Phang Nga – Cunning thieves seized the opportunity to cut power lines and steal electrical transformers in three police precincts of Takua Pa District, plunging streetlights along Phetkasem Road and access routes to tourist attractions in the Khao Lak area into darkness. This has raised concerns about nighttime accidents, with damages valued at over half a million baht. It is suspected the copper inside the transformers was removed and sold to scrap dealers.
On 17 Feb 2026, reporters received complaints from local residents and tourism operators in Takua Pa District, Phang Nga Province, who have been severely affected by thieves cutting power cables and stealing 30–33 kVA electrical transformers along with complete protective equipment lighting the roadside on Phetkasem Road at three locations. The first site is on the Takua Pa–Thai Muang line, between km 783+036, Village 1, Khuk Khak Subdistrict, Takua Pa District: a suspended single-phase 19,000/240 volt, 30 kVA transformer with full protective equipment, valued at 206,746.41 baht.
The second site is along Kuan 18 Step Road in Bang Muang Subdistrict, Takua Pa District, on Highway No. 4 (0902) at km 776+698: a suspended single-phase 19,000/240 volt, 30 kVA transformer with full protective equipment, valued at approximately 206,746.41 baht.
The third site is on Road Phong 1005 at the intersection with Highway 5, between Ban Bang Sai and Ban Pak Vip, Bang Sai Subdistrict, Takua Pa District, Phang Nga Province: a 33 kVA transformer valued at 215,604 baht. These thefts have left several roads leading to popular tourist destinations completely dark, increasing the risk of accidents and threats to the safety of residents, hotel staff, and tourists visiting Phang Nga.
Upon inspection of the crime scenes along Phetkasem Road and routes leading to tourist spots in Khao Lak, multiple streetlight poles were found completely dark after thieves cut power cables and stole transformers and control equipment. This caused extended stretches without lighting, especially affecting curved and isolated areas used by tourists, hotel employees, and locals traveling to hotels and beaches, creating unsafe road conditions. Drivers have difficulty seeing the road clearly, especially at night during rain, damaging Khao Lak’s image as a world-class tourist destination. Locals expressed concern, saying, “It’s scary driving at night with the lights out for several days due to thieves cutting wires to sell. We urge authorities to quickly inspect and repair before anyone loses their life in accidents on this road.”
Local residents are calling on relevant authorities to promptly assess the damage and install new equipment to restore lighting as soon as possible. They hope the responsible agencies will seriously address this issue to maintain safety and preserve Phang Nga’s tourism atmosphere as before.
Aruwat Koetkuan, Assistant Head of Electrical System Maintenance Operations, stated that thieves have stolen and cut power cables to steal electrical transformers at five points along Highway No. 4 between Takua Pa and Thai Muang Districts, a route heavily used by Thai and foreign tourists as well as locals during the high season. Currently, these routes are dark without lighting. The Provincial Electricity Authority’s Takua Pa branch has received initial reports and inspected the sites. The transformers are government property under the Department of Highways, which has experienced multiple transformer thefts, especially along main routes. He urged anyone with information to report to authorities via hotlines 1129 or 191. The stolen transformers are single-phase 30 kVA units used for street lighting.
The highway department can lease street lighting transformers from the Provincial Electricity Authority to quickly restore safety for tourists and residents. However, from January to February, five street lighting transformers have disappeared—four belonging to the highway department and one private unit. The perpetrator is believed to be skilled in electrical work, knowing how to remove fuses and take transformers down from poles, likely involving at least two individuals.
It is also suspected that the wooden tools used to remove the fuses were modified, as damaged official equipment would normally be destroyed immediately. The stolen transformers are believed to have been stripped of copper inside and sold as scrap. All transformers have serial numbers identifying them as government property. Authorities appeal to the thieves to stop these actions, as they cause hardship for residents and tourists who lose nighttime lighting. Meanwhile, the highway department has filed reports with police across the three Takua Pa precincts.
Additionally, reporters have received information from locals in Village 4, Bang Nai Si Subdistrict, Takua Pa District, Phang Nga Province, that thieves have broken into homes and agricultural sites, stealing electrical wires and farming equipment from unoccupied houses and rubber and palm plantations. Residents urge relevant agencies to promptly apprehend the suspects and prosecute them swiftly.