildings were completed in 2024, and foundations for more are visible on satellite imagery.

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Dongmei Park, February 2024 and December 2024

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Huanya

Another border cyber scam compound that commenced development in 2020 is Huanya Park. It is far smaller than KK Park and Yatai New City, yet it has attracted attention due to concerns around criminal activity and the alleged involvement of the Karen National Union (KNU), which appears not to have otherwise been associated with online crime operations.

The Huanya project was launched in 2020 by Huanya International Holding Group. The group, which also uses the name Trans-Asia (English for Huanya), had signed a land contract with the KNU-controlled company Mu La Ei Ahlin Co., Ltd. in February 2020. Current KNU chair Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win and head of KNU Defence Department Saw Roger Khin signed as witnesses. The contract specified that it would be a multi-sector development including tourism and healthcare.

KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee confirmed to Justice For Myanmar that Mu La Ei Ahlin was a KNU company and that the Huanya Park land contract published by Irrawaddy was genuine. However, he said that when the KNU became aware that the project involved unlawful activities and as there was active conflict in the area, KNU surrendered the project in 2022. Mu La Ei Ahlin has been subsequently dissolved, according to the Myanmar company registry. Another company, Troth Star Co., Ltd., took over the Huanya Park land lease in 2022. Troth Star remains active on the Myanmar corporate registry.

Expansion of the Huanya compound has been less extensive than other sites, but satellite imagery shows movement between April 2023 and February 2024, with several large new buildings completed. Again, nighttime radiance data shows a steady and continued uptick in activity from 2022 to 2024.

The KNU has spoken out against scam activities in Karen State, and in 2024 released a statement on the issue, saying it was “absolutely opposed” to illicit business, laying blame on “the poor system and corruption practiced by the successive governments of Burma (Myanmar)”, and stating that the junta directly benefits from and protects criminal operations.

In 2023, following public criticism, the KNU launched investigations into the alleged involvement of KNU leaders in Huanya and cyber scams and have told Justice For Myanmar that these are ongoing. Justice For Myanmar urges the KNU to swiftly and comprehensively complete the investigations, publish the findings and ensure they lead to accountability. This is crucial for the eradication of transnational crime.

Through transparent and impartial action, the KNU can uphold its credibility as a leading ethnic revolutionary organisation that has been at the forefront of the decades long struggle against the Myanmar military.

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Huanya, April 2023 and February 2024

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New sites emerge

Minletpan

In addition to established sites that are known to house online crime activities, Justice For Myanmar has identified new sites in the Minletpan area to the south of Myawaddy that emerged in 2024 and carry the hallmarks of online compounds. As with documented crime sites in Myawaddy, they emerged rapidly with large buildings completed in a matter of months. The office block style constructions are incongruously located in areas that otherwise are populated by villages and agricultural land, and their design and layout bears striking similarity to online compounds found elsewhere in Myawaddy.

The Karen BGF and Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) operate in Minletpan, according to media reports and Justice For Myanmar sources, and may therefore be complicit in the construction of these new sites.

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Minletpan Site #1, February 2024 and December 2024

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Minletpan Site #2, February 2024 and December 2024

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Yatai New City new site

Following the 2023 power cuts, the Yatai New City project also appears to have significantly expanded to a new site to the south-west. This appears to be within the original Yatai plans, based on mock-up images published by Yatai Group. Satellite imagery also shows an adjoining site where land has been cleared that could be for the construction of further cyber scam compounds.

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Yatai new site, April 2023 to December 2024

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Thailand takes action in 2025 but must target root causes

In January 2025, the Myawaddy cybercrime industry came under renewed international attention when it emerged that Chinese actor Wang Xing had been tricked into travelling to Thailand for a non-existent acting job then trafficked into a Myanmar scam compound. Many thousands of people have suffered a similar fate, but this high-profile case led to a swift response from the Chinese government, which increased pressure on both the Myanmar junta and Thai government to address the rampant cybercrime operations in the border area.

Senior officials from China’s Ministry of Public Security travelled to Bangkok to meet counterparts, and commitments were made to increase cooperation to suppress the industry and pursue the criminals behind it. Chinese officials also visited Mae Sot in Thailand, where they inspected several major scam compounds in Myanmar that are visible across the border.

With domestic and international pressure growing, various Thai officials quoted in the press in late January to early February began to discuss the possibility of suspending cross-border power supply.

