Military sources in Naypyidaw have confirmed that due to the extreme heat, the military council’s Armed Forces Day parade will commence at 5:00 PM today. Following the pattern established last year, this year’s ceremony has also been shifted to evening hours to avoid the intense daytime temperatures. The military council began conducting these parades in the evening since last year, marking a departure from their traditional morning ceremonies.
Preparations for today’s evening ceremony will begin between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, with the parade columns scheduled to move out precisely at 5:00 PM. Following this, the military columns will march in salute to military council leader Min Aung Hlaing, who will then conduct troop inspections and deliver speeches. This year’s ceremony marks the third Armed Forces Day parade since the military council’s illegal seizure of state power.
While the military council traditionally celebrates Armed Forces Day on March 27th with elaborate parades, the ongoing civil war and security concerns have forced them to scale back the ceremonies significantly compared to previous years, shifting both the timing and grandeur of the events to more modest displays. These military parades face strong opposition from the public and are conducted under heightened security concerns due to potential attacks from ethnic armed organizations and People’s Defense Forces. The current security situation reflects the military council’s weakening control over the country and their increasing isolation from the general population, who continue to resist their illegitimate rule.
