Thailand's leading news agency reports that the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) leadership issued an order on February 9th, declaring a final ultimatum to Chinese businessmen in Phaya Tonsu, on the Thai-Myanmar border. All Chinese involved in catering, trade, casinos, and illegal online gambling must withdraw by February 28, 2025, or face legal consequences.
The context of this order is the Thai government's tough measures against telecommunications fraud activities in Myanmar, which included cutting off electricity supply to Phaya Tonsu and stopping the export of fuel. The local residents are facing severe living difficulties. The DKBA stated that as a border armed force, they will do their utmost to alleviate the people's hardships and urged Thailand to restore electricity and fuel supply to the area.
Furthermore, the DKBA also stated that they will strengthen border control to prevent Chinese from illegally entering and staying long-term in Phaya Tonsu. This move indicates that with Thailand's continued power cut measures, the situation in some border areas of Myanmar has become more complicated, especially as the "grey industries" involved in illegal online gambling and telecommunications fraud are under greater pressure.
This incident not only intensifies the tense situation on the Thai-Myanmar border but also puts significant pressure on Chinese businessmen, particularly those involved in the "grey industries."
If they fail to withdraw on time, they may face severe legal consequences and threats to their personal safety. The development of this situation marks the complexity of transnational crime and regional security, and Thailand's anti-fraud actions may trigger more regional chain reactions.
