YANGON: Myanmar’s military announced on Sunday that it has demolished nearly 150 buildings in a crackdown on a notorious internet scam compound near the Thai border, targeting facilities used in large-scale online fraud. The structures included a gym, spa, karaoke parlour, dormitories, and even a four-floor hospital, according to the state-run newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar.
The raid comes amid growing concerns over sprawling scam factories in Myanmar’s loosely governed border regions, which employ workers to carry out romance and business cons targeting users worldwide. Many of the workers are trafficked, while others join voluntarily, often attracted by luxury amenities offered to high-earning staff.
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Last month, the military raided the infamous KK Park compound, uncovering more than 2,000 scammers and forcing 1,500 people to flee into Thailand. Since the latest operation began, locals in both Myanmar and Thailand have reported intermittent explosions as demolition continues.
Analysts say the junta’s crackdown is likely limited and highly choreographed, aimed at easing international pressure without fully dismantling the lucrative scam operations. China, a key military backer, has reportedly expressed concern over scams targeting its citizens, while the junta balances its civil war alliances and profits from the illegal operations.
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Earlier interventions included the repatriation of 7,000 scam workers to China and a Thai-led internet blockade. The recent raids also followed AFP reporting that some scam centres had evaded prior crackdowns by using Starlink satellite internet receivers, which SpaceX subsequently disabled in the area.