Crackdown on Unlicensed Vehicles Causes Transportation Hardships and Fare Hikes in Kachin State

Pajau Media

June 12, 2025

Since the first week of June, Junta authorities in Kachin State have been cracking down on unlicensed vehicles, making travel increasingly difficult for drivers and passengers, and causing transportation fares to rise.

A driver operating between Myitkyina and Moenyin said, “With the crackdown on unlicensed vehicles, there are fewer cars on the road. At military, police, and people’s militia checkpoints, each car has to pay 5,000 kyat per checkpoint, whereas before it was only 2,000 or 3,000 kyat. That’s why fares have gone up. If they’re going to arrest all unlicensed vehicles, then they’d have to arrest almost every car in the country. Even government employees drive without licenses, and even the vehicles announcing the crackdown don’t have licenses themselves.”

According to drivers, at checkpoints between Mandalay and Sagaing regions, including military, militia, and police checkpoints, fees must be paid. Only up to the border between Sagaing and Kachin State are there no fees, but from Nant Si Aung checkpoint to Myitkyina, the highest fees are collected.

As a result, the fare for the Myitkyina–Moenyin route has soared to 70,000 kyat, compared to just 15,000 kyat before the military takeover.

A female traveler said, “Now the fare from Myitkyina to Moenyin is 70,000 kyat. Before the coup, it was only 15,000 kyat. As fares keep rising, it’s become really difficult for travelers. If you don’t go yourself, there’s no phone service, so it’s inconvenient. But if you do go, the fares are unreasonably high, so it’s hard to make ends meet.”

Currently, due to the widespread arrests of unlicensed cars and motorcycles in Kachin State, local residents who rely on vehicles—including farmers, parents taking children to and from school, and travelers—are facing considerable difficulties.

The crackdown is not limited to Myitkyina but is also happening in Moenyin, Mogaung, Namti, and other towns. Unlicensed vehicles operating on intercity routes are also being stopped and checked, causing further hardship for travelers.

Reported by – Kachin Pyi Tar