Kyaukphyu residents turn to begging as junta blockade deepens economic crisis

By Admin 26 Jun 2026

DMG Newsroom

26 June 2026, Kyaukphyu

A severe subsistence crisis worsened by a prolonged military blockade has triggered an unprecedented rise in begging among residents in junta-controlled Kyaukphyu, independent local monitoring sources confirmed Friday.

With local employment sectors collapsed and basic commodity prices surging sharply, vulnerable low-income residents in the coastal Arakan State hub report having no remaining means to survive.

“The visibility of street begging is entirely unprecedented in Kyaukphyu’s modern history,” a female resident said. “Impoverished groups are now occupying public markets and municipal streets, pleading for small amounts of cash or leftover food. The situation affects everyone from small children to displaced elderly people.”

Market monitoring across Kyaukphyu Township shows severe inflation in essential goods. A standard bag of low-grade rice is now priced at K25,000, while cooking oil has reached K20,000 per liter. Onions cost over K10,000 per viss, and dried chili pepper exceeds K40,000 per viss.

The inflation crisis is driven by an ongoing transit embargo imposed by junta authorities. Freight is limited to three maritime shipments per month from Yangon, allowing local trading networks to impose steep markups on imported food supplies.

Essential goods such as meat, fish, and vegetables have also become largely unaffordable. Household estimates indicate that a family of four now requires at least K30,000 per day to meet basic nutritional needs.

“The local economy has been completely paralyzed since the fighting intensified,” another female resident said. “People survive only through small-scale farming or restricted near-shore fishing. The wider population is facing the risk of severe food shortages.”

Some families have reportedly dismantled their homes to sell timber as firewood, leaving them without shelter and exposed to harsh weather conditions.

Junta forces cut off all land and sea supply routes to Kyaukphyu at the end of 2023. The prolonged isolation has eliminated most livelihood opportunities, deepening the region’s food security crisis.

Residents also report rising insecurity, including arbitrary detentions, extortion, and an increase in theft and robbery allegedly linked to local security conditions.

The combined pressures have forced about half of Kyaukphyu’s original population to sell property and flee toward mainland Myanmar or areas under Arakan Army administration.