TAK, Thailand – Following the Thai government’s decision to cut off electricity supply to Myanmar on February 5, fuel prices in the neighboring country have soared to 135 baht per liter.
Thailand’s recent cutoff of electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to Myanmar border towns, initiated by its National Security Council, has had a severe impact, particularly on fuel availability. The resulting near-total shortage has forced fuel stations in Myawaddy, a town bordering Mae Sot, to close. This action targets Chinese-run call center scam gangs operating in the area.
The price of fuel in Myawaddy has skyrocketed, with a 20-liter gallon costing the equivalent of 2,700 baht. This has prompted many Myanmar residents to cross the border into Thailand to fill up their vehicles and purchase fuel in jerry cans.
The increased traffic at the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge has caused congestion as Myanmar residents seek cheaper fuel on the Thai side. However, Thai authorities have instructed gas stations in Mae Sot to only sell fuel to vehicles and not to individuals carrying jerry cans.
In response to the situation, Thai authorities have intensified patrols along the border to prevent fuel smuggling. On February 13, a truck carrying 420 liters of diesel fuel was intercepted at a checkpoint in Mae Sot. The driver confessed to buying fuel from various gas stations in Thailand to sell across the border in Myawaddy at a higher price.
Meanwhile, Thai authorities are also investigating a suspected case of illegal electricity usage near the border. A rubber plantation with unusually high electricity consumption was found to have two mobile phone towers, suspected of facilitating online criminal activities in Myanmar. The electricity supply to the plantation has been cut off. (TNA)
