Supplies to northern Shan state areas are having to go through Mogok Town in Mandalay Region because the junta has blocked the normal route from Mandalay City.
Normally goods would come through Mandalay City which is in a junta-controlled area. But, in November 2024 the junta prohibited the transport of goods to areas of northern Shan State controlled by the Three Brotherhood Alliance. They did this by blocking Highway 3 just to the east of Mandalay City. This is normally the fastest route to the Three Brotherhood Control areas.
Instead, goods being transported to those areas have to take a detour via Mogok Town in Mandalay Region which is held by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), a member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance.
Rather than take the direct road to the east of Mandalay City goods have to first go north to Mogok Town. They then go back south from Mogok along Highway 312 to the towns of Monglon and Kyaukme before going east along Highway 3 to Hsipaw (Thibaw) Town or west along Highway 3 to Nawnghkio (Naungcho) Town.
The detour via Mogok makes the journey far longer and increases the price of goods because of very high additional transportation costs and toll gate fees.
Explaining the alternative route a trader from Kyaukme Township said: “Shipments were blocked at the 16-mile checkpoint outside Mandalay City, requiring supplies to take a longer route through Mogok to reach Thibaw [Hsipaw] Town in northern Shan State.”
Talking of the additional costs of this route he added: “However, the additional transportation costs and tolls have driven expenses up to three or four times the usual amount.”
The junta first started banning lorries carrying goods from passing the 16-Mile checkpoint outside Mandalay City in October 2024.
In mid November it escalated its restrictions on the transportation of goods to northern Shan State by blocking the route between the Shan State capital Taunggyi and the Three Brotherhood Alliance held northern Shan State towns of Nawnghkio, Kyaukme, and Hsipaw. The junta achieved this by indefinitely closing route 41 from Lawksawk (Yatsauk) Town to Nawnghkio Town.
But, selected trucks that paid the junta were still permitted to use the road on a limited basis, according to some southern Shan State residents.
The junta also arrested 17 people on 2 January 2025 for allegedly supplying fuel to gold mining sites located in territories controlled by the TNLA, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and people's defence forces (PDFs).
