The united front against the junta in northern Shan State fell apart last week, leaving Beijing as the key powerbroker on Myanmar’s northeastern frontier.

Just as Gen. Ukris Boontanondha met a full complement of Myanmar’s military leadership, the FBI pledged to put a final stop to scam compounds operating on the Thai-Myanmar border.

There’s been widespread focus on foreigners trafficked into Cambodia’s cyber-scam compounds. But a growing number of Cambodian nationals are being forced to work in the illegal industry as well.

Over five years on from the military coup, the Myanmar junta’s assault on the population has decimated every facet of life in the country ...