Recently, in an attempt to enhance the traditional custom of the country, the trustees in Shwedagon Pagoda has announced in a press briefing on Thursday of March that every people including local pilgrims and tourists in Myanmar trip when visiting the pagoda are required to wear proper attire. That, according to the trustees, short trousers and shirts showing knees will be banned from the pagoda platform. Being one of the most popular tourist attractions and pilgrim sites in Myanmar, Shwedagon Pagoda witness a large number of visitors all year around. According to the recorded document in 2018, there were over 650000 visitors paid homage to the pagoda including both foreign tourists and local pilgrims around the country but each day there were about 400 visitors did not dress properly. Being the most revered Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, Shwedagon pagoda witness a large number of local pilgrims come to pray and offer every day. Additionally, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Myanmar where visitors come to witness an impressive Buddhist pagoda made from 16 tons of pure gold, tipped with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies and listen to the story of the Budha relics enshrined in the pagoda.
There are four entrances leading to the pagodas and all are marked with the signs prohibiting short dresses. In each entrance, there will be staff who help people change to longyi and full-length dresses before entering the pagoda. For visitors who do not have longyi, it is able to rent for K3000 at the pagoda’s gate and then return to the pagoda when they go out.
Together with dressing neatly before entering Shwedagon Pagoda, tourists visiting the pagoda from Yangon day tours are also required to take off shoes and sock while visiting the pagoda. In some other culture, visitors are required to take off the shoes only but in Myanmar in general and Yangon in particular, socks, shoes, hat, and sunglasses are required to take off even when the temple’ area is extremely large. That is the way people show respect to the Buddha.