Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon shifts to local currency entry fees

YANGON, 18 February 2014: Shwedagon Pagoda’s board of trustees says it will change the currency from US dollar to Kyat for entrance fees to make it more convenient for tourists.

The move will also end the hassle of accepting old US dollar notes. Many tourists pay the entrance fees, with old or torn dollars that are later rejected by the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank.

It is a standing practice to always obtain fresh new US dollar notes when visiting Myanmar to avoid that problem. However, the trustees said fee collectors were reluctant to upset tourists or cause delays at the temple entrances, when they presented old bills.

Read the full article here: http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2014/02/pagoda-shifts-to-local-currency/