As Payathonzu people struggle in the dark, Chinese gangs enjoy all-night karaoke session

AS PEOPLE in Myanmar’s Payathonzu township, opposite Sangkhlaburi district of Kanchanaburi, struggle to live without electricity after Thailand cut off supply on Wednesday morning (Feb. 5) the Chinese gangs there used generators to run a karaoke at an entertainment venue singing happily all night long, Naewna newspaper and Amarin TV said today.

Aside from electricity, Internet and fuel supplies have also been cut off to Payathonzu as well as Tachileik township opposite Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai and Myawaddy township across from Mae Sot district of Tak to hit out at Chinese scammers ensconced along the border.

At 11.30 a.m. today Pol. Lt. Gen. Trirong Phiwpaen, commander of the Technology Crime Investigation Division, and his team flew by helicopter to the Three Pagodas Pass to launch the “Sim Sai Sao” operation there and promote cyber check.

Informed sources said Chinese grey capitalists in Payathonzu are running entertainment venues, casinos and call-centre scamming operations at around five to six locations just 100 metres from the Thai border. These are spread out from the Three Pagodas Pass to Wat Chedi Thong temple with one being directly opposite a resort on the Thai side.

There are currently approximately 30,000 Chinese people doing business in this Myanmar township.

However it was reported that after the power cut most of the Chinese people in Payathonzu are staying in their rented rooms and not going out to shop in the fresh markets because the local people are dissatisfied that they have led to the Thai government cutting off electricity leading to them suffering.

Police and military units in Kanchanaburi have stepped up patrolling the border to prevent smuggling of oil and other equipment that can generate electricity all 24 hours but as of today no wrongdoers were found,

The streets of Payathonzu as well as the majority of the houses are enveloped in darkness with families having to make do with candlelight.

At the usual Friday market at Three Pagodas Pass Thai vendors also brought solar panels to sell which Payathonzu people were eager to buy because they were a lot cheaper than what is being sold in their own town but these vendors refused to let them buy any for fear of violating regulations.

Less fresh food such as fish, meat and pork were sold because Payathonzu people do not have electricity for cooking and running refrigerators. They are using firewood and charcoal stoves for cooking but the price of charcoal has doubled in their town.

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Payathonzu in darkness and the Three Pagodas Pass. Photos: Amarin TV

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