Karen warlord protests Thai arrest threat over scam centre links
Karen militia leader Saw Chit Thu, aligned with Myanmar’s junta, has protested Thailand’s move to seek his arrest over the proliferation of online scam centres in his stronghold of Myawaddy, a border town near Thailand.
Speaking to BBC Burmese on Tuesday (Feb 12), Saw Chit Thu challenged Thailand’s legal action, asking, "What exactly have I done to justify such an arrest? Have I committed any acts of rebellion against Thailand?"
Saw Chit Thu commands one of Myanmar’s Border Guard Forces (BGF) - ethnic militias allied with the junta - and operates the Shwe Kokko scam hub in Myawaddy in partnership with Yatai International, a company owned by notorious Chinese criminal She Zhejiang, currently imprisoned in Bangkok.
Thailand Issues Arrest Warrants
On Tuesday, Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) sought arrest warrants for three BGF leaders—Saw Chit Thu, Lt-Col Mote Thone, and Maj Tin Win - on human trafficking charges. They are accused of trafficking Indian nationals and forcing them to work in call centre scams.
Scam operations, particularly targeting Chinese victims, have surged in Myanmar’s border areas since the 2021 coup. Reports indicate that hundreds of foreign nationals - trafficked through northern Thailand - are forced to work under conditions involving torture and other abuses.
Despite these allegations, Saw Chit Thu claimed his group has actively fought human trafficking and rescued victims, lamenting, "Our efforts are never reported in the news."
He described Thailand’s planned arrests as "a great danger to us" and expressed deep disappointment over the move.
Karen BGF Rejects Allegations
Karen BGF spokesman Lt-Col Naing Maung Zaw echoed his leader’s sentiments, stating, "What mistake have we made for Thailand to issue an arrest warrant? We have done nothing wrong."
Instead, the BGF announced plans to form a special task force, led by Saw Chit Thu, to "completely eliminate and suppress cyber scam networks" in BGF- controlled territories in Myawaddy.
However, the rights group Justice for Myanmar has previously exposed the BGF’s involvement in Chinese-run scam operations, illegal casinos, and online gambling in the region.
International Sanctions and Escalating Pressure
In December 2023, the UK and EU imposed sanctions on Saw Chit Thu over human trafficking, forced labour, and human rights violations. The EU also sanctioned Mote Thone and Tin Win.
The issue gained further global attention last month when Thai police, under pressure from Beijing, rescued Chinese actor Wang Xing, who had been trafficked to Myawaddy and forced into scam operations.
Amid mounting pressure, Thailand cut electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to five areas in Myanmar last Wednesday, including Saw Chit Thu’s stronghold and Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) territory.
Raids and Leadership Shakeups
Following the Thai shutdown, the Myanmar junta and Karen BGF jointly handed over 61 trafficked victims from seven countries to Thai authorities. The junta also raided scam centres in northern Shan State, detaining over 100 people, including dozens of foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, DKBA General Sai Kyaw Hla announced that his militia would no longer allow online scam centres in its Kyauk Khat territory - except for online gambling.
In Thailand, authorities removed two senior police officers - Pol Maj-Gen Ekkarat Intasuep and Pol Maj-Gen Samrit Aemkamol - from their posts over alleged ties to scam operations in Myawaddy and failure to curb human trafficking.
On February 12, investigators from DSI, led by Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong and DSI Director - Yutthana Praedam, met with the National Security Council (NSC) to discuss matters related to the Saw Chit Thu, following recommendations from the Office of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Division.
Prosecutors from the Human Trafficking Division also participated in the interrogation alongside DSI officials.
Following the meeting, reports indicate that the Human Trafficking Division is set to hold internal discussions today regarding additional inquiries. A follow-up meeting with DSI is scheduled for February 17, 2025.
If prosecutors and DSI reach a consensus, the next step will be to file a request with the Criminal Court for an arrest warrant against Saw Chit Thu and his associates.
