How one Karen warlord is defying Myanmar and Beijing

Questions from the western border: How can call-centre gangs be eradicated by cutting off power, internet and fuel supplies?

At this hour, the three Karen BGF leaders — Colonel Saw Chit Thu, Lt-Colonel Saw Mote Thun, and Major Saw Tin Win — remain unharmed.

Myanmar’s military, under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), is too weak to break through the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) resistance across the Dawna Range and reclaim Myawaddy.

Since May 2024, Myawaddy has been under the control of Saw Chit Thu following the failed attempt by KNLA and People's Defence Force (PDF) to seize Myanmar’s Battalion 275 and take the town.

Administratively, Myanmar government officials are still operating in Myawaddy, but all military forces in the area belong to the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF).

During the Cold War, the Thai-Myanmar border in Karen state was under the influence of the Karen National Union (KNU), led by General Bo Mya.

The KNU strongholds – from Manerplaw, Myawaddy, Walay, and Payathonsu to Tanintharyi – served as a buffer state between Thailand and Myanmar.

However, internal divisions within the KNU led to the formation of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which defected to Myanmar’s military regime, erasing the concept of a buffer state.

In 1994, the DKBA, led by Saw Chit Thu, Saw Mote Thun, and Saw Tin Win, agreed to transform into the Border Guard Force (BGF) under the Myanmar military.

Karen BGF troops and Myanmar soldiers were then deployed along the Thai-Myanmar border, establishing bases directly facing Thai military positions.

Around 7-8 years ago, the Karen BGF had around 7,000 troops, organised into 13 battalions and divided into four regiments.

Saw Chit Thu commanded Regiment 3, overseeing northern Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko, across from Mae Ramat and Mae Sot districts in Tak province of Thailand.

Saw Chit Thu has now appointed Lt-Colonel Maung Win as the new commander of Regiment 3, responsible for Shwe Kokko Economic Zone, as well as the scam cities of Yulong Bay and Apollo Park.

Saw Mote Thun commands Regiment 4, overseeing southern Myawaddy, including Dongmei City, New Myawaddy, and Jin Xian Park, opposite Mae Kon Ken, Thailand’s Mae Sot district.

Saw Tin Win commands Regiment 2, overseeing southern Myawaddy and the new KK Park, located across from Mae Ku, Mae Sot district.

Thai security agencies are well aware that Myawaddy and its notorious scam cities are controlled by the three Karen BGF leaders — Chit Thu, Moe Toe, and Ten Win. Cracking down on call-centre gangs means confronting the BGF itself.

A love-hate relationship

During Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing entrusted Saw Chit Thu and the Karen BGF with managing the Thai-Myanmar border. This led to an invitation for Chinese investors to develop the Shwe Kokko New City project, followed by KK Park.

In 2021, after staging a coup, Min Aung Hlaing dismissed Chit Thu, Moe Toe, and Ten Win from their BGF command positions, viewing them as growing too powerful and wealthy.

At that time, the three Karen leaders contemplated whether to return to the DKBA. Ultimately, Chinese illegal investors resolved the issue by paying extensive bribes.

As is widely known, the vice-ridden cities along the Moei River thrive on massive cybercrime revenues, funneling bribes to Nay Pyi Taw, top KNU leaders, and influential figures in Thailand.