Authorities promise tight security on nat festival trains

Authorities promise tight security on nat festival trains

By Si Thu Lwin   |   Sunday, 18 August 2013

Myanma Railways has promised to maintain tight security on trains during the Taungbyone Nat Festival in Mandalay, which started last week and runs to August 21.

A train bound for Taungbyone during the 2012 nat festival arrives at a station. (Si Thu Lwin/The Myanmar Times)

"Railway guards will provide tight security for people travelling from Mandalay to Taungbyone," said U Thet Soe, deputy general manager of Mandalay Region's Transportation Department.

"Especially, we want to warn all travellers about the danger of pickpockets, and we will broadcast warnings via loudspeakers in Thayezay, Taungbyone and Madaya stations.

"We will also strictly prohibit people from riding on the train engines and carriage roofs," he said.

U Thet Soe said Myanma Railways had already carefully checked its engines, carriages and the lines leading to Taungbyone before the festival commenced.

It will run eight special trains during the festival to cater to return trips from Mandalay to Taungbyone on top of the regular six trains a day.

A fare from Mandalay to Taungbyone costs K250, with the shorter Thayezay-Taungbyone leg K100.

Anyone caught riding without a ticket will be fined three times the normal fare.

The first train from Mandalay departs at 3am, and the last train leaves Taungbyone at 8:20pm.

Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/08/20/authorities-promise-tight-security-on-nat-festival-trains/