Authorities Raid Illegal Bitcoin Mine in Thailand

Thailand’s police and electricity authorities announced on Sunday that they raided an illegal bitcoin mine in a local town following frequent reports of power outages in the area over the past few weeks.

According to AFP, officials from the Provincial Electricity Authorities, along with local police, conducted the raid at a house in Ratchaburi, a province in central Thailand located west of Bangkok.

Jamnong Chanwong, a chief district security officer, explained that the power outages began around mid-July, likely coinciding with when the mine became fully operational. Thai authorities noted that the mining operator paid minimal fees compared to the significant amount of power consumed. However, no arrests were made at the site.

Southeast Asian countries have become popular destinations for bitcoin miners, attracted by low-cost electricity, skilled labor, and established infrastructure, especially after China’s ban on all crypto mining operations in 2021.

Additionally, last week, Malaysian authorities reportedly destroyed 985 bitcoin mining machines worth about 1.98 million Malaysian ringgits ($452,500) as the country continues to crack down on power theft linked to bitcoin mining. The Sepang district police in Malaysia also arrested seven individuals earlier this month for allegedly mining bitcoin using stolen electricity.