Rangoon (Mizzima) – Only half the number of pavilions will be allowed to operate during the Water Festival this year in Rangoon because of security fears, said a spokesperson for the Rangoon Region Administrative Office.
Last year during the festival, bomb blasts at the X2O pavilion on Kandawgyi Circle Road killed 10 people and injured 170 people. Several people have been convicted in connection with the bombings while others are awaiting trial.
‘We need to scrutinize everything due to security. We have given instructions that the large pavilions must be farther from each other. Except for maximum security measures, everything will be the same as last year’, the spokesperson said.
Last year, there were 16 pavilions on Kandawgyi Circle Road compared to seven this year.
Moreover, each pavilion has been ordered to provide a bomb-detection machine and to install CCTV cameras.
Overall, at last year’s festival there were 46 large pavilions. This year there will be 31 large pavilions. Many smaller pavilions will be spread throughout the area.
Seven big pavilions are located on Kandawgyi Circular Road,; five on Pyay Road; two on Parami Road; five on Kabaraye Pagoda Road; three on Sayarsan Road; one on Industry (1) Road; one on Bogyoke Aung San Road; one on Waizayandar Road; three on Bayintnaung Road; one on Strand Road; and two in Dagon Township in Rangoon.
Pavilion owners had to put down a 3 million kyat (US $3,500) deposit with the Rangoon Region Administrative Office.
