http://uk.news.yahoo.com/myanmar-says-p ... 05730.html
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Myanmar President Thein Sein said his government was committed to political reform and would put the stability of the country ahead of economic development, Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The president, in Singapore for a three-day official visit that began on Sunday, has overseen dramatic reforms over the past few months, including the freeing of hundreds of political prisoners, a loosening of media controls and engagement with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the fight for democracy.
The government has also agreed to ceasefires with several ethnic rebel groups in the past three months and is holding talks with others, some of which have been fighting for autonomy for decades.
"The future of Myanmar lies in peace and stability, while economic development is a secondary priority for the country," Thein Sein said in an interview with the newspaper.
"We are already on the chosen path to democracy and we will continue. We are nurturing the system to have a flourishing democracy in the country," he said.
Thein Sein was part of the junta that stepped aside when a nominally civilian government took office last March. As the country has opened up to the outside world, ministers have started speaking more to the media.
The president indicated interest in developing trade in foreign currencies and stocks as part of economic reforms.
"At the moment we do not have the skills and expertise (in this area) and are seeking technical assistance from international financial institutions," he said.
Japan's Daiwa Securities is advising on how to develop the barely functioning stock exchange it helped set up in Myanmar in the 1990s. South Korean bourse operator Korea Exchange has held talks with the authorities on a separate bourse.
The International Monetary Fund is advising on currency reforms.
Singapore said on Monday it would help Myanmar train its people in areas such as economic planning and urban development.
The government has launched a number of initiatives to boost the economy, introducing tax breaks for foreign investors and announcing tax exemptions to help exports of commodities such as rice, beans, corn and rubber.
But the secretary-general of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, said on Tuesday that more needed to be done in order to enjoy the trade perks the grouping can offer.
"We make it clear Myanmar will not benefit from dynamism from ASEAN, all the connectivity with ASEAN and the rest of the world until Myanmar makes adjustment inside, make some changes, amendment in the law, in the foreign investment law, in the production system," Surin Pitsuwan told a news conference in Tokyo.
"We do not just look for resources, we do not just look for manpower, cheap labour... We also would like to share with them our own experiences. They can emulate what is right, they can avoid what we have done wrong. But Myanmar has certainly ASEAN to rely on."
(Reporting by Harry Suhartono; Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko in Tokyo; Editing by Martin Petty)
The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Special report : New Myanmar and opportunity for Thailand
With the upcoming integration of ASEAN nations in 2015, many countries, not only in this region but also the west, are now paying attention to Myanmar. The recent election, which marks the country’s significant milestone, has presented opportunities to the rest of the world.
Given the long reign of military ruling, Myanmar has finally taken a chance at democracy. Symbolically or not, Aung San Suu Kyi, the world’s renowned democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the election without military intervention.
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) coupled with this change has literally intrigued the business sector in Thailand. A discussion panel was recently held by the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, with focus on how this development in Myanmar would affect Thailand. Business experts and academics also participated in the discussion, which brought a variety of views and opinions to the table.
Director of the Institute Associate Professor Sunate Chutitharanon said people might think that this new direction in Myanmar happened too quickly and might present great uncertainty. His arguments were supported by historical accounts such as the military’s successful attempt at taking over the government after the 1990 election despite the election results indicating Suu Kyi’s victory, and a major protest by monks against the junta rule.
But there are still several advantages. He added that other nations could benefit from trade and investments in Myanmar when the latter opens its doors. Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries Thanit Sorat said Myanmar could offer Thailand several benefits for its abundant natural gas and cheap labor as well as transport networks to other countries in Asia. Although many Thai businesses have already expanded into Myanmar, the AEC formation, which will happen in 2015, will definitely allow greater access for Thailand to Myanmar to seek business opportunities and promote the economic growth.
Source: Thailand PRD
Comment: Thought I'd revive this thread for posting current news and updates from Burma/Myanmar.
With the upcoming integration of ASEAN nations in 2015, many countries, not only in this region but also the west, are now paying attention to Myanmar. The recent election, which marks the country’s significant milestone, has presented opportunities to the rest of the world.
