Transportation of Rathedaung

As you all know, Arakan state has a lot of streams and rivers, the main transportation of the whole state is water transportation. For the Buthidaung district, Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Moung Daw, and Akyab (Sittwe) are connected with water transportation. Everyday, there will be two ships passing through Rathedaung, one is up (going to Buthidaung) and the other, down (going to Akyab). For local traders, they have one more option to go to Akyab. It is also water transport, using motor boat. It usually depart early in the morning and reach Akyab in three to four hours time. Local traders go up to Akyab's downtown and purchase everything they want and leave Akyab by about late evening and reach back to Rathedaung by about 8:00 or 9:00 pm.

Here are some photos of IWT transport ship arriving to Rathedaung jetty.

From Rathedaung

Nearly two third of people on jetty are food and snack sellers. Sometimes, the actual passengers cannot pass through this crowd until ship depart jetty. But the scene is almost same as forever.

From Rathedaung

The ship comes closer and closer to jetty. It's quite lucky that harbor we have today is made up of concrete. In the past few decades, Rathedaung's jetty was made of teak. Teak is quite good and strong. But the ship approaching jetty still has its speed and hit jetty. Jetty cannot take its force and collapsed.

From Rathedaung

People on the bank and jetty are finding their people or relatives who supposed to come with this ship.

From Rathedaung

Now, Rathedaung jetty is full of strength already. So that, it doesn't matter whether ship will hit the jetty or not. In the past, mostly in rainy season, if weather was storm, there were big big waves in this kind of creek. At that point of time, ship couldn't approach to jetty. It anchored at the middle of the creek and passengers were transported with sampans from ship to the bank.

From Rathedaung

Now, ship is resting at jetty for short time. You'll see that lives of our people in this place are so difficult. They are trying to earn money for their living. Of course. Who say world is becoming like a global village? Why our villagers have do strive in such kind of difficulties to earn a penny while others villagers from other villages are having million dollars' dinner at seven stars hotels?

From Rathedaung

Whatever it is, people from our village are so patient until unbelievable extents. So that, the only thing we can do now is heaving with long breath.

From Rathedaung