Government
Yangon's Push to Regulate Street Vending
In the Myanmar city, government officials are intensifying efforts to control—and ultimately house—the informal businesses.
Downtown Yangon’s vibrancy owes much to its mass of street vendors. People in stalls, with carts, or on the ground sell everything from newspapers to fish to betel leaves to shoes. Such businesses are, for many, a way to make a living. For customers, they can provide food and other essentials at a lower cost.
Myanmar’s recent political and economic transformation means changes for these vendors. In 2011, the government began a shift from a military junta to today’s elected, civilian-run administration. With the simultaneous opening of the country to the global economy, new ways of regulating and running businesses are altering more traditional, informal commercial practices.