Myanmar and Thailand’s ‘Festival of Lights’ concludes
Thais and foreign tourists celebrated the Yi Peng and Loy Krathong festivals, the annual “Festival of Lights,” along the banks of the Ping River in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Nov. 4-6. Crowds gathered along the banks of the river to float (loy in Thai) krathong, which are small, decorated baskets, typically made from banana leaves, flowers, incense sticks, and a candle.
“When I see the lanterns and light candles at my house in Chiang Mai, I feel overwhelmed and homesick. It reminds me of Tazaungdaing and Thadingyut,” a Burmese migrant worker living in Chiang Mai told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Thailand and Burma, neighboring countries with shared Buddhist cultural traditions, both celebrate the “Festival of Lights” to mark the end of the rainy season.
It takes place every year at the end of October or in early November and symbolizes renewal, gratitude, and spiritual reflection. In Thailand, Loy Krathong—celebrated alongside Yi Peng in the north—features floating krathong and sky lanterns. In Burma, the Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing festivals light up streets, homes, and pagodas with candles and lanterns as people make merit and seek forgiveness from elders.
Three miners trapped in Mandalay Region mine collapse
Residents of Mogok Township in Mandalay Region told DVB that three miners have been trapped under a collapsed ruby mine since Tuesday. Mogok, famed for its lucrative mines, is located 124 miles (200 km) north of Mandalay. A resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity that miners are rushing to mine rubies before the town comes under regime control on Nov. 20.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) is set to withdraw its forces from Mogok on Nov. 20-25 as a part of its China-brokered ceasefire deal with the regime in Naypyidaw reached on Oct. 29. The TNLA must leave Mogok, as well as Momeik in northern Shan State, but reportedly wants to keep a liaison office in the town, which hasn’t been confirmed by the ethnic armed group.
Mogok residents told DVB that mining companies have allowed ethnic Palaung (Ta’ang) businesspeople to operate 70 percent of the mines while 30 percent is operated by independent miners. Chinese, ethnic Kokang and Wa mining companies have operated mines in Mogok since the TNLA and its allied resistance groups, including the People’s Defence Force (PDF), seized control of the town in July 2024.
Singapore warns regime about credibility of its 2025-26 elections
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Tuesday that the regime’s 2025-26 elections set to begin on Dec. 28, and continue on Jan. 11 and at a later undecided date, cannot be considered legitimate unless there’s “constructive dialogue.”
“Peace, security and inclusive participation must be the basis of the upcoming elections so that the outcome is credible and reflects the will of the Myanmar people,” Balakrishnan wrote on Nov. 4 in a response to a question raised by a Singapore Member of Parliament on political developments in Burma regarding its elections.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) government was ousted in a military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Since then, the State Counsellor and President Win Myint have been held incommunicado by the regime, which seized power during the 2021 coup. Read more
News by Region
KAREN—A source close to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) told DVB that a regime counteroffensive has suffered “heavy casualties” during fighting with resistance forces in southern Myawaddy Township since Oct. 25. Myawaddy is located 81 miles (130 km) east of the Karen State capital Hpa-An.
The source told DVB that regime forces deployed overwhelming firepower and troops to regain outposts lost to the KNLA along the 1,501 mile (2,416 km) long Burma-Thailand border. No casualties were reported. The Wawlay and Htithellel outposts remain under regime control along the border.
MANDALAY—Residents of Myingyan Township told DVB that at least eight regime troops were killed by the PDF during an attack on a military checkpoint at Lelthit village on the Mandalay-Myingyan-Tada-U road on Tuesday.
The PDF told DVB that they have resorted to guerilla warfare style attacks against regime forces in Myingyan, located 69 miles southwest (111 km) of Mandalay. PDF members in Madaya Township told DVB that the regime has retaken an undisclosed number of outposts from them in October. Read more
SHAN—Residents of the Shan State capital Taunggyi told DVB that a parliamentary candidate representing the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) and his son were arrested and charged with murder on Wednesday. A resident told DVB that the two killed a neighbor for allegedly stealing a chicken.
The accused was reportedly approved by the Union Election Commission (UEC) to contest for a seat in the Shan State parliament. The PPP was founded in 2019 by Thet Thet Khine, a former National League for Democracy MP who lost her seat in 2020 under the PPP. She has been disqualified from the 2025-2026 elections by the UEC.
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