Xi Jinping praises Thailand’s crackdown on Myanmar scam hubs

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn meets Xi in Beijing after the kingdom cut power and internet to scam hubs around its border

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Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 7:47pm, 6 Feb 2025Updated: 12:45am, 7 Feb 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday praised Thailand’s efforts to crack down on scam factories along its border as he met Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during her first official visit to the kingdom’s largest trading partner and top source of tourists.

Ahead of her trip, Thailand pulled the plug on electricity and internet to five border areas of Myanmar known to house numerous scam centres.

Her government also ordered an end to fuel supplies and other logistics such as SIM cards, satellite dishes and cables used by the cyber scammers to hit their targets across the world.

Chinese nationals are widely believed to operate these scam factories, which primarily target mainland Chinese and the diaspora.

“China appreciates Thailand’s effective measures to combat online gambling and fraud,” Xi said according to state news agency Xinhua.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: AP

“The two sides should continue to strengthen law enforcement security and judicial cooperation, safeguard the safety of people’s lives and property, and maintain the order of exchanges and cooperation among regional countries,” he added.