Powerful explosions from 500-pound bombs dropped by Myanmar military jet fighters shook the Thai-Myanmar border on the morning of 28 January as intense fighting continued between junta forces and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)-led joint forces.

Local residents in Mae Sot, Thailand, reported that the vibrations were strong enough to rattle windows and move furniture across the town, with the sounds of heavy artillery making sleep “impossible” for several days.

“The entire house shook, especially the windows. Since yesterday and the night before, we have been hearing what sounded like heavy artillery,” a Mae Sot resident said.

A migrant worker in Mae Sot said, “Where I live, the noise was so intense, it had made sleep impossible.  It has become noticeably worse over the past two or three days. Heavy artillery fire is frequent at night, but today was the most violent.”

The current escalation is cantered in the southern Myawaddy area between Phalu and Min Let Pan villages.

Clashes between junta forces and the KNLA-led joint forces have intensified in the area over the past week. The junta has been carrying out a military offensive in the area since November 2025.

According to a military analyst, the primary objective of the junta’s advance toward Min Let Pan is to retake online scam compounds that were previously seized, adding that the border area is strategically important for maintaining territorial control.

As a result of the fighting and junta attacks, many residents from nearby villages including Min Let Pan, Ingyin Myaing, Phalu, and Phalu Lay have been forced to flee their homes.