A fire in a three-storey shophouse in Thailand has exposed a suspected illegal Bitcoin mining operation outside Bangkok, less than a week after police raided another mine near the capital accused of stealing millions of baht in electricity.

Fire exposes cryptomine

Firefighters were called to the property in Mueang district, Kanchanaburi province, on July 15, after a blaze broke out on the third floor. The fire was brought under control within around 30 minutes and did not spread to neighbouring buildings.

Once the blaze had been extinguished, officials discovered more than 20 computers and other devices believed to have been used to mine Bitcoin. The equipment had been damaged in the fire.

The room also contained large air-conditioning units and soundproofing, according to Thai PBS. Officials from Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) were called to inspect the site and reportedly found modified wiring used to bypass the property’s electricity meter.

Authorities estimated that the mining operation would have consumed between 100,000 baht and 200,000 baht ($3,000-$6,000) of electricity each month. The building’s recorded monthly bill was reportedly around 1,000 baht ($30).

Investigators believe an electrical short circuit in the property’s control panel caused the fire. Police are seeking the owner of the building for questioning.

Police raid Bitcoin mine in Pathum Thani

The discovery followed a separate raid on a suspected illegal Bitcoin mine in Pathum Thani province on July 9.

Police and PEA officials searched an apparently abandoned three-storey commercial building in Khlong Luang district, where they found mining equipment operating inside a soundproofed room on the third floor.

Investigators alleged that concealed wiring had been installed to bypass the electricity meter, leaving the property with a monthly electricity bill of just 35.62 baht ($1). The connection was believed to have been in place for more than two years, causing losses of several million baht.

Local reports said police found 18 mining machines at the site and seized 11 rigs, four internet receiver boxes, cables, and other equipment. No arrests were announced at the time of the raid.

Police are investigating who installed and operated the Pathum Thani mine, as well as whether it was connected to other sites using similar methods to avoid electricity charges.

Crypto mining is legal in Thailand, where miners are treated as manufacturers and subject to tax. However, authorities have uncovered a series of unregistered mining operations accused of bypassing meters and stealing electricity in recent years.