Around 1,000 people have fled from fighting around the junta’s Wawlay Tactical Operations Command (TOC) south of Myawaddy Town in Karen State, across the border into Thailand.

On 3 July 2025, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and its allies launched an offensive against Wawlay TOC, which is in Myawaddy’s Township’s Wawlay Town, on the border with Thailand,.

Since then residents of Wawlay Town and the surrounding areas have been fleeing across the Wa Le River into Thailand. 

Currently about 1,000 of them are sheltering in Thailand. About 400 of those are sheltering at Wat Wale Tai Monastery, whilst the remaining 600 are sheltering at friends' homes, other monasteries, and in empty warehouses on the Thai side of the Wa Le River, according to a Karen community aid worker assisting the displaced people (IDPs).

He said: “Around 400 people from Wawlay Town and nearby Htee Ther Lel Village are sheltering in Wat Wale Tai Monastery on the Thai side. A few have remained in Myanmar, taking refuge on their farms, though not many due to the heavy rains. In total, about 1,000 displaced people have crossed into Thailand, with some staying in vacant warehouses along the riverbanks.”

Normally, at this time of year in Karen State, farmers should be spraying cornfields with pesticide and fertiliser. But because of the fighting, farm workers do not dare go into the fields to do these jobs in the area of Wawlay Town, according to some local people.