201438753

WWW.MMTIMES.
COM ISSUE 753 | NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014

1200
Ks.
HEARTBEAT OF THE NATION
Inside the rice import freeze
In an exclusive report, The Myanmar Times visits the warehouses and unofcial border crossings of Muse,
where business has ground to a halt in the aftermath of Chinas decision to ban rice imports. BUSINESS 29
NEWS 3
Stability focus of
historic meeting
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing hold talks
for the rst time, together with the
countrys most senior political gures.
NEWS 4
USDP courts, then
spurns, Rohingya voters
The USDP promised Muslims in
Rakhine State a better future in
exchange for votes in 2010 promises
that appear to have evaporated in the
aftermath of communal violence.
PROFILE 16-17
Gambiras new fight
He rose to prominence during the
2007 protests but spent the next four
years in prison, where he was brutally
tortured. Now the former monk has
a new struggle: overcoming post-
traumatic stress disorder, a legacy of
his time behind bars.
BUSINESS 26
MEHL wins brewery
arbitration dispute
Arbitration body decides in favour of
Myanmar Economic Holding Limited
in dispute with Singapores Fraser &
Neave, giving the army-owned rm
the chance to buy market leader
Myanmar Brewery Limited outright.
NEWS 10
Hundreds to vie for
spots in municipal vote
Yangon City Development
Committees December election has
attracted hundreds of candidates
ranging from activists and civil
society leaders to property developers.
KNU stalls
on proposal
to unify Kayin
armed groups
The formation of the Kawthoolei Armed
Forces has hit a snag, with the Karen
National Union ofering only in-principle
support until its 2016 congress.
A DKBA soldier stands near
the groups Kayin State
headquarters on October 29.
Photo: Zarni Phyo
MORE ON NEWS 6
2 THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 9, 2014
online editor Kayleigh Long |
kayleighelong@gmail.com
THE INSIDER: The local lowdown & best of the web
Lack of birth documentation
thwarts womans hopes for ofcial
recognition
A petition spread online last week,
pushing for Mandalay region woman
Daw Mya Kyi to be ofcially recognised
by Guinness World Records as the
worlds oldest, as she shufes toward
what petition organizers say is to be
her 118
th
birthday.
This is one of those stories
that does the rounds from time to
time, and obviously gets a bit more
interesting every year. The Myanmar
Times reported in 2012 that she was
120, but that this is not recognised
by international groups such as the
Gerontology Research Group or
Guinness World Records because
of a lack of reliable documentary
evidence.
In the past, some local media
outlets have reported she was 15 at the
time King Thibaw was forced into exile.
This would make her a whopping 145
which, frankly, seems unlikely. Without
proper documentation, its very difcult
to say. Its also been widely reported
that she has a lot of chickens.
Apparently Daw Mya Kyi does not
particularly enjoy all of the attention
visited on her by virtue of being really,
really old, and prefers the company of
her avian pals.
The revolution will not be televised
Three masked activists staged a
protest, albeit a brief one, at the
Shwegondaing overpass on October 26,
distributing anti-government leaets
and hanging a banner that read Lets
start a peoples revolution.
That didnt appear to work
immediately, and The Irrawaddy
reported they left the area after a
matter of minutes. The trio that
conducted this act of protest identify
with the Anonymous movements
local wing, an anarchic collective of
hacktivists that spouts internet-
assembled philosophies and is united
under the mask of the Guy Fawkes
gure in V for Vendetta.
It seems the members of this opted
not to sport the ofcial mask which
may well be a nod to the movements
anti-capitalist sentiment, given Time
Warner owns the rights to the V image
and receives a cut of every mask sale.
Typically, Anonymous activities are
conducted online because theyre, you
know, Anonymous. Given the risk of
getting caught and having the book
thrown at them, this was fairly bold.
This was at least the second public
display of dissidence from the group,
whos done anti-government grafti
downtown and logs its activities online.
Needle exchange rate driven by
international speculation
A story from Global Post about a
new-ish report by the Kachin Womens
Association of Thailand about the
states heroin epidemic managed to
draw broader attention to the issue last
week, by seizing on one fairly minor
detail in the texts body and blowing
it up in the headline Heroin use is so
high In Myanmar that syringes now
serve as currency.
It made news around the
world, with Global Posts sharp
observation being regurgitated under
sensationalist headlines such as USA
Todays Syringes are now currency
in heroin-addicted Myanmar or
The International Business Times
Myanmar drug problem so severe
heroin syringes used as change, or
the ethnographically-incorrect-from-
the-usually-more-careful Washington
Post: the Burmese do so much heroin
that syringes are used for currency.
At this stage, it doesnt look as if the
kyat will be replaced entirely, although as
of print time the Central Bank had yet to
issue comment. The scale of the issues
surrounding heroin use in Kachin State
is, undeniably, shocking. However, giving
goods as change is not exactly anything
new and that kind of sensationalism
somewhat detracts from some of the
reports more pointed revelations.
Overheard in Traders
Wait what do you mean, you bought
a plane? exasperated foreign
businessman to local partner
In brief
Phuket tiger that mauled Australian
tourist obviously not drugged heavily
enough
Sightings of the rare red panda likely
to increase in the short-term, say
experts, as unchecked logging leaves
them nowhere to hide
Would-be bank robber dismisses heist
as totally impossible in this trafc at
crime syndicate brainstorming session
Yangon ranks alongside Fox Glacier
and the dunes of the Sahara in
wheelchair accessibility study
Next week
Voluntourist has a really inspiring
time on the border, great new
Facebook prole photo
From the Pansodan Gallery archives
Once was Burma ...
Golden Hammer Journal, Harvest edition, 1971
I was in Yangon, Bagan and the Shan state this summer and never saw
anything to suggest anything like this. I was never offered drugs of any kind, no
attempts to sell to me... I only mention this because I feel like my appearance
is a target for that kind of activity: dude w/full sleeve tattoos, Ive been offered
hash and dope all over the world, Portugal, Morocco, Berlin, Mongolia... but
nothing of the sort in Myanmar. Never saw a needle anywhere.
One-time tourist on Reddit dismisses the veracity of the Global Post story
based on the fact no one in Nyaung Shwe (in the Shan State)
offered him smack despite being inked
Updates on rice, Nuremberg and Aung Sans new-year message, April 13, 1947.
Page 2
News 3 www.mmtimes.com NEWS EDITOR: Thomas Kean | tdkean@gmail.com
Political stability, military
dominate historic meeting
MYANMARS leading political gures
have reached agreement on the con-
tinued role of the military in politics
and the desire for political stability, ac-
cording to those present at an historic
meeting last week.
The October 31 meeting at Presi-
dent U Thein Seins residence in Nay
Pyi Taw brought together the presi-
dent, Senior General Min Aung Hla-
ing, NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker
Thura U Shwe Mann and Union Elec-
tion Commission chief U Tin Aye, as
well as the leaders of four other politi-
cal parties.
It was the rst encounter of its kind
since the military took power in 1988.
Talks focused on three main issues:
continuing the reform process, achiev-
ing national reconciliation and main-
taining stability.
All agreed to amend constitution in
parliament, presidential spokesperson
U Ye Htut told reporters at a press con-
ference afterward, adding that no one
wants people to take to the streets.
It is a good result, he said.
He added that Commander-in-
Chief Senior General Min Aung Hla-
ing told political leaders he agreed on
the need to amend the 2008 constitu-
tion, and suggested that some changes
might be up for negotiation.
The commander-in-chief said that
sometimes, in the legislative process,
the majority won through votes even
though the minority is right, so we
need to solve it in the right way, said
U Ye Htut.
The meeting was Daw Aung San
Suu Kyis rst formal encounter with
the commander-in-chief. U Ye Htut
said she told Senior General Min
Aung Hlaing she always respects the
Tatmadaw, even though they have
difering views on many issues.
U Khin Maung Swe, who took part
in the meeting as the head of the Na-
tional Democratic Force, said all pre-
sent understood that the Tatmadaw
would continue to stay in national
politics.
He added that while they discussed
amending the constitution, no one
discussed section 436, which gives
the military a veto over constitutional
change. Participants also urged the
government to reach agreement with
armed ethnic groups on a nationwide
ceasere as soon as possible and
to create a framework for political
dialogue.
We all agreed to maintain the cur-
rent results weve achieved, not to de-
viate away from the democratic transi-
tion, and that we need stable political
conditions to hold the 2015 election,
U Khin Maung Swe said.
During the press conference, U Ye
Htut said the nationwide ceasefire
would be signed at the end of 2014
or in early 2015. The government
will hold free and fair elections
next year in cooperation with civil
society, the media and international
organisations.
Invitations for the meeting were
sent out on October 29, and came
as something of a surprise given the
president had rejected previous re-
quests from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
for a high-level meeting to discuss
the constitution.
Some observers said they believed
the timing of the meeting was signi-
cant as MPs are debating amendments
to the 2008 constitution and prepara-
tions are in train for next months
ASEAN summit in Nay Pyi Taw.
Agreement among political leaders
over the political barriers we are now
facing would be very helpful. Previous
rounds of negotiations didnt really get
anywhere, said U Aye Thar Aung, vice
chair of the Rakhine National Party.
Political analyst U Yan Myo Thein
said the meeting could help pave
the way for future political dialogue
but the talks will be in vain if this
is just window-dressing for President
Obamas visit. We will have to wait and
see, he said.
U Ye Htut insisted that the meeting
had nothing to do with external issues.
[This meeting] was not held for
anyone else, he said.
EI EI TOE LWIN HTOO THANT
We all agreed ... we
need stable political
conditions to hold
the 2015 election.
U Khin Maung Swe
National Democratic Force
WOMEN could be set to domi-
nate the upper reaches of the
countrys future civil service as
female candidates for prestigious
scholarships outnumber male
candidates by ve to one. Of the
5000 hopefuls who have applied
to join the Presidents Scholarship
program, which aims to create an
elite cadre of civil service high-
yers by funding their educa-
tion abroad, more than 4000 are
women and only 866 are male.
Critics say the reason for the
imbalance is the rule that appli-
cants must remain single until
the scholarship is awarded. Ap-
plicants must be Myanmar citi-
zens who are the children of two
Myanmar citizens.
President U Thein Sein
launched the program in July to
increase the capacity of the civil
service. Aspirations are high, with
most candidates 2006 apply-
ing for PhD courses, while 1848
are going for Masters degrees and
only 658 for bachelor degrees.
Candidates will sit an English-
language test between December
6 and 12 in Yangon, Mandalay,
Magwe, Monywa, Taunggyi and
Mawlamyine. Those who pass
will then be given a psychological
test and interview.
Successful candidates must re-
turn and work as civil servants for
at least twice as long as they stud-
ied abroad, or repay three times
the cost of their scholarship. The
scholarships will be awarded to
study any subject and will cover
the entire cost of tuition.
It remains unclear how many
scholarships will be awarded,
which universities candidates
will attend, and how much the
program will cost. Public servants
are allowed to apply only with the
permission of their ministry.
SANDAR LWIN
sdlsandar@gmail.com
Women
dominate
presidents
scholarship
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw on October 31. Photo: Presidents Office
4 News THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
How the USDP went from courting
to spurning Rakhine States Muslims
IN the lead-up to the 2010 general elec-
tion, the Union Solidarity and Develop-
ment Party faced a problem in Rakhine
State.
Replicating their strategy else-
where in the country, they sought to
recruit inuential locals to stand as
candidates in the election, which was
touted by the military as a key step in
the nations road to democracy. How-
ever, they ran into well-organised op-
position from the Rakhine Nationali-
ties Development Party.
