New Weekend Market to Open in Yangon Next Month
By Lwin Mar Htun 9 April 2019
A new weekend market will be launched in Pansodan in Yangon’s downtown area with the aim of developing a new tourist attraction for the city and supporting Myanmar’s tourism marketing.
Yangon Weekend Market-Pansodan is being organized by the Golden Market Myanmar Company. Speaking at a press conference, company’s director Ma May Myat Aung said, “When the Yangon Regional Government called a tender for this new weekend market project, we applied. Now we have this chance to host the new Yangon Weekend Market.”
The Yangon Weekend Market is scheduled to open next month. It will be open at two different times; a morning market and a night market. Over 80 stalls will be included and the weekend market’s stalls will be on Pansodan and Bank roads.
“Some shops will be selling all day but some don’t want to open in the morning. That’s why we divided it into two times,” Ma May Myat Aung said.
Yangon Weekend Market-Pansodan will offer various foods, clothes and souvenirs but will focus on promoting local products, she said.
“So, the weekend market is not only for food stalls; there will be other exciting activities and entertainments programs will be included too. We want to create another attraction for both locals and foreigners,” Ma May Myat Aung said.
The market will also have an SME shop section whose aim is to create job opportunities for people who want to create a new start-up business, including full-time and part-time vendors.
She added that, “We will focus on food hygiene. And yes, of course, we have a team to clean the roads after hours.”
The rental price for a stall is 25,000 kyats for a whole day.
“For business owners who are taking only evening or morning stalls, we have other prices. We will monitor them to ensure they sell products at reasonable prices as well,” Ma May Myat Aung said.
Golden Market Myanmar contracted with Yangon Region Government to host the weekend market for one year.
“The government just gave the company permission to do this project. So, we don’t need to use any public funds for this project,” said Daw Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, the Yangon regional minister of Kayin ethnic affairs, at the press conference.
She added that, “This weekend market will be different from the old night market on Strand Road. The purpose is different and the stalls will be different too.”
The weekend market will also feature cocktail stalls, because the purpose is to create a tourist attraction.
“Only 10 percent of the stalls will be cocktail shops. So, it’s not too much,” said Ma May Myat Aung.
Yangon Weekend Market-Pansodan will be open on Saturdays and Sundays starting on May 4. The company is preparing a parking lot for visitors and tour buses.
