Thai authorities conducted a joint enforcement operation on June 21 across five provinces and seized 315 Bitcoin mining machines. According to a Thai government deputy spokesperson, the operation targeted 14 locations suspected of stealing electricity worth about 40 million baht, equivalent to roughly $1.1 million.
Joint checks covered 14 sites
The action was carried out by the Ministry of Interior, the Provincial Electricity Authority and the Royal Thai Police. Thai authorities said the operators reduced electricity costs by tampering with power meters, allowing the Bitcoin mining sites to run at lower reported expense. Officials also said the activity had disrupted local electricity supply.
According to the disclosed information, northeastern provinces had become a concentration area for illegal mining because of lower operating costs. The Provincial Electricity Authority identified the mining sites by monitoring abnormal electricity consumption patterns. The sustained high-load power usage associated with these operations differed significantly from ordinary electricity demand and served as part of the basis for enforcement.