Mandalay 2 May

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture has now permitted the Pagoda Board of Trustees to collect entrance fees to foreigners at the Maha Myatmuni Pagoda in Mandalay, according to a member of the Pagoda Board of Trustees.

Although the collection of entrance fees from foreigners at the pagoda was already permitted by Mandalay Regional Government, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture did not agree on collecting entrance fees from foreigners at the pagoda. The ministry then said each foreigner has already paid K 10,000 as the entrance fee for Mandalay cultural zone and it is not advisable to collect entrance fee for the pagoda from foreigners again. But now, the Ministry has given the green light to the collection of entrance fees of the Pagoda from foreigners.

“The Ministry gave permission to collect entrance fees from foreigners yesterday. Foreigners will be collected entrance fees of the Pagoda starting from 1 July” said U Soe Lin, chairman of the Pagoda Board of Trustees.

Tourist information centers will be put in place at the east, south and north archways of the Pagoda. K 5,000 or 3 USD per foreigner will be collected by the Pagoda Board of Trustees.

Arrangements have been made to issue the history book of the Pagoda and guide-books in Myanmar and English version. In addition, wall paintings and places of interest in the pagoda are already created in the pagoda.

Thurein Lin                            

Translated by Suyee