Thai Officials Crack Down on Illegal Bitcoin Mining Following Local People’s Complaints

Illegal Bitcoin Mining Place Shut Down in Thailand’s Ratchaburi Amid Blackouts

After many complaints from locals about ongoing power shortages, Thai officials seized an illegal Bitcoin mining business in Ratchaburi, a hamlet west of Bangkok. The illicit mining operations were probably the reason behind the blackouts that had been plaguing the area for more than a month, according to the South China Morning Post, which reported on the raid that occurred on August 23. After locals noticed mysterious power outages that started in mid-July, an investigation was launched.

PEA Reports: Bitcoin Mining Facility in Ratchaburi Found to Be Stealing Power

The disturbances caused concern for the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), which collaborated with nearby law enforcement to identify a solitary residence as the origin of the power outage. Following an examination, it was found that the house was being used as a Bitcoin mining facility. The facility had extremely high electricity use, yet the payments made for that electricity were curiously low, according to Jamnong Chanwong, the chief district security officer. This suggests that the operators had been stealing power to power their operations.

The company that had rented the premises for around four months had installed the Bitcoin mining equipment. The periods when the mining operation most likely reached full function coincided with large power disruptions, according to authorities. Nonetheless, the inquiry is still underway, and no one was arrested during the raid. Authorities believe that when the operators realized law enforcement was interested in what they were doing, they fled.

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