Given the long reign of military ruling, Myanmar has finally taken a chance at democracy. Symbolically or not, Aung San Suu Kyi, the world’s renowned democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the election without military intervention.
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) coupled with this change has literally intrigued the business sector in Thailand. A discussion panel was recently held by the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, with focus on how this development in Myanmar would affect Thailand. Business experts and academics also participated in the discussion, which brought a variety of views and opinions to the table.
Director of the Institute Associate Professor Sunate Chutitharanon said people might think that this new direction in Myanmar happened too quickly and might present great uncertainty. His arguments were supported by historical accounts such as the military’s successful attempt at taking over the government after the 1990 election despite the election results indicating Suu Kyi’s victory, and a major protest by monks against the junta rule.
But there are still several advantages. He added that other nations could benefit from trade and investments in Myanmar when the latter opens its doors. Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries Thanit Sorat said Myanmar could offer Thailand several benefits for its abundant natural gas and cheap labor as well as transport networks to other countries in Asia. Although many Thai businesses have already expanded into Myanmar, the AEC formation, which will happen in 2015, will definitely allow greater access for Thailand to Myanmar to seek business opportunities and promote the economic growth.
Source: Thailand PRD
Comment: Thought I'd revive this thread for posting current news and updates from Burma/Myanmar.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
A capitalist class emerges in Myanmar
Myanmar has a widely underestimated array of home-grown business families who are likely to provide the foundation of the country's future capitalist class - and a bulwark against any attack on the core privileges of the military-linked elite.
In the excitement over the opening of the "biggest emerging market opportunity since China", commentaries have portrayed Myanmar in words and images akin to those used in describing America's 19th century Wild West.
The Economist Intelligence Unit recently espied "vast untapped natural resources and land". The International Monetary Fund says the country could be "the next economic frontier in Asia". Local pundits agree: "Myanmar is the last resourceful investment destination in the Southeast Asian region," said Thinn Htut Thidar, a Yangon-based consultant.
There is undoubtedly truth in these words but they overlook the local tycoons, often disparaged as cronies of the regime, as well as myriad lesser entrepreneurs, whose businesses fill out the space left by the military's own large economic presence.
Full Story: Asia Times
Myanmar has a widely underestimated array of home-grown business families who are likely to provide the foundation of the country's future capitalist class - and a bulwark against any attack on the core privileges of the military-linked elite.
In the excitement over the opening of the "biggest emerging market opportunity since China", commentaries have portrayed Myanmar in words and images akin to those used in describing America's 19th century Wild West.
The Economist Intelligence Unit recently espied "vast untapped natural resources and land". The International Monetary Fund says the country could be "the next economic frontier in Asia". Local pundits agree: "Myanmar is the last resourceful investment destination in the Southeast Asian region," said Thinn Htut Thidar, a Yangon-based consultant.
There is undoubtedly truth in these words but they overlook the local tycoons, often disparaged as cronies of the regime, as well as myriad lesser entrepreneurs, whose businesses fill out the space left by the military's own large economic presence.
Full Story: Asia Times
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Myanmar to reopen 'Death Railway'
Myanmar aims to restore a stretch of the infamous ``Death Railway'' to Thailand which was initially built by Japanese-held prisoners of war, the minister in charge of the scheme says.
The railway was immortalised in the Oscar-winning film ``The Bridge on the River Kwai'' which showed the dreadful working conditions endured by tens of thousands of POWs who built the track during World War II.
A feasibility study on the 105-kilometre (65-mile) stretch running from Myanmar's ``Three Pagodas Pass'' area to Thailand is scheduled to begin in October, Railway Minister Aung Min said.
``We will reopen this (rail)road. The other countries said they would also help us and we will continue working for it,'' Aung Min said after peace talks with ethnic Shan rebels.
``We will do a survey and try to start working after the rainy season with the help of the international community.''
Long isolated under decades of army-rule, Myanmar has embarked on a rapid series of political and economic reforms under President Thein Sein, including moves to better relations with its neighbours.
