Authorities in Naypyidaw's Tatkon Township permit gambling dens under guise of pagoda festival donations.

Administrative authorities in Naypyidaw have permitted gambling operations at a pagoda festival in a village where a temple collapsed during an earthquake, after collecting fees, sources told Myotawn.

Gambling stalls were allowed to operate at the Letpadawt village pagoda festival from February 23 to 26, according to sources.

"Village head U Tin Saung is leading this. They said they had to pay about 2.5 million kyat as a fee. U Tin Saung, U Kyaw Moe, and township administrator U Than Htike from Kinnmuntan village tract shared the money. They were given permission to set up 20 gambling tables," a local resident told Myotawn.

It is also understood that approximately 4.5 million kyat was paid to the Tatkone Township police force, including the township administrator, deputy police chief, and area security personnel, to allow the gambling operations.

"They also had to pay the ward administration committee and the township police force. They said Township Administrator Myint Soe got 100,000 kyat, Deputy Police Chief Nyi Nyi Tun got 100,000 kyat, and Area Security Deputy Police Commander Aye Min Oo got 250,000 kyat," another local resident told Myotawn.

Separately, on February 20, before the festival in Letpadawt village began, a villager was reportedly abducted by a military commission unit on suspicion of military service evasion.

"The festival hasn't even started yet. One person has already been taken for forced recruitment. We don't know how many village youths will be taken when the festival begins. I'm worried," a local resident told Myotawn.

In a contrasting case from Pantanaw Township, Bago Region, organizers of a pagoda festival in Magyidong village reportedly paid extra fees, on top of the standard permit fees, to the Township Management Committee, township police, village administration, and area security personnel. This payment was specifically to prevent the abduction of festival-goers for forced military conscription.

Myotawn News Channel

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