泰國 PEA 關閉比特幣礦場，原因是竊取價值數百萬泰銖的電力

泰國省電力局關閉了一個比特幣礦場，因為竄改電錶竊取價值數億泰銖的電力。

Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has shut down a Bitcoin mining farm after discovering that its operators tampered with power meters to steal electricity worth hundreds of millions of baht.

泰國省電力局（PEA）發現比特幣礦場營運商篡改電錶竊取價值數億泰銖的電力後，關閉了礦場。

Acting on a tip-off, the PEA, in collaboration with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), conducted a raid on the mining farm situated in the Phanat Nikhom district of Chonburi on Monday.

根據舉報，PEA 與犯罪抑制部門 (CSD) 合作，於週一對位於春武里府 Phanat Nikhom 區的礦場進行了突襲搜查。

During the operation, authorities seized 996 Bitcoin mining rigs and uncovered a scheme devised by the farm’s operators to manipulate their electricity meters.

在行動中，當局查獲了 996 台比特幣挖礦設備，並發現了農場經營者設計的一個操縱電錶的計畫。

This operation enabled them to use electricity for their mining activities largely free of charge, resulting in massive losses for the Thai state electricity provider.

這項業務使他們能夠在很大程度上免費使用電力進行採礦活動，這給泰國國家電力供應商帶來了巨大損失。

The authorities have yet to identify those responsible for running the operation, but the CSD is obtaining arrest warrants from the court.

當局尚未確定該行動的負責人，但懲教署正在從法院獲得逮捕令。

According to the PEA, the operation was planned meticulously to avoid raising suspicions. An unnamed staff member testified that the theft was cleverly timed to occur only at night.

據PEA稱，這次行動是經過精心策劃的，以避免引起懷疑。一位不願透露姓名的工作人員作證說，這起竊案被巧妙地安排在晚上發生。

During the day, the power meter functioned as usual to evade detection by the authorities.

白天，功率計照常工作以逃避當局的檢測。

Bitcoin mining is a complex process that involves using high-powered computers to solve mathematical problems, which helps verify transactions and create new bitcoins.

比特幣挖礦是一個複雜的過程，涉及使用高效能電腦來解決數學問題，這有助於驗證交易並創建新的比特幣。

Being an energy-intensive activity, electricity comprises the largest operational cost for Bitcoin miners, prompting some operators to engage in illegal activities to increase their profit margins.

作為一種能源密集型活動，電力是比特幣礦商最大的營運成本，促使一些業者從事非法活動以提高利潤率。

Thailand’s power grid has been persistently abused by illegal miners. Over the past year, several raids have been conducted after the country experienced a mining boom following China’s crackdown on the sector in 2021.

泰國的電網一直遭到非法採礦者的濫用。 2021 年中國對採礦業進行打擊後，該國經歷了採礦業繁榮，過去一年裡，該國進行了多次突襲搜查。

In August 2024, the PEA took down a similar operation in Ratchaburi, a town west of Bangkok, after discovering unregistered miners draining power from the local electricity grid.

2024 年 8 月，PEA 在發現未註冊的礦工耗盡當地電網電力後，取締了曼谷西部小鎮拉差布里府的一項類似行動。

The incident led to frequent blackouts in the area and higher costs for residents.

該事件導致該地區頻繁停電，居民成本上升。

More recently, two individuals from the Surat Thani province were charged with stealing over $280,000 in electricity to power their mining rigs in an abandoned property.

最近，來自素叻他尼省的兩名個人被指控盜竊超過 28 萬美元的電力，為他們在廢棄房產中的採礦設備供電。

Meanwhile, back in 2022, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) in Bangkok spearheaded a series of raids, dismantling over 50 crypto-mining operations that were causing yearly losses of over $10 million in stolen electricity.

同時，早在 2022 年，曼谷特別調查部 (DSI) 就帶頭開展了一系列突襲行動，搗毀了 50 多個加密採礦作業，這些作業每年因被盜電力而造成超過 1000 萬美元的損失。

Similar activities have been uncovered in other parts of the world. As previously reported by crypto.news, Malaysia’s national electricity provider disclosed losses upwards of $100 million in an October 2024 report.

世界其他地區也發現了類似的活動。正如 crypto.news 之前報導的那樣，馬來西亞國家電力供應商在 2024 年 10 月的一份報告中披露了超過 1 億美元的損失。

The losses were attributed to electricity theft to run Bitcoin mining hardware, prompting the government to take action.

這些損失歸因於運行比特幣挖礦硬體的竊電，促使政府採取行動。

These incidents have sparked a global reckoning, with governments tightening regulations, limiting electricity use, hiking tariffs, and even imposing outright bans to exert greater control over the crypto-mining industry.

這些事件引發了全球反思，各國政府收緊監管、限制用電、提高關稅，甚至實施徹底禁令，以對加密貨幣挖礦產業施加更大的控制。