Military government's night-time curfew, internet outage affects Myanmar's online businesses
Online shop owners said that the sales have declined by half in recent days following disruptions in connectivity and slow internet speed.
Published: 18th February 2021 11:39 AM | Last Updated: 18th February 2021 11:39 AM | A+A A-
Demonstrators gather to protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar. (Photo | AP)
NAYPYITAW: Myanmar's online businesses are struggling due to the military government's night-time curfew and internet outage from 1.00 am to 9.00 am, reported Myanmar Times.
Online shop owners said that the sales have declined by half in recent days following disruptions in connectivity and slow internet speed.
"Online shops function by selling and buying on the internet. If the connection between sellers and buyers is lost then we cannot sell anything," said Ma Thiri, an online entrepreneur.
Other players in the industry said recent political events have turned businesses away from the digital platform, reported Myanmar Times.
ALSO READ | 'COVID-19 violation': Myanmar police file new charge against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi
"Companies had prioritised the digitalisation of their businesses because of the COVID-19 pandemic but they have stopped doing so because of the current political situation. The internet gets cut (without warning) so there is nothing we can do about it," said a digital service provider.
Online food delivery service Food Panda said the unstable internet connection has resulted in a drop in sales, reported Myanmar Times.
Most of the online food businesses and online shops are losing business because of the disruption in connectivity
ALSO READ | Protests after Myanmar junta cuts internet, deploys troops
Meanwhile, Myanmar Junta has filed additional charges against National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday.
On February 1, Myanmar's military staged a coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of the NLD, alleging voter fraud in November 2020 elections that saw the NLD securing a resounding victory.
The military detained several political officials and activists including State Counsellor Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and declared a one-year emergency.
Despite military repression, widespread protests continue across Myanmar, including Yangon and other key cities.
