NSS - April 8

Come April, Myanmar’s traditional Water Festival ‘Thingyan’ falls on 13-16 April, during which, authorities plan to hold the festival across the country. 

In Yangon Region, Thingyan Festival will be holding with more than 200 pavilions and two walking Thingyans. On the other hand, security has been tightened within the city since early April days for ensuring the safety of the civilian within Thingyan Festival. 

The Yangon Region Government has reported that there will be ten water-splashing pandals by the departments; one departmental walking Thingyan; one entertainment pavilion; and the Yangon City Mayor (Central) pavilion and the walking Thingyan. 

What is more, authorities are preparing 43 central pavilions and 176 water-splashing pandals in townships and districts located within Yangon Region in the upcoming Thingyan Festival. 

“There will be walking Thingyan program. We also are preparing and constructing pavilions and water-splashing pandals. The walking Thingyan will be beside the Maha Bandoola Park; between Maha Bandoola Road and Trader Road. It will be installed with sprinklers, like previous years. In addition, entertainment pavilions and shop stalls will also be involved. Likewise in the People’s Square Park, we are also preparing and constructing entertainment pavilions and pandals. There will also be walking Thingyan within the People’s Square Park, installed with sprinklers,” Deputy Director General of the Yangon City Development Committee U Toe Aung told The NSS.

Myanmar’s traditional Water Festival could not have been celebrated actively and lively since 2020.  

After 2021 political transition when the power was taken over by Tatmadaw, armed conflicts have been increasing across the country alongside explosions, shootings and extrajudicial killings by the terrorists.

Notwithstanding, the State Administration Council (SAC) strives to restore the active Thingyan with its best efforts and high security measures commencing in 2022. Therefore, this year 2024 is the third round by the SAC celebrating Thingyan Festival under threats and terroristic acts by the NUG/ PDF terrorists. 

Reports also state that within three years of Thingyan Festival from 2022, numbers of terrorists ranging from 15 to 50 were arrested by the Tatmadaw counter-terrorism forces ahead of Thingyan Festival; during arrest, explosive devices to bomb the civilian celebrations across the various cities and towns were seized by the counter-terrorism forces.  

In fact, on 24 March, two terrorists placed two remote-controlled bombs in the construction site of the Yangon Mayor (Central) Pavilion for the upcoming Myanmar traditional Thingyan Festival. The plot was responsible by Dark Shadow urban guerilla. 

The report states that the leader of the Dark Shadow, Chan Nyein Thu (aka) Panda Lay claimed that the plot to sabotage the Mayor Pavilion and water-splashing pandal was ruined by the jammers that are installed around the pavilion construction site; what is more, the terrorist Chan Nyein Thu also admitted that due to the surveillance cameras around the construction sites, the attempted bombers had to leave the plot without accomplishing.   

In previous weeks, explosions occurred in towns and cities of Yangon which were committed by three urban guerilla terrorists including the Dark Shadow, the reports stated. 

Following the consecutive bombing attempts and bombings in Yangon these days, concerns have been rising among the public for celebrating the Thingyan Festival next week.