Tourists waiting to see the sunset from the top of Shwesandaw Pagoda in Bagan. Sunset viewing atop Bagan pagodas, which is a popular tourist drawcard, will soon be banned as part of Myanmar’s conservation drive. Photo: REUTERS
PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 4, 2017
The popular tourist drawcard will be banned after this year’s tourist season, an officer from the Archaeology, National Museum and Library Department told The Myanmar Times.
Earlier this month, Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi floated the ban during a survey of earthquake-damaged Bagan temples. In the interests of sustainability, she said alternative vantage points would need to be made available. Her suggestion is already being translated into action at the ancient capital.
“We are trying to find potential substitute locations for sunrise and sunset viewings because we will enact a restriction on pagoda-based viewings no later than the beginning of the next tour season,” said Mr Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the Archaeology, National Museum and Library Department.
Sunset viewing platforms could be built next to Ko Mauk Lake, as well as on east and west O Htain Taung, he said.
Other potential locations include Phoe Thu Taw Lake near Sulamani Temple, Thu Htay Kan Lake, which is en route to Damarazika Pagoda, Mingalar Lake, Kuthaynar Yone Lake and Nyaung Latt Phat Lake.
Bagan officials are taking conservation efforts increasingly seriously amid efforts to apply for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) world heritage status. An application is due this September, with the country hoping the world-renowned archaeological zone will be listed by 2021.
Previous attempts to curtail pagoda sunset viewing drew ire from the tourism industry. In February last year, the Ministry of Culture banned sunset viewings from pagodas after a private company conducted a show on top of a monument, which allegedly reflected poorly on Myanmar’s heritage. The prohibition was rolled back amid a backlash from tourists and tourism operators.
Previous attempts to create alternative vantage points have also not fared well. Two years ago, the Japan International Cooperation Agency established a viewing platform at Nyaung Latt Phat Lake, but was unsuccessful at pulling the crowds away from the iconic pagodas, Mr Aung Aung Kyaw said.
But in the name of conservation, another effort will have to be made, he added.
“We decided not to allow viewing from atop pagodas due to the need to preserve our religious and cultural heritage in the long term,” he said. “We will implement viewing hills at each lake with funds from people who want to donate.”
Mr Win Myint Khaing, chairman of the religious, social and cultural Hluttaw committee under the Mandalay Region Chief Minister, confirmed the ban.
“We have public donors to help support building viewing towers because we have no permission to use money from the fund dedicated to repairing the damaged pagodas,” he said. “We have already received more than 3.7 billion kyat (S$3.9 million) (to support the alternative viewing locations).”
Ms Moh Moh Aung, a resident from New Bagan, told The Myanmar Times the government should consider whether some temples might be appropriate to continue the sunset viewings, so an entire industry is not immediately gutted.
“A sunrise or sunset viewing from the pagoda vantage point is the most beautiful attraction in Bagan,” she said. “We should really allow some pagodas to be used for this because we want tourists to be happy they came for a visit.” THE MYANMAR TIMES
No comments:
Post a Comment