The karaoke business is thriving in Yangon, with venues catering to the country’s love of singing forecast to generate about K95 million (US$71,470) in revenue this fiscal year, the regional parliament has been told.
As of January 1, 326 karaoke bars had been registered in Yangon Region since 2000, the Minister of Kayin Ethnic Affairs, Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, told the assembly on February 7 according to media reports.
The regional government collected K41.1 million in licence fees from April to December and expected to earn another K58.4 million by the end of the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Pan Thinzar Myo said.
She said government charges an initial K30,000 to licence a karaoke machine for commercial use for one year, and K20,000 for an extension.
The minister was responding to a question from Daw Kyi Pyar (National League for Democracy, Kyauktada-1), who raised concern about the licensing procedures.
Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member.
“The Ministry of Information issues the licences for this business. But we should know the exact procedure and how much the government is earning from issuing the licences each year,” she said, Myanmar Times reported.
The daily also quoted Kyi Pyar as saying the government should exercise more diligence over licences.
“I am concerned that some karaoke businesses may not be paying sufficient fees to the government. So the government should do a thorough check on the licensing procedures to make sure they are collecting the right amount,” she said.
The karaoke business is regulated by the 1996 Television and Video Law.
