YANGON is always crowded with an array of merrymakers during Thingyan – which is the most famous of Myanmar’s twelve traditional festivals.

People usually spend Thingyan – Water Festival – throwing water at pandals, touring around the city in a car or walking along the teeming roads.

As the event only comes once a year, all ages look forward to the festival, dreaming of the fun they'll have with friends and family.

But we all have to keep in mind that having too much fun can end in sorrow.
To avoid this, Yangon Division’s Peace and Development Council, the Water Festival Disciplinary Committee and the Traffic Rules Enforcement Committee announce rules and regulations every year for merrymakers.

Because many people go around the city in opens vehicle during the festival, the roads are packed with cars. It is important for other people not to tease drivers or splash water in their faces to avoid causing accidents or fights.

For their part, drivers must pay more attention to their driving than usual. Most importantly they should drive drunk. The Traffic Rules Enforcement Committee tested drivers using breathalysers last year and took action against drivers who were over the alcohol limit.

Drivers need to check their car’s condition carefully because in most places the roads are wet. Since many trucks and jeeps do not have roofs, the people standing in the back need to hold on carefully and avoid falling out.

There are a series of restrictions for vehicles touring the city: Cars without number plates and licences and cars with open sides are not allowed. There will be fines for car owners who do not follow these rules; last year the fines were K51,500.

Many car accidents happen during the Thingyan period. According to statistics from the Yangon Division Wireless and Traffic Police Force, there were 55 accidents and five deaths on Yangon’s roads during last year’s festival.

During the festival, authorities usually turn some roads into one-way streets to reduce traffic jams.

While everyone wants to have fun and enjoy the atmosphere with a few drinks, it is important for partygoers to avoid drinking too much. Friends need to take care of one another and stop people from getting into fights, which can easily sour a good night out.

The Water Festival Disciplinary Committee prohibits the sale of alcohol near pandals and other places where people gather to party.

Long ago Myanmar people used to use a branch of the Eugenia tree to lightly douse people with water. But nowadays people play rougher and use compressor pumps to shoot water, which can damage people’s eyes and ears. Infections from dirty water are also common, so be sure to wear goggles and earplugs.

To improve safety, more than a decade ago the banned water balloons, ice packs and liquid soap. And they sent the people who broke those rules to jail. But nowadays using such things during the festival has mostly disappeared.
The authorities recently announced that merrymakers are only allowed to throw water between 7am and 6pm.

Last year a pandal on Inya road collapsed and left more than 30 people injured. The YCDC said the collapse was caused by the use of old wood in the foundation. Consequently the structure was not strong enough to hold a lot of weight. The committee said they would issue more detailed regulations concerning the construction of pandals this year.