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Around 200 Chinese nationals were among hundreds of people who reportedly fled the notorious KK Park in Myanmar and crossed into Thailand after military troops bombed the compound where some Hongkongers had previously been held. Former district councillor Andy Yu Tak-po, who has been helping the families of local residents trapped in Southeast Asia since 2022, told the Post on Monday that around four Hongkongers remained at scam farms in Myanmar, but he was unsure if they were in KK Park. A series of explosions have been heard since last Friday near the Thai-Myanmar border, with the latest occurring at around 5.30pm local time on Sunday when the Karen Border Guard Force and Myanmar’s army destroyed buildings tied to scam operations in KK Park, according to Thailand’s news website, The Nation. KK Park is one of the most infamous scam hubs located in Kayin State’s Myawaddy Township. The complex, which lies across the Moei river from the Thai border town of Mae Sot, is a major cybercrime and human trafficking hub. More than 600 people had fled the scam compound and crossed into Thailand, with some choosing to swim across the river, on October 22. By October 27, the number had risen to 1,525, including 482 Indians, 220 Filipinos and 193 Chinese nationals, the website reported on Monday, citing figures from the Tak Border Command Centre and the Ratchamanu Task Force. Thai authorities expect the number of foreigners crossing into the country to further rise in the next few days and are preparing several temporary shelters. The report also stated that authorities would discuss the issue with the National Security Council to determine management protocols, legal procedures and funding needed to handle the influx. The Post reached out to the Security Bureau to confirm whether any Hongkongers were among those who escaped from KK Park and if authorities planned to send officers to assist their return. In response, the bureau said it was still following up and providing assistance for one outstanding case believed to involve a Hongkonger in Myanmar. It said the case was among the 31 reports received since 2024. “Among them, 28 have already returned to Hong Kong and two did not request for further assistance or follow-up,” it said. A Hongkonger who had been detained in another scam farm in Myanmar for a few months last year after being tricked into taking a job in Thailand, said she understood that some Hongkongers had previously been held in KK Park. But she said the impact of the current military operation at the scam park was limited. “The raids focused only on KK Park. There are other scam farms where operations remain normal, as work and punishment continue,” she said. She was referring to the way detainees in the farms are forced to defraud victims using social media accounts and are subject to physical punishment that include beatings, whippings or electric shocks if they fail to meet quotas. Yu also said such operations would not resolve the problem. “It is such a big and lucrative business. The crackdown might just move them from one site to another,” he said. He said rescue operations would be more difficult if the people working in those farms were staying there voluntarily. “From what I understand, there are still around four Hong Kong individuals remaining there [Myanmar]. They’re in small groups, but each holds a significant role – such as team leader or model,” he said. However, some insiders said the latest crackdown appeared to be largely cosmetic, similar to previous ones, and timed to coincide with the Asean summit and appease both Beijing and Washington. Asean leaders were expected to discuss scams at their three-day summit which kicked off on Sunday, and are under pressure to take a tougher stance against the worsening problem.