Though established just a few
months earlier, following the release of
election laws in March, the RNDP had
managed to generate signicant local
support by tapping into widespread
animosity toward the central govern-
ment from ethnic Rakhine.
The USDP needed allies in the re-
gion. Controversially, they turned to
the Rohingya.
USDP approached us, they said
we should participate, said U Shwe
Maung, a community leader who
became the USDP representative
for Buthidaung in the Pyithu Hlut-
taw. They said, The government has
changed its policy [toward Rohingya
rights].
Several Sittwe residents who iden-
tify as Rohingya told The Myanmar
Times last week that USDP delegations
from Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon made
several high-prole visits to their com-
munities, and promised that voting for
the military-aligned party would usher
in a new era of freedoms and rights for
the Muslim minority.
Of course, they gave many prom-
ises at that time, recalled a former civil
servant who self-identies as Rohingya
and asked not to be named. They said,
You can get Rohingya [citizenship]
cards, so that the people would vote
for them.
U Aung Win, a Rohingya activ-
ist based in Sittwe, said the message
was always the same: You can live
peacefully and you can cooperate with
the government [if you] vote for the
USDP.
This generated legitimate popu-
lar support for the USDP in Rohingya
communities, and several Muslim can-
didates were elected: U Shwe Maung
and two others into the Pyidaungsu
Hluttaw in Nay Pyi Taw, and three more
into the Rakhine State parliament.
The RNDP, however, still fared bet-
ter than any other ethnic minority par-
ty in terms of the proportion of seats
won. The party, which merged with
the Arakan League for Democracy to
become the Rakhine National Party in
2013, took out 35 of the 44 seats it con-
tested in state and national legislatures.
The Muslim representatives and
their constituents had upheld their
part of the bargain. However, they say
the government put in place by the
USDP has turned its back on them.
In that context we joined the
USDP, said U Shwe Maung. Since we
became elected in 2010 we have pushed
[Rohingya citizenship rights]. Then
[when] the Ministry of Immigration
started to say no we were confused.
U Shwe Maung said that discussion
about the Rohingya in parliament be-
came all but impossible after June 2012,
when Buddhist and Muslim communi-
ties clashed around Sittwe. Another
outbreak of violence that year took the
death toll above 200 and left more than
100,000 displaced, mostly Muslims.
Since 2012 June this issue became
very hot, and Rakhine MPs keep giving
pressure to the Union government, the
parliament and the media.
The Rohingya politicians are now
facing perhaps their toughest politi-
cal challenge: a series of amendments
to electoral laws proposed by the RNP
that would strip those holding tem-
porary identity documents, known as
white cards, from taking part in politi-
cal activities, including voting and join-
ing a party.
While the amendments do not single
out the Rohingya, they hold the majority
of the white cards issued by the govern-
ment. If approved, the laws would strip
more than 1 million people of the right
to vote in Rakhine State alone.
The rst of these amendments to
ban white-card holders from forming
or joining a political party was passed
in September, with support from the
USDP.
Another RNP proposal that would
remove all voting rights from white
card-holders and naturalised citizens
appears to be gaining traction with the
USDP leadership.
One member of the RNP, who
asked not to be named, said his party
had already engaged in informal talks
with the USDP over the text of the
amendment.
According to the MP, the USDP has
no issue with taking voting rights away
from white-card holders, but would
like the law to be amended to ensure
all other citizen categories still have the
right to vote.
The MP said the proposal had been
submitted to the hluttaw ofce but be-
cause the parliament has a full agenda
this session including lengthy discus-
sions over constitutional change and
electoral reform he suspects the bill
will not be discussed until the rst ses-
sion of 2015.
The ofce of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann who is
also chair of the USDP did not respond
to requests for comment last week.
USDP central committee member U
Hla Swe said his personal view was that
the party must follow the desire of the
majority but declined to discuss the is-
sue further.
Asked about his partys campaign
in Rakhine state in 2010, U Hla Swe
downplayed USDP eforts to court
Muslim voters and claimed white-card
holders only accounted for a small pro-
portion of the votes the USDP received.
White-card holders concerned
about losing voting rights could apply
for citizenship under the nations 1982
Citizenship Law, he said.
I want to suggest that they should
apply as soon as possible because it
is sure that they become [citizens].
However, Rohingya community
leaders say the white-card issue has
arisen only because the government
has not properly implemented the
citizenship law. When the government
switched from National Registration
Cards to Citizenship Scrutiny Cards in
the early 1990s, it refused to issue CSCs
to many Muslims in Rakhine State,
they said. Several years later it began is-
suing white cards, which are not men-
tioned in the law.
The Rohingya civil servant said
both he and his wife hold CSCs but
their adult children have only been is-
sued white cards, despite applying for
citizenship documentation more than
a decade ago. Under the 1982 law, the
child of two CSC holders is automati-
cally entitled to citizenship.
U Shwe Maung said he was disap-
pointed that the promises of 2010 had
never been upheld but said he believes
the fault lies with the government and
Ministry of Immigration rather than
the USDP.
I am disappointed with the govern-
ment, especially with the Immigration
Department, he said. They are a pow-
erful department with the full power to
tackle these issues.
But others see political motivations
in the USDPs backtracking on promis-
es to Rohingya voters. Richard Horsey,
a Yangon-based political analyst, said
that anti-Muslim sentiment in both
Rakhine and other parts of the country
could result in the USDP turning away
from the voters it once actively courted.
Given the rise of Burman-Buddhist
nationalism, he said, the USDP may
decide that the Rohingya vote brings
more problems than benets.
Additional reporting by
Ei Ei Toe Lwin
BILL
OTOOLE
botoole12@gmail.com
The USDP
approached us,
they said ... the
government
has changed its
policy [toward
Rohingya rights].
U Shwe Maung
Rohingya Pyithu Hluttaw MP
A Muslim woman sits in front of temporary shelters in Sittwe township, Rakhine State. Photo: Ko Taik
ANALYSIS
UNFC exit set to continue for Karen National Union
LEADERS of the Karen National Un-
ion (KNU) have decided against re-
joining an umbrella organisation set
up to represent armed ethnic groups,
after suspending its membership in
late August.
At an emergency meeting con-
vened in its Laewar headquarters in
Hlaingbwe township, Kayin State, the
organisations central committee vot-
ed to continue to boycott the United
Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC).
Participants in the meeting, which
took place from October 23 to 29, dis-
cussed whether it would be better to
maintain solidarity among ethnic op-
ponents of the government, or to go it
alone.
The KNU wants to restructure the
UNFC, an alliance of 12 ethnic groups
that held its rst conference in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, from August 25 to Sep-
tember 2. The KNU walked out while
the UNFC was still discussing its basic
principles and structure, which the
KNU argues is too restrictive and im-
pedes the ability of member organisa-
tions to manage their own afairs.
If we could renegotiate the
structure, we would consider re-en-
gaging. But we will not give author-
ity to another organisation, said
KNU central committee member
Padoh Mahn Mahn.
Despite KNUs self-suspension
from UNFC, it has pledged continued
cooperation with other ethnic armed
groups in the nationwide ceasere
process.
KNU leaders also discussed the
recent formation of a joint Kayin
ghting organisation, the Kawthoolei
Armed Forces (KAF), which seeks to
bring together the sometimes diver-
gent Kayin armed groups.
At a separate meeting in Kayin
State last week, KNU representatives
attempted to put of a decision on the
formation of the KAF until 2016.
The formation of KAF, bringing
together the Democratic Karen Be-
nevolent Army (DKBA), the Karen
National Liberation Army (KNLA),
the KNU/KNLA Peace Council and
the Karen National Defence Organi-
sation (KNDO), was announced on
October 13.
KNU moves to delay unification talks
THE proposed unication of Kayin
ethnic armed groups into the Kawt-
hoolei Armed Forces continues to stir
controversy, with the Karen National
Union attempting to put of any deci-
sion on the creation of the coalition
until 2016.
The four proposed members met
for two days of negotiations at the
headquarters of the Democratic Ka-
ren Benevolent Army (DKBA) in Kayin
State on October 29-30 but left only
with the promise of further talks.
While participants approved the
creation of the KAF on the rst day of
the meeting, October 29, the KNU said
its agreement was in principle only.
KNU chief of mission Colonel Saw
Phaw Doe said further organisational
details should be left to the 16
th
KNU
Congress in 2016. Weve already or-
ganised the Karen Forces Unity Com-
mittee, and it has been working, he
told last weeks meeting.
Further talks on the KAF were
scheduled for November 19 but Ma-
jor General Saw Muu Shae, deputy
chief of mission of the DKBA, told The
Myanmar Times his group wanted a
decision from the KNU this year.
Some Karen armed group leaders
did not attend this meeting. The lead-
ers need to discuss the formation of
the KAF this year. We requested [the
KNU] not to postpone [a decision] un-
til 2016, he said.
Representatives of the DKBA
and other groups pushed the KNU
delegation to agree to hold an emer-
gency congress this year to decide on
the issue. The KNU ofcials responded
that they did not have the authority to
agree to such a proposal, Maj Gen Saw
Muu Shae said.
If the KNU doesnt hold an emer-
gency congress meeting in this year
we will meet obstacles to forming the
KAF because the leaders of both the
KNU and the government will change
in 2016, he said.
The KAF was formed on October 13
by representatives of the KNUs mili-
tary wing, the Kayin National Libera-
tion Army, as well as the Democratic
Karen Benevolent Army, the KNU/
KNLA Peace Council and another
KNU-afliated group, the Karen Na-
tional Defence Organisation.
However, in the days afterward,
leaders of the KNU, the DKBA and the
KNU/KNLA Peace Council distanced
themselves from the proposal and said
the agreement had been signed with-
out their permission.
Maj Gen Saw Muu Shae said now
was the right time to press on with the
plan, adding that the KNU had previ-
ously rejected eforts to unify Kayin
armed groups.
We met with the KNU secretly in
2007 to form the KAF, but they did not
agree. The same happened in 2009.
The KNU may decide in favour of the
KAF in 2016, but we believe we should
form it now, he said.
The leaders of the KNLA, the
KNDO, the DKBA and the KNU/KNLA
Peace Council said the creation of the
KAF was not meant to give advantage
to any single group.
The KAF is concerned with all
Karen people, said U Tin Mo Thi, the
representative of KNU/ KNLA Peace
Council.
U Tin Mo Thi said Kayin people
wanted to form the KAF so that all
Karen ethnic groups could work to-
gether.
The KAF is the future of Karen
youth, and a force for all Karen peo-
ple. Most Karen youth want to form
the KAF quickly, said a representative
of Karen Youth Network.
EI EI TOE LWIN
eieitoelwin@gmail.com
YE MON
yeemontun2013@gmail.com
Two members of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army walk near the groups headquarters last week. Photo: Zarni Phyo
Karen National Union ofers in-principle support but formal decision may not be made until the groups 2016 congress
News 7 www.mmtimes.com
Japanese firm donates
audio guides to museum
A JAPANESE company has donated
audio guides to the National Museum
in Yangon to help visitors deepen their
understanding of the exhibits.
The 42 devices provided by Miyash-
ita are valued at more than US$30,000.
They ofer commentaries in Myanmar,
English, Japanese and Chinese for 30
of the 2000 items on display.
Miyashita president Natsuo Mi-
yashita said the aim was to explain
Myanmar traditional culture, cus-
toms and heritage to the world.
Foreign visitors will be able to
understand and appreciate the
signicance of the collection, and de-
rive the same inspiration I found 40
years ago when I rst encountered
Myanmar art, she said.
