Following the Myanmar government’s large-scale crackdown on KK rings, locals reported that many KK ring workers moved to nearby rings, which continue to operate normally.

According to Thai media reports, another 100-acre (40-hectare) ring near Mae Thao Talai Village, not far from the KK ring, is still operating normally. Locals say at least a dozen rings between Myawaddy and Mae Thao Talai are operating normally, and that scammers who fled the KK rings have relocated to these rings.

With the ASEAN summit expected to discuss the crackdown on scams, Myanmar is under pressure to take a tougher stance against the rings. From October 24th to 27th, the Myanmar military carried out daily demolitions at the KK rings. The explosions were so powerful that they could be heard in Mae Sot, Thailand, and thick smoke filled the air for several minutes. Thailand stated that Myanmar had informed the Thai side of the crackdown in advance, and Thai officials used loudspeakers to warn residents near the border to exercise caution. The explosions reportedly did not affect Thai territory.

Reports indicate that while the KK campus was subjected to continuous blasting, operations at other nearby campuses were not affected. A staff member at a scam campus in Myawaddy stated that operations remained normal and employees were still able to access the company-provided internet. SpaceX previously announced it had cut service to over 2,500 Starlink devices at the KK campus, but the campus still had access to Mytel Telecom in Myanmar and fiber optic lines from Thailand.

Currently, due to the Myanmar government’s crackdown on scam campuses, the number of people leaving Myanmar and entering Thailand has risen to 1,525. Thai authorities expect the number of foreigners entering the country to increase further in the coming days. Authorities will discuss the issue with the National Security Council to determine the management protocols, legal procedures, and funding needed to handle the influx.