CHAOS erupted in Myanmar’s Tachileik border town, opposite Mae Sai town in Chiang Rai province, after Thailand cut off electricity, Internet and fuel supply from five points to Myanmar border areas at 9 a.m. this morning (Feb. 5) with two being to Tachileik, Amarin TV said.
This action was taken to resolve the problem of call centre gangs entrenched just across the Thai border who have scammed hundreds of thousands of people with there being over 557,500 cases so far and damage skyrocketed to 86 billion baht, or an average loss of over 80 million baht a day.
Tachileik News Agency, a local news page in Tachileik township, shared images of thousands of Myanmar people finding buckets and bottles to buy and stockpile fuel. Petrol stations were full of people queuing in their cars, motorcycles, and some just carrying plastic bottles or containers as they waited patiently to get some fuel.
Although the Tachileik Township Petroleum Entrepreneurs Association has not yet announced whether it will stop importing petroleum, people are still flocking to petrol pumps to fill up.
This has led to heavy traffic congestion throughout the Myanmar border town.
Security sources said the cutting of electricity, Internet and fuel supply to Tachileik from two points, Ban Muang Daeng and the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, has affected 7,500 Myanmar households, five hospitals with there being 200 emergency patients needing oxygen, 45 schools, 65 temples and 15 military camps.
However, it was reported that after news spread of the Thai government moving to cut electricity supply, the Tachilek authorities made an adjustment to use more electricity from Laos. Originally 70% was from Thailand, but this has decreased to 30-35%, while Laos supply has increased from 30% to 60-70%.
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Photos published by Tachileik News Agency page showing long queues at petrol pumps in this Myanmar border town and shared by Amarin TV
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