Over 800,000 travellers flock to Shwedagon Pagoda in October 2023

In October 2023, more than 800,000 travellers from both home and abroad visited the Shwedagon Pagoda in the Yangon Region to pay their homage, said U Bo Thin, a member of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustee.
A total of 10,395 monks, 5,718 nuns, 37,173 men and 442,097 women visited shwedagon Pagoda. Additionally, 7,808 foreign tourists were reported to have come to pay their homage.
“In terms of pilgrimage to Shwedagon Pagoda, there are approximately 20,000 pilgrims on regular business days, and on weekends, especially Sundays, the number increases to around 40,000 to 50,000 pilgrims per day. Additionally, there are at least 150 foreign tourists on a daily basis, with the majority coming from China, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
Over a ten-month period, more than 6.8 million travellers have come to pay homage. To ensure peaceful worship at the Shwedagon Pagoda, CCTV security cameras have been installed over the past ten years, with around 280 cameras in place. In 2018, approximately 300 high-quality CCTV cameras were installed and upgraded. The platform, lower and upper terraces have been facilitated with a comprehensive network of CCTV cameras,” stated U Bo Thin.
In October, a significant day, specifically on the full moon day of Thadingyut (the day of Abhidhamma), it is reported that 170,977 travellers, including monks and nuns, visited the pagoda. Shwedagon Pagoda will host a ceremony to offer 10,000 oil lamps on 27 November, full moon day of Tazaungmone.
Due to the growing number of travellers, the Shwedagon Pagoda is now open for pilgrimage from 5 am to 8 pm, allowing visitors to peacefully explore the pagoda. — ASH/KZW