It’s hard to believe, but the Karen National Army (KNA) is reportedly busy transporting Chinese scam operators through the Water Ditch Valley every day. Locals say that these convoys are coming from areas north of Myawaddy, heading straight for Kawthoung.
The KNA has really invested in this operation, renting vehicles from villagers and even sending troops along for security. Since 2025, Kawthoung Valley has been developing buildings for these scams, and it seems quite a few are already up and running. Although the KNU in Faung Township claims they want to stop the construction, the site isn’t far from Kawthoung, so they can’t really put a stop to it.
Now, Kawthoung Valley is seeing more and more buildings popping up, not far from Thailand’s Mae Sot. Social media is buzzing with posts under the name “Kawthoung and Meila Chinatown,” recruiting scam operators, cooks, cleaners, and security personnel. It’s quite the scene! Besides the Chinese scammers, there are applicants from other countries and local Myanmar residents. After the military shut down previous scam hubs, many of these individuals have started spreading into Karen State and west of the Salween River to keep the operations going.
