INTERIOR decoration professionals are eagerly awaiting the end of the rainy season. Industry experts believe the Thadingyut season will kick off renewed interest in home renovations and improvements, and revive the current stagnant climate. The period October-April is normally the most active for interior decoration.

U Ko Ko Lay, director general of Three Friends Construction and Decoration, described current demand as “dull”.

“Since August, most new projects exist only on paper. I hope it will develop again in October and November,” he said.

U Maung Maung Zay Lin of Zealmen Decoration said most home owners held off from launching new projects until towards the end of the rainy season.

“According to some traditional beliefs, and because of the nature of the business, most customers want to start the decoration process about Thadingyut,” he said.

He said his company had only a very small number of current projects, most of which were for customers who had to complete decorations for homes or offices urgently.

But people are also cutting back on spending for decoration.
“Some are economising on ceilings and flooring. A plank floor is more popular than an expensive parquet one,” he said.

Lighting, painting and flooring are among the most frequent jobs he is asked to do, says U Maung Maung Zay Lin.

U Maung Maung Tun, decoration materials dealer of Myanmar Thitsar, said that high demand can’t be expected in the rainy period.

“Dull market conditions are the consequence of the rainy season and the effect of the lenten period,” he said.

He said that some iron and plastic goods prices had risen 15 percent and 5pc respectively because of the high worldwide market. But other materials were trading normally.

He said most interior decoration materials are imported from Thailand and China.