Yangon, 16 April—Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and wife Dr Daw Khin Win Shwe this morning joined in Myanma traditional Maha Thingyan Festival at the pandal of the Ministry of Home Affairs on Atet Day.

The Secretary-1 and wife together with officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office arrived at the pandal of the Ministry of Home Affairs where they were welcomed by member of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than and wife, Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing and wife Daw Khin Hla Hla, the ministers, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung, Director-General of Myanmar Police Force Police Maj-Gen Soe Win, departmental officials and wives, Mr Ron Aldridge of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the US and wife, Counsellor of Australian Embassy, Mr Cedric Netto of Australian Federal Police Force and wife and families of service personnel of the ministry.

Minister Col Tin Hlaing extended the New Year greetings.Families of service personnel entertained the guests to Thingyan songs and dances.The Secretary-1 presented gifts to yein troupes.

Yangon, 16 April— The Yangon Mayor’s Maha Thingyan Pandal was closed at the pandal in front of the City Hall at 4.55 pm today.

First, yein troupes and artistes took their designated places.Joint-Secretary of Yangon City Development Committee U Kyi Win announced the closing of the pandal for 1362 ME Maha Thingyan Festival.

Families of YCDC, Thingyan revellers, yein troupes and artistes closed the pandal with singing Mantaungyeikkho song. From morning till evening, traditional cultural troupes of border areas, currently here at the invitation of Chairman of Work Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, presented traditional dances and songs to revellers and the audience, and they enjoyed the festivities of Maha Thingyan.

Similarly, yein troupes  Kabyarmay, Mingalamay, Shwekyunmay, Nandawun-may, NweU Kabyar, Tein-hlwa Nunu, Bayintnaung Hteikhtar, Shweyamin, Yenan Thuza, Myanma Shwethingyan, Panuyinmay, BEHS No 2 Kamayut, Santawwin, Dagonmay, Yaminthuzar and Aung-nyeingyan entertained the public with yein dances.Likewise, trainees of Myanma Affairs and International Studies Course No 2 and Executives’ Advanced Management Course No 9 of Union Solidarity and Deve-lopment Association from Central Public Relations Unit in Hmawby arrived at the Yangon Mayor’s Maha Thingyan Pandal and joyfully participated in the water-throwing festival together with Yangonites. On Atet Day and today, the people and motorized revellers thronged in front and both sides of the Mayor’s Pandal.

Yangon, 16 April—Thingyan festival in Mandalay was crowded with revellers, who doused one another in accordance with the tradition yesterday, and belles, wearing Padauk flowers, took part in the festivities. Devotees thronged Maha Muni pagoda and other pagodas, where they meditated, kept Sabbath and performed meritorious deeds.

At the Mayor’s central pandal in Mandalay, members of the dance troupe from Mandalay City Development Committee and famous vocalists and film stars entertained the revellers to the accompaniment of the music band.

Daw Yin Yin Shwe, wife of Mandalay Mayor Brig-Gen Yan Thein, together with wife of the Secretary of MCDC, wives of MCDC members and wives of departmental heads, enjoyed the entertainment programmes presented by the artistes.The artistes also entertained the people at IT Link Computer pandal, Forest Department pandal, Health Department pandal on the east of the moat and Nan Myint pandal and Hom Peng family pandal on the west of the moat.The Decorated Floats Scrutiny Committee is scrutinizing the floats from Meikhtila District and Mandalay District at night.Mayor Brig-Gen Yan Thein and wife, wife of Deputy Commander, families of MCDC and people enjoyed the entertainment of the artistes at Mayor’s Central pandal, other pandals.

Yangon, 16 April — Myanmar Traditional Ma-ha Thingyan Festival for 1362 ME was held in Monywa. Revellers enjoyed the water festival in front of Monywa City Hall and along Bogyoke Road and Strand Road on the eve of Thingyan and Akya Day.

Artistes and yein troupe members sang songs and performed dances at the pandal of North-West Command Headquarters and pandals of ministries and private entrepreneurs in Monywa on Akya day evening. The people took part in the festivities by car, cycle, bicycles and bullock cart.