The railway would provide a much-needed economic shot in the arm for the impoverished area, which is home to Myanmar's rebellious Karen ethnic group, by boosting trade with Thailand and attracting tourists.
Karen rebels signed a ceasefire with the government in January, a major breakthrough towards ending the long-running insurgency.
Built by the Japanese between 1942 and 1943 to shuttle supplies from Thailand into Myanmar, then called Burma, along a route that engineers had long considered impossible, the rail link was destroyed by Allied bombers in 1945.
Some 13,000 POWs succumbed to abuse, malnutrition and disease during the 14 months it took to carve the 424-kilometre (263-mile) railway through dense jungles and mountains, under orders from their Japanese captors.
It is also estimated that 80,000 to 100,000 Asian civilians, who were also used as forced labour, perished in the railway's construction but most of their remains have no known markers or graves.
Source: Bangkok Post
Myanmar aims to restore a stretch of the infamous ``Death Railway'' to Thailand which was initially built by Japanese-held prisoners of war, the minister in charge of the scheme says.
The railway was immortalised in the Oscar-winning film ``The Bridge on the River Kwai'' which showed the dreadful working conditions endured by tens of thousands of POWs who built the track during World War II.
A feasibility study on the 105-kilometre (65-mile) stretch running from Myanmar's ``Three Pagodas Pass'' area to Thailand is scheduled to begin in October, Railway Minister Aung Min said.
``We will reopen this (rail)road. The other countries said they would also help us and we will continue working for it,'' Aung Min said after peace talks with ethnic Shan rebels.
``We will do a survey and try to start working after the rainy season with the help of the international community.''
Long isolated under decades of army-rule, Myanmar has embarked on a rapid series of political and economic reforms under President Thein Sein, including moves to better relations with its neighbours.
The railway would provide a much-needed economic shot in the arm for the impoverished area, which is home to Myanmar's rebellious Karen ethnic group, by boosting trade with Thailand and attracting tourists.
Karen rebels signed a ceasefire with the government in January, a major breakthrough towards ending the long-running insurgency.
Built by the Japanese between 1942 and 1943 to shuttle supplies from Thailand into Myanmar, then called Burma, along a route that engineers had long considered impossible, the rail link was destroyed by Allied bombers in 1945.
Some 13,000 POWs succumbed to abuse, malnutrition and disease during the 14 months it took to carve the 424-kilometre (263-mile) railway through dense jungles and mountains, under orders from their Japanese captors.
It is also estimated that 80,000 to 100,000 Asian civilians, who were also used as forced labour, perished in the railway's construction but most of their remains have no known markers or graves.
Source: Bangkok Post
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
The Lady makes an entrance
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... n-entrance (Photos)
Published: 30/05/2012 at 02:18 AM
Online news: Local News
Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Thailand Tuesday for her first trip abroad in more than two decades, ending an era of isolation and cementing her arrival on the global stage.
The former political prisoner, who won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections, is expected to meet the Thai prime minister, attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia and meet Myanmar communities during several days in the country.
Suu Kyi, who last left the nation in 1988 when it was still under outright military rule, landed in the Thai capital around 10:00 pm (1500 GMT) after the short flight from Yangon.
She was greeted at the airport by journalists and around two dozen of her compatriots who chanted "Mother Suu", eliciting smiles and a wave from the democracy champion, before she was whisked away by car.
Speaking before her departure from Yangon, Suu Kyi said she planned to stay in Thailand "for four or five days" adding she would visit "one refugee camp" without providing further details.
See also: Army wants refugees out ( http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/295663/ )
Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, will emerge into a world transformed - the skyscrapers and frenetic activity of Bangkok presenting a stark contrast to her home city of Yangon, with its crumbling architecture and frequent power outages.
The Nobel laureate's first trip outside Myanmar since 1988 comes as dramatic changes sweep the country, after decades of outright military rule ended last year.
Suu Kyi, fearful that she would never be allowed to return, had refused to travel abroad in the past, even when the former junta denied her dying husband a visa to visit her from Britain.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies in Japan's Kyoto University, said the visit signals "she is very confident in her position, confident with the ongoing reconciliation and political reforms".
