Wikipedia

Laukkai

Not to be confused with the Chinese justice system Laogai, or Lào Cai in Vietnam.

Laukkai (also known as Laukkaing, Laogai or Laokai; Burmese: လောက်ကိုင်မြို့; Chinese: 老街; pinyin: Lǎojiē) is the capital[1][2] of Kokang Self-Administered Zone in the northern part of Shan State, Myanmar. It is located east of the Salween River, which forms part of Myanmar's border with the People's Republic of China at its upper reaches. It is about 10 miles (16 km) away from Nansan (Chinese characters: 南傘), China.[3] In Laukkai, Southwestern Mandarin and Chinese characters are widely used, and the Chinese renminbi is in circulation.[4] It is the main town of Laukkaing Township of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone. It is 117 miles (188 km) from Lashio and 42 miles (68 km) from Kongyan. Its population is 23,435.[5] Laukkai is notorious for its gambling, prostitution, human trafficking and online scams.[6][7]

Laukkai
လောက်ကိုင်မြို့ (Burmese)
老街 (Chinese)
လဝ်ႉၵႆႇ၊ ဝဵင်း (Shan)
Town
Laukkai
Laukkai
Laukkai is located in Myanmar
Laukkai
Laukkai
Location in Myanmar
Coordinates: 23°41′41″N 98°45′52″E / 23.69472°N 98.76444°E / 23.69472; 98.76444
Country Myanmar
State Shan State
DistrictKokang Self-Administered Zone
TownshipLaukkaing Township
Elevation
3,200 ft (1,000 m)
Population
 (2014)
23,435
 • Religions
Buddhism
Time zoneUTC+6.30 (MST)

Its annual rainfall is over 40 inches (1,000 mm).[8]

History

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It was a center of fighting in the August 2009 Kokang incident;[9] on 24 August, it was occupied by troops of the Tatmadaw, Burma's military junta, led by Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.[1]

Under Myanmar government

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Following the seizure of Laukkai from ethnic armies in 2009, the military installed a pro-junta militia. The militia subsequently grew rich off the production of drugs, and off gambling and prostitution to Chinese tourists. This gave rise to online scam compounds run by trafficked people mainly from China. The Strait Times reported in 2023 that around 40 scam compounds could be operating around Laukkai.[6]

On 17 February 2015, Myanmar president Thein Sein declared a state of emergency three-month period of martial law in Kokang in response to fighting between government troops and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, a rebel group.[10] The curfew was extended on 9 September 2019.[11]

On 6 March 2017, members of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) raided the Fully Light, Kyinfu, and Kyin Kyan casinos in Laukkai. The three casinos were owned by the rival Kokang Border Guard Force. The raid resulted in the death of one person, and the capture of tens of millions of dollars.[12]

1020 incident

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In the early hours of 20 October 2023, a rescue attempt [zh] for the hundreds of people forced to work at the Crouching Tiger villa of syndicate leader Ming Xuechang went awry, with Chinese media reporting that multiple Chinese citizens were shot and killed by guards while attempting to escape the compound. This incident has since been credited with forcing China to allow anti-junta forces to begin Operation 1027.[13][14][15]

Operation 1027

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On 27 October 2023, the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched a new offensive against the Tatmadaw in northern Shan State. The offensive saw the MNDAA make gains in the Kokang, with the goal of recapturing Laukkai since its loss in 2009. On 11 and 12 November, the MNDAA started shelling Laukkai,[7] and eventually ended up surrounding the city on 14 November.[6] On 12 November, all 127 members of Light Infantry Battalion 129 surrendered to the MNDAA with their families near Laukkai in Konkyan.[16]

Due to Laukkai's position as a major area for scams, the MNDAA said that it would hand over any captured scam bosses to China.[6] The MNDAA also issued orders to its forces to protect foreigners, rescue kidnapped victims, and to protect Chinese businesses and the China-Myanmar pipeline project.[17]

Since the MNDAA began closing in onto Laukkai, the city has seen a mass exodus.[7] In late November, the MNDAA opened a humanitarian corridor for migrant workers in Laukkai to flee to Lashio through Laukkaing and Kunlong townships, and Wa state. The corridor was however not used for ethnic Kokang people. Many Kokangs fled towards the Chinese border, but had tear gas fired on them by the Chinese authorities.[18]

 
Yanlonkyine Gate in 2019

On 6 December, the MNDAA captured the strategic Four Buddhist Statues Hill after three days of fighting against the Tatmadaw. The pagoda is located on a hill overlooking Laukkai and was the junta's last outpost before Laukkai.[19][20]

