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In February 2025, Thailand suspended electricity and fuel exports to Myanmar border areas where the cyber scam industry has developed a significant foothold. However, to succeed, Thailand's cyber scam crackdown needs to address the root causes that have allowed these criminal operations to flourish in Myanmar.
Justice For Myanmar calls on Thailand and other government to cut all sources of funds, arms and aviation fuel to the Myanmar military and its militias, and hold them and their accomplices criminally accountable for their transnational criminal activities.
Without targeting the root causes of the cyber scam industry, temporary suspensions of electricity will only enable the industry to be more sophisticated in its operations and relocate to other areas.
This is not the first time Thailand has suspended electricity to areas where there are cyber scam compounds in Myawaddy Township. Measures were taken by Thailand to cut power to two scam zones in 2023, but a new Justice For Myanmar investigation shows that the cyber scam industry actually expanded, enabled by Thai state-owned and private businesses, the Myanmar military, its militias and their accomplices.
Satellite imagery analysed by Justice For Myanmar reveals extensive expansion of known cyber scam compounds including KK Park, Yatai New City, Yulong Bay Park, Apollo Park, Huanya and Dongmei Park throughout 2023 and 2024.
Brand new compounds have also sprung up in the Minletpan area, which bear all the hallmarks of online scam operations.
The Myanmar military is at the centre of a web of criminal businesses and nurtures and harbours the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), which is under Myanmar military command.
Cyber scams have greatly proliferated in Myanmar’s Myawaddy Township since the military's attempted coup in February 2021.
The Myanmar military and its militias profits from cyber scam operations in Myanmar, which help fund their commission of international crimes.
To target these root causes of cyber scams, governments should coordinate and widen targeted sanctions against the Myanmar military’s sources of funds, arms and aviation fuel. The Myanmar military and its cartel must be dismantled.
The Myanmar military and its militias have long enjoyed impunity for their transnational crimes and this needs to end. Thailand should widen its criminal investigation against Karen BGF leaders to their family members, the Myanmar military, and also criminally investigate the complicity of Thai officials and businesses who have enabled the growth of cybercrime in the region.
Thailand should take more targeted measures to block the sale of electricity and fuel to cyber scam operations, while alleviating the suffering of local communities. 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.
Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung says: "The Myanmar military and Karen BGF have been rattled by Thailand's sudden crackdown, 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 recent years, and their willingness to protect their operations means they must not be allowed to escape justice through short-term gestures.
"The Myanmar military is a key player and beneficiary in the cyber scam industry, and the profits finance its international crimes against the Myanmar people.
"The growth of cyber scams has been further enabled by the involvement of Thai state-owned companies and corrupt officials who have profited from electricity and fuel sales.
"Without addressing the root causes – the Myanmar military, its militias and their accomplices that have allowed the industry to flourish – any crackdown will only lead to the relocation of these operations, not their elimination."
More information:
Read our report into who has powered the expansion of cyber scams in Myawaddy here
Read our report into the Karen BGF’s criminal business network here
