Online scam operations persist and spread in Myawaddy despite junta’s public crackdown

Mizzima

Despite the Myanmar junta’s publicized crackdown on online scam operations, locally known as Kyarpyant, these activities have reportedly spread to the town-level wards of Myawaddy. The Myanmar-Thai border town is under the junta’s control.

Mizzima’s investigation confirmed that recruitment for new scam staff, specifically interpreters and chatting personnel, is being actively conducted on the Telegram platform. Most job postings are focused on operations within Myawaddy’s Ward 5, Ward 3, and a site known as the UK Compound.

A Myawaddy resident identified the location of one hub: “The UK Compound is a casino, just near Gate 1. You can go from the sugarcane field. It is located on the east side of Ward 3, the Kyundaw New Ward.”

Locals report that dormitories, hotels, and private rented houses across Myawaddy’s wards are now filled with foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, as well as individuals holding Myanmar identity cards who cannot speak the language.

“Kyarpyant are operating almost everywhere in Myawaddy. Hotels and dorms are just full. They are living there,” locals said.

A former employee of these operations stated that employers and superiors are now actively calling back Myanmar nationals who previously worked in the industry and fled, informing them that the operations are resuming.

The junta is actively staging public demonstrations of its anti-scam efforts. After first relocating the leadership of the online scam compounds to secure locations, the junta began publicizing raids on some buildings in KK Park and Shwe Kokko.

These operations were used to demonstrate the arrest of workers, the seizure and destruction of computer equipment, and the controlled demolition of scam buildings, often accompanied by frequent statements.