Portable internet helps Asia's scam centres bypass blackouts

LI: February, Thai and Myanmar authorities collaborated in an unprecedented operation, turning off electricity and internet in an attempt to free thousands of trafficking victims trapped in cyber-scam centres in Myanmar.

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The operation was successful, with approximately 7,000 people from 29 countries being freed. However, experts question how significant such blackouts are, especially with the growing presence of satellite internet technology like Starlink, China's SpaceSail, or Eutelsat, which could allow these operations to continue even during outages.

Owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed internet through portable packs. Users only need to plug in a slim device, small enough to carry in a backpack, point it to the sky, and they can access a stable internet connection. Service plans start at £50 ($65) per month.

"We're seeing more Starlink signals appearing in areas with scam compounds," said Andrew Wasuwongse, country director of the International Justice Mission (IJM) Thailand, an anti-trafficking NGO. Last year, authorities in Myanmar and Thailand seized over 80 Starlink devices, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In both countries, Starlink is illegal and not licensed by authorities.

Starlink states that users cannot engage its services for "fraudulent or illegal activities," but it did not respond to a request for comment. Despite being aware of the devices’ use in supporting illicit activities, Thai authorities attempt to seize them when found. However, an ASEAN trade agreement that allows goods to be imported into Thailand and transferred to other Southeast Asian countries without inspection complicates enforcement.