The trip will "convey a message" from the Myanmar government that its reforms, which have caused unprecedented thawing of relations with the international community and easing of tough sanctions, are sustainable.
"Before the sanctions can be removed, the government have to earn legitimacy big time, so that is what they want from Suu Kyi's trip," he said.
The 66-year-old icon will meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during her trip, but the timing has yet to be confirmed, the premier's secretary general Thawat Boonfeung said.
Suu Kyi is also set to visit Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, on Wednesday, according to local activists.
Thailand's workforce is heavily reliant on low-cost foreign workers, both legal and trafficked, with Myanmar nationals accounting for around 80 percent of the two million registered foreign workers in the kingdom.
Suu Kyi is then expected to travel to the north of the country to meet some of the roughly 100,000 refugees displaced by conflict in Myanmar's eastern border areas.
She is scheduled to speak in an open discussion with World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab and appear at a session on the role of Asian women on Friday.
"This is a hugely symbolic but also substantive visit because it is going to mark the beginning of Aung San Suu Kyi as an international stateswoman," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
Suu Kyi's European travel plans include an address to an International Labour Organization conference in Geneva on June 14.
After that she will make a speech in Oslo on June 16 to finally accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991 for her peaceful struggle for democracy.
She also intends to travel to Britain, where she lived for years with her family, and will address parliament in London on June 21.
The democracy campaigner was on Tuesday invited to visit India during a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Yangon, ahead of her trip, and said she hoped to go there soon.
Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is credited with a string of reforms that have prompted the international community to ease sanctions, has postponed his official visit to Thailand, which would have clashed with Suu Kyi's trip.
"She is a rock star in international politics so she will inevitably, I think by circumstance more than by design, overshadow everybody, she will steal the show," said Thitinan.
Thein Sein will now travel to Thailand on June 4 and 5, according to the Thai foreign ministry.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... n-entrance (Photos)
Published: 30/05/2012 at 02:18 AM
Online news: Local News
Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Thailand Tuesday for her first trip abroad in more than two decades, ending an era of isolation and cementing her arrival on the global stage.
The former political prisoner, who won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections, is expected to meet the Thai prime minister, attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia and meet Myanmar communities during several days in the country.
Suu Kyi, who last left the nation in 1988 when it was still under outright military rule, landed in the Thai capital around 10:00 pm (1500 GMT) after the short flight from Yangon.
She was greeted at the airport by journalists and around two dozen of her compatriots who chanted "Mother Suu", eliciting smiles and a wave from the democracy champion, before she was whisked away by car.
Speaking before her departure from Yangon, Suu Kyi said she planned to stay in Thailand "for four or five days" adding she would visit "one refugee camp" without providing further details.
See also: Army wants refugees out ( http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/295663/ )
Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, will emerge into a world transformed - the skyscrapers and frenetic activity of Bangkok presenting a stark contrast to her home city of Yangon, with its crumbling architecture and frequent power outages.
The Nobel laureate's first trip outside Myanmar since 1988 comes as dramatic changes sweep the country, after decades of outright military rule ended last year.
Suu Kyi, fearful that she would never be allowed to return, had refused to travel abroad in the past, even when the former junta denied her dying husband a visa to visit her from Britain.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies in Japan's Kyoto University, said the visit signals "she is very confident in her position, confident with the ongoing reconciliation and political reforms".
The trip will "convey a message" from the Myanmar government that its reforms, which have caused unprecedented thawing of relations with the international community and easing of tough sanctions, are sustainable.
"Before the sanctions can be removed, the government have to earn legitimacy big time, so that is what they want from Suu Kyi's trip," he said.
The 66-year-old icon will meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during her trip, but the timing has yet to be confirmed, the premier's secretary general Thawat Boonfeung said.
Suu Kyi is also set to visit Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, on Wednesday, according to local activists.
Thailand's workforce is heavily reliant on low-cost foreign workers, both legal and trafficked, with Myanmar nationals accounting for around 80 percent of the two million registered foreign workers in the kingdom.
