Residents of Namkham Town in Northern Shan State report that the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has warned it will confiscate and auction shop units if owners fail to pay taxes or keep their businesses open.

According to local sources, the TNLA’s taxation department began demanding advance tax payments for the entire 2026 tax year as early as September. Business owners—including grocery stores, noodle shops, tea shops, clothing outlets, and electronics stores—were reportedly ordered to pay between 500,000 and 5 million kyats (approximately USD 130–1,280) per shop.

Since mid-December, vendors say the TNLA has intensified enforcement. Shop owners who closed their businesses for several months due to financial hardship have been told that any shop remaining closed, or failing to pay the required tax, will be confiscated and auctioned to new owners.

“The TNLA is threatening to seize shops in the main market and apartment rows if owners do not reopen,” said a vendor from Namkham Main Market, speaking to the SHAN. “Even those who have reopened are being told their shops will be taken if they cannot pay. Many people stopped operating simply because the tax rates were too high.”

SHAN attempted to contact TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo for comment, but the previously used phone number was no longer in service.

Residents also reported increased restrictions at the TNLA checkpoint near Sei Lant Village, located on the road between Namkham and Muse.

According to locals, the checkpoint—where TNLA and Myanmar military forces are positioned in close proximity—closes daily at 6:00 p.m. and does not reopen until 7:00 a.m.

“If you arrive after the gate closes and still need to pass, they charge 20,000 kyats for a car and 10,000 kyats for a motorcycle,” said a male resident of Namkham. “These early closures and fees make it very difficult for people to travel or earn a living. Many residents are unhappy about this.”

In addition, residents said the TNLA’s immigration department has begun conducting door-to-door registration by ward to issue new identification cards and updated household lists.

Locals claim they have been warned that anyone without a TNLA-issued ID card will not be allowed to travel toward Muse, increasing pressure on residents to comply.