Ms Miyashita became familiar with
Myanmar art while studying in Lon-
don in 1973. She decided to donate the
audio system when a friend working
for the Japan International Coopera-
tion Agency (JICA) introduced her to
the museum.
Thanking her for the contribution,
museum director U Ngwe Tun Myint
said, The system is a bit costly, but we
will expand it in future depending on
our budget.
Visitors hiring an audio unit are re-
quired to hand over an ID document.
Natsuo Miyashita holds the audio guides that her company donated to the
National Museum at a ceremony last week. Photo: Cherry Thein
CHERRY THEIN
t.cherry6@gmail.com
Buddhist group plans
marriage bill protests
PEOPLE across the country will take
to the streets in favour of a contro-
versial bill that could force people to
change their religion, senior Buddhist
clerics have warned. The so-called in-
terfaith marriage bill proposes a ban
on marriage between Buddhist wom-
en and men of other faiths but has
attracted widespread criticism from
rights groups.
Yangon Region members of the
Committee for the Protection of Na-
tionality and Religion, known as Ma
Ba Tha, met last week at Shwedagon
Pagoda to discuss the issue. The or-
ganisations chair, U Tilawkarviwun-
sa of Insein Ywarma Monastery, told
reporters the bill would help avoid
racial and religious conict, and
called for mass support to ensure it is
passed before President U Thein Sein
leaves ofce.
Magwe Sayadaw U Parmaukkha, a
Ma Ba Tha central committee mem-
ber, said the law would only bring
Buddhism into line with other reli-
gions, which also forbid their mem-
bers to marry non-believers.
But Buddhism has no such re-
striction, and the interfaith bill is not
restricted to Buddhist women. Its aim
is only to protect women from being
forced to change their religion, he
said. It will not discriminate against
any race or religion, or infringe on
democracy or international human
rights standards.
Ma Ba Tha members say the new
bill would protect women from pres-
sure to convert to their husbands
religion, protection they say is not
provided by an existing marriage law
introduced in 1954.
But local and international rights
groups have condemned the pro-
posed law, warning that its introduc-
tion would violate the right of a Bud-
dhist woman to choose her husband
and be a disgraceful act that would
invite international ridicule.
The interfaith marriage bill is
one of four pieces of draft legislation
proposed by Ma Ba Tha, together
with laws on religious conversion,
monogamy and population control.
President U Thein Sein forwarded
the drafts to the hluttaw for approval
on February 25, urging MPs to enact
them. But two days later, Pyidaung-
su Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe
Mann sent the drafts back to the gov-
ernment to be rewritten.
In response, the president set up a
12-member commission on March 7,
headed by Deputy Attorney General
U Tun Tun Oo, to draft new bills by
June 30. However, that deadline has
passed and committee members have
refused to speak to the media about
when the bills might be nalised.
Some MPs have criticised the
president and parliament for play-
ing volleyball with the drafts, while
others called them a weapon to ad-
vance political interests in advance of
the 2015 election.
But another speaker at last weeks
rally, Mya Zedi Sayadaw, said oppo-
nents needed to understand the con-
ditions of Myanmar culture and the
history of religion in Asia.
He said the law was required
because of pressure from Myan-
mars neighbours, India and China,
the most populous countries in the
world. And Bangladesh is only the
size of Shan State, but has 70 million
people, he said. So passing the inter-
faith law is absolutely necessary.
Dhamacakka U Maung Maung,
chair of the Vamsanurakkhita Associ-
ation of Myanmar, spoke of Buddhist
wives facing torture and other hu-
man rights violations at the hands of
their non-Buddhist husbands.
AUNG KYAW MIN
aungkyawmin.mcm@gmail.com
It will not
discriminate
against any race
or religion.
U Parmaukkha
Ma Ba Tha committee member
Demonstrations will be held to pressure government to enact law next year
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Activists charged after
protesting reporter death
ACTIVISTS from Yangon and Manda-
lay are to be charged for holding un-
authorised protests over the death of
freelance journalist Ko Par Gyi in mili-
tary custody.
In Yangon, more than 40 civil soci-
ety organisations took part in a dem-
onstration outside City Hall on Octo-
ber 26.
Activist Ko Moe Thway, a mem-
ber of Generation Wave, said he had
been charged by Kyauktada township
police, who also told him other leaders
are likely to face charges.
After some journalists told me
about it, I called Kyauktada township
police and they conrmed I would be
charged. They said they would inform
me ofcially later, but I still havent
heard anything, he said.
Kyauktada township police could
not be reached for comment. The
charges carry a potential one-year jail
term.
In upper Myanmar, activists from
Mandalay, Monywa, Taunggyi and
Lashio staged a candlelight protest
in Mandalay on October 27 calling on
the government to reveal the true cir-
cumstances surrounding the death of
Ko Par Gyi, whose real name was Ko
Aung Kyaw Naing.
The protest was held at the corner
of 80
th
and 26
th
streets beside Manda-
lays moat. Organiser Ko Aye Thein
said the death of the journalist at the
hands of the Tatmadaw was an issue of
concern for all citizens.
We called for the truth to be re-
vealed about this unfair case. If we just
ignore it, the situation will get worse,
he said.
A police major from Aung Myay
Thar San township said permission to
hold the protest had been refused, but
declined to say why.
Ko Aye Thein said he was uncon-
cerned about the charges.
It is their business whether they
say we are allowed to do it or not, he
said. I dont care if I am sent to jail.
During the protest, police tried to
obstruct demonstrators but did not
forcibly break up the rally.
Our protest is not only for Ko Par
Gyi, who was killed by the military. It
is about ensuring rule of law If we
dont protest, anyone could be killed
just like him.
Political groups said they plan
to hold further events to protest the
death of Ko Par Gyi, who was detained
by the Tatmadaw in Mon States Kyaik-
mayaw township on September 30
while covering ghting between the
military and the Democratic Karen
Benevolent Army.
He died in military custody on
October 4 but the Tatmadaw only re-
leased information about his death on
October 23.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Police accept complaint from wife of slain journalist
POLICE at Kyaikmayaw in Mon State
have accepted a complaint from the
wife of journalist Ko Par Gyi, who
was shot and killed while in military
custody earlier this month.
Ma Thandar told The Myanmar
Times that she had tried to le a
complaint that her husband was
missing on October 19, four days
before the military revealed he had
been killed.
However, police agreed to accept
the complaint on October 26, she
said.
I tried to le the complaint and
the lawsuit earlier but the ofcer in
charge told me that they had been
ordered not to accept the complaint
or any request for legal action. When
I asked who the higher organisation
was, he said he had also been told
not to say, she said.
The military said on October 23
that Ko Par Gyi, a freelance journal-
ist, had been shot dead on October 4
when he tried to escape military cus-
tody by grabbing a gun from a guard.
He had been detained by the Tat-
madaw in Mon States Kyaikmayaw
township on September 30 while
covering ghting between the mili-
tary and the Democratic Karen Be-
nevolent Army.
Ma Thandar said a military rep-
resentative had contacted her briey
two days after the Tatmadaw re-
leased the statement about his death.
On the evening of October 25, I
received a call from an ofcer who
introduced himself as being from
Southeast Region Command and
said he wanted to discuss Ko Par
Gyis case. I told him that this was
a police case and I neednt talk with
[the military]. I asked for his name
and rank. He never answered he
just said sorry several times and
then the conversation ended, Ma
Thandar said.
The killing has prompted con-
demnation and protests in both Yan-
gon and Mandalay.
On October 26, hundreds of Yan-
gon residents and representatives of
more than 40 civil society organisa-
tions gathered near Sule Pagoda to
call for an independent investigation
into the circumstances surrounding
the death of Ko Par Gyi, whose real
name was Ko Aung Kyaw Naing.
LUN MIN MANG
lunminlm@gmail.com
The ofcer in charge
told me they had
been ordered not to
accept the complaint
or any request for
legal action.
Ma Thandar
Wife of Ko Par Gyi
Mandalay residents participate in a candlelight protest over the death of journalist Ko Par Gyi. Photo: Si Thu Lwin
SI THU LWIN LUN MIN MANG
Organisers of protests in Yangon and Mandalay could face up to one year in prison under peaceful protest law
THE Democratic Karen Benevolent
Army has rejected Tatmadaw alle-
gations that a freelance journalist
killed in military custody was one of
its members.
The Tatmadaw said in an October
23 statement that Ko Par Gyi was a
member of the Klohtoobaw Karen
Organisation (KKO), a group afliat-
ed with the DKBA. It had distributed
a photo of Ko Par Gyi in military fa-
tigues to support its claim.
But Major Saw Saw Htun from
the ofce of the DKBAs chief of staf
said on October 29 that he had taken
the photo in 2010, two years before
the KKO was formed.
That photo was taken [by me]
in 2010 when there were clashes
between the Tatmadaw and the
DKBA. It was taken near a mon-
astery. In 2010, the KKO had not
even been formed, he said, adding
that the KKO was a social welfare
organisation.
Another man pictured in the
photo, Ko Ko Aung, also rejected
suggestions that Ko Par Gyi was a
KKO member, telling reporters he
was a freelance journalist and an 88
Generation member.
The military accused Ko Par Gyi
of being a communication ofcer
with the rank of captain in the KKO.
I reject that accusation he was
not, Ko Ko Aung said.
He said they were undertaking
humanitarian work when the photo
was taken.
Ko Par Gyis wife, Ma Thandar,
said the Tatmadaw knew that he was
not a member of an armed ethnic
group.
I have a big question for the
military: Have there been any other
cases in which a member of an eth-
nic armed group was killed and the
Myanmar army ofered support to
his wife?
Ko Par Gyi, whose real name
was Ko Aung Kyaw Naing, was de-
tained on September 30 while cov-
ering ghting between the military
and the DKBA in Mon States Kyai-
kmayaw township. The Tatmadaw
said he was killed on October 4 while
trying to escape but there have been
widespread calls for an investigation
into the circumstances of his death.
The 88 Generation Peace and
Open Society issued a statement last
week criticising the militarys han-
dling of the case. It said some im-
portant facts concerning his death
were missing and this meant there
were doubts about the militarys ver-
sion of events.
The Myanmar Press Council (In-
terim) also released a statement in
which it said the Tatmadaw should
release information in a more timely
and transparent manner.
DKBA rejects link to journalist
YE MON
yeemontun2013@gmail.com
LUN MIN MANG
lunmin.lm@gmail.com
A Democratic Karen Benevolent Army official addresses reporters in Kayin State on October 29. Photo: Zarni Phyo
Tatmadaw said in statement that Ko Par Gyi held the rank of a major in a DKBA-linked organisation
President
orders
investigation
PRESIDENT U Thein Sein has ordered
the human rights commission to in-
vestigate the death of a journalist who
was killed while in military custody in
early October.
An announcement in state-run me-
dia on October 31 said that the presi-
dent had ordered the Myanmar Na-
tional Human Rights Commission to
investigate the death of Captain Aung
Naing, communication in-charge of the
Klohtoobaw Karen Organization, and
submit a report on its ndings to the
Presidents Ofce as soon as possible.
It comes a day after Amnesty In-
ternational called for an independent
and impartial investigation into his
death, adding that failure to hold per-
petrators to account would further
entrench impunity in the country, and
have a chilling efect on other journal-
ists. it said.
Ko Aung Kyaw Naing, who was bet-
ter known as Ko Par Gyi, was arrested
on September 30 and died on October
4 after attempting to seize a weapon
from a soldier and escape, according
to the military.
The incident has sparked demon-
strations domestically and garnered
international attention. The United
States on October 29 said that it had
expressed serious concern with the
Myanmar government over the killing.
