Article from 2014. Burma was under the rule of Thein Sein, the “reformist” civilian retired general who won the election in 2011 and opened up Burma to international trade, investment and tourism.

Mong La’s formerly Maoist rulers have been smart in staying away from attention, agreeing to close the wild life market in 2016, and stayed shy of armed conflict and empire-building near-by armed groups have been engaged in. There are scant reports of what is going on in Mong La these days.