Recently, a reporter from Thailand's "The Nation" visited Shwe Kokko, controlled by the Myanmar Karen Border Guard Force, and interviewed its leader, Saw Chit Thu, known as the "King of Myawaddy."
"Ordinary" Saw Chit Thu: I'm just a "poor" landlord
According to "The Nation," the leader of the Karen Border Guard Force, Saw Chit Thu, who is currently "leading the fight" against the Myanmar-Thailand border tele-fraud centers, called for international assistance to take care of over 7,000 people awaiting deportation in Myawaddy during an interview.
In the interview, Saw Chit Thu told "The Nation" that his Border Guard Force (BGF) cannot afford the daily cost of approximately 1.6 million Thai Baht for food and accommodation for the deportees, and warned that overcrowded detention facilities could increase stress levels, leading to potential violent uprisings.
Regarding accusations of being a key figure behind the Myawaddy tele-fraud groups, exploiting victims trafficked to the centers from around the world for billions of dollars, Saw Chit Thu denied the allegations.
Last month, Thailand's Special Investigation Department issued an arrest warrant for this prominent Myanmar figure.
It took "The Nation" over six months to arrange an exclusive interview with Saw Chit Thu. After confirming his acceptance, the reporter was finally allowed to visit Shwe Kokko, controlled by the Myanmar Karen Border Guard Force, located about an hour's drive from the infamous Myanmar town of Myawaddy.
Since Myawaddy is located across the Mae Sot district of Tak, Thailand, this unclear geographical relationship plays a murky role in Thailand's smokeless "tele-fraud and anti-fraud war."
When "The Nation" reporter arrived at Saw Chit Thu's residence, he was already standing in front of the house to greet them, along with about 30 fully armed Karen soldiers.
Subsequently, Saw Chit Thu warmly invited the reporter inside and led everyone to his office to start the interview. From the original manuscript of "The Nation," it is clear that Saw Chit Thu decided to accept this interview mainly to clarify misunderstandings about him.
What misunderstandings?
"Some news about me is not true, leading to misunderstandings. I never had the chance to explain, even the Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant against me, I want to ask, what did I do wrong?" Saw Chit Thu said seriously.
Addressing accusations from Rangsiman Rome, chairman of the National Security and Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform Committee of the Thai House of Representatives, he explained.
Note: Rangsiman accused him of controlling the Myanmar tele-fraud groups with the help of corrupt Thai border officials.
"Considering that I have always been cooperating with Thai authorities, these accusations are regrettable. Where did they get the information that I am involved with the tele-fraud gangs? Based on what law? I solemnly declare that I have no relationship with the criminal gangs at the tele-fraud centers, I am just a landlord renting out properties to them," Saw Chit Thu said.
Regarding rumors that he owns billions of Thai Baht in personal assets, he also denied them.
Saw Chit Thu stated that he rents out land and houses in Shwe Kokko, using the rental income to build roads, schools, hospitals, hotels, buildings, and temples.
He added that the Myanmar government has granted the franchise to develop the new city of Shwe Kokko to China's Yatai Group.
"I am a Karen citizen, I have been striving since I was young, I joined the army at a young age because I was deprived of the opportunity to be educated, I hope the country can develop, I hope the Karen people can have a better life, there is nothing wrong with that. But who would have thought that renting out houses and land during the COVID-19 pandemic would become a starting point for the tele-fraud groups to expand their influence?" Saw Chit Thu said.
"The Nation" reporter: "Do you admit that Myawaddy is the headquarters of the call (tele-fraud) centers, and you were forced to take action to suppress them?"
Saw Chit Thu said that initially, he didn't even know what a call center meant. But when he learned that call centers were engaged in telecommunications fraud, he was unwilling to remain silent.
He pointed out that as early as 2024, the Myanmar Karen Border Guard Force had issued a statement warning those illegal foreigners to leave its territory. At that time, many people thought this "expulsion order" was just a fake command issued by him to enhance the reputation of the Karen Border Guard Force.
However, Saw Chit Thu emphasized that 90% of the foreigners entering Myawaddy are from Thailand, some legally and some illegally.
"Now, everyone blames me alone, no one takes responsibility for the current problems. No matter what I do, every move I make is criticized, even though I cooperate with Thai, Myanmar, and Chinese authorities to combat the tele-fraud centers, society still thinks I do this just to build an image," Saw Chit Thu said.
He stated that the Myanmar Karen Border Guard Force has been combating telecommunications fraud activities since mid-February this year, but they can only handle this issue alone. Now, he calls on the home countries of the more than 7,000 foreign citizens awaiting deportation to take responsibility for them.
He explained that the Karen Border Guard Force is currently unable to bear the daily accommodation and food costs of about 1.6 million Thai Baht for those awaiting deportation.