We call on the government to
conduct a credible and transparent
investigation into the circumstances
surrounding his death, and to hold the
perpetrators accountable, the US em-
bassy in Yangon said. Tim McLaughlin
Hundreds register for municipal vote
YANGON City Development Commit-
tee is expected to this week release a
list of approved candidates for its De-
cember election, which will see 115 po-
sitions including four on its central
committee up for grabs.
Candidates are thought to range
from property developers to civil so-
ciety activists, although political party
members and serving YCDC ofcials
are banned.
A spokesperson for the YCDC elec-
tion commission said hundreds of
applications had been received by the
October 24 deadline to register.
He added that candidates should
not be involved in political parties.
If they want to compete in the YCDC
election, they have to bring a letter
showing they have resigned from their
parties. Also, YCDC staf can compete
for the post they like but they have to
resign from YCDC rst, he said.
U Win Cho, an activist for the
rights of farmers and homeless, said
he applied on deadline day to contest
for a seat on YCDC.
I was set free from prison four
days ago and heard about the YCDC
election from my friends so I applied
for a seat in committee, he said.
The main reason I decided to
contest is that I dont like people
from the military ruling the com-
mittee. Most YCDC places are for
military people. I want to show them
that civilians can also work hard for
the citys development.
As The Myanmar Times has pre-
viously reported, the YCDC election
by-law originally would have allowed
only 1.5 percent of eligible voters
around 30,000 altogether, according
to YCDC to vote. However, following
public criticism this was later expand-
ed to one vote per household, ensuring
an estimated 800,000 voters.
Four seats on the nine-member
YCDC will be selected through a vote
one from each of Yangons four districts
while 12 will be for the four district
development committees and 99 for
the 33 township development commit-
tees. YCDC oversees 20 departments
that manage municipal afairs in urban
Yangon.
The ofcial said the commission
will oversee the distribution of infor-
mation about the election and the cre-
ation of electoral rolls, and described
awareness-raising eforts conducted to
date as extensive.
We have notied each township
and ward administration ofce, and
township YCDC ofce, and instructed
them to post announcements about
the election, the ofcial said.
Ward administrators are an-
nouncing it every night in every street.
We published notices in state-run
newspaper and the committees news-
paper, City News. We also held a press
conference and will give reporters all
the information they need.
But a number of Yangon residents
interviewed by The Myanmar Times
said they knew little about the vote or
why it was being held.
I just heard about it when the
township administrator and his peo-
ple came and asked for the name of
who will vote from our household,
said Daw Theingi, a housewife from
Thingangyun. But I still dont un-
derstand clearly about the election
They didnt explain much. I have no
idea why they would hold an election.
Daw Khin Mar, a teacher from
Dagon township, said she had heard
nightly announcements from the local
administration staf about the election
but knew few details.
Despite the confusion, the election
commission ofcial said he believed
there would be 100 percent public
interest by the time the vote is held on
December 27.
YCDC is the main committee to
serve people. We supply water, col-
lect waste, clean drains and build new
roads. Even when people die, we take
care of it, he said, referring to YCDCs
management of cemeteries.
Almost everything that happens
in Yangon related to the committee
so the public will be very interested in
our election.
Contestants will be allowed to cam-
paign in their electorate, whether it is
city-wide, or a district or township, he
said.
Candidates face a range of fairly
standard campaign restrictions. They
are not allowed to ofer or accept
bribes, disturb others electoral rights,
incite violence, use race or religion, or
slander opponents or organisations.
The ofcial insisted the election
would be conducted in a transpar-
ent manner although there would be
no monitoring of voting inside ballot
stations.
Everyone will be able to watch
from outside the polling station. All
reporters can interview candidates
outside the stations.
U Yan Win, a spokesperson for the
National League for Democracy (NLD),
said he had not heard of any members
quitting to contest the election.
However, he said the party would
support their decision.
If someone wants to contest it
could be a good thing I am happy
that civilians have a chance to be in-
volved in an organisation like YCDC,
he said. It appears to be an improve-
ment on the old system of appointing
rather than electing ofcials, he added.
Another who has applied to contest
a seat on YCDC is Daw Susanna Hla
Hla Soe of the Karen Womens Action
Group. She said that if elected she
would focus on nding solutions to
the citys liveability challenges.
As a civilian, I experience the same
problems as everyone else each day:
the terrible trafc, waste disposal sys-
tem and ooding, she said. If I am
a member of the committee, I think I
could help to solve them.
She said YCDC ofcials are going to
meet candidates in person in the com-
ing days. We dont know what the
campaign process will be ... so I think
they will tell us in detail at that time.
NOE NOE
AUNG
noenoeag@gmail.com
Activist U Win Cho, who has registered to contest a seat on YCDC, leads a land rights protest in November 2012. Photo: Boothee
As a civilian, I
experience the
same problems as
everyone else each
day ... I think I could
help to solve them.
Daw Susanna Hla Hla Soe
YCDC election candidate
A total of 115 positions including four spots on YCDC will be up for grabs in what appears likely to be a hotly contested election
Chinese firm vies for
Ledo Road contract
NORTHERN Myanmars legendary
Ledo Road is to be upgraded, with
companies from China and India pre-
senting bids to parliament to restore
an 82-kilometre (51-mile) stretch in
Sagaing Region to a four-lane highway.
The American General Joseph Vine-
gar Joe Stilwell used the highway also
known as the Stilwell Road during
World War II to ferry troops, weapons
and supplies from India into Myanmar
and China, although some questioned
whether its military value matched the
immense cost of building in such rug-
ged terrain.
Deputy Minister for Construc-
tion U Soe Tint told the hluttaw last
week that the Qinchong-based Ting
Man road construction company had
applied jointly with Northern Royal
Jade Company to develop the road as
a build, operate and transfer (BOT)
project. We will scrutinise the appli-
cation in detail, the deputy minister
said.
The Indian government has also
surveyed the road with a view to up-
grading it.
Until now, the Union and the Sa-
gaing Region governments have been
funding the widening and strengthen-
ing of the 10.2-metre (34-foot) wide
road, rebuilding bridges and drains.
Wake up and smell the budding
rose, UN rep tells rapporteur
MYANMARS top diplomat at the
United Nations has reiterated calls for
the country to be dropped from the
groups human rights agenda, as he ac-
cused the international community of
overlooking the reforms undertaken
by the government over the past three
years.
Speaking in response to the report
of the UN special rapporteur on hu-
man rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee,
Myanmars permanent representative
to the UN U Kyaw Tin said signicant
changes had taken place since Presi-
dent U Thein Sein came to ofce in
March 2011.
We regret to say that the special
rapporteur has set her eyes only on the
thorns, but failed to shed light on the
beauty of [the] budding rose, said U
Kyaw Tin, who is known for his ow-
ery language.
Myanmar continues to face never-
ending pressures for perfection. The
country is now open. Everyone can
visit Myanmar to see for themselves.
In our view, the United Nations no
longer needs any mandate to report
on the situation of Myanmar, U Kyaw
Tin said on October 28.
Ms Lee told members of the UN
Third Meeting during a presentation
of her rst report on Myanmar the
same day that while she welcomed re-
forms that have taken place there were
still numerous issues that have not
yet been adequately addressed by the
government.
More is required if gains are to be
genuine, sustainable and win the sup-
port of the people of Myanmar, she
said.
Ms Lee said that she was particu-
larly troubled by the situation in Rakh-
ine State, where she said that the hu-
manitarian situation for those in IDP
camps remains profoundly disturb-
ing. While both Rakhine Buddhists
and Rohingya Muslims were sufering,
Ms Lee said, the situation for Rohing-
yas whom the government insists on
calling Bengalis was worse.
The long history of discrimination
against the community that identies
themselves as Rohingya further com-
pounds human rights violations.
U Kyaw Tin did not respond to this
criticism specically but he did say
that the government was taking steps
to address citizenship-related issues in
Rakhine State through a verication
process.
Rakhine State government ofcials,
however, told The Myanmar Times
last week that the citizenship pilot be-
ing undertaken in Myebon township
had been postponed on October 24.
While no reason was given, residents
in the area complained that some Roh-
ingya were mis-identifying themselves
as Kaman, an ofcially recognised
ethnic group, to aid their quest for
citizenship.
U Kyaw Tin also dismissed Ms Lees
concerns regarding the 2015 election
and constitutional reform as domestic
issues.
Over the past two years, Nay Pyi
Taw has become increasingly vocal in
its desire for UN resolutions, adopted
annually since 1992, to be dropped
and for the role of the special rappor-
teur to be reduced or abolished.
During a speech in Milan, Italy, on
October 17, President U Thein Sein
said Myanmar had made consider-
able progress in human rights protec-
tion but the international commu-
nity has not recognised the progress
enough. A similar call was made by
Minister for Foreign Afairs U Wunna
Maung Lwin during the opening of the
UN General Debate last month.
But the European Union, which
has drafted the recent resolutions,
has said that it will do so again this
year despite objections from some EU
member countries.
A spokesperson from the EU em-
bassy in Yangon said the resolution
text is expected to be adopted by No-
vember 26, when the Third Committee
is scheduled to close.
Discussions in New York between
co-sponsors and the Myanmar gov-
ernment are currently ongoing, Colin
Steinbach, the head of the embassys
political, press and information sec-
tion, told The Myanmar Times last
week. We appreciate the constructive
spirit of cooperation and openness
with which they have taken place. We
hope that just as in previous years we
can adopt the resolution by consensus.
Human rights organisations have
been adamant that the resolution
should stay in place and that the man-
date of the special rapporteur con-
tinue remain unchanged, saying that
both are valuable tools for monitoring
the countrys human rights situation
and give the international community
leverage in Myanmar to ensure re-
forms continue.
UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee speaks to
reporters at Yangon International Airport on July 26. Photo: AFP
HTOO THANT
thanhtoo.npt@gmail.com
TIM
MCLAUGHLIN
We regret to say
that the special
rapporteur has set
her eyes only on the
thorns, but failed
to shed light on
the beauty of [the]
budding rose.
U Kyaw Tin
Myanmars permanent
representative to the UN
Government continues public push to end more than two decades of resolutions on human rights situation
KILOMETRES
82
Portion of the Ledo Road in Sagaing
Region that a Chinese company has
applied to upgrade as a BOT project
THE United States placed in-
uential Myanmar lawmaker
and businessman U Aung
Thaung on its sanctions black-
list on October 31, accusing
him of blocking key reforms.
The current member of par-
liament and former industry
minister, 73, is said to be one
of the more hardline members
of the Union Solidarity and
Development Party founded
by former military strongman
General Than Shwe and now
led by President Thein Sein.
The US Treasury sanctions
freeze any US-based assets he
might have and ban Americans
from doing business with him.
The Treasurys Special Desig-
nated Nationals blacklist in-
cludes several prominent My-
anmar individuals and rms in
business and politics.
But the US stressed the
sanctions apply to U Aung
Thaung alone, and not to any
government organisation with
which he is associated.
Aung Thaung is actively at-
tempting to undermine recent
economic and political reforms
in Burma [Myanmar] and has
been implicated in previous at-
tacks on Burmas democratic
opposition, the Treasury said.
U Aung Thaung is also fa-
ther to U Nay Aung and U Pyi
Aung, the founders of Myan-
mar conglomerate IGE Group,
whose interests include natu-
ral resources, hotels as well
as United Amara Bank, which
was founded in 2010.
AFP
U Aung
Thaung
put on US
blacklist
U Aung Thaung. Photo: Staff
TALKS between the government
and representatives of armed
ethnic groups aimed at reach-
ing a nationwide ceasere will
resume after the ASEAN Summit
in November, a member of the
Myanmar Peace Center said last
week, but denied suggestions the
delay was due to a deadlock in
talks.
