Inside Myanmar’s Gilded Capital, Empty Streets and Moldy Corners

Naypyidaw, Myanmar's capital city built by the junta in the early 21st century, is a sprawling, fortified city designed to withstand invasion. Despite the junta's efforts to project an image of control, the city remains largely empty and showcases the regime's detachment from the rest of the country. While Myanmar faces civil war, shortages, and repression following the 2021 coup, the military leaders reside in luxury within Naypyidaw, highlighting the disparity between their lives and the struggles of the general population. The capital serves as a testament to the junta's fear and their embrace of totalitarian aesthetics, even as the nation crumbles. The author visited Naypyidaw in December, five years after their last visit.

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