Suu Kyi is then expected to travel to the north of the country to meet some of the roughly 100,000 refugees displaced by conflict in Myanmar's eastern border areas.
She is scheduled to speak in an open discussion with World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab and appear at a session on the role of Asian women on Friday.
"This is a hugely symbolic but also substantive visit because it is going to mark the beginning of Aung San Suu Kyi as an international stateswoman," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
Suu Kyi's European travel plans include an address to an International Labour Organization conference in Geneva on June 14.
After that she will make a speech in Oslo on June 16 to finally accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991 for her peaceful struggle for democracy.
She also intends to travel to Britain, where she lived for years with her family, and will address parliament in London on June 21.
The democracy campaigner was on Tuesday invited to visit India during a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Yangon, ahead of her trip, and said she hoped to go there soon.
Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is credited with a string of reforms that have prompted the international community to ease sanctions, has postponed his official visit to Thailand, which would have clashed with Suu Kyi's trip.
"She is a rock star in international politics so she will inevitably, I think by circumstance more than by design, overshadow everybody, she will steal the show," said Thitinan.
Thein Sein will now travel to Thailand on June 4 and 5, according to the Thai foreign ministry.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
The first trip abroad in more than two decades by Myanmar’s opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, appears to have strained her crucial relationship with President U Thein Sein, who is leading the country’s transformation from military dictatorship to embryonic democracy.
Soon after Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi returned home on Sunday from Thailand, an adviser to Myanmar’s president criticized her for lacking “transparency” in carrying out her trip and for her comments warning international investors against “reckless optimism” about Myanmar.
“Personally, I really admire her, but I have a doubt,” the adviser, U Nay Zin Latt, said in an e-mail. Public criticism of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, even in its mildest forms, is rare, partly because she is such a popular figure in the country.
Mr. Nay Zin Latt’s comments were the first by one of President Thein Sein’s advisers — who serve as spokesmen — since the president canceled a trip to Thailand on Friday. The Thai news media are portraying the cancellation as a reaction to Bangkok’s handling of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit.
The fact that Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed back into the country on Sunday was a milestone on Myanmar’s road to national reconciliation. During the periods when she was not under house arrest in the past two decades, she chose not to travel abroad for fear of being denied re-entry by Myanmar’s military rulers.
Yet the discontent over her six-day visit to neighboring Thailand underlines the fragility of her country’s transition.
The complicated and delicate relationship between the president and Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, a newly elected lawmaker, is in some ways the bedrock of the current reform process in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Their meeting in August accelerated the changes sweeping the country and helped persuade Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi to rejoin the political system.
“Most of the improvements in Burma these days are because of the relationship between Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi,” said Win Min, a senior researcher at the Vahu Development Institute, an organization set up by Harvard-trained Burmese exiles that studies issues related to Myanmar. “I’m a little bit worried about their personal relations,” Mr. Win Min said. “If this relationship is strained, it could hurt national reconciliation.”
The abrupt cancellation on Friday of Mr. Thein Sein’s visit to Thailand appears to have been a message to Bangkok — and other governments across the region — that Myanmar’s leader will not tolerate being overshadowed by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s star power.
Thailand and its neighbors are jockeying to participate in the opening up of Myanmar, an almost virgin market that investors hope will offer good returns amid the global economic slowdown.
Underlying the Thai government’s sensitivities toward Myanmar is a huge project for a seaport and joint economic zone in Myanmar that would connect to Thailand and provide access to the Indian Ocean.
Thai Rath, the largest newspaper in Thailand, reported Sunday that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said in an interview that she was concerned that Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit had damaged Thailand’s relationship with Myanmar.
Mr. Thein Sein was “irritated” by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s trip, the newspaper said, adding that Ms. Yingluck had ordered the Thai Foreign Ministry to “clarify” details of the visit to the public.
Myanmar’s government appears to have been most annoyed by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit on Saturday to a refugee camp along the Thai-Burmese border, where Myanmar’s government has battled ethnic rebels for decades, and the opposition leader’s remarks at a business conference in Bangkok on Friday at which she urged potential investors in Myanmar to proceed with caution.
