The number of passengers who re-entered Yangon Region has been large while those departed the region has been few, that is why outbound and inbound travellers have been imbalanced, according to highway ticket counters.
However, it is expected to run regularly again in next month and Yangon is a hub of internal migrant workers and this is the time some of those are coming back from their natives after visiting to their towns during Thingyan.
“After Myanmar New Year, the passengers headed from Yangon have been sparse. Those returned to Yangon from other towns have been large. Before Thingyan, passengers who headed from Yangon to their hometowns were large and the number of passengers who headed to Yangon after the new year have been large, mostly from Sagaing, Myingyan, Kyaukpadaung, NyaungU and Pakokku. The highway travel will run regularly in around May,” said an official from a ticket counter at Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Terminal.
During the last Thingyan, the number of passengers mounted and ticket price raised but now prices have been normal again.
“Ticket price rose by nearly K10,000 when Thingyan was drawing near. For example, it was priced K25,000 from regular price K15000. Now it has been normal again. Tickets have been sold well. Some book tickets earlier and some book tickets just on time,” said a person who provides highway bus ticket service.
During this year’s Thingyan, in addition to those who returned to natives, the number of local travellers was larger than last year, especially most of them visited beaches and famous pagodas.
Thit Taw/ZS
