Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed that the power cuts would take place as soon as possible, responding to growing concerns about the scale of criminal activity along the Thai-Myanmar border, where gang-run compounds have been operating.
The decision follows incidents such as the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was lured to Thailand with promises of an acting job, only to be taken across the border into Myanmar and forced to work in a call centre scam targeting Chinese people.
In January, Chinese model Yang Zeqi and other victims were also rescued from a similar trafficking operation in Myanmar’s borderlands.
These incidents have raised safety concerns among Chinese nationals, who are Thailand’s top tourist group. A concert by Hong Kong pop star Eason Chan in Bangkok was cancelled in February due to these concerns.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn expressed that the criminal activity had significantly impacted both Thai citizens and the country’s reputation.
The Thai National Security Council is addressing the issue, with power cuts targeting areas such as Tachileik, Myawaddy, and Payathonzu, where criminal syndicates have been operating.
Thai aviation officials report a decrease in Chinese tourist arrivals for the January 24 to February 2 period, with around 10,000 cancellations attributed to safety fears.
In an effort to reassure Chinese tourists, the government released an AI-generated video of Prime Minister Paetongtarn speaking in Mandarin, a language she does not speak, to affirm that Thailand remains a safe destination.