The sixth meeting between
the governments Union Peace-
making Work Committee (UPWC)
and the Nationwide Ceasere
Coordinating Team (NCCT),
which is negotiating on behalf
of 16 armed ethnic groups, was
held in Yangon in September.
Expectations were high head-
ing into the talks but they hit a
roadblock when negotiations
turned to security sector re-
form. The seventh round of talks
was expected to take place this
month, but will now be pushed
back until after the summit,
which will take place on Novem-
ber 12 and 13 in Nay Pyi Taw.
In the meantime, a series of
informal meetings between sub-
groups formed at the last meet-
ing have been held to move the
process forward, he said.
The peace talks will take
place only after the ASEAN Sum-
mit because senior negotiators
from the government side are
busy with [the summit], said U
Min Zaw Oo, the director of the
ceasere negotiation and imple-
mentation section of the MPC.
No date has yet been set for
the November meeting.
U Min Zaw Oo rejected sug-
gestions that the delay was linked
to recent ghting in the Kayin
State and other areas, adding that
talks were not deadlocked.
Senior members of the gov-
ernments are always busy if
there is an international summit.
Thats the only reason why [the
talks are delayed]. We are now
doing preparatory works for the
next meeting.
The UPWC is led by Minis-
ter for the Presidents Ofce U
Aung Min and includes several
other Union ministers and dep-
uty ministers, as well as senior
members of the Tatmadaw and
parliamentarians.
The current version of the
draft comprises seven sections
and has more than 120 points. Of
these, more than 100 points have
been nalised by both sides.
Military rejects parliament calls for factory privatisation
THE Ministry of Defence has re-
jected suggestions from MPs that it
privatise factories producing every-
thing from biscuits to furniture, ar-
guing that they help to keep govern-
ment spending down and create job
opportunities.
Minister for Defence Lieutenant
General Wai Lwin made the com-
ments to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on
October 27 during a discussion on
the militarys supplementary budget
request for 2014-15.
The ministry has asked for an ad-
ditional K248 billion, or 10.84 per-
cent of its initial budget of K2.366
billion approved in March. The g-
ure is above parliaments limit for
supplementary budget requests - no
more than 10pc of the initial budget
- but it is unclear whether it will be
trimmed, as previous eforts to con-
tain Ministry of Defence spending
have been voted down by military
and Union Solidarity and Develop-
ment Party MPs.
Three days earlier, on October
24, MPs had proposed that the mili-
tary privatise some of its factories,
which produce furniture, tea, canned
goods, sh paste, biscuits, our, tex-
tiles and plastics, the last of which
is producing international-standard
bulletproof vests and helmets, Lt
Gen Wai Lwin said.
He said the Tatmadaw-owned fac-
tories were not only producing food
and other items for its soldiers but
also supporting the development of
the industrial sector, creating job
opportunities and reducing military
spending.
The factories have generated
prots ranging from K7.5 billion in
2012-13 to K2.1 billion in 2013-14,
and were expected to make K3.9 bil-
lion this year money that would
otherwise have come from state cof-
fers, he said.
In response to concerns that giv-
ing the military more funds would
damage the peace process, Lt Gen
Wai Lwin said only about one-third
of the ministrys budget went toward
military operations. The remainder,
he said, was for salaries, manage-
ment, infrastructure, education and
healthcare.
The militarys budget has risen
each year under the new government
but fallen as a percentage of budget
spending.
SANDAR LWIN
sdlsandar@gmail.com
ASEAN
Summit
delays
peace
meeting
HTOO THANT
thanhtoo.npt@gmail.com
Nationwide ceasefire signing
set to unleash aid windfall
THE signing of a nationwide ceasere
agreement is likely to prompt a major
rush of aid funding into previously
conict-ravaged parts of the country,
with the European Union planning to
double its spending to 200 million eu-
ros (US$254 million).
A spokesperson for the EU embassy
in Yangon said it envisaged an aid pack-
age of 100 million euros ($127 million)
to be spent by 2020, on top of the 100
million euros already promised under
its Peace and Conict Resolution pack-
age. Ninety-ve percent of that funding
goes toward the development of ethnic
regions, the EU said, with the remain-
ing 5pc allocated to supporting the My-
anmar Peace Center.
We are exploring the possibility of
funding new peace initiatives such as
the envisaged joint ceasere monitor-
ing mechanism, the national political
dialogue and aid to conict-afected ar-
eas, said Colin Steinbach, head of the
embassys political, press and informa-
tion section.
On top of this, the EU has foreseen
another package of 100 million euros
for the period 2014-20. These addition-
al funds will be allocated in the most
useful and efective way as the peace
process evolves.
The EU insisted that its funding to
the MPC had not stopped, despite Min-
ister for the Presidents Ofce U Aung
Min telling parliament last month that
much of the blocs nancial support is
on hold until a nationwide ceasere
agreement is signed.
Mr Steinbach conrmed, however,
that the vast majority of the EUs peace-
related aid spending will not be avail-
able until after a ceasere is reached.
He defended this as logical because
most development projects cannot be-
gin until security has improved.
There is no condition, but simply a
logical sequence, he said. If weapons
remain silent, work on prosperity can
increase. The EU is committed to sup-
porting a lasting peace and works in a
balanced way with all parties at stake,
notably ethnic groups.
Therefore, the conclusion of a na-
tionwide ceasere agreement would
be a major step forward and make it
much easier to move to the next stage.
The conclusion of an NCA would swing
the door for further avenues of support
wide open.
The EU refused to close how much
of the MPC funding has already been
spent. The EU is the largest single do-
nor to the MPC, which has received
pledges of more than $15 million in
total since 2012, including $1.2 million
from Japan and $6.3 million from the
Nippon Foundation, a Japanese NGO.
U Aung Min told MPs on October
13 that the 5 million euros from the
EU was for the period November 2012
to September 2014, and 1.6 million eu-
ros ($2 million) had been spent as of
March. He also warned that interna-
tional funding was in danger of drying
up unless the nationwide ceasere was
signed soon.
[Donors] have a policy that they
will provide full support when we get
a nationwide ceasere accord, he said.
I dont want you getting depressed but
I want let you all know the situation.
The speech generated controversy
because of perceptions that he was us-
ing the funding issue to pressure armed
groups into signing the ceasere.
Following a productive round of
talks in August, negotiations between
the Union Peace-making Work Com-
mittee, led by U Aung Min, and the
Nationwide Ceasere Coordination
Team, which is negotiating on behalf
of 16 armed ethnic groups, stalled in
September when the focus shifted to
security-related issues. The next round
of talks are expected in November.
Mr Steinbach said the EU would not
dictate timelines and was just there
to help. The EU has repeatedly stated
that for the peace process to be success-
ful any agreement must be inclusive
and genuinely accepted by all parties,
he said.
The United States embassy in Yan-
gon said it too was ready to provide
further assistance to the peace process
but did not wish to pressure ethnic
groups to sign anything they are not
comfortable signing.
The US supports an end to the
ghting and an inclusive and trans-
parent dialogue as the only way to the
creation of a lasting peace, an ofcial
said. The US government stands ready
to provide further assistance for the
peace process, including the national
political dialogue.
But some question how important
the agreement is for aid inows. Ashley
South, a senior adviser to the Myanmar
Peace Support Initiative and research
fellow at Chiangmai University, said
decisions on aid programs are made in
capitals, with only limited reference to
the political and security situation on
the ground.
Donors are going ahead with fund-
ing to conict-afected areas, without
much reference to the nationwide
ceasere accord, he said. In general,
aid funding in conict-afected areas
seems to follow donor and government
agendas, with only limited awareness
of or responsiveness to local concerns
and aspirations.
One of the main needs in the peace
process will be to have sufcient and
sufciently exible funding available,
to support the political dialogue, if and
when that commences.
However, Murray Hiebert, a senior
fellow at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies in Washington,
said donors had been told by some eth-
nic groups to withhold support until
more concrete steps toward a political
settlement have been taken.
At the same time, he said, many
donors dont want to start providing
assistance for anything but basic hu-
manitarian needs if theres a threat of
renewed ghting threatening an assis-
tance project.
THOMAS
KEAN
tdkean@gmail.com
Members of a Kayin State armed group stand beside bags of rice donated to villagers in Kayin State by the Nippon Foundation in February 2013. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
BILLION KYAT
248
Supplementary budget request from the
Ministry of Defence for 2014-15
The conclusion of a
nationwide ceasere
agreement would
swing the door for
further avenues of
support wide open.

Colin Steinbach
EU embassy, Yangon
Sangha committee orders
crackdown on fake monks
SENIOR clergy have launched a
crackdown on mendicants who mas-
querade as monks to solicit money
and food from passers-by, as well as
abbots who send novices across the
city to collect alms in popular tour-
ist areas.
In one recent case, a shaven-head-
ed man was seen to enter a public lav-
atory, emerging a few moments later
in clerical garb. Police in Obo ward,
Kyeemyindaing township, arrested
the man and charged him under
sections 295 and 295(a) of the penal
code, which both relate to insulting
religion and carry a possible jail term
of two years.
The last crackdown occurred in
2009, when a gang of 20 shaven-head-
ed men was found sleeping rough un-
der clerical robes in Yangons Shwe
Pyi Thar township.
Now the Buddhist authorities have
issued an instruction to Sangha of-
cials in each Yangon township to look
out for imposters, the deputy head of
Yangon Regions Sangha Maha Naya-
ka Committee, U Gunarlinkarra, told
The Myanmar Times.
Similar instructions were rst is-
sued under the U Ne Win regime to
prohibit Buddhist monks from enter-
ing teashops and cinemas or watching
football. But now we need stronger
action. Fraudsters pretending to be
Buddhist monks are increasing in
number, and bringing our religion
into disrepute, said U Gunarlinkarra.
The clean-up will be concen-
trated in the downtown townships
of Pabedan, Latha, Lanmadaw and
Kyauktada.
Urging the public to cooperate, U
Gunarlinkarra said, People who sus-
pect an imposter should inform the
township police, or the administrator
if necessary.
But the campaign is likely to run
up against the reluctance of members
of the public to report possible bogus
monks, and police to investigate the
allegations.
Its hard for a layperson to tell
whether a monk is genuine or not,
said Ko Naing, who lives in 50
th
Street, Botahtaung township. But
... we want efective action taken
against them.
Buddhist authorities have also had
to take action when they found that
some out-of-town abbots had sent
their novices to circulate in down-
town Yangon, apparently because the
pickings are richer there. The Sasana
committee took up the matter with
the local township authorities.
We saw a group of ve novices
in front of Traders Hotel. The abbot
of their monastery in Thaketa sent
them, and took the money they col-
lected, said U Gunarlinkarra. Now
people who are not even monks are
begging for money in clerical garb.
We have to crack down on this fraud.
Monks attend a ceremony in Yangon. Photo: Kaung Htet
New campaign forces
buses into right lane
BUS drivers are being warned to
stick to right-hand lanes and not
stop except in designated places as
part of the latest trafc police cam-
paign to improve safety and ease
trafc congestion.
The program was launched on
October 23 and Police Lieutenant
Colonel Linn Htut said police were
using loudspeakers to remind driv-
ers to stay within the lanes, which
have been painted with thick yellow
lines to distinguish them from oth-
ers on the road.
We are using automatic speak-
ers at 20 trafc lights [to remind
them]. We hope to use this system
in both municipal and other areas
where there is trafc congestion, U
Linn Htut said last week, referring
to the 33 townships that are man-
aged by Yangon City Development
Committee.
