The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand has cut off the supply of electricity across the Moei river to two border towns in Myanmar where groups of Chinese businessmen have made huge illegal investments, at the request of the Myanmar government, Thai official sources said.
The two border towns are Shwe Kokko, opposite Thailand's Mae Ramat district, and Ban Le Le Ko, opposite Mae Sot district. Both are in Myanmar's Karen State.
Chinese businessmen were reported to have invested more than US$1.5 billion in casinos, entertainment complexes and housing estates in the towns.
The sources said on Tuesday the Myanmar government had stopped supplying electricity to the two towns and asked Thailand to do likewise.
The border checkpoints at both friendship bridges across the Moei river linking Mae Sot and Myawaddy remained open to travellers and cargo trucks as usual on Tuesday.
Sources at several security units believed local Myanmar people would not be much affected, as they were used to living without electricity. However, the Chinese investors in the two towns, especially those running entertainment venues, would suffer.
Thai and foreign workers, as well as the Chinese investors, might look for new locations, including Mae Sot, to do business, they said.
