How Thailand Powered the World’s Biggest Scam Factory

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A deep dive into how Thailand played a bigger role in enabling the scam compounds than meets the eye.

  1. United Nations OHCHR — Trafficking into Scam Centres (2023/2026) https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-report-details-grave-abuses-against-those-trafficked-scam-centres
  2. UN Office on Drugs and Crime — $40 billion annual revenue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scam_centers_in_Myanmar
  3. FBI IC3 — $16+ billion US losses (2024) https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/myanmar-has-declared-a-zero-tolerance-policy-for-cyberscams-but-the-fraud-goes-on
  4. Council on Foreign Relations — Myanmar cyber scam overview https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-myanmar-became-global-center-cyber-scams
  5. University of Texas — $75 billion global losses 2020-2024 https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-myanmar-became-global-center-cyber-scams
  6. INTERPOL — 66 source countries (March 2025) https://scamwatchhq.com/the-2025-global-scam-landscape-a-year-of-ai-powered-deception-record-losses-and-human-trafficking/
  7. AP / PBS Frontline — KK Park, compounds, C4ADS satellite data https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/myanmar-cyberscam-scam-compound/
  8. Al Jazeera — KK Park raid, 30 Starlink seized https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/21/myanmar-military-arrests-more-than-2000-people-at-infamous-scam-centre
  9. Pulitzer Center — Family Park survivors https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/exclusive-inside-chinese-run-crime-hubs-myanmar-are-conning-world-we-can-kill-you-here
  10. Pulitzer Center — Romance scam compound / Sri Lanka survivor https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/inside-romance-scam-compound-and-how-people-get-tricked-being-there
  11. Deutsche Welle — 17-hour workdays, murder threats https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KK_Park
  12. CNN — Electric shock torture, compound conditions https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/02/asia/myanmar-scam-center-crackdown-intl-hnk-dst
  13. International Justice Mission — 260 freed, 19 countries https://www.ijm.org/news/nearly-260-workers-freed-myanmar-scam-compounds-identified-trafficking-victims-thailand
  14. PBS Frontline — Indian/Ethiopian survivor testimony https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/scam-centers-trafficking-myanmar/
  15. US Treasury — Saw Chit Thu / KNA sanctioned (May 2025) https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0129
  16. US Treasury — Trans Asia, Troth Star sanctioned (Nov 2025) https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0312
  17. USIP — BGF ~50% earnings to junta (~$192M) https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmars-crisis-the-world/scam-workers-flee-as-bgf-vows-final-war-on-shwe-kokko-scam-hub.html
  18. Justice For Myanmar — KNA criminal network https://www.justiceformyanmar.org/stories/the-karen-border-guard-force-karen-national-army-criminal-business-network-exposed
  19. Al Jazeera — Min Aung Hlaing at Bangkok summit https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/4/myanmars-military-junta-chief-joins-bangkok-summit-in-rare-trip-abroad
  20. Lowy Institute — Thai senator / Myanmar businessman https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/new-thai-pm-has-his-work-cut-out-myanmar
  21. Irrawaddy — Thai Army Chief meets junta (March 2026) https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/politics/thai-army-chief-meets-myanmar-junta-leaders-amid-intense-us-focus-on-scam-centers.html
  22. Bangkok Post — PEA power cut (February 2025) https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2954672/power-cut-off-to-scam-centres-along-myanmar-border
  23. The Diplomat — Electricity cut to scam sanctuaries https://thediplomat.com/2025/02/thailand-cuts-electricity-to-scam-sanctuaries-across-myanmar-border/
  24. CNN — Power cut, compounds continue https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/05/asia/myanmar-thailand-scam-power-cuts-intl-hnk
  25. RFA — Myit Shwe Thaung Ying Company / BGF https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/myanmar/2025/myanmar-250204-rfa03.htm
  26. Khaosod English — 600M baht, Anutin quotes https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2025/02/05/thailand-cuts-power-supplies-to-myanmar-border-towns-in-effort-to-curb-scam-rings/
  27. The Star — 500,000 Thai victims, 60bn baht https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/02/04/thailand-to-cut-power-supply-to-myanmar-scam-cities
  28. Irrawaddy — Business as usual post-raid https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/business-as-usual-at-myawaddy-scam-hubs-after-myanmar-juntas-kk-park-raid.html
  29. OCCRP — US sanctions, $5.5bn losses https://www.occrp.org/en/news/us-sanctions-myanmar-militia-tied-to-global-scam-empire-human-trafficking
  30. Wikipedia — KK Park / Scam centers in Myanmar / Saw Chit Thu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KK_Park
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