He said police have taken action
against 86 bus drivers for violating
the rules since October 24, and ned
each of them the princely sum of
K1500 the maximum allowed under
current laws, which date to the 1960s.
The broadcasts, which are being
played in 10 downtown and inner
suburban townships, also remind
the public to only board a bus at a
bus stop and cross the road at desig-
nated spots.
U Hla Aung, head of the Yangon
Region Supervisory Committee for
Motor Vehicles, better known by its
Myanmar-language acronym of Ma
Hta Tha, said the project aimed to
both improve safety and reduce traf-
c congestion.
At the moment buses stop every-
where and they bully other cars on
the road, he said.
If we use this system, the buses
will go only within the yellow lines -
they cant bully others and cant race
against each other.
It's hard for a
layperson to tell
whether a monk is
genuine or not.
Ko Naing
Botahtaung resident
AYE NYEIN WIN
ayenyeinwin.mcm@gmail.com
AUNG
KYAW
MIN
Parents of
Koh Tao
accused
allowed
to visit
THE parents of two migrants ac-
cused of killing a British couple
on the Thai island of Koh Tao
have had the chance to visit the
pair in detention.
The parents said the two men,
Ko Zaw Lin and Ko Win Zaw
Htun, told them they had been
tortured into confessing to killing
Hannah Witheridge and David
Miller, whose bodies were found
on a beach on September 15.
The men, who were arrested
on October 1, are in custody on
the island of Koh Samui but have
not yet been formally charged.
Under Thai law, they could be
held for up to 84 days without
trial, after which they must be
released if no charges are laid. If
convicted, both men could face
the death penalty.
They said they never commit-
ted the crime. They told their par-
ents in front of Thai lawyers that
they were tortured and forced to
admit to the killing. On October
24, a letter of objection was sent
to the court in Koh Samui. The
Attorney Generals Ofce has ac-
cepted the letter of objection, said
migrant rights activist Ko Htoo
Chit, who is assisting the pair.
The two men have already
signed a formal statement claim-
ing they were not at the scene of
the crime and only confessed af-
ter being tortured by Thai police.
While Thai police have reject-
ed the accusations and insist the
case against the men is solid, the
Lawyers Council of Thailand has
formed a team of 16 lawyers to
investigate the allegations. Myan-
mars ambassador to Thailand, U
Win Maung, was expected to meet
with the council on October 29.
The Myanmar National Hu-
man Rights Commission has also
asked Thailands National Hu-
man Rights Commission to en-
sure that the two migrant work-
ers receive a fair trial, and it has
said it will investigate the claims
of torture.
LUN MIN MANG
lunmin.lm@gmail.com
Seafarer division struggles
to act on sailor complaints
THE Department of Marine Ad-
ministrations Seafarer Division is
receiving an average of three com-
plaints a month so far this year from
sailors stranded in foreign countries
after paying a service fee to a job
agency to place them on board a
ship, a senior ofcial said.
However, in many cases it cannot
take action against the agencies, ei-
ther because the complainant lacks
strong evidence or the agency is not
registered with the division, said U
Toe Myint, director of the Seafarer
Division.
In just three of more than 30
cases submitted this year has the di-
vision been able to secure compen-
sation for the complainant, he said.
Often they could not substanti-
ate their accusation. We need sound
recordings if we are to settle their
cases. If they have strong evidence
... our division will ensure they get
back the money they were cheated
out of, U Toe Myint said.
He said that the division could
only extract compensation from reg-
istered agencies.
If they are registered we can
revoke the licence of an agency
that cheats seafarers, he said.
If we nd that the company that
cheated them is not registered all
we can do is send a complaint let-
ter to Bureau of Special Investiga-
tion and the Anti-Human Trafck-
ing Division.
The division has also revoked
the licences of three companies this
year. Parita Shipping and World
Grade Marine had their licences
cancelled in February and March
respectively after BSI, a nancial
crime-ghting force in the Ministry
of Home Afairs, investigated alle-
gations they had made fake docu-
ments for seafarers, including the
identity document known as the
Continuous Discharge Certicates
(CDC). They had also been accused
of cheating sailors.
DMA cancelled their licences af-
ter BSI initiated legal proceedings
against the companies owners.
In May, meanwhile, the DMA
revoked the licence of Glory Marine
after an investigation found it had
cheated prospective sailors by pro-
viding fake air tickets, CDCs and
other documents.
As The Myanmar Times reported
last week, hundreds of prospective
sailors are stranded at Sibu Port
in Malaysia waiting for a berth on
a vessel after paying job agencies
thousands of dollars to place them
on board a ship. Most have to work
as labourers in the meantime, while
some are forced to work on shing
rather than cargo vessels. Many
cannot aford to return home even if
they wanted to.
U Toe Myint acknowledged that
many were being cheated but said
there was little the division could do
to help those who used an unregis-
tered agency.
He said many of these unregis-
tered rms also charged an agency
fee, in contravention of section 26(a)
of the Myanmar Merchant Shipping
Act.
Since those companies have re-
ceived a service charge from ship
owners [for placing sailors on the
ships], they shouldnt charge a ser-
vice fee to the sailors, he said.
U Toe Myint said the division
will publish the names of registered
companies each month in an efort
to help people identify which com-
panies are reputable.
While there have been as many
as 280 registered shipping agencies
in the past, as of April the division
had registered 120. This gure has
since risen to 153, he said.
Myanmar has more than 98,000
registered seamen, of whom only
around 30,000 are on board a ship
at any one time.
Kachin party to contest all seats
A Kachin political party formed
by former Kachin Independence
Organisation deputy leader Manam
Tu Jar plans to contest seats in all 18
Kachin State townships in next years
election.
Manam Tu Jar said the Kachin
State Democracy Party would priori-
tise women candidates, as well as
younger representatives.
We will give priority to youth and
we also want women involved in
political affairs, he said.
He said the Kachin State Democracy
Party had hoped to merge or form alli-
ances with other ethnic Kachin parties
but this was now unlikely to happen
before the election, which is expected
in October or November 2015.
Established on October 30, 2013,
the party also opposes changing the
electoral system from rst-past-the-
post to proportional representation.
Manam Tu Jar had tried to form
a party to contest the 2010 election
but was blocked from doing so by the
Union Election Commission because
of his links to the KIO. He registered
as an independent for the 2012 by-
elections but voting was cancelled in
his Kachin State constituency.
Hlaing Kyaw Soe,
translation by Thiri Min Htun
Applications open for
Chevening Scholarship
Applications are now open for this
years Chevening Scholarship, which
will fund one students masters de-
gree at a British university, including
the visa, tuition fees, a return ight
and monthly allowances.
The winner can study a range of
subjects, including politics, politi-
cal science, international relations,
development studies, economics,
nance or law.
He or she will also hold a degree
of an equivalent standard to at least
a good UK second-class honours
degree and have at least two years
work or equivalent experience.
There is no age limit but the
student is expected to return to My-
anmar after completing the degree.
To apply before the November 15
deadline see www.chevening.org/
burma. May Thinzar Naing
SHWEGU
THITSAR
khaingsabainyein@gmail.com
Often they could
not substantiate
their accusation.
We need sound
recordings if we are
to settle their cases.
U Toe Myint
Seafarer Division director
IN BRIEF
Seven men
jailed for
Taunggok
murders
THANDWE District Court last week
jailed seven men for lynching 10 Mus-
lim bus passengers, in an attack that
sparked mass unrest between Bud-
dhists and Muslims in the western
state of Rakhine two years ago.
The men were each given seven years
by the court for the murders, which saw
the passengers dragged from the vehicle
and killed by a mob, an ofcial from the
towns administrative ofce said.
I do not know whether they were
Buddhists or not but they are the ones
who committed the crime, he said, ask-
ing not to be named.
The ofcial said all the convicted
men were residents of Taunggok, where
ethnic Rakhines who are mostly Bud-
dhist attacked the bus on June 3, 2012.
The apparent trigger for the attack
was the rape and murder of a Rakhine
girl a few days earlier in Thandwe dis-
trict, allegedly by Muslims.
Violence between Buddhists and
minority Rohingya Muslims spread
quickly across Rakhine, as long-held
resentments in the impoverished re-
gion exploded into two major bouts of
bloodshed.
More than 200 people were killed
and 140,000 left homeless as armed
mobs torched villages. AFP
Seven years after Saffron, an activists struggle continues
I
T was the meditation that Gam-
bira learned as a young monk that
helped him to survive prison, with
its beatings, boredom and awful
food. It helped him to be free
free from fear, free from anger, free
from grief, he says despite the bare
walls and iron bars.
These days, he meditates just once
a day, before bed. It helps him sleep.
While the rest of us take it for
granted, sleep does not come easy for
Gambira, who shot to prominence as
one of the leaders of the 2007 protests.
When it does nally arrive, his dreams
are lled with recurrent nightmares.
I have dreams it is like physi-
cal torture. Theyre not really beating
[me] now, but it is not far away, he
told The Myanmar Times during a re-
cent interview in Chiang Mai.
A pair of jeans and a plain T-shirt
sometimes matched with black-
rimmed glasses and a leather jacket
have replaced the monks robes that
the 35-year-old wore for most of his
adult life.
Some outward signs of his time
in the Sangha remain. When speak-
ing Burmese, he has a deep, rhythmic
voice - a cadence that likely developed
from years of chanting. One of the
hardest aspects of transitioning to lay
life, he says, was adjusting to the infor-
mal tone of conversation.
Like many monks, Gambira had a
formidable memory. This helped him
greatly when he went underground
before the uprising, as it was too dan-
gerous for plans to be written down.
He can still recall much about the
four years and two months he spent
behind bars - normally solitary con-
nement - in prisons in Yangon, Sa-
gaing, Ayeyarwady and Mandalay
regions. But since walking free in Jan-
uary 2012, Gambira has struggled to
remember basic things, such as taking
the minimum-dose mood stabilisers
he has been prescribed, or the antihis-
tamines for his sinus problems.
A physician who treated him upon
his release said he showed signs of
traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from
the severe beatings inicted by guards.
When he rst got out, his speech had
been afected and he was prone to
slurring.
Life after prison was tough. Never
out of the spotlight for long, Gambira
made a short-lived return to the Sang-
ha, and an even shorter marriage. He
was rearrested several times and even-
tually moved to Thailand, where he
sought treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
Some of the scars he bears from
prison, like those around his wrists
from being forced to wear steel hand-
cufs for three months, will not fade.
With treatment, though, there is hope
that his poor memory, insomnia, head-
aches and recurrent nightmares all
textbook PTSD symptoms can be al-
leviated, if not cured.
Life at The Cabin
In mid-2014, Gambira became an out-
patient at The Cabin, a high-end re-
habilitation facility on the outskirts of
Chiang Mai. At US$13,000 a month,
The Cabins treatment programs would
normally be outside Gambiras means,
but he has been taken on for free as
part of the centres CSR program.
His treatment at The Cabin is a
regular schedule of yoga, mindfulness
meditation and eye movement direc-
tional reprocessing (EMDR) therapy,
overseen by his therapist, Rory Magee.
EMDR was developed by accident
in the late 1980s by Dr Francine Shap-
iro who, while taking a walk one day,
found that moving her eyes from side
to side reduced the severity of trou-
bling memories. She conducted tests
and developed a clinical method that
involved having a patient make repeti-
tive eye movements from one side to
the other, often following the thera-
pists pen or nger, while conjuring up
the thoughts or memories they found
most troubling.
While initially dismissed as fringe
science in the 1990s, studies have
since shown eye movements appear to
play some role in processing traumatic
memories though exactly how this
works is a matter of some conjecture.
