TAK: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand has cut off the supply of electricity across the Moei river to two border towns in Myanmar where groups of Chinese businessmen have made huge illegal investments, at the request of the Myanmar government, Thai official sources said.
The two border towns are Shwe Kokko, opposite Thailand’s Ban Wang Pha in tambon Mae Charao, Mae Ramat district, and Ban Le Le Ko, opposite Mae Ku Mai Tha Sung, the Moo 3 village in tambon Mae Ku, Mae Sot district. Both are in Myanmar’s Karen State.
Chinese businessmen were reported to have invested more than US$1.5 billion in casinos, entertainment complexes and housing estates at Shwe Kokko. Le Le Ko is another border town where Chinese investors had reportedly made similar investments.
The sources said on Tuesday the Myanmar government had stopped supplying electricity to the two towns and asked Thailand to do likewise. The PEA, in response, had also stopped supplying them with power from midnight.
It was not clear whether the action was linked to a memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand, China and Myanmar on joint suppression of drugs, cross-border criminals, online gambling and call centres, the sources added.
A Thai businessman who is involved in the cross-border trade said residents at Shwe Kokko had prepared to cope with the blackout, buying power generators for their own use.