Official racket -less to share, more exacted

General

Official racket -less to share, more exacted

Travelers coming to Tachilek from Taunggyi are saying they have been paying more tolls at the myriad official toll booths on the 373 mile (596 km) long roadway since the Military Intelligence was abolished in October, reports Tai Touch from Chiangrai:

"We paid more than twofold to get here", grumbles a businesswoman on her arrival at Maesai Tachilek's twin city on the Thai territory. "Before it was 50-100 kyat ($ 0.05-0.10) at each tollgate. Now each one is demanding 200 kyat (0.20)."

She and her fellow-travelers count 23 tollgates, 3 in Tachilek alone, where a total of 21,400 kyat ($21.4) was forked out by the driver to be reimbursed by his passengers afterwards. "They get greedier all the time," says her friend. "We are just like the monkey in one of the Buddhist scriptures who thought he would be spared from pain and humiliation at the death of the head monk, who used to take a delight in rapping the monkey's forehead with his knuckles way in and way out of the temple, only to suffer more under his successor."

Each of them also paid 35,000 kyat ($35) for their carfare. In comparison, the air-conditioned bus fare from Chiangmai-Bangkok (697 km) is only around 300 baht ($7.5).

Gen Khin Nyunt was according to Gen Shwe Mann, Joint Chief of Staff, had been guilty of bribery and corruption.

The following is the list of the gates and tolls they paid:

In addition, each passenger has to pay 1,000 kyat at Takaw Bridge and another 1,000 kyat at Monghpyak.