On 15 December, a temporary ceasefire was mediated by China between the Tatmadaw and the MNDAA in Kunming. China also issued arrest warrants for key members of the main families in Laukkai on 10 December, alleging that they were the ringleaders of telecom and online scams. This included the region's former chairman, Bai Suocheng.[21] The ceasefire ended on 18 December after the junta launched airstrikes on a base controlled by the MNDAA.[22] Following this, the MNDAA captured the Yanlonkyaing border gate on the Chinese border north of Laukkai on 19 December.[23][24][25]

On 28 December it was reported that "most" of Laukkai was now under MNDAA control, with junta forces largely abandoning the city.[26] The MNDAA gained full control of Laukkai following a mass surrender of the last junta forces in the city on 5 January 2024.[27][28]

MNDAA Control

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On April 24, 2024, ten men (ranging in age from 19 to 38) were convicted in three separate cases. The charges ranged from selling stolen weapons to SAC forces and extortion to human trafficking and murder. 70% of the defendants were MNDAA fighters. Afterwards, three defendants were quickly led into the forest and executed.[29] [30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Saw Yan Naing (28 August 2009). "Burmese Cease Fire Breaks Down". The Irrawaddy. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  2. ^ "Myanmar military moves to crush Kokang Chinese". Earth Times. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  3. ^ Tour
  4. ^ Daqi Archived 8 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Myanmar: Regions, States, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "Myanmar scam town Laukkai empties out as war approaches". The Straits Times. 16 November 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Fishbein, Emily. "'Fighting is all around': Myanmar faces deepening humanitarian crisis". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ MG Archived 2 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Junta's ploy: Push Kokang to shoot first". Shan Herald. 14 August 2009. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
  10. ^ Soe Zeya Tun (17 February 2015). "Myanmar declares martial law in troubled Kokang region". Reuters. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  11. ^ Mann, Zarni (10 September 2019). "Curfew Continues in Northern Myanmar's Kokang Over Concerns About Armed Conflict". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  12. ^ Nanda (23 July 2020). "The Kokang casino dream". Frontier Myanmar. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  13. ^ Head, Jonathan (23 November 2023). "The Chinese mafia's downfall in a lawless casino town". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2023. Ming Xuechang ran one of the most notorious of these scam centres, called Crouching Tiger Villa. He also reportedly ran the local police force...
  14. ^ Head, Jonathan; Luo, Lulu (9 November 2023). "A turning point in Myanmar as army suffers big losses". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2023. The Brotherhood Alliance timed their attack carefully, right after an incident in Laukkaing which snapped China's patience with the junta.
  15. ^ Gan, Nectar (19 December 2023). "How online scam warlords have made China start to lose patience with Myanmar's junta". CNN. WarnerMedia. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Entire infantry battalion surrenders in Laukkai: MNDAA – Myanmar Now". 15 November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Myanmar Resistance Forces Close In On Key Northeastern Town". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  18. ^ Htoo Zan, Hein (28 November 2023). "Exodus: Tens of Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Troops Face Last Stand in Kokang". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Laukkai is a notorious den of online scams — and the prize in one family's 14-year quest for revenge". ABC News. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Ethnic Army Battles to Seize Another Base From Myanmar Junta Near Border With China". The Irrawaddy. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Temporary ceasefire agreed after Myanmar rebel forces surround city notorious for online scam operations". ABC News. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Fighting Resumes in Myanmar's Kokang Region Ending Brief Pause That Followed China Peace Talks". The Irrawaddy. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Myanmar Resistance Forces Seize Another China Border Crossing". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Myanmar ethnic armed group seizes another crossing point along the Chinese border, reports say". ABC News. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  25. ^ "Anti-junta forces capture Myanmar border crossing gate". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  26. ^ "Most of Laukkai now under MNDAA control". 28 December 2023.
  27. ^ "MNDAA captures military command centre outside Laukkai, taking full control of city". 5 January 2024.
  28. ^ Myanmar Regime Raises the White Flag in Kokang Zone on China Border in Shan State January 5, 2024. The Irrawaddy. Archived January 18, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ Rigorous Military Law Proceedings: MNDAA holds public announcement of verdict and sentence on 10 criminals, including soldiers (in Chinese) Kokang Information Center April 25, 2024 Archived April 26, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Ethnic Army Executes Three Men After Public Trial in Northern Myanmar. April 25, 2024. The Irrawaddy Archived April 25, 2024, at the Wayback Machine


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