About Khun Sa

Khun Sa, the son of Lao Chang or Khun Sam a Unanese man and Kam, a Shan lady, graduated from a college in Tong Khi (a town in Myanmar). Before he was appointed a colonel in 1963, Khun Sa was the chief of "Ka Kin Yae" (the Myanmar Intelligence Unit).

Because of his people's skills of heroin production and his strong guardians Khun Sa has been very powerful in several trades, such as heroin, jade and other gems and ivory.

In 1966 he was captured in Tong Khi and imprisoned in Myanmar for 7 years. He was free again after his close friend, Chang Xu Chien took two Russian doctors who were sent to Myanmar in a Russian aid project as hostages in exchange of Khun Sa. This is why Khun Sa was able to join the Shan United Army (SUA) again. It is well known that in order to support his army, Khun Sa, the leader of the SUA needs an important source of money from heroin trades, particularly in the Golden Triangle. Thus, he has been blamed from all over the world. Khun Sa however states that he realizes the harm of heroin to people world wide, but to exchange with the freedom of his country, the Shan State, he has to go on as can be seen from his statement as follows:

"If I can get back my country, eight million of my people will rejoice, but if I can stop the narcotic problem then the whole world will rejoice."

One of the greatest armed forces during 1985-1986, Khun Sa's Muang Tai Army laid down weapons and surrendered to the Burmese government. In turn, Khun Sa, the heroin King and once Tai leader who is now living in Rangoon, received benefits from his business in the regions under his power. Khun Sa's surrender caused the Tai army to break apart into smaller less efficient groups, under separate leaders. While several separate groups successfully negotiated ceasefires with the Burmese goverment, Chao Yodsuak, the only minority leader, is still fighting against the Burmese army in the central region of Shan State. - Hall of Opium

Khun Sa passed away on 28 October 2007 in Rangoon.

Copy from Myanmar Old Photos