Burmese citizens despite holding identity cards (ID) cannot travel freely. It is mandatory for people travelling to pay taxes, an euphemism for extortion, for trips they make. Most people travelling by cars to the border have to shell out money to the authorities.

Passengers have to pay tax to the authorities, which include the police, soldiers, immigration officers from Kyainnseikyi, Karen State up to Mudon in Mon State . Between Kyainnseikyi and Mudon there are six check gates over a stretch of 32 miles.

Each passenger who comes from the Three Pagoda Pass has to pay 1500 Kyat to the police at the Kyainnseikyi gate.

The cost of the car ride is cheaper than paying tax at the gates. The travel cost is about 2500 Kyat from Kyainnseikyi to Mudon. A passenger has to pay 1000 to 1500 Kyat at every gate. Not only passengers who do not have identity cards but also those who have ID have to pay the money at the gate.

The car divers tell passengers, “We will help you when the check gate authorities check passengers and goods if you pay the money for the taxes promptly.”

According to the drivers it takes more time at the check gate if passengers hum and haw about paying and those monitoring it create problem till passengers cough up the money.

At night the police become more aggressive at the Mudon gate for instance. The police tell car divers, “The money is not enough only 10,000 Kyat. We have to buy a bottle of alcohol”.

During monsoons, passengers and merchants travel by boat along the Zami River from Three Pagoda Pass , Chaung-zone village to Kyainnseikyi Township . The current cost for boat travel is 30,000 Kyat. Along the Zami River the passengers have to pay tax to check gates including those manned by the Burmese Army, Karens and Mons.