Scam Warlord Shifts Operations to Cradle of Karen Revolution
Chinese‑run online scam syndicates have established new bases under the protection of Saw Chit Thu’s Karen National Army (KNA) — formerly known as the Karen Border Guard Force — in Maw Poe Kay and Mae La, areas famed for decisive battles in the Karen revolution, sources told The Irrawaddy. The regime-aligned KNA oversees lucrative scam operations in return for providing a buffer against the Karen resistance, led by the Karen National Union.
The new compounds, located in Hpa‑an District’s Paingkyon Township, began recruiting in late August. Job ads on Telegram offer salaries of at least 15,000 baht (nearly 2 million kyat) for entry-level positions tasked with finding targets. Meanwhile, experienced China-Myanmar female interpreters are promised up to 12,000 yuan (over 6 million kyat).
The syndicates have relocated from Myawaddy Township’s notorious scam hubs of Shwe Kokko and KK Park as well as nearby Min Let Pan, Falu, Kyauk Khet and Mula Ei. Successful applicants are transported from Myawaddy to the new sites.
Locals say construction has been underway for more than six months in Maw Poe Kay and Mae La, where some scam centers are already active. Job ads indicate these sites mainly target US and Japanese nationals.
Unlike earlier clusters, the new compounds are dispersed across the Dawna mountains, with some hosting hundreds of workers, according to locals.
“While they have dispersed across the mountain range, some big sites still have as many as 800 staff,” said a local familiar with the matter.
Villagers report hidden jungle roads leading to the sites, guarded by KNA troops.
Maw Poe Kay village, now a recruitment hub, lies along the Thai border opposite Tha Song Yang District in Tak Province. To the east lies the historic Maw Poe Kay base of the Karen National Union (KNU), while Mae La sits to the west. Residents estimate the new scam zone spans nearly 1,000 acres across the mountains.
This same area staged major battles between the KNU and Myanmar military from the 1980s to the late 1990s, forcing tens of thousands of Karen civilians to flee into Thailand. Mae La is now the largest refugee camp in Thailand, serving around 30,000 displaced Karen.
Observers warn that the proliferation of scam operations in historic resistance sites threatens the KNU’s image and the Karen struggle. “These groups are not revolutionary forces. They pursue profit without regard for the Karen cause. Their presence undermines the image of the Karen revolution,” said lawyer and border analyst Saw Ba Oo Lay.
The KNU has been fighting the regime since the coup, when it withdrew from the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. Its Brigade 7 captured several bases along the Thai–Myanmar border in early 2025, including Mae La and Maw Poe Kay. The group did not immediately respond to The Irrawaddy’s request for comment on the new developments.
Under increasing international pressure, the regime and its Border Guard Force staged well-publicized demolitions at Shwe Kokko and KK Park in late 2025. However, syndicates quickly relocated to townships away from the border, eventually reaching Paingkyon.
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