Travel along the Mudon–Yaelel–Payathonzu road, which connects Mon State and Karen State, has been restricted from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. by local resistance forces, residents and drivers told the Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA).
The restriction has been in effect since January 18 due to security concerns. Warning notices have been posted at checkpoints, and travellers have been informed not to use the road during the restricted hours.
A driver operating on the route said security checks have been tightened in Kyar Inn Seik Gyi township, which is included in the third phase of elections scheduled for January 25, and warned that travel delays could occur.
“In the past, vehicles could still travel toward Payathonzu until 8 or 9 p.m.,” the driver said. “Now, if you don’t arrive within the permitted time or are delayed somewhere, you won’t be allowed through the checkpoints and may have to spend the night on the road.”
Drivers of passenger buses and private vehicles have also been instructed not to cover their vehicles, drive with tinted windows, or travel at high speed, and to cooperate calmly with security checks.
At present, areas outside and around Payathonzu town are administered by the Karen National Union (KNU), while the town centre is under the control of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), according to local sources.
A source in Payathonzu said the restrictions may have been imposed as a precaution amid concerns that Myanmar’s military junta could attempt to re-establish administrative control in the area after the election.
“After the election, the military junta may try to restore its administrative mechanisms in Payathonzu, and there are signs that military columns could enter the area,” the source said. “That is why the KNU has increased security and restricted movement in advance.”
Residents needing to travel at night for emergencies are required to inform the relevant resistance authorities responsible for security in the area. Those found travelling during restricted hours without prior notification may face action, the source added.
Although several roads link Mon State to Payathonzu in Karen State, ongoing security concerns and instability have left the Mudon–Abit–Yaelel–Payathonzu road as the main route currently used by travellers.
Earlier this month, on January 11, two Mudon residents who had voted in the election were reportedly detained by the KNU while travelling on the Abit–Kyar Inn Seik Gyi road.