Source: New York Times
Soon after Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi returned home on Sunday from Thailand, an adviser to Myanmar’s president criticized her for lacking “transparency” in carrying out her trip and for her comments warning international investors against “reckless optimism” about Myanmar.
“Personally, I really admire her, but I have a doubt,” the adviser, U Nay Zin Latt, said in an e-mail. Public criticism of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, even in its mildest forms, is rare, partly because she is such a popular figure in the country.
Mr. Nay Zin Latt’s comments were the first by one of President Thein Sein’s advisers — who serve as spokesmen — since the president canceled a trip to Thailand on Friday. The Thai news media are portraying the cancellation as a reaction to Bangkok’s handling of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit.
The fact that Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed back into the country on Sunday was a milestone on Myanmar’s road to national reconciliation. During the periods when she was not under house arrest in the past two decades, she chose not to travel abroad for fear of being denied re-entry by Myanmar’s military rulers.
Yet the discontent over her six-day visit to neighboring Thailand underlines the fragility of her country’s transition.
The complicated and delicate relationship between the president and Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, a newly elected lawmaker, is in some ways the bedrock of the current reform process in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Their meeting in August accelerated the changes sweeping the country and helped persuade Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi to rejoin the political system.
“Most of the improvements in Burma these days are because of the relationship between Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi,” said Win Min, a senior researcher at the Vahu Development Institute, an organization set up by Harvard-trained Burmese exiles that studies issues related to Myanmar. “I’m a little bit worried about their personal relations,” Mr. Win Min said. “If this relationship is strained, it could hurt national reconciliation.”
The abrupt cancellation on Friday of Mr. Thein Sein’s visit to Thailand appears to have been a message to Bangkok — and other governments across the region — that Myanmar’s leader will not tolerate being overshadowed by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s star power.
Thailand and its neighbors are jockeying to participate in the opening up of Myanmar, an almost virgin market that investors hope will offer good returns amid the global economic slowdown.
Underlying the Thai government’s sensitivities toward Myanmar is a huge project for a seaport and joint economic zone in Myanmar that would connect to Thailand and provide access to the Indian Ocean.
Thai Rath, the largest newspaper in Thailand, reported Sunday that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said in an interview that she was concerned that Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit had damaged Thailand’s relationship with Myanmar.
Mr. Thein Sein was “irritated” by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s trip, the newspaper said, adding that Ms. Yingluck had ordered the Thai Foreign Ministry to “clarify” details of the visit to the public.
Myanmar’s government appears to have been most annoyed by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit on Saturday to a refugee camp along the Thai-Burmese border, where Myanmar’s government has battled ethnic rebels for decades, and the opposition leader’s remarks at a business conference in Bangkok on Friday at which she urged potential investors in Myanmar to proceed with caution.
Source: New York Times
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Myanmar tells Suu Kyi not to call country 'Burma'
Authorities in Myanmar have told opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi that she must refer to the Southeast Asian nation by its official name, and not "Burma."
The country's former military rulers changed the nation's name in English from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, but opponents and exile groups have persisted in referring to the country as Burma as a sign of protest and defiance.
Myanmar's election commission issued the complaint in the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Friday, saying Suu Kyi had referred to the country as Burma during her landmark trips to Thailand and Europe.
The commission supervises laws dealing with political parties.
Suu Kyi became a lawmaker after her party won dozens of parliament seats in April.
Source: Fox News
Authorities in Myanmar have told opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi that she must refer to the Southeast Asian nation by its official name, and not "Burma."
The country's former military rulers changed the nation's name in English from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, but opponents and exile groups have persisted in referring to the country as Burma as a sign of protest and defiance.
Myanmar's election commission issued the complaint in the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Friday, saying Suu Kyi had referred to the country as Burma during her landmark trips to Thailand and Europe.
The commission supervises laws dealing with political parties.
Suu Kyi became a lawmaker after her party won dozens of parliament seats in April.
