SOUTHERN SHAN STATE – People close to the hotel business said that the junta council has already collected donations from hotel operators for the upcoming Tazaungdine festival in Taunggyi city.
An employee of the hotel, who did not want to be named, said that a meeting was called between hot air balloon experts, fireworks technicians, hotel business men and managers when Min Aung Hlaing came last week and they were ordered to contribute by September 16th.
“It was ordered when Ma Ah La (Min Aung Hlaing) came. These guys are pretty brutal. There is also a flood. It’s not even the Thadingyut yet. The Tazaungdine festival has already been prepared. They asked all the hotel owners to come. They have to contribute because they are afraid,” he said.
He continued, “They asked 14 million kyats for big hotels, 7 million kyats for medium and small hotels, 400,000 kyats and above for motels and guesthouses to contribute to the relevant administrators, and it is reported that the junta council will pay for one big air balloon called “Sein Na Pan” and one night fireworks.”
“Yes, they called meeting with the hot air balloonists and General Managers. Rather than a meeting, we are forced to do it. He said everything he wanted,” said a hotel owner who did not want to be named.
In 2023, the junta council made an emergency plan a week in advance to hold the Tazaungdine balloon festival, and in order to make people crowded, they forcefully asked people from Pa-O villages to come one person per household.
The junta council is making urgent plans to hold the festival, but the dates and plans for the festival have not yet been officially announced.
