Migrant workers in Yangon who come from all over the country have to face difficulties in securing bus tickets to return to their home towns every year during the Thingyan festival period.

Migrant worker anxiously hoping to secure a seat on this bus to return to his home town. Zarni Phyo/The Myanmar Times

 

Although workers would like to book tickets in advance, bus tickets are only sold just before the Thingyan celebrations begin and are sold on a first-come-first-served queuing system. Thus, getting a ticket is not always a certainty.

The President’s Office recently released an official statement in which it declared that the lengthy closure of offices and banks during the 10-day Thingyan holiday break disrupted commodity flows and international communication.

The statement also said that only April 13 to 17 will be officially recognised as Thingyan New Year holidays, and the remaining five days will be added to the other holidays within the year.

Most people note that getting a ticket home will be more difficult this year due to the changes in the holiday policy.

“We already had the new government during last year’s Thingyan, but the government did not solve the bus ticket problems at that time. We are supposed to go back to our hometowns in less than a month,” said Ko Aung Kyaw Min, who is planning to return to Minbu, Magwe region.

“Although we have reported to the Yangon Regional Government, the Motor Vehicle Supervisory Committee has not made any announcements yet for this year. Last year, Ma Hta Tha made an earlier announcement about the regulations for buying tickets.

“The public is still waiting for the announcement, but there is still no announcement.”

He said many workers were worried, as time was running out but there was still a lot of confusion about the procedure to buy bus tickets.

Ko Aung Kyaw Min said passengers are not given accurate information about the purchase of tickets. When the passengers contact the ticket offices regarding advance ticket sales, there are conflicting information on which bus routes and which dates are available to be purchased.

For Ma Mar Mar Moe, a 22 year old working in Yangon, the long Thingyan holiday is the only chance to meet with her family.

She is originally from a village near the Pakokku- Mount Vitoria route, and this year, in addition to her usual worries over the bus ticket, uncertainty hangs over her as her company has not decided if it will give a 10-day break.

She said she was worried that she would not be able to meet her family this year if the company decides to follow the official 5-day holiday, but said she remained hopeful and is still trying to get a ticket for her trip home.

“Those who work in Hlaing Tharyar factories will go back to hometowns regardless if it’s five days or ten day holidays,” said a 28-year-old woman who works in the Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone.

“Some factories will close and some won’t.  Anyway, we will go home whether the factories close for ten days or five days.  Thingyan is the only long holiday we have, as for the other holidays, we just have a weekend off.

She said most workers will apply for the extra five days leave to add to the official Thingyan leave.

“If we are fired for that, so be it. We will find new jobs after we come back from the holiday,” she said.

Ko Ye Mon Tun, an online service provider for passengers and highway buses, said that there is no advance booking service for highway bus lines other than JJ and Pagan Min Thar bus lines. Advance tickets for these two lines will be sold until April 12.

Passenger bus parked at highway bus terminal. Zarni Phyo/The Myanmar Times

 

Other bus lines do not sell advance tickets, and even the date to start the ticket sales has not been set.

Every year, bus tickets are purchased at a higher price during Thingyan. The passengers face difficulties in not purchasing tickets, but also from high prices by unauthorised ticket brokers.

“We understand that tickets cannot be bought at normal prices. For instance, if the usual price is K10,000 and the government sets the price at K15,000, the public will accept it. They will buy tickets at K15,000.

“But now, the price is neither K15,000 nor K20,000. Even if the price is set, we are still unsure as to how to get a ticket. These are the problems,” said Ko Aung Kyaw Min.

The industrial zone workers have to buy tickets at high prices from brokers as they are unable to queue for the tickets during working hours.

Every year, the passengers have to pay more for the tickets, and many aren’t even able to obtain tickets even if they are willing to pay the high prices.

“As long as the government can arrange for everyone to have tickets, even if the price is set at K15,000, it will not be a problem. The main problem is the ticket availability,” said Ko Aung Kyaw Min.

Last year under Ma Hta Tha, the bus lines operated according to the usual schedule during Thingyan holiday, and the frequency of bus trips were not increased, he said.

“The government should prevent a problem from happening, rather than trying to solve a problem once it happens,” he said.

“This is not a natural disaster. It can be prevented. Migrant workers from all over the country who are working in Yangon will go back home during Thingyan. So, how will the government manage if the highway buses are inadequate? Will the government set up more bus companies, or sell tickets at a fixed price?”

Even though this problem has been recurring every year, it remains unresolved under the different regimes.

Although the new government has cut down the number of holidays for Thingyan, there has been no arrangement to provide enough tickets for migrant workers to return home.

 

By: Chan Mya Htwe, Translation by Swe Zin Moe, Myanmar Times

Published on: 7 April 2017