Local residents in Panglong (ပၢင်လွင်း Pinlaung) Township are being forced to pay so-called “military service fees” to both the Myanmar military junta and its allied Pa-O militia, the Pa-O National Organization (PNO), according to local sources.

Since early June, junta-appointed village administrators in Panglong and nearby village tracts have been collecting money from households under unclear pretexts.

“They collect from both town and village homes but never clearly explain where the money is going,” a resident told SHAN on condition of anonymity. “They claim it’s for military support. It happens monthly or every couple of months. This has already occurred about three times, but very little information has reached the public.”

Each household has reportedly been forced to pay between 15,000 and 20,000 Kyats, the source added.

The pressure on civilians intensified in May, when Pa-O militia forces in Phayar Phyu, part of the Tikyit Village Tract, began collecting similar “military allowances” in addition to demanding rice and other food supplies from villagers.

Tensions have escalated further this month. In the first week of June, combined forces of junta troops and the PNO entered several villages in nearby Nyaungshwe Township, including Hpayartaung, Loinwet, and Yaepu. Armed clashes erupted between the military-backed forces and local resistance groups, during which several homes were reportedly set ablaze.

The situation underscores the growing burden on civilians caught between military authorities and local militia groups in conflict zones like southern Shan State.