The therapist asks the patient
to remember a scenario or event in
as much detail as possible: sights,
sounds, smells, sensations, emotions.
Its shown to have a high success rate,
and as a rule of thumb halves the
amount of therapy time required.
That Gambira is in need of treat-
ment is clear. When he arrived at The
Cabin, Gambira was to be an in-patient
but became so distressed when staf
took away his medication standard
practice in an addiction treatment fa-
cility that he insisted on leaving. The
fact that he would be unable to leave
the facility and would have to surren-
der basic freedoms such as regulating
his own medication intake seemed to
trigger something. The Cabin agreed
to take him on as their rst outpatient,
provided he kept up his appointments.
Sitting on a couch in the sunny
group therapy room at The Cabin, Dr
Magee explains that trauma can gen-
erally be divided into two categories:
little t and big t.
The former includes upsetting ex-
periences, such as a bad breakup, a hu-
miliation, a failure and getting red:
events that can have a major and en-
during impact on a persons mental
state.
Big t trauma, meanwhile, com-
pletely overwhelms a person, and is
characterised by an acute sense of
helplessness and founded, abiding
fear of death. It often presents in wit-
nesses or victims of violence, natural
disasters, rape, war. Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder gained widespread
recognition after the Vietnam War,
with the you werent there, man phe-
nomenon of shell-shocked veterans
rising to prominence and giving way
to a broader dialogue. PTSD gained
became ofcially recognised in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, published by the
American Psychiatric Association, in
the 1980s.
Gambiras is trauma with a big, big
t. This sort is not consigned to the se-
mantic memory that is, the this is
something that happened at x point in
time, factual-recall part of the brain.
Those with PTSD exist on the brink, in
a near-permanent state of heightened
anticipation.
Sensory triggers can bring trauma
crashing back into the present, with
overwhelming feelings of hopeless-
ness and fear. There are also physical
efects: sudden rushes of adrenaline,
an elevated pulse, afected breath. Dr
Magee gives the example of a former
patient whod seen action during his
time in the armed forces and who,
when a car backred, was suddenly
nowhere to be seen. As far as this
mans mind and body were concerned,
he was still in a war zone.
To tackle Gambiras most serious
traumas, Dr Magee asks him to imag-
ine the worst period at each of the ve
prisons he did time in, while guiding
him through eye movements. Overall,
Gambira says, he has found that start-
ing EMDR has reduced the incidence
and severity of nightmares, his moods
have stabilised, his headaches have
all but gone away, and he is less eas-
ily triggered. He still has an extraor-
dinary amount of trauma to contend
with, but hes working through it.
I think I am getting better, Gam-
bira says. About 80 percent; 20pc re-
mains. I [still] get really sad; I need to
take a rest. The doctors tell me to take
a rest for a year at least.
Before the revolution
Gambira was born in June 1979 as
Mg Nyi Nyi Lwin, a name he tattooed
crudely on the back of his hand as a
child. His father was a publisher and
a key organiser of anti-government
protests in Meiktila in 1988; young Mg
Nyi Nyi Lwin would help his mother
give food to protesters at sit-ins.
Despite his later pro-democracy ac-
tivities, he laughingly describes him-
self as a black sheep of the family. He
ran away from home at 12 to join the
Tatmadaw but quickly grew to dislike
the system of discipline that saw the
entire unit punished for one members
misbehaviour. Occasionally there were
beatings. He lasted just four months
before deserting, and entered the
Sangha.
The 2007 protests, quickly dubbed
PROFILE
A key gure in the protests that engulfed Myanmar in September 2007,
Gambira spent four years and two months behind bars and was
brutally tortured by his captors before being released from prison
in a January 2012 amnesty. Having once taken on the military regime,
Gambira is now engaged in a new battle: overcoming post-traumatic
stress disorder that stems from his time in prison, writes Kayleigh Long
Four years, two
months, ve prisons
November 4: Arrest and interro-
gation at army camp for 11 days
Insein Prison: November 13,
2007-December 10, 2008
Oboe Prison: December 11, 2008-
January 3, 2009
Khamti Prison: January 4, 2009-
May 12, 2009
Kalay Prison: May 13, 2009-No-
vember 16, 2011
Myaungmya Prison: November
18, 2011-January 13, 2012
Gambira (right) talks with therapist Dr Rory Magee at The Cabin in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Photo: Supplied
Seven years after Saffron, an activists struggle continues
the Safron Revolution, were a long
time coming. An underground net-
works of activists had been quietly
working for years to lay the ground-
work for an uprising in the style of
1988; Gambira was involved in coor-
dinating between the Sangha and lay-
people in Yangon and Mandalay.
They were presented with an op-
portunity when the government dra-
matically increased fuel prices in Au-
gust 2007 a move that exacerbated
dissatisfaction with living conditions
under the military.
Tensions rose further when the au-
thorities broke up a peaceful protest in
Pakokku, Magwe Region, and injured
several monks. In response, the All
Burma Monks Association (ABMA)
was formed on September 9 by merg-
ing four smaller monastic groups. The
ABMA set a September 17 deadline for
an apology from the police. When this
was not met, the following day monks
began what is known as patta nikkuj-
jana kamma, or the upending of the
alms a refusal to accept donations
from military families, thus denying
them merit.
This tactic, the gravest moral weap-
on in the Sanghas arsenal, had been
deployed on just a handful of occasions
in recent history: against the British,
against the communists, and once
when three monks were killed while
protesting the imprisonment of ve of
their counterparts for inciting violence
against Muslims near Mandalay.
The monks continued with their
peaceful protests, demonstrations that
were broadcast around the globe. The
world then watched as the military
launched a brutal crackdown, impris-
oning many of the movements organ-
isers. Gambira went into hiding.
On November 4, 2007, the Wash-
ington Post ran an editorial Gambira
had penned by the light of a re while
lying low in the jungle. He says this
was taken to the border by a runner,
who he thinks read it down a phone
line to someone who forwarded it to
newspaper for publication.
Burmas Safron Revolution is just
beginning, he wrote. The regimes
use of mass arrests, murder, torture
and imprisonment has failed to ex-
tinguish our desire for the freedom
that was stolen from us so many
years ago. We have taken their best
punch. Now it is the generals who
must fear the consequences of their
actions. We adhere to nonviolence,
but our spine is made of steel. There is
no turning back. It matters little if my
life or the lives of colleagues should be
sacriced on this journey. Others will
ll our sandals, and more will join and
follow.
The day the article went to print,
Gambira was lying low with his
father and two colleagues in
a town between Manda-
lay and Meiktila. They
were surrounded by
police and military
ofcials in cars and
on motorbikes. He,
his father and col-
leagues were tak-
en to separate
locations. The
next 11 days
were marked
by light and
sleep dep-
rivation, as
well as severe
beatings and
intense inter-
rogation.
On Novem-
ber 20, 2008,
Gambira received a 68-years
sentence for a litany of of-
fences under the Penal Code.
Exactly what each of these
charges were, though, he
still cannot recall.
After 11 days at the in-
terrogation facility an
army camp somewhere
near Mandalay he was
sent to Insein Prison.
He then did stints at
Oboe Prison in Man-
dalay, Hkamti and
Kalay prisons in Sagaing Region and
nally Myaungmya Prison in Ayeyar-
wady Region.
Never surrender, never give up
Gambira counts Khamti Prison, on the
upper reaches of the Chindwin River in
remote Sagaing Region, as the worst.
Here he carved a sentence on the
wall of his 8-by-10-foot cell for the
next prisoner to read. It had to be rel-
atively short because of the difculty
scratching letters into concrete. He
went with, Life has not any formula.
Never surrender, never give up.
When he had the use of his hands,
he would also etch days on the wall to
mark the passing of time.
In prison a second is really long.
Now we can talk about a month, a
year ... One second in prison is a very
long time. But you feel your blood and
you know youre alive, Gambira said.
While he might sufer lapses in
memory today due to his PTSD, Gam-
bira is remarkably sharp on the details
of his time in prison, rattling of dates
with ease.
His incarceration was marked by a
long list of abuses, including solitary
connement, light and sleep depriva-
tion, round-the-clock music torture,
and extended periods in poun-zans,
or stress positions. He was subjected
to severe beatings that would inict
serious head injuries and leave him
unconscious.
For a three-month stretch in Kalay,
his hands were bound behind his back
with steel handcufs and his feet were
also shackled. He was fed and washed
by other prisoners who were common
criminals.
Then there was the healthcare,
or lack thereof. A 2005 report by the
Assistance Associa-
tion for Politi-
cal Prisoners
(AAPP) on
conditions
in My-
anmar s
p r i s o ns
described
the level
of care as
so bad that
it may con-
stitute tor-
ture and
n o t
just ill treatment. For Gambira, this
meant a case of malaria that went un-
treated and, according to his doctors,
may have been cerebral a potentially
life-threatening form of the disease.
During the four years and two
months he was detained, the only book
he managed to lay his hands on was a
copy of the Bible, where one paragraph
in English would be followed by its
Burmese translation. Luke 6:31 became
one of his favourite verses: Do to oth-
ers as you would have them do to you.
The food was particularly grim.
Prisoners had a joke about the rice,
which contained a lot of sand. This
would wear down the teeth if they tried
to chew it. As such, they were faced
with a choice: to waste time picking
out individual grains a process they
called ywe kauk pwe, or election (a play
on words, as ywe kye pwe means selec-
tion) or to just swallow it.
The prison guards sometimes
seemed reluctant to carry out abuses
because of his former status as a monk.
Occasionally they would quietly say,
Sorry, saya, and explain they were act-
ing on orders.
Even in prison, Gambira caused
something of a headache for the au-
thorities. He undertook three hunger
strikes: for ve days, four days and
the longest 11 days. These, he said,
were in response to the appalling con-
ditions prisoners are forced to endure,
including the near-total lack of health-
care, abysmal food and deliberate re-
strictions placed on communication
with their families by virtue of being
placed in far-ung facilities.
Many former political prisoners
have sufered ill-health as a result of
the conditions they endured inside. Hy-
pertension and gastric issues brought
about by a poor diet, respiratory prob-
lems, malaria and heart conditions are
all common.
Less is said about mental health
illnesses, perhaps in part because ser-
vices in Myanmar fall desperately short
of what is needed. Theres also stigma
attached to those who sufer psycho-
logical problems. This is something
Gambira says is important to get out
into the open.
Some help has been made available
for former political prisoners through
the US Endowment for Democracy,
with funding channelled through the
AAPP. Its in-country program for treat-
ing victims of torture began in 2013
and now has 24 counsellors treating
more than 300 people in Yangon
and Mandalay. It remains unclear
why or how Gambira slipped
through the cracks.
Life after prison
Gambira didnt believe the
prison commander who in-
formed him he was to be re-
leased. It was something hed
been told many times before
as a cruel joke. The com-
mander had to say the words
about half a dozen times before
they began to sink in. At 6pm
on January 13, 2012, the gates
opened and he walked out of
Maungmya Prison in the blue fa-
tigues of an inmate now, at least
theoretically, a free man.
He quickly returned the Sangha,
donning the robes that hed been
stripped of upon arrest. He also re-
turned to political activism, visiting
IDP camps on the China border in Feb-
ruary 2012. Upon returning to Yangon
from Kachin State, he was questioned
by the authorities.
In November 2012, Gambira was
trotted out as a guest of honour at Yan-
gon University when President Obama
delivered an address during his visit.
Afterward, they shook hands.
