An Ode to Nay Pyi Taw

[SeaVisionBurma]

The standard moaning-and-groaning about Nay Pyi Taw is getting old. Yes, the city is grandiose and appears intimidating at first glance. Yes, it can be inconvenient if you don’t have your own wheels.

From The Myanmar Times, by Nicholas Farrelly

MPs gather on the steps in front of the hluttaw at the end of a session in November 2012. Photo: Christopher Davy

And, yes, I know many people quarantined in their government dormitory or hotel room, or stranded at the Junction Centre shopping precinct for the fifth night in a row, have queried the merit of the new city. I admit it can be a tough place to love.

But we can’t forget that the city is evolving with purpose, seeking to exemplify the ideas driving Myanmar’s rolling transformation. It is a laboratory – filling with political, demographic, economic and cultural experimentation – where unpredicted results are mounting up. It deserves serious attention and study.

One place to observe Nay Pyi Taw’s evolution up close is the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, or national parliament. The distinctive design of its 37 major buildings has made it a landmark already, as the symbol of legislative power. High fences ring this iconic complex. It is unfortunate that it is not yet open to the general public.

Read the full article here: An Ode to the Unsung Heroes of Nay Pyi Taw