Source: Fox News
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Visa-on-arrival available at two more airports
Burmese authorities reportedly plan to extend visas-on-arrival to the Naypyitaw and Mandalay International Airports, local media said on Tuesday.
Visa-on-arrivals have reportedly been in place at Yangon International Airport since June 1.
The special visas apply to visitors from 31 countries including member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Australia, Britain, China, China's Hong Kong, plus Taiwan, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
A business visa for 70 days costs US$ 50; a tourist visa for 28 days costs $40 dollars; and transit visa for 24 hours cost $20.
Visa-on-arrival was halted in September 2010 ahead of Burma’s general election in November 2011.
The number of tourist arrivals at Yangon International Airport reached 359,359 in 2011 and is expected to reach 1.5 million in 2012.
Statistics of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism show that arrivals at all entry points in the country exceeded 800,000 in 2011, up more than 24,000 or 3 per cent from 2010.
There are a total of 739 hotels in Burma including 22 foreign invested hotels, four joint-venture hotels, six government hotels and 707 privately owned ones. The upper end hotels and guesthouses are rapidly expanding as Burma continues its democratic reforms.
Myanmar earned $319 million dollars in 2011 from the hotel and tourism sector, up 26 per cent from $254 million dollars in 2010.
In May, Mizzima reported that Burma is seeking renewed membership in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
UNWTO plans to send an advisory team to assess the curriculum and teaching standards at tourism-focused education institutions, said officials.
Recently, officials have called for more low and medium-priced hotels and guesthouses. Room rates in top quality hotels have soared in recent months, from around $40 to up to $300 a room. Luxury hotels are usually booked far in advance.
Most visitors are from China, Japan, Thailand and Korea – taking into account border crossings in addition to the country's international air hub.
However, U.S and European tourists account for the highest totals of tourists’ income, accounting for up to 70 percent, according to official figures.
SOURCE: Mizzima
Burmese authorities reportedly plan to extend visas-on-arrival to the Naypyitaw and Mandalay International Airports, local media said on Tuesday.
Visa-on-arrivals have reportedly been in place at Yangon International Airport since June 1.
The special visas apply to visitors from 31 countries including member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Australia, Britain, China, China's Hong Kong, plus Taiwan, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
A business visa for 70 days costs US$ 50; a tourist visa for 28 days costs $40 dollars; and transit visa for 24 hours cost $20.
Visa-on-arrival was halted in September 2010 ahead of Burma’s general election in November 2011.
The number of tourist arrivals at Yangon International Airport reached 359,359 in 2011 and is expected to reach 1.5 million in 2012.
Statistics of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism show that arrivals at all entry points in the country exceeded 800,000 in 2011, up more than 24,000 or 3 per cent from 2010.
There are a total of 739 hotels in Burma including 22 foreign invested hotels, four joint-venture hotels, six government hotels and 707 privately owned ones. The upper end hotels and guesthouses are rapidly expanding as Burma continues its democratic reforms.
Myanmar earned $319 million dollars in 2011 from the hotel and tourism sector, up 26 per cent from $254 million dollars in 2010.
In May, Mizzima reported that Burma is seeking renewed membership in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
UNWTO plans to send an advisory team to assess the curriculum and teaching standards at tourism-focused education institutions, said officials.
Recently, officials have called for more low and medium-priced hotels and guesthouses. Room rates in top quality hotels have soared in recent months, from around $40 to up to $300 a room. Luxury hotels are usually booked far in advance.
Most visitors are from China, Japan, Thailand and Korea – taking into account border crossings in addition to the country's international air hub.
However, U.S and European tourists account for the highest totals of tourists’ income, accounting for up to 70 percent, according to official figures.
SOURCE: Mizzima
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
That's interesting - I assume that applies to Thailand as well?buksida wrote:Most visitors are from China, Japan, Thailand and Korea – taking into account border crossings in addition to the country's international air hub.
