’The Only Option’? Cyber Scams, Civilian Survival and Civil War in the Thai–Myanmar Borderland

Since Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, the Thai–Myanmar borderland has become a major hub for cyber scam operations. Karen armed groups have enabled and profited from this illicit economy by facilitating, taxing and protecting scam compounds. This article discusses the involvement of Myanmar nationals, especially Karen civilians, in the scam economy as a means of surviving a protracted conflict and its multifaceted impacts. In so doing, we illustrate the connections between civilian survival and rebel financing. We also argue for a qualitative and interpretivist approach to this topic, which connects the literature on rebel financing with ethnographic approaches to rebel governance.