Foreign visitors to Shwedagon: Entrance fee for foreigners has been raised Oct. 1

Entrance fee for foreigners who visit Shwedagon pagoda has collected 20,000 Kyats each starting from October 1st. It is not increased the entrance fee but changed due to the currency exchange rate according to the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of trustees.

Boe Thin, Member, Pagoda Treasurer's Board of Trustees said "We collected 8 USD each for the entrance fee of foreigners to the Shwedagon Pagoda before 2017. According to decision of the Pagoda Board of Trustees meeting, we increased the entrance fee of foreigners to 10 USD per one in 2017. Due to the exchange rate at that time, foreigners who did not deposit 10 dollars paid 10,000 kyats of Myanmar currency. Now, the currency exchange rate has changed so that we have collected an increase of 20,000 kyats starting from October 1st. "

The Pagoda Board of Trustees set 10 USD for foreign visitors, the price is not increased and the entrance fee is changed because of the currency exchange rate, according to the Pagoda Board of Trustees. He also said the entrance fee of diplomats will be raised to 10,000 kyats. 

Boe Thin, Member, Pagoda Treasurer's Board of Trustees said "Originally, the entrance fee of diplomats and their families is collected at 5000 kyats each and now, it will increase to 10,000 kyats. There is a sacred tooth relic temple in Sri Lanka. The Pagoda Board of Trustees between the two countries signed MoU and there are exchange visits between us. So, we will collect only 1000 kyats for Sri Lankan pilgrims."

About at least 150 to 200 foreign visitors visit the pagoda daily and at the weekend, there are 400 to 500 foreign tourists and most of the foreigners are from China, Thailand and Viet Nam.