FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Bagan's sunset-watching ban to start in 6 mths

Bagan's sunset-watching ban to start in 6 mths

The ancient city of Bagan will complete setting up five sites for a sunset viewing in six months and upon completion, visitors will be banned from watching the sunset from ancient pagodas and temples, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura Aung Ko told the local media after a parliamentary session of the Upper House held Tuesday. 

The Mandalay Region government and the minister have coordinated plans to raise the banks of some old natural lakes where sunset viewing sites will be set up. The bank of Ko Mauk Lake is now being raised to 18 or 20 feet. Local and foreign visitors to Bagan can enjoy the sunset from this site as of mid-May and the four other sites have been chosen, said the minister. 
"The temples, pagodas, stupas and cultural heritages must be natural. We will create some hills so that pilgrims can watch the sunset. After five hills have been created, at least 200 or 300 people can have a sunset view from there. Having a sunset view from the pagodas will be reduced and finally, it will be completely banned," said Thura Aung Ko. 
The minister added that establishing the five sites for a sunset view could be finished within six months as there was enough funding. More sites would be set up if the number of viewers increased, he said. The minister also said the viewers would not be charged. 
Visitors, especially foreigners, like to enjoy the sunset from the ancient pagodas and temples in Bagan, which is famous for having thousands of pagodas . 
Myanmar will have to submit a proposal trying for the Bagan Region to be designated a World Heritage Site by September or October this year. The experts are now drawing projects in collaboration with UNESCO. 

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