The Myanmar military junta has announced that it will begin providing monthly supplementary allowances to long-serving soldiers and police officers starting this month.
According to a statement released by the military commission on 28 February, the additional payments are reserved for personnel who have served a minimum of ten years. Under the new scheme, those with 10 years of service will receive 30,000 kyats per month; those with over 15 years will receive 50,000 kyats; and those with more than 20 years will be granted 100,000 kyats.
A family member of a military official described the move to the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA) as a gesture to encourage loyalty and endurance among veteran staff. However, critics and local business owners have dismissed the amounts as negligible. One underground lottery operator in Thingangyun Township noted that the bonus is barely enough to cover a few drinks, comparing it to “a small treat for a loyal pet”.
Observers point out that the bonus scheme excludes newest recruits and those forcibly conscripted who are currently bearing the brunt of frontline combat. “The soldiers dying on the front lines are often the newest recruits with little experience,” a source close to the military told MPA. “By the time someone reaches ten years of service, they usually hold a rank that keeps them behind the front lines. This bonus is for the commanders, not the ones doing the dying”.
The announcement comes as the junta continues to face significant casualties and a nationwide armed resistance following the 2021 coup. Reports suggest that morale within the ranks is low, with many soldiers and police officers reportedly afraid to wear their uniforms in public due to widespread popular resentment.
Military analysts suggest the move is a desperate attempt to retain experienced personnel as the regime struggles with a deepening manpower crisis and territorial losses across the country.