Yangon, 16 April—A ceremony to present prizes to outstanding Ozi, Dobat and yein troupes and decorated floats was held at the Yangon Mayor’s Maha Thingyan Pandal on Sule Pagoda Road this evening.Present on the occasion were Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor U Ko Lay and wife Daw Khin Khin, Vice-Chairman Col Maung Pa and wife, Secretary Col Myint Aung and wife, Joint Secretary U Kyi Win and wife, members of YCDC, heads of department, guests, artistes and the public. Before the ceremony, prize winning troupes entertained the audience.Mayor U Ko Lay, officials and their wives presented prizes to prize-winning troupes.

Yangon Mayor U Ko Lay and wife Daw Khin Khin, Vice-Mayor Col Maung Pa and wife and officials welcomed and doused the guests. The guests were entertained to songs and dances. The Minister for Home Affairs and party also entertained the Mayor and party to songs and dances.

Next, Y2 Mothers’ Group of Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayon and national cultural troupes from border areas who are currently here to participate in Maha Thingyan Festival at the invitation of Chairman of Work Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, presented dances.

Yangon, 16 April— As today is Thingyan Atet Day, yein troupes and vocalists entertained the audience to dances and songs at pandals here.

The Yangonites took part joyfully in the water festival in townships of Yangon Division. In the evening, the closing ceremonies were successfully held at the pandals.

The number of the revellers who participated in the water festival today was larger than that of the revellers who took part in the festivities yesterday (Akyat Day). Some roads in Yangon City were temporarily blocked as a result of heavy traffic. The traffic police directed vehicles in order to ease traffic congestion and to prevent traffic accident.

Water and Sanitation Department of Yangon City Development Committee attended to the needs of water supply to ensure that people could enjoy the Maha Thingyan Festival.Ministry of Home Affairs’ pandal was closed with the entertainment of yein troupes, ozi and dohbat troupes and dance troupes in the afternoon.

Myanmar Pipes ACC Essories Co Ltd, Tokyo Pipe, Summit Parkview Hotel, Cussons International Ltd and England Imperial Leather pandals on Ahlon Road were crowded with the public.Water-throwing pandals on Parima Road, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road and Theinbyu Street were thronged with revellers.

Merry-makers and public took part in the festivities of Thingyan in accord with displinery rules of Yangon City Maha Thingyan Discipline Enforcement Committee.In this year, not only local people but also foreigners enjoyed the Myanmar Traditional Maha Thingyan Festival.

Yangon, 16 April — Deputy Minister for Industry-1 Brig-Gen Thein Tun inspected construction of the warehouse in the compound of the beverage factory in Mandalay on 9 April morning.

Then, the deputy minister proceeded to Sagaing and visited Sagaing Garment Factory.The deputy minister gave instructions on availability of raw materials, the manufacturing of finished products, quality control and maintenance of machinery.The deputy minister inspected the factory.Afterwards, the deputy minister went to the instant noodle factory of Myanma Foodstuff Industries.He inspected installation of machinery and production of instant noodle on an experimental scale.

Next, he proceeded to the textile and finishing plant at Ywathitgyi in Sagaing.He met with the factory manager and officials and gave instructions on availability of raw materials and the thrift use of engine oil and production work.On 10 April morning, the deputy minister went to Pakokku.He inspected construction of the staff quarters in the compound of the textile and finishing plant, the condition of Pakokku Dyeing Factory, Winthuza Shop at Myoma Market in Pakokku and production work of Cigarette Factory No 2, and gave instructions on fire preventive measures.

___________________________

Yangon, 16 April— A ceremony to open the Myeik Central Pandal of 1362 ME Maha Thingyan Festival was held at the pandal in Seiknge Ward in Myeik on 13 April evening. Chairman of Taninthayi Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Coastal Region Command Brig-Gen Aye Kyway attended the ceremony and opened the pandal.

Also present on the occasion were Secretary of Taninthayi Division Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Khin Maung Nyo and members, members of the leading and sub-committee for organizing the Maha Thaingyan Festival, yein troupes and guests.

At 5.30 pm, the commander opened the Myeik Maha Thingyan Pandal. Yein troupes sang the Mantaungyeikkho song and presented dances to the audience.Then, the yein troupes entertained the audience with Myuhmaung Waikin song. The commander and guests enjoyed the water-throwing festival.Afterwards, the commander attended the presentation of yein dances at the pandal and the opening ceremony came to a close.

Yein troupes took part in the yein dance competitions at the central pandal, the pandal in South Myeik Ward, the pandal in Kangyi Ward and the Construction pandal beginning 7 pm.

up