Goat, hippo and duck-shaped hot air balloons floated in clear blue skies over war-ravaged Myanmar this week in a rare opportunity for escapism.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed since the military grabbed power in a 2021 coup, sparking a civil war between the junta and allied pro-democracy rebels and ethnic minority armed groups.

But there was a muted celebratory air as teams loaded candles and fireworks onto the homemade airships, part of the annual Tazaungdaing hot air balloon festival in northern Shan state’s Taunggyi city.

Crowds hoot and cheer as the contraptions float into the darkening sky, while referees judge the magnificence of their aerial explosions.

“Frankly speaking, we felt happier in the past,” said local resident Myo Ko, who has attended the festival in year

See Full Page