More than 20 children under the age of 10 have gone missing in Payathonzu Township, which is located on the Thai-Myanmar border. according to local residents.
According to local residents, on December 6th, seven children under the age of 10 disappeared within a single day from the Taung Wine quarter of Payathonzu Town. While one child was found on December 7th, the remaining six are still missing.
The recovered child has been unable to provide any information about the incident. Reports suggest the child was disoriented and failed to recognize their parents.
The number of missing children has been rising steadily since October, with no sign of their return. Although parents have reported these cases to local authorities and armed resistance groups, no significant action has been taken to address the issue.
The situation has triggered growing fears among parents, leading some to keep their children at home instead of sending them to school for safety reasons.
According to local sources, the disappearances began in October but the residents were not given serious attention at the time. As of now, the number of missing children has reached at least 20.
In one alarming case during the third week of November, a child under four years old also went missing, and their whereabouts still remain unknown.
Payathonzu Town is a conflict-prone area where multiple armed groups operate, including the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the Karen National Union (KNU), the People’s Defense Force (PDF), the Border Guard Force (BGF), and special forces (BC) are active in the town. Currently, DKBA forces are conducting all administrative activities in Payathonzu Town on the Thai- Myanmar border.
