By Thai Newsroom Reporters
POLICE HAVE STEPPED UP measures to deter and combat transnational crimes across the Thai-Cambodian border from Chanthaburi which could possibly flourish in lieu of those in Myanmar’s townships across the border from Thailand’s northern and northwestern provinces.
Now that Thailand has shut off power and Internet signals earlier supplied ”unawares” to suspected criminals in Tachileik township in Shan State across the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai and those in Myawaddy township in Kayin State across the border from Mae Sot district of Tak, those transnational criminals, such as suspected call-centre scammers, drug dealers and human traffickers, might probably relocate to Cambodia’s western provinces of Pailin and Battambang which share border with Pong Namron district of Chanthaburi in Thailand’s eastern region, according to Police Inspector-General Pol.Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut.
Those transnational criminals were suspected to look for other spots to pursue their illegal activities largely preying on victims in Thailand’s eastern region along the border with Cambodia’s western region in addition to those in Poipet across the border from Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo and Koh Kong across the border from Khlong Yai district of Trat, according to the police inspector-general who concurrently chairs the National Police’s Centre for Suppression of Information Technology Crimes.
Call-centre scammers were suspected to move from Myanmar’s border townships of Tachileik and Myawaddy where the Provincial Electricity Authority has completely terminated its cross-border power supply and the National Broadcasting & Telecommunication Commission has begun to shut off cross-border Internet signals to Pailin and Battambang in western Cambodia, prompting the Chanthaburi provincial police and Border Patrol Police to step up some countermeasures in coordination with administrative officials of the Ministry of Interior and the Marine Corps, Pol.Gen. Thatchai said.
The police have stepped up measures at permanent border checkpoints in Pong Namron district to arrest any suspected criminals in disguise of cross-border tourists and visitors, he said.
Nevertheless, buildings in Tachileik and Myawaddy where those criminals were suspected to hole up were yet seen lit up as usual, given power generators and solar cells whilst their hectic uses of Internet systems were believed to be kept intact due to International Private Leased Circuit services illegally provided by certain private firms across the shared border.
It remains to be seen whether or how soon the Pheu Thai-led government will manage to completely shut off all Internet signals across the border from Thailand to Myanmar and Cambodia which could be otherwise continually used by those transnational scammers and other criminals.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Barbed wire being rolled out along the Thai-Cambodian border at Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo, to tighten security. Photos: Thai Rath
Insert: Police Inspector-General Pol.Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut chairing a meeting on stepping up measures to combat scam gangs across the Thai-Cambodian border. Photo: MNG Online
Also read: Payathonzu border town cloaked in darkness after power cut
Tachiliek still brightly lit but scam centre dimmer
Myawaddy scammers conning victims as usual having prepared in advance
Chaos in Tachileik as Myanmar people rush to buy fuel after supply cut
Thailand zeros in on scam gangs by cutting power, Internet and fuel supply from tomorrow morning
Power supply to Myawaddy ordered shut: Phumtham
3 Thai women rescued from horrific human egg farm in Georgia
