Thandwe passenger bus gate forced to close temporarily, say bus line officials

By DMG 13 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
13 November 2022, Thandwe

The Arakan State military council has ordered the temporary closure of the Arakan Ar Mahn bus gate in Thandwe, from which routes are run to several destinations in Arakan State, according to employees of the bus portal. 

The instruction was delivered to the chairman of the Thandwe Township motor vehicles supervisory committee (Ma Hta Tha) through the office of the district General Administration Department (GAD) on November 12, said an official at the gate. 

“Regarding the issue presented by the acting commander of the military’s Ngapali-based Light Infantry Battalion No. 55 and the decision made by the district GAD, the bus gate was ordered to be closed, according to the instruction,” said an official from the bus gate. 

Prior to the instruction being issued, junta soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion No. 55 conducted checks at the bus gate on November 10, the bus gate official added. 

“I don’t know the reason why the bus gate was ordered to be closed and we were not summoned regarding the matter. The bus gate was instructed to be closed at the request of the military’s LIB No. 55,” said U Nyi Law, chairman of the township motor vehicles supervisory committee. 

A female employee at the Arakan Ar Mahn bus gate said the work stoppage is affecting workers and families who rely on their wages. 

“Passenger bus owners, drivers and other employees face difficulties following the instruction. The bus gate will be closed indefinitely, so we don’t know how long it will be closed,” she added. 

The Myanmar military abducted U San Ko, an Arakanese composer and owner of the Arakan Ar Mahn bus gate, on October 23. A source close to Thandwe District GAD said the closure of the Arakan Ar Mahn bus gate was related to that detention. 

“Closure of the Arakan Ar Mahn bus gate was also linked to the arrest of U San Ko. The military council arrested him and destroyed his business,” the source added. 

The Arakan Ar Mahn bus line has been running routes to Arakan State’s Thandwe, Taungup, Mrauk-U, Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships for about 10 years.