In response to recent events, the PEA put out a statement on 29 January confirming that it was supplying electricity to Myanmar in five areas in Karen and Shan states, but that any decision to cut power required approval from the Thai Government.

On 4 February, it was announced that Thailand’s National Security Council had decided power would indeed be cut. According to Thailand’s defence minister, power would be suspended for six months, after which a decision will be made whether or not to extend the suspension. This news came as the Thai Prime Minister left for a trip to Beijing, during which President Xi Jinping commended Thailand’ s efforts to crack down on scam networks and pledged to strengthen law enforcement cooperation.

The power purchase agreements currently in place cover transmission from Thailand into populated areas of Myawaddy. This means that while electricity imports have likely been directed to crime sites, they will also supply households, legitimate businesses, and public services like hospitals and clinics.

Immediately after the power cuts, local residents told the press that scam centres had switched to generators, and operations did not seem to be immediately impacted, but the effects were quickly felt by local people. There have also been reports that Thailand may ban the export of solar panels to the region, which could bring further challenges to local people.

It is not possible for us to determine exactly what proportion of the energy supplied has powered illicit industries, but data available to PEA should include indications in supply patterns, including power demand, usage behaviour, and what times of the day power is being used (with scam compounds running 24 hours a day). This data would also indicate a surge in base load relative to the time before the scam centres started operating, which cannot be explained by an increase in legal economic or residential activity. PEA did not respond to questions from Justice For Myanmar.

Together with power cuts, the Thai government approved a suspension of the provision of fuel. Fuel exports to Myawaddy are also critical for cybercrime, as scam compounds will inevitably turn to generators to continue powering their operations. Following the announcement, PTT Oil and Retail Business Plc (PTTOR) said it was ready to comply with any government order to suspend refined oil exports to Myanmar border areas.  Fuel exports have reportedly since been cut. PTTOR is Thailand's largest oil trader by volume. Justice For Myanmar asked PTTOR how they have ensured its buyers in Myanmar, or agents working for them, are operating legally and have no involvement in online crime activities. The company did not respond to questions directly but said, “we are committed to cooperating fully and adhering to the policies and regulations set forth by the Thai government, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and guidelines and preventing any association with illegal activities.”

Thailand has also reportedly launched a crackdown on the rampant smuggling of fuel across the Thai border, which the Karen BGF has long profited from.

On 11 February it was reported that Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was seeking arrest warrants for three senior Karen BGF figures for alleged involvement in the trafficking of Indian nationals to the Heng Sheng Casino in Myawaddy, using Thailand as a transit route.  According to Thai media reports, the DSI has obtained a rental contract leasing property to a scam gang that includes Saw Chit Thu’s signature. No decision has been made at the time of writing and reports suggest that prosecutors have instructed the DSI to gather more evidence. Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai have already told the press that, if warrants are issued, any suspects who enter Thailand will be arrested. Justice For Myanmar has called for applications for warrants to be expedited and for criminal investigations to be widened.  

Under pressure, the Karen BGF claimed that it is not invested in any illegal operations, and is simply a landowner leasing property, but acknowledged some tenants have engaged in fraud and human trafficking.  The day after the power cut, the BGF handed over 61 people to Thailand who were reportedly released from KK Park and the Shwe Kokko scam complex (also known as Yatai New City). The BGF also inspected the Yatai and KK scam zones, and there are now reports that thousands of people have been removed from compounds and are being repatriated via Thailand. Many have shown journalists injuries and scars from the treatment they received in the compounds.

It is clear that cutting power alone will not be enough to stop the continued operation and expansion of criminal enterprises in Myawaddy. As shown in this report, the 2023 cuts in power to Shwe Kokko and KK Park did not stop activity in those areas, which actually saw significant expansion in the period following. Supplies from the junta-controlled Myanmar national grid may have bolstered them, and fuel sourced from Thailand will have powered the generators that kept the lights on.

The comprehensive restrictions imposed by Thailand must go further and target the root causes: the Myanmar military, its militias, criminal elements that have converted the region into a scam hub, and the Thai businesses and corrupt officials that have allowed the industry to flourish and profited from it.

