Shwe Kokko, a city located on the Myanmar side of the Moei River near the Thai border, stands as a peculiar symbol of modern development intertwined with intricate deceit. Built by Yatai, a Chinese company infamous for its chameleon-like identity with at least four different names, Shwe Kokko has become notorious as a "scam city." The city houses thousands of workers from China, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent, all engaged in sophisticated operations to defraud individuals globally of their savings. The allure of Shwe Kokko is augmented by its luxury amenities, including a hotel, a go-kart track, a water park, and a model farm, all orchestrated by Yatai.
The land that hosts this city was acquired at a bargain price due to the ongoing regional conflict. Despite Yatai's attempts to rebrand Shwe Kokko as a safe haven, their strategy to "whitewash the project" is overshadowed by allegations linking the city to massive scam operations. These allegations are compounded by the fact that signs on the buildings are emblazoned with Chinese characters, and Chinese tourists are now cancelling their trips to neighboring Thailand over safety concerns.
The mastermind behind Yatai, She Zhijiang, is currently imprisoned in Bangkok, awaiting extradition to China. Convicted in 2014 by a Chinese court for running an illegal lottery, Zhijiang managed to evade justice until August 2022 when a Chinese request to Interpol led to his arrest. Despite his claims that Yatai would never sanction telecom fraud or scams, the presence of at least nine scam centers in Shwe Kokko suggests otherwise.
"That is a lie. There is no way they don't know about this. The whole city is doing it in those high-rise buildings. No-one goes there for fun. There is no way Yatai doesn't know."
The logistical backbone of Shwe Kokko is evident with the constant movement of Chinese-made construction vehicles shuttling between building sites. This bustling activity starkly contrasts with the somber reality within the city's confines where complex scams flourish. Workers in these scam centers employ tactics that involve building rapport with unsuspecting victims before transitioning them to a "chatting section."
"When they feel close to you, you pass them on to the chatting section."
Within these sections, workers engage in persuasive dialogues with clients, luring them into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes.
"The chatting people will continue messaging with the client, persuading them to buy shares in the crypto company."
The scale of scams in Shwe Kokko has burgeoned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, entrapping thousands in its web. Despite Yatai's declared openness and denial of any involvement in fraud, skepticism remains rife.
"I can promise that Yatai would never accept telecom fraud and scams."
"Because our Yatai City is completely open to anyone who can go in and out freely. Refusing customers, for a businessman like me, is really difficult. This is my weakness."
The city's reputation has been further tarnished by She Zhijiang's lamentations about his own human rights predicament, highlighting the dichotomy between his past stature as an esteemed businessman and his current plight.
"Before, I had no understanding of human rights, but now I really understand how horrible it is to have human rights infringed upon."
"It is hard to imagine how the human rights of ordinary people in China are trampled upon when a respected businessman like me, who used to be able to go to the same state banquets as Xi Jinping, does not have his human rights and dignity protected in any way."
Despite these claims and defenses, those familiar with Shwe Kokko remain unconvinced.
"Everybody in Shwe Kokko knows what goes on there."