Following the reopening of the Asia Highway 1 (AH1) section linking Myawaddy and Kawkareik towns in Karen State, junta troops stationed along the route are demanding extortion-style tolls from passing vehicles.
The junta reopened the AH1 section—a vital route for Thai–Myanmar border trade—on April 2 after it had been closed for about two years due to heavy fighting, allowing hundreds of vehicles to travel the road again that day.
Along the highway, the junta and its ally, the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), have established checkpoints at the entrances to Thingannyinaung Village and Myawaddy Town in Myawaddy Township, where they are reportedly collecting hefty taxes from passing vehicles, according to locals.
In addition, junta and BGF soldiers have reportedly been extorting 10,000 MMK from each passenger on buses, threatening harm against those who refuse to pay, according to witness accounts.
Travelers using this stretch of road are also required to provide their national identification card (NIC) numbers and other personal information to soldiers at checkpoints and are occasionally subjected to questioning.
The junta has declared that no tolls are being collected on the reopened AH1 section, but contrary to this claim, travelers are being extorted by regime troops.
Currently, the junta has only permitted passenger vehicles to pass, barring large trucks, which are instead forced to use an alternative route through rough, forested mountainous terrain.