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Comprehensive campaign needed to stamp out scam operations and dismantle the Myanmar military

The Myanmar military and Karen BGF have been rattled by the sudden shift in position from Thailand, and are clearly anxious to avoid further measures, while simultaneously avoiding culpability. However, the depth of their involvement in the cyber scam industry, the rate of growth of these compounds over the last four years, and their willingness to protect their operations means they must not be allowed to escape justice through short term gestures that draw attention away from their longstanding practices and well-established criminal networks.

The Myanmar military is a key player and beneficiary in the cyber scam industry along the Myanmar-Thai border, and the profits finance its international crimes against the Myanmar people. These funds are substantial. Last year, the United States Institute of Peace estimated that annual profits from Shwe Kokko alone were US$192 million, split with half going to the Myanmar military and half to the Karen BGF. The military is a transnational criminal actor that cannot be part of the solution. Engagement with the military as a partner in responding to cyber crime, as China, Thailand and ASEAN have been doing, only emboldens it, awards it false legitimacy and can provide it with knowledge to evade international law enforcement. International action to address cyber scams must instead target the Myanmar military and its militias broadly. The Myanmar military and its cartel must be dismantled.

Targeted sanctions need to be coordinated and expanded. The Myanmar military’s access to funds, arms and aviation fuel must be cut. Existing sanctions should be better enforced, including against Wan Kuok-koi and several of his companies, sanctioned by the United States in 2020; Saw Chit Thu, Saw Min Min Oo, and She Zhijiang, sanctioned by the United Kingdom in 2023;  Saw Chit Thu, Saw Tin Win, Saw Mote Thone and Chit Linn Myaing Group sanctioned by the European Union in 2024.

International governments should also continue to push for the release of nationals and permanent residents trapped in online crime sites and swiftly facilitate the repatriation of people who have been released, conduct appropriate assessments of all cases to ensure that those who have been forced into criminality are not punished, and provide trauma recovery services, family reunification services, and visa status normalisation for those who require it.

The Myanmar military and its Karen BGF militia have long enjoyed impunity for their transnational crimes. This must end. We urge Thailand to widen its criminal investigation against Saw Chit Thu, Saw Tin Win and Saw Mote Thone to the broader BGF leadership, their family members and the Myanmar military leadership who have long profited from the cybercrime industry. The Thai government should prioritise applying for arrest warrants.

The complicity of officials and businesses on the Thai side of the border has also enabled the growth of cybercrime. Those involved in Thailand need to be criminally investigated and held accountable. This complicity in transnational crimes should not continue with impunity.

Thailand also need to take a more targeted approach to restrictions on electricity and fuel exports.

If online crime operations are able to continue to operate using generators or find other ways to purchase electricity from national grids, the cut in power supply will mostly impact normal people uninvolved in criminal activity, and the scam industry will simply move and expand.

According to Thai PBS World, Thailand’s National Security Council Secretary-General told media that the Council has learned that some areas in the border townships consume unusually high amounts of electricity and some of the Myanmar companies that hold concessions to buy electricity from the PEA are linked with the call centres “to a certain extent”.  Justice For Myanmar has previously documented how one of the concessionaires is controlled by the Karen BGF major Tin Win and his wife.

It is incumbent on the PEA to conduct an immediate and transparent investigation in order to assess the extent to which use of exported electricity has powered illicit industries. It should also do due diligence into the companies purchasing power in Myanmar, release that due diligence publicly, and use statutory and regulatory powers to ensure the lawful and regulated use of electricity. It should not do business with companies owned or controlled by the Myanmar military, its militias and their associates.

Thai authorities should also prepare measures to ensure concession holders supply electricity to legitimate business, public services and households and prevent the supply to criminal elements. This should include appropriate usage monitoring and quarterly on-ground inspections.

Going forward, all power purchase agreements should include automated grid data sharing to the PEA so it can monitor signs of illegal uses, including transformer-level and feeder-level data on real-time load and frequency. To prevent abuse, cross-border power purchase agreements should be standardised and key conditions legislated as mandatory contractual terms. Agreements should require buyer transparency and a definition of a “normal use” quota should be based on load calculated before scam centres emerged; setting a progressive tariff and stringent compliance and inspection mechanism if demand exceeds quota.

The Thai government and PTTOR should take similar actions to assess if sales of fuel have been used to power generators at online crime sites, and put in place measures to prevent sales that supply criminal operations. Measures should also involve relief to the general population who have been impacted by power cuts and continue to be subjected to the Myanmar military’s campaign of terror.