THE crimes, including unlawful online gambling, are on the rise currently in the Myawady-Shwe Kok­ko and KK Park areas, in Kayin State.

The Shwe Kokko area was established as a project to run business­es aiming at regional de­velopment in 2016. Later, because of the news cov­erage of media regarding the illegal businesses, the project was suspended. Law enforcement groups and administrators face difficulties and are strug­gling to control these ar­eas completely as various armed organizations are based there. Therefore, the sites lack stability and those who seek their interests commit crimes including online gambling taking advantage of these situations.

Moreover, the power and internet connection, which are basic and es­sential for online scams in these areas, are not provided by Myanmar but by other countries. For­eign organizations make investments in these in­frastructures, and most of the investments are made by these organiza­tions. Those run online frauds and gambling op­erated these schemes in the Philippines and Cam­bodia in 2015, and later in Myanmar in 2019.

The media also ex­pressed the news that the missing Chinese national Mr Wang Xing (actor) at border are­as of Thai-Myanmar (Mae Sot-Myawady) was transferred to Thailand through the proper com­munication of relevant organizations. According to the investigation, Mr Wang Xing was contact­ed by a Chinese man via WeChat Account of Thai media company GMM Grammy and persuaded to film in Thailand. On 3 January, he left Shang­hai, China, for Thailand by flight and arrived at Su­varnabhumi International Airport. Then, he arrived at Thaungyin River (Thai side) near Maekonkan village in Maesot, Tak Province, Bangkok, and was taken to Myawady- Shwe Kokko in Myanmar by boat.

Afterwards, he was sent to a building, and trained for computer typ­ing. He found about 10 Chinese nationals there. He was sent to another building and had shaved his head. He was forced to commit online fraud. That place is a place to run online gambling, and there are about 50 Chinese citizens. He got contact from his family, and the organizations from that area transferred him to Thailand via No 34 cross­ing in Wangthakiyanthaik in Ward 7 of Thasonglut in Mae Sot, Tak Province, on 7 January. In the evening, he proceeded to the Thai­land Victim Identification and Referral Centre in Don Mueang and was transferred to China on 10 January.

Similarly, three Chi­nese men including Mr Cheng Xiao Ning were found near Than Bridge in Chitkyiyay Street in Ward 5. According to the investigation, they illegal­ly entered Myanmar via Thailand in 2022-2023 and operated online financial frauds. They ran away from their sites as they did not receive any salaries.

Moreover, another two Chinese Mr Yin Jie and Mr Huang Xiang were also found near Nat Shin Naung traffic light in Bay­intnaung Street, Ward 4 in Myawady. They entered Myanmar via Mae Sot il­legally in 2023.

To run online scams and online gambling, there might be needs for electricity, internet con­nection, arms and am­munition and buildings. Those who run these schemes might have ac­cess to these relying on other countries. They are not Myanmar nationals, but they are foreigners who illegally entered My­anmar via illegal routes from neighbouring coun­tries. The neighbouring countries should partici­pate in combating online scams and online gam­bling.

The government of Myanmar also focuses on State stability and the rule of law. It also uncov­ers the online scams and online gambling operated by some foreigners, who communicated with EAOs and those who saved their interests from EAOs’ ar­eas by taking advantage of the current situation in border areas and transfer­ring them.

In doing so, most of the foreigners illegally en­ter the country via some neighbouring countries including Thailand to run businesses for their interests. However, the government investigated them under the law and transferred them to their respective countries on humanitarian grounds and bilateral relations. The illegal residents who commit online scams and online gambling are found in border areas including Laukkai, Muse, Tachilek and Myawady and trans­ferred to their countries. From 5 October 2023 to 13 January 2025, 53,388 Chi­nese were transferred to China, while 648 to Thai­land, 20 to Korea, 22 to Laos, 1,149 to Vietnam, 19 to the Philippines, 142 to Malaysia, 21 to Chinese Taipei, two to Singapore, one to Poland, one to Spain, 13 to Russia, 38 to Indonesia, three to Ugan­da, two to Egypt, three to Cambodia, 96 to India, 13 to Morocco, 29 to Ethiopia, 26 to Nepal, three to Paki­stan, two to North Ireland, one to Kazakhstan, two to Kenya, 60 to Sri Lanka, one to South Africa, one to Hong Kong of China, two to Sierra Leone, one to Ghana, one to Burundi and one to Turkmenistan, totalling 55,711 foreigners.