Moreover, Myawaddy has been cut off from electricity and water, affecting the lives of local residents and exacerbating the crisis.
"The detention center detains these people from the tele-fraud centers, the site is overcrowded, the situation is getting worse, some people are starting to have mental problems, desperately hoping to go home. Their stress levels keep rising, and resistance to military control is also increasing day by day. If there is an armed struggle or an out-of-control uprising, who will take responsibility? We estimate that there are still at least 20,000 people related to the tele-fraud centers who are still at large," Saw Chit Thu warned the outside world.
Saw Chit Thu's rise to power and survival secrets?
Combining the historical reports of "The Nation," in case some readers are unfamiliar with Saw Chit Thu's identity, here is a brief introduction.
In the turbulent Myanmar-Thailand border, there is a name that walks between the corridors of power and illegal business and dominates, that name is—Saw Chit Thu.
"The Nation" calls him a "master of betrayal," manipulating constantly changing allies, gaining wealth, influence, and control over the dark forces of the Thai-Myanmar border, gradually building an empire in Myawaddy, controlling an economic and military interest network across the border.
How did this man, who has ruled turbulent Myanmar for many years, manage to do this?
One: Master of betraying allies
Saw Chit Thu was once a colonel in the Karen National Union (KNU) and a close ally of General Tin Maung, the commander of the 7th Brigade of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNU), who not only controlled the Myawaddy area during the Cold War but was also a key assistant to General Bo Mya, the Karen leader.
In 1994, a small group of Buddhist Karen soldiers broke away from the predominantly Christian Karen National Union and formed the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), with Saw Chit Thu being one of the rebels. He joined the new organization and allied with the Myanmar military to fight against former allies.
A year later, his Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) launched an attack and captured important positions held by the Karen National Union—Kawmoonra.
The reward for this victory was: gaining the lucrative timber trade rights along the Kawmoonra and Moei River, especially in the Shwe Kokko area.
This was the turning point in Saw Chit Thu's fate, marking his transformation from a small soldier to a power holder.
Note: Because he joined a new organization to fight against old allies, Thai media labeled him a "traitor."
Two: Rise of a border tycoon
He made his first bucket of gold, now let's see how Saw Chit Thu became the strongest on the Thai-Myanmar border?
By 2010, Saw Chit Thu had switched sides again, he disbanded the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) that helped him make his first bucket of gold, and integrated it into the Border Guard Force (BGF) under the command of the Myanmar government.
But, his ambitions went far beyond the battlefield.
As the commander of the Border Guard Force, he shared the substantial profits and control he gained in Myawaddy with others. Additionally, the actual control of Myawaddy was split in half, as the commander of the 3rd Battalion of the Border Guard Force, he himself controlled the northern part of Myawaddy, while the southern control was given to the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the Border Guard Force.
Gambling, cross-border trade, and smuggling became his continuously growing business "secrets." In 2017, he started playing bigger.
Chinese investors came to his territory and obtained the franchise to develop the new city of Shwe Kokko. This seemingly grand development project is actually a haven for casinos and tele-fraud centers.
Thus, the already wealthy Saw Chit Thu reached a profitable consensus with the Myanmar military, further consolidating his influence locally.
At the same time, Shwe Kokko transformed from a small timber and livestock trading center into a gambling city and tele-fraud center base, attracting more Chinese people.
Three: Pleasing both sides
In 2021, the Myanmar coup reshaped the country's power structure, and the keen Saw Chit Thu saw another opportunity.
In January 2024, he publicly announced that the Karen Border Guard Force and the Myanmar military would draw a clear line, and declared that they would no longer accept funds or materials.
This became new evidence of him being hailed as a "master of betrayal," only this time he betrayed the Karen National Union, and this time he betrayed the Myanmar military.
In April 2024, when the Karen National Liberation Army and the People's Defense Forces launched a large-scale offensive and captured Myawaddy, Saw Chit Thu's troops were unscathed.
The secret is: he has already pleased both sides.
Now, under the leadership of Saw Chit Thu, the Myanmar Karen Border Guard Force controls the dark forces of Myawaddy. It is reported that the monthly salary of Karen Border Guard Force soldiers is 5,000 Thai Baht.
Goodness~ This salary is so "high" that I thought I read it wrong, I can only take a screenshot as proof... Dare to ask how the soldiers can spend so much money every month?
In February 2025, the Thai Special Investigation Department issued an arrest warrant for Saw Chit Thu on charges of "suspected human trafficking," and as international public opinion grew, the very adept at switching sides, Saw Chit Thu, began to perform his "survival secrets" again—change, change, change.
Currently, whether Saw Chit Thu can survive the Myanmar situation again? Whether his image in international public opinion can be reversed? What is the future of Myawaddy under his control? We do not know.
But what is certain is that the future of this prominent Myanmar figure, who is well-known, also determines the future of the residents of Myawaddy.
