Bagan, 28 November
Awards for the Spectrum of Myanmar Photo Contest, that was organized by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, were given out at a poolside dinner at Aureum Palace Hotel in Bagan on November 28.
A total of 277 prizes were awarded, including three first prizes and 24 second-place prizes in the three categories of the photo contest.
The awards for first and second places were given in Bagan, while the honourable-mention prizes will be given in Yangon in next month.
U Pyae Soe Tun, U Sai Kham Hein and U Kyaw Kyaw Win won first prize in the Culture, Festivals and Beauty of Nature categories, respectively.
U Pyae Soe Tun represented the fast-disappearing culture of facial tattooing among ethnic Chin women, while U Sai Kham Hein won for his photograph of the Thadingyut Festival of Lights at Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock) in Mon State.
U Kyaw Kyaw Win, meanwhile, earned his prize with a photograph of the beautiful scenery of Bird Island at Ngwe Saung Beach in Ayeyarwady Region.
First-prize winners were awarded K2.5 million each and first runner-up photographs were awarded K300,000 each. The honourable-mention prizes, of which there were 250 winners, will be given K100,000 each at the ceremony in Yangon.
The Spectrum of Myanmar Photo Contest is the biggest photo competition in Myanmar, in terms of number of winners and prize amount given.
Awarded photographs will be used in travel promotion websites and exhibitions to develop the Myanmar tourism industry.