MAE SOT – Thailand’s Border Security forces report heavy fighting across the border from Mae Sot in Tak Province as the Myanmar junta forces launched a major offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU) and People’s Defence Force (PDF).
Myanmar junta forces have used kamikaze drones, bombers and 120 calibre weapons in an effort to retake military strongholds previously seized by the resistance. Stray fire has reached the Thai side, leaving homes riddled with bullet and shrapnel holes from small arms, machine guns and RPGs.
On Saturday, soldiers on the Thailand–Myanmar border near Mae Sot noted ongoing clashes around Le Keko and nearby villages in Myawaddy township, Karen State. Fighting also flared near Minlaphan and Phalu, opposite Thai communities from Mae Ku Mai Tha Sung and Mae Ku Luang in Mae Ku subdistrict, to several villages in Mahawan, Mae Sot district, Tak.
Myanmar junta forces are attempting to reclaim territory after the resistance captured most of Myawaddy earlier this year. The junta regrouped with support from the Karen BGF, then moved to retake key sites, including Infantry Battalion 275 in Myawaddy, Phasong camp and other bases.
They now claim control over Kawkareik and Myawaddy and report holding routes from the border deeper into Myanmar. This phase of the offensive has stretched for more than two months. The military has relied heavily on drones, including kamikaze types with accurate control at range, along with bombing runs and new weaponry from allied countries.
These assets have given the junta greater firepower than the resistance groups on several fronts.
The escalating battles have started to affect Thai communities along the border. As Myanmar troops push forward, clashes with small arms, machine guns and RPGs have sent rounds across the border into Thailand. Several Thai homes have been struck and damaged by fire whose origin is unclear.
District chief Sanya Phetses of Mae Sot, joined by the Red Cross chapter, Mae Sot Police and the Rachamanu Task Force, visited affected residents and handed out relief supplies. Officials recorded damage to 22 houses.
They urged people to remain cautious, stay indoors where possible, and contact village leaders in an emergency.
Mae Sot district has coordinated with the Rachamanu Task Force to step up patrols and protect local communities. The task force has also protested through liaison channels with the local Thai–Myanmar Border Committee.
Fighting continues on the Myanmar side opposite Mae Sot. Thai troops from the Rachamanu Task Force and Naresuan Force are patrolling the border to guard against incursions and protect Thai sovereignty.
Mae Sot, a bustling border town in Thailand’s Tak Province, serves as the primary gateway to Myanmar across the Moei River, linked by the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to its twin city, Myawaddy.
Recently, intense fighting in Myawaddy has escalated, with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied pro-democracy forces launching offensives since April 2024 to dislodge junta troops from the strategic trade outpost, capturing key bases and prompting thousands to flee into Mae Sot.
