Residents in Myanmar’s Myawaddy township, on the border with Thailand, are suffering severe impacts from the Thai government’s decision to cut electricity, internet and fuel supplies to the township on Feb 5.

Thailand has cut electricity, internet and fuel supplies to five border areas in Myanmar, a senior Thai minister said on Wednesday, as the Southeast Asian nation steps up efforts to choke scam centres that have become a growing security concern.

Thailand cut cross-border electricity supplies to five locations in Myanmar on Wednesday, in an effort to stamp out online scam centres blamed for scaring away Chinese tourists.