ABSTRACT
Naypyitaw was built five hours’ drive north of the former capital, Yangon, as a new physical, political and symbolic centre for Myanmar. Its original goal was to secure the system of authoritarian rule that was, at that time, under sustained pressure from ethnic armies and democratic activists. The colonial city of Yangon had long been judged an inadequate showcase for the glories of the Myanmar military and its leading decision-makers. The inspiration for this lavish investment of national resources came from the top. Former Senior General Than Shwe is widely credited with conceiving the plan to move the country’s elite military echelon, and the supporting government agencies, northwards to a well-protected area far from prying eyes. With construction commencing in the early 2000s, Naypyitaw quickly encompassed a sprawling network of buildings, roads, precincts and townships that, taken together, spread across a vast area of central Myanmar, more than 7,000 square kilometres. The making of this grand new capital city required labour from the length and breadth of the country, and technical expertise from beyond its borders, especially from China and Thailand.