However, U.S and European tourists account for the highest totals of tourists’ income, accounting for up to 70 percent, according to official figures
Talk is cheap
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Thailand must liberalize its investment regulations to realize its potential and become a regional hub for British investors exploring opportunities in Burma, Jonathan Marland, chairman of UK Trade and Investment’s Business Ambassadors’ Group, told the Bangkok-based The Nation newspaper. “There is no doubting the great potential for Thailand to be an access point to Myanmar. The country should develop its regulations and liberalize its investment rules to compete with Singapore, which is known as a very liberalized country,” he said. Marland is also UK parliamentary under-secretary of state for Energy and Climate Change and led last week’s British business delegation to Burma.
Liberalize is the opposite of "clampdown" isn't it ... dream on Marland ...
Liberalize is the opposite of "clampdown" isn't it ... dream on Marland ...
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Just arrived back from a 4 day visit to Rangoon (Yangon).
It is worth bearing in mind if you visit that cash is still King there. No Visa/Mastercard ATM's.
If you stand outside a Bank for a few minutes you will be amazed to see the locals trudging in and out with plastic carrier bags stuffed with cash.
The Sedona Hotel overlooks the rear of Aung San Suu Kyi's house.
Yangon airport is fantastic. Took all of 15 minutes from landing to pass through immigration and pick up luggage. Going out through security was just as quick...none of the take of your belt,laptop from carry on bag.watch,keys etc.
I would suggest to visit now before it all changes. There are no Macs/Burger King, KFC's or 7/11's....and for all you night crawlers Paddy O'Malleys in the basement of the Sedona should satisfy your needs!!!!
It is worth bearing in mind if you visit that cash is still King there. No Visa/Mastercard ATM's.
If you stand outside a Bank for a few minutes you will be amazed to see the locals trudging in and out with plastic carrier bags stuffed with cash.
The Sedona Hotel overlooks the rear of Aung San Suu Kyi's house.
Yangon airport is fantastic. Took all of 15 minutes from landing to pass through immigration and pick up luggage. Going out through security was just as quick...none of the take of your belt,laptop from carry on bag.watch,keys etc.
I would suggest to visit now before it all changes. There are no Macs/Burger King, KFC's or 7/11's....and for all you night crawlers Paddy O'Malleys in the basement of the Sedona should satisfy your needs!!!!
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
I presume you entered on the VOA (visa on arrival), any issues with that?
What about the hotels, have read that they are mostly full and very expensive, any budget $20-$30 a night places available?
What about the hotels, have read that they are mostly full and very expensive, any budget $20-$30 a night places available?
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Didn't know that VOA had been re introduced so got an express Visa from the Burmese Embassy in Bangers.
I stayed at the Sedona which was packed with Businessmen attending a Trade Meeting.
Might be some cheaper hotels here on Agoda http://www.agoda.com/pages/agoda/defaul ... huXcdWtHOX
I did see plenty of budget Guest houses in down-town Rangoon but no idea of prices or facilities.
The Strand Hotel is well worth a visit for a bite to eat,very similar to Raffles Hotel in Singapore and about a quarter of the price in the restaurant.
The US Dollar is usually accepted in the bigger establishments but local currency is also a must,any unused local can now be exchanged for $ back at the airport.
I stayed at the Sedona which was packed with Businessmen attending a Trade Meeting.
Might be some cheaper hotels here on Agoda http://www.agoda.com/pages/agoda/defaul ... huXcdWtHOX
I did see plenty of budget Guest houses in down-town Rangoon but no idea of prices or facilities.
The Strand Hotel is well worth a visit for a bite to eat,very similar to Raffles Hotel in Singapore and about a quarter of the price in the restaurant.
The US Dollar is usually accepted in the bigger establishments but local currency is also a must,any unused local can now be exchanged for $ back at the airport.
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
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elem
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Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Thanks for the reports , appreciated!
We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.[Benjamin Franklin]
Re: The Burma/Myanmar Thread
Another thing to remember is that your mobile/cell phone will not pick up on international roaming. A $20 SIM is easily available down town or you can rent a phone at the airport. I opted for the SIM card...worked ok and could make international calls without any problems.
Creased or marked Dollar bills will be rejected as a matter of course.
Creased or marked Dollar bills will be rejected as a matter of course.
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.