Sis permits for the construction of pandals for next month’s Thingyan festival around the Mandalay palace moat were auctioned by Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC) for a total of over K236 million, with one fetching as high as K54 million, said committee member U Kyaw Zaw Aung.
Rules were also issued for the pandals, but the prices of tickets for water playing at the pandals have yet to be fixed, he said.
The auction of eight permits for pandals on 66th Street to the eastern side of the palace moat started on March 23.
“We have not fixed the prices of tickets. We will also sell the remaining places as fast as we can,” U Kyaw Zaw Aung said.
Thingyan pandal permits were previously sold by drawing lots but this year MCDC decided to give them out via an auction system.
Unlike last year, pandals will be allowed only on three sides of the moat as the 26th Street to the south of the moat will be closed to vehicular traffic and turned into a pedestrian-only zone.
“Among the six pandal places in front of the moat, Maritime pandal got the best place by paying more than K54 million for the permit. The least price paid for is over K25 million.
“Permits for two other places – 80th Street to the west of the moat and 12th Street to the north – will be placed for auction again as the bids did not meet the minimum price,” said U Than Htike Kyaw, head of Department of Assessors under the MCDC Department of Revenue.
Last year the permit for Maritime pandal, which was set up at the southern part of the moat, was given for K40 million. The ticket price for one person to play water during the water festival was K50,000.
Rules issued by MCDC for Thingyan pandals were that no advertisements of alcohol, beer and cigarettes will be allowed, organisers must install CCTV, permits are not allowed to be resold to others, K2 million deposit must be paid, and playing time is from 8am to noon and 3pm to 6pm, among others.
Source: Myanmar Times
