# Thailand cuts internet and phone connections with Myanmar’s online fraud center

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/crime/141107-thailand-suspends-internet-and-phone-connections-with-myanmars-online-fraud-center
- Published: 2024-05-16T08:34:00+07:00
- Author: J. Allan

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand took
the decision to cut off internet and phone connections with Northeastern Myanmar
due to security concerns. Shwe Kokko, a town in Myawaddy Township near the Thai 
town of Mae Sot, has become a hub for casinos, online scams, and illegal activities.

## Key takeaways

 * Thailand NBTC has suspended internet and mobile phone connections with Northeastern
   Myanmar over online scams.
 * In recent years, crime and online scams associated with casinos in the town of
   Shwe Kokko have grown rapidly.
 * At least 30 companies operate in the town carrying out illegal scams within the
   framework of activities related to drug trafficking, prostitution, and gambling.

The action was taken as a result of a large number of online scams that took place
in the region. According to [data](https://burmese-voanews-com.translate.goog/a/shwekoko-thai-internet-cut-off/7605992.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
provided by a report from Voice of America’s Burmese service, an NBTC official reported
that telephone and internet connections between Thailand and the town of Shwe Kokko
in Myanmar’s Kayin (Karen) State have been suspended as a result of scams carried
out by criminal groups.

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Over the last few years, crime and online scams associated with casinos in the town
of Shwe Kokko have grown rapidly. The scam schemes began in the town with the evolution
of various casinos towards the end of 2010, later evolving into scams carried out
by phone and computers.

A local worker explained that at least 30 companies operate in the town carrying
out illegal scams within the framework of activities related to drug trafficking,
prostitution, and gambling, targeting mostly Americans and Europeans through SMS
messages and phone calls.

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## An Overview of Online Scams in SEA

From 2023 to the present, illegal online operations in the SEA region have shown
growth. A recent [report](https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/un-report-details-massive-scale-of-southeast-asias-scamdemic/)
from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicated that various
scam schemes have been on the rise in the Mekong region, being operated by online
casinos, prostitution, and drug trafficking, among other types of scams.

These operations often take place in special economic zones and other areas with
lax regulation in countries like Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, and have connections
to transnational organized crime groups.

The UNODC report estimates that there could be at least 100,000 victims of trafficking
for forced criminality in Cambodia alone, making it one of the largest such operations
in history.

Likewise, other types of scams such as phishing and cryptocurrency pyramid schemes
have been driven by the adoption of AI, providing cybercriminals with tools to develop
more complex tools and scam schemes.

Countries like Hong Kong and Singapore are taking measures to tackle crypto and 
online scams by addressing the challenges posed by the growth of  illegal online
activities.

These developments underscore the importance of regional cooperation and the need
for robust cybersecurity measures to combat the rise of illegal scams in the SEA
region. Individuals and organizations must stay informed and vigilant against such
threats.