Residents of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bagan are expressing mounting alarm over a severe decline in tourism, driven by a surge in crime and kidnappings orchestrated by unidentified armed groups in the surrounding areas.
Nyaung-U Township residents, whose livelihoods depend heavily on the tourism industry, told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the escalating conflict is actively deterring visitors from traveling to the country’s famed ancient temples.
In response to the growing concerns, the local People’s Defence Force (PDF) has attributed the deteriorating security situation to ongoing “political and regional instability.”
Danger on the outskirts
According to Nyaung-U residents, the majority of the criminal activity is concentrated on the outskirts of the ancient city, specifically targeting travelers along the Bagan-Chauk and Bagan-Poppa roads.
These vital routes connect Bagan in the Mandalay Region to neighboring towns like Kyaukpadaung Township and Chauk Township in Magway Region.
A disturbing pattern of high-profile abductions, robberies, and disappearances has plagued these highways over the last six months:
- May 13: Khaing Hnin Wai, a prominent philanthropist and 2025 Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Award-winning actress, was kidnapped along with her employees by an unknown armed group on the Bagan-Poppa road. She publicly announced the incident on May 16. (DVB reached out for further details but has not received a response).
- March 15: Passengers traveling on a bus along the Myingyan-Taungtha road—part of the larger Mandalay-Nyaung-U highway network—reported to police that they were ambushed and robbed by an unidentified armed group.
- February 15: A driver and two passengers vanished while traveling along the Bagan-Poppa road. Kyaukpadaung residents presume the trio was kidnapped; their current status remains unknown.
- December (Ransoms Paid): A family visiting Bagan was abducted by an armed group and only released after paying a massive ransom of 100 million MMK ($23,809 USD). A few days later, another couple disappeared in the area with no subsequent information released.
- December (Elephant Resort Abduction): In a separate incident late last year, the manager of the Palinkanthaya Elephant Resort—located just five miles (8 km) from Nyaung-U—was abducted alongside his wife and several employees. The manager reportedly paid over 100 million MMK ($23,809 USD) to secure the group’s release.
The lack of security on the roads leading into Bagan remains a critical threat to both local residents and the survival of the region’s beleaguered tourism economy.
