Myawaddy မြဝတီ Myawadi | |
|---|---|
Township | |
 Main Street looking east | |
  Myawaddy Location in Myanmar (Burma) | |
| Coordinates:16°41′16″N98°30′30″E / 16.68778°N 98.50833°E /16.68778; 98.50833 | |
| Country |  Myanmar |
| Division |  Kayin State |
| District | Myawaddy |
| Township | Myawaddy Township |
| Area | |
• Township | 1.18 sq mi (3.1 km2) |
| Population (2019)[1] | |
| • Urban | 55,638 |
| • Metro | 149,510 |
| Time zone | UTC+6.30 (MMT) |
Myawaddy (Burmese:မြဝတီ;Thai:เมียวดี;RTGS: Mia-wadi;S'gaw Karen:ရၤမတံ , Eastern Pwo Karen Plone: မေဝ်ပ္တီ ) is a town in southeastern Myanmar, inKayin State, close to the border with Thailand. Separated from the Thaiborder town ofMae Sot by theMoei River (Thaungyin River), the town is the most important trading point between Myanmar and Thailand. Myawaddy is 170 kilometres (110 mi) east ofMawlamyine, the fourth largest city of Myanmar, and 426 kilometres (265 mi) northwest ofBangkok, the capital of Thailand.[2]
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On 6 August 2010, a bomb exploded in the car park of a crowded market in Myawaddy, killing two men and seriously injuring four others.[3]
On 5 April 2024, during theMyanmar civil war, a combined force ofPDF andKNLA fighters captured major military bases on the outskirts of the city. Nearly 500 junta troops surrendered, leaving junta forces in Myawaddy isolated and under pressure.[4][5] On 10 April 2024, remaining junta forces withdrew from Myawaddy and retreated to the Thai border. The KNLA subsequently took control of the entire township.[6] Later reports indicate the KNLA never took the entire town.[7]
On 24 April, the town was recaptured by Junta forces, after the KNLA was forced to withdraw, after a heavy firefight.[8]
Myawaddy is home to one of 7 officialborder trade posts with Thailand and opened on 16 September 1998.[9] In 2022, total trade volume at the border post stood atUS$1.872 billion, making it the second busiest trade port on the Thai-Burmese border afterHtikhi.[10][11][12]
The border-crossing is a major route for the export of Myanmar's gems,[13] many of which have their claimedprovenance changed once across the border.[14] TheIndia–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway connection to Myawaddy opened in August 2015.[11]
Under an agreement between Thailand and Myanmar governments, travelers who cross the border from Myawaddy-Mae Sot Friendship bridge are allowed to stay in Mae Sot for seven days. The new agreement has been effective from October 2016.[15]
Since the mid-2010s, Myawaddy has been home to unregulated casinos, which remain illegal in Myanmar.[16][17] In 2021, Myawaddy was home to at least 18 casinos.[18]
The area around Myawaddy has attracted significant investments in the form of Chinese gambling development projects, with ties to triads and crime syndicates, including Yatai New City, established byShe Zhijiang, a convicted Chinese businessman; Saixigang Industrial Zone, linked toWan Kuok-koi, a former triad leader; and Huanya International New City.[19][20] The nearby village ofShwe Kokko has become a major regional crime, human trafficking, and cyber scamming hub.[21][22]
KK Park, located in the nearby village of Mawhtotalay, has also emerged as a centre for cyber scams, human trafficking, online gambling, prostitution, and drugs.[23] Cyber-crime committed within the vicinity of Myawaddy includespig butchering scams, which are run by Chinese crime gangs, which entrap people, predominantly ethnic Chinese and also other foreigners, under false pretenses and then force them under threat of torture to convince victims to send large amounts of money to them.[24]
Myawaddy District Hospital is a public hospital that serves people in Myawaddy township and its surrounding area.[25] Myawaddy Hospital'sOperation Theater Building was constructed by theJapanese Government under the Japanese Government's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).[26] However, local people still cross the border to seek help at DrCynthia Maung'sMae Tao Charity Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, for better service.[27]
In the2014 Myanmar census,Myawaddy Township had 195,624 people. The town itself had 113,070 people, 57.8% of the township's population.[28] In 2019, according to theGeneral Administration Department, the population had dropped to 55,638 people in the town, with the township dropping overall to 149,510 people.[1]
Myawaddy is home to the Migyaunggon or Crocodile Temple, known for its crocodile-shaped library building.[29][30] The town is also home to the Viewpoint Pagoda and Phra Mon Yoeun, a 20 m (66 feet) Mon-style Buddha image.[29]
Myawaddy township is also home to the famous Mulae, Mulaet, and Mulaeh pagodas, where people across Myanmar and even Thailand come on pilgrimage. The pagoda are 2,000 meters above sea level and have a stunning view, but due to Covid-19 and the ongoing Burmese civil war, the visit to the pagoda has dropped significantly.
Myawaddy travel guide from WikivoyageCapital:Hpa-an | ||
| Hpa-an District |   | |
| Hpapun District | ||
| Thandaunggyi District | ||
| Kawkareik District | ||
| Kyain Seikgyi District | ||
| Myawaddy District | ||
| Cities and towns | ||
Borders of Myanmar | |
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| China |
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