Thailand and Myanmar Agree to Step Up Fight Against Online Scams, Fraud, and Trafficking

Thailand is taking unprecedented action against transnational cybercrime syndicates by cutting electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to key crime hubs in Myanmar, starting today.
A general view of Myanmar's Myawaddy town is seen from across the Thai side in Mae Sot district on April 11, 2024. Thailand is taking unprecedented action against transnational cybercrime syndicates by cutting electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to key crime hubs in Myanmar starting Wednesday, February 5, 2025. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP)

The recent high-profile kidnapping of a Chinese actor in Thailand has raised safety concerns, diminishing the country’s appeal among tourists ahead of China’s biggest holiday.

Amid these concerns, Myanmar has stepped up, pledging to work with Thailand to tackle transnational call center gangs, a problem often tied to trafficking and scams.

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