San Pyout, 56, cooks dishes as he receives an order from a customer.
San Pyout, 56, cooks dishes as he receives an order from a customer.

Back in 2013-2014, photographer Pyae Phyo documents the humble yet resilient life of San Pyout, a 56-year-old liquor shop owner who has run his family’s modest street-side bar for over three decades on Yangon’s bustling 19th Street in Chinatown. Competing with well-established bars in a neighborhood famous for its liquor stalls and restaurants, San Pyout keeps his small business alive by working tirelessly cooking, serving, and managing every detail himself. Though surrounded by alcohol, he never drinks, relying instead on his radio for company and the loyalty of customers who often buy on credit. Through Pyae Phyo’s lens, San Pyout’s story reveals the unseen dignity, struggles, and perseverance behind Yangon’s vibrant nightlife.

San Pyout, 56, cooks dishes as he receives an order from a customer.
Customers can buy some high-quality liquor bottles or they can even drink a small cup of cheap liquor that costs around 100 Kyat (10 cents, in 2013).
He run the whole business alone, he is a chief for his small restaurant and he is also the waiter to serve the customers.
Even though San Pyout used to sell liquor, he never drink any alcohol.
They live in a ground-floor apartment building that was built during the British colonial era in Chinatown, Yangon.
San Pyout and his eldest son buy fruit in the morning. San Pyout’s two sons do not live with him; they live with their uncle in the same neighborhood.
San Pyout and his wife wait for their son at a tea shop. The tea shop is the family’s regular gathering place for breakfast, as San Pyout’s two sons live in his brother’s house.
He also buys snacks to serve the customers.
San Pyout, 56, selling liquor in 19th street for over 30 years together with his late father.
Taking a shower in the middle of the street is his favorite way to clean himself, while also washing the pavement where he will set up his tables later in the evening.
His living room is filled with liquor boxes.
San Pyout, 56, prepares fish to cook for the customers.
Playing an old radio is the only entertainment he can provide for his customers.
Selling liquor on credit is one of the important relationships he has built with serious drinkers.
Even though San Pyout does not drink alcohol, he sometimes smokes to relax. He wants his sons to be educated, as he had to drop out of school due to his family’s financial problems. He works hard to earn more money to support them.