The regime’s Karen State administration reopened the 27-mile (43 km) stretch of the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road along the Asia Highway, which connects the Karen State capital Hpa-An to Myawaddy Township, along the Myanmar-Thailand border, with a ceremony on Thursday.
Thamein Tun, an executive member of the Karen National Union (KNU), told DVB that regime forces might have made an agreement with the pro-military Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) to provide security along the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road.
He added that fighting between pro-regime and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)-led resistance forces is still ongoing in southern Myawaddy’s Wawlay town, as well as in the vicinity of Kawkareik and Kyondoe townships, 27-41 miles (43-66 km) west of Myawaddy.
Regime forces regained control of the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road from the KNLA in September. The road had been closed due to a military counteroffensive launched against the KNLA in December 2023.
Kyondoe, Kawkareik, and Myawaddy are located 41-81 miles (65-130 km) southeast and east of the Karen State capital Hpa-An.
A truck driver in Karen State told DVB on the condition of anonymity that he still won’t travel along the road despite its reopening by the regime in fear of getting caught in a firefight between the KNLA and the military.
Sources close to the Karen State administration told DVB on April 2 that at least 600 cars and motorcycles had travelled along the road earlier in the day, but that no cargo trucks had yet driven along the reopened road.
Cargo trucks had to use a secondary route, via mountain roads, to travel between Hpa-An and Myawaddy from 2023, according to drivers.
Myawaddy residents told DVB that the Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge 2 has not yet been reopened. It was closed on Aug. 18 due to a regime crackdown on “illegal trade.”
Regime leader Min Aung Hlaing reportedly met with Ukris Boontanondha, the Chief of Defence Forces in the Royal Thai Army, in Naypyidaw on March 18. They reportedly discussed combatting illegal trade via the Myanmar-Thailand border.
