TAK, Thailand– Mae Sot Immigration began the first day of returning Chinese nationals fleeing the KK Park and Shwe Kokko explosions and heading back to China. The Chinese government has assigned China Southern Airlines to pick them up directly from Mae Sot Airport over four straight days, with over 1,000 people expected to fly out. Reports say scam gang compounds in Myawaddy now lie in ruins.
The situation follows the visit of Liu Zhongyi, Assistant Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, who led a delegation to meet Thai and Myanmar authorities in Myawaddy, Myanmar, across the border from Mae Sot district in Tak province.
The meeting took place on 15 December and focused on plans to receive Chinese citizens who fled after explosions hit buildings in KK Park and the Shwe Kokko project. The attacks were carried out by the Myanmar military and Karen BGF in early December.
Today (16 December), Thai officials detained about 100 Chinese nationals who had crossed the border illegally, then escorted them to Mae Sot Airport for deportation on China Southern Airlines flights arranged by Beijing.
On the first day, two flights will depart, each carrying 50 passengers. Chinese officials handled the boarding at Mae Sot International Airport, and the first day’s operation wrapped up smoothly.
China is set to send more aircraft to Mae Sot Airport on Wednesday, 17 December, with 6 flights for about 300 people; Thursday, 18 December, another 6 flights for about 300 people; and Friday, 19 December, 6 more flights for roughly 300 people.
In total, about 1,000 Chinese nationals who crossed into Thailand in this group will be sent back. When combined with returns carried out between 1 and 4 December, the total number of people sent back rises to at least 2,000.
Reports state that after the Myanmar military and Karen BGF bombed two key compounds used as bases for online scam operations on the Myanmar side of the border opposite Mae Sot, the sites were left heavily damaged.
The first strike hit KK Park in late October 2025, followed by a 3 December attack on the Yangtze or Shwe Kokko special economic zone. Many buildings were badly damaged and can no longer serve as hideouts.
As a result, large numbers of foreign workers, including many Chinese citizens, fled across the Moei River into the Mae Sot district. Thai authorities then detained and screened them, and contacted embassies and consulates of the affected countries to arrange repatriation. Most returns have gone ahead without major problems.
