Content Writer: Janice Chew • Monday, 25/10/2025 - 23:58:17 - PM
SpaceX has announced that it has disabled more than 2,500 Starlink satellite internet kits operating in the vicinity of alleged scam centres in Myanmar. According to Lauren Dreyer, Vice-President of Starlink business operations, the action was taken after identifying a pattern of misuse in remote areas where cyber-fraud enterprises have proliferated.
These scam centres — many operating near the Thai-Myanmar border, such as in KK Park in Kayin State — have reportedly used Starlink technology to maintain internet connectivity despite regulatory crackdowns and border electricity disconnections. In one high-profile raid, Myanmar’s military claimed to have seized 30 Starlink terminals at KK Park during a sweep which detained over 2,000 people.
While this disabling action signals a direct attempt by SpaceX to intervene in the misuse of its service, several questions remain regarding enforcement and oversight. The company did not specify the exact timelines or locations of all affected devices. Some analysts note that while Starlink is not officially licensed in Myanmar, smuggled kits and the mobile nature of these compounds have made detection and regulation difficult.
Beyond the immediate action, this development also fits into a broader regional effort to tackle online fraud, human trafficking and illicit cross-border operations. Authorities in Myanmar, Thailand and China have increasingly cooperated to disrupt the operations of scam centres, and the disabling of Starlink kits suggests private-sector support is beginning to play a role.