Two weeks later, Gambira was de-
tained again by the authorities, this
time on break-and-enter charges. He
dismisses these casually: Yes, they
closed some of the monasteries, so I
broke in. He was arrested and detained
ve times after his release from prison,
but only three of these were ever re-
ported in the media, he says.
Life in Myanmar had become un-
tenable. Former colleagues had ed;
others shut him out under pressure
from the authorities. People would be
questioned after he visited them, and
he had trouble nding a doctor who
would agree to see him.
Struggling to deal with his PTSD
and still very much on the authori-
ties radar, Gambira voluntarily left the
Sangha in mid-2013. This was followed
by a brief marriage to an Australian
citizen, with whom he remains friends.
It had become clear he needed help.
In mid-2013 Gambira caught a bus to
the Thai border and then continued on
to Chiang Mai, where hes been focus-
ing full-time on his recovery.
This has included surgery on his
sinuses to remove two pre-cancerous
growths, which are thought to have
been exacerbating his headaches.
He busies himself with sessions at
The Cabin. He has enrolled in an Eng-
lish course and closely follows news
from Myanmar. He is even teaching
himself to play the guitar. He writes mu-
sic that he describes as interfaith blues.
Religious conict is an issue that
regularly peppers his conversations.
Gambira talks about Islamophobia as
though its a disease one he admits
infected him as a monk in his early 20s,
but from which he managed to recover.
My father explained about Islamo-
phobia. He said, My son, your mindset
is wrong. You are a monk. You should
not think like this. It is against the teach-
ings of Buddha. He compared between
Buddhism and Islam, and Christianity
and Hinduism and Shintoism and Tao-
ism, Confucianism, existentialism We
are all human beings. Myanmar people
need to change their mindset.
Not everybody appreciates this sen-
timent. Gambira has received a large
number of abusive and threatening
emails since his release from prison
for statements he has made on contro-
versial topics, such as the treatment of
the Rohingya in Rakhine State and the
spread of anti-Muslim sentiment.
Initially, he would write back and
say, You need to change your mindset.
This [hatred] is not the Buddhist way.
Now he just ignores them.
He hopes to return to Myanmar
and wants to be a monk again. He also
wants to go to his favourite pagoda
Shwezigone in Bagan. Asked if he
thinks this will be possible, he pauses
for a moment before responding, May-
be, in six years.
During Gambiras darkest days in
prison, he often contemplated suicide.
It seemed appealing: the easy option in
the face of such terrible and hopeless
conditions. Indeed, many succumbed.
Some lines of poetry, which he
rst read in his early 20s, would run
through his mind. The woods are
lovely, dark and deep, he says, reciting
a line from Robert Frosts Stopping by
Woods on a Snowy Evening.
These words would remind him not
of how much he had been through in
his short life, but how much was still
left to do.
What Robert Frost means is, the
forest it is death. He means it is very
attractive, easy. We dont need to be
sufering; he means that when we die
there is no pain. But he cannot go into
the forest because he has more to do.
He has promises to keep.
They are lines that still sustain him
through his self-imposed exile in Thai-
land, his recovery at The Cabin and
the ostracism for his views on religious
conict.
In prison I would think about [the
woods] often, he says. I know I have
miles to go before I sleep.
PROFILE
I have dreams its
like physical torture.
Theyre not really
beating [me] now,
but it is not far away.
Gambira
Activist
Gambira (right) talks with therapist Dr Rory Magee at The Cabin in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Photo: Supplied
Husband cuts estranged wife
A husband who slashed his
estranged wifes cheek while he was
driving her to a meeting with their
son in Yangons Thaketa township
has been charged with voluntar-
ily causing hurt with a weapon and
could face up to 10 years in prison.
The woman was taken to Yangon
General Hospital at about 5:30pm
on October 21 for treatment, police
said. The couple had been separated
for six months.
Lone protester charged
with unlawful assembly
A lone protester who walked through
Yankin, North Okkalapa and Min-
galardon townships on October 20
holding a sign demanding that politi-
cal prisoners be released and the
peaceful protest law be amended
has been charged.
Police in all three townships said
they charged Ko Nay Lin Soe, 23,
under section 18 of the peaceful pro-
test law for holding a protest without
permission. Each charge carries a
potential one-year jail term.
Drinker dies after fall
A woman with a long history of
alcohol abuse died in bed on October
22, hours after she reportedly fell
down at home after drinking for ve
days without eating, police in South
Dagon township said.
The womans husband had put
her in bed after the fall but she died
early the next morning. Police said
her body displayed eye wounds and
swelling and are still investigating
the circumstances surrounding her
death.
Robbers target convenience
store in early morning raid
Police are looking for three men
in their 30s who robbed a 24-hour
convenience store on Lower Min-
galardon Street in Insein township at
about 3am on October 24.
The thieves pulled a knife on
owner U Myo Thwin before taping his
eyes and mouth, and tying his hands
behind his back. They then made off
with SIM cards, a TV and alcohol, as
well as K400,000 taken out of the
register.
Boy dies after mistakenly
drinking insecticide
A 15-year-old died on October 24
after accidentally drinking insecti-
cide that had been stored in a water
bottle.
The boy from Gone Nyin Dan
village in Oakkan township drank
the insecticide at about 9am after
working outside. He was later sent
to hospital but died the same after-
noon. Toe Wai Aung, translation by
Khant Lin Oo and Thiri Min Htun
DRUG dealers from across the country
are increasingly setting up shop in Min-
galar Taung Nyunt township, police say,
taking advantage of its large and eth-
nically diverse population, access to
wholesale markets and thriving night-
life to peddle illicit substances.
Since January 1, 2012, police have
made 85 drug busts in the town-
ship and the problem appears to be
growing. In the rst nine months of
this year, 27 drug seizures were made,
compared to 30 during 2013 and 28 the
previous year.
While no gures were given for the
size of the seizures, more than 500,000
amphetamine tablets were seized in
one raid in 2013, while more than 1
million tablets were seized in two inci-
dents this year.
Tarmwe, Thaketa and South Dagon
had the next highest number of cases
over the past three years, police said,
with amphetamines and marijuana the
most common illicit substances.
In 2012 the second-highest seizures
were recorded in Tarmwe, while in
2013 Thaketa was in second place, said
Police Lieutenant Colonel Myint Htwe,
the head for Yangons east district.
But Mingalar Taung Nyunt town-
ship is a focal point for drug trafck-
ers and dealers because it has people of
diferent races and religions and it has
lots of markets and other infrastruc-
ture, he said.
The township is home to both Min-
galar Market and Yuzana Plaza, as well
as a range of beer stations, night clubs
and karaoke lounges.
Police Deputy Superintendent
Thann Oo, who is based in Mingalar
Taung Nyunt, said drug trafckers
come from other townships in Yangon
or even other parts of the country
and set up networks of dealers there.
We even found some who come
from Myitkyina, Lashio, Hpa-an and
Muse, he said. The problem is getting
worse, as we can see from the growing
number of seizures.
Residents told The Myanmar Times
last week they also perceived drugs to
be a growing problem.
It is not good for our township.
Drugs are increasing because whole-
salers are using Mingalar Taung
Nyunt as their base. Young people
are facing drug problems as a result,
said Ko Aung Ko Myint, a resident of
Independence ward.
The number of cases and amount of
drugs seized across Yangon is also ris-
ing again, police said, after a drop in
2013.
In 2012, police seized drugs valued
at K10.755 billion from 326 cases but
this fell to K5.428 billion and 286 cases
the following year.
In the rst nine months of this year,
drugs valued at K10.966 billion were
seized in 324 cases, according to police
gures.
Police said they believed the high-
er number of seizures this year was
due in part to the creation of extra
anti-drug units in August 2013. Pre-
viously, there were only drug task-
forces in east and west districts, but
new groups were created in north
and south district, as well as forces to
monitor ports and airports for illicit
drugs.
Due to the expansion of the anti-
drug force we can capture more drugs
than before, said anti-drug task force
member Police Lieutenant Colonel My-
int Aung.
A police officer oversees the destruction of narcotics at a ceremony in Yangon on June 25. Photo: Zarni Phyo
Citizenship pilot postponed in Myebon
A PILOT project to assess the citizen-
ship credentials of IDPs in Myebon
township has been suspended, sources
said last week, following complaints
that the program had enabled Benga-
lis to gain citizenship by saying they
are ethnic Kaman.
Sittwe residents said Rakhine State
Chief Minister U Maung Maung Ohn
informed them of the suspension dur-
ing a recent meeting with township
leaders and monks on October 24.
[U Maung Maung Ohn] said the
government needs to take more time
to scrutinise those who have sent in
applications [for citizenship] in order
to ensure citizenship is granted accord-
ing to the law, said Sittwe resident U
Than Htun, who attended the meeting.
Radio Free Asia reported that U Maung
Maung Ohn told members of the regional
government the same day that no more
pilot projects would be implemented.
Instead, the citizenship verication pro-
gram would be rolled out nationally by
the Union governments Ministry of Im-
migration and Population.
U Hla Thein, head of the Rakhine
State governments information team,
conrmed last week that the pilot pro-
ject had been postponed, but said it
had not stopped completely.
He declined to reveal why it had
been suspended but said a central com-
mittee for citizenship scrutiny would
continue to examine applications al-
ready submitted in Myebon but was not
accepting any more for the time being.
The central committee is working
on those applications that are in line
with the law People who have not yet
applied can do so when the program re-
starts, U Hla Thein said.
The government also planned to ex-
pand the project to Ramree and Kyauk-
pyu before a national rollout but we can-
not say exactly when that will happen.
To initiate the pilot, the government
formed the central committee with
Union ministers from the ministries
of border afairs, the Presidents Ofce,
and immigration and population, and
began accepting applications in Mye-
bon, which was chosen because Muslim
IDPs were considered more cooperative
than in other areas.
On September 22, the Rakhine
State government granted citizenship
to 40 people and naturalised citizen-
ship to 169, after receiving 1094 appli-
cations. Most applicants were ethnic
Kaman, while some applied as Benga-
lis. The government refused to accept
applications in which the stated ethnic-
ity was Rohingya.
However, the citizenship ceremony
prompted complaints from Buddhist
residents, who said some Bengalis
were registering as Kaman, which is one
of Myanmars 135 ofcial ethnic groups.
On October 19, residents in Sittwe is-
sued a statement calling on the regional
government to review the issuing of
citizenship cards following a two-day
workshop in the state capital focused
on the 1982 Citizenship Law.
We are not opposed to the govern-
ments decision to grant citizenship but
we oppose Bengalis using the name Ka-
man, said U Aung Win, a MP in the Ra-
khine State Hluttaw. We asked the re-
gional government to conrm that the
details of those who have been granted
citizenship are correct.
EI EI TOE
LWIN
eieitoelwin@gmail.com
Drug dealers descend on Mingalar Taung Nyunt
Inner city township is Yangons drug centre, police say, and has topped the list for seizures and arrests three years running
CRIME IN BRIEF
AUNG KYAW MIN
No more applications will be accepted in Myebon until verication program is rolled out across the country, regional government says
BILLION KYAT
11
Value of drugs seized in Yangon in the
rst nine months of 2014, more than
double the amount captured last year
People who have not
yet applied can do so
when the program
restarts.
U Hla Thein
Rakhine State government
Media law will force ministries to
respond to information requests
DRAFT by-laws for the News Media
Law will require government min-
istries to reply to media enquiries
within 24 hours and take action
against staf who do not respond in
time, a senior Myanmar Press Coun-
cil (Interim) ofcial says.
The measures are designed to
improve access to information for
journalists, who regularly complain
that government ofcials are reluc-
tant to release data or provide com-
ment for articles.
Press council member U Thiha
Saw said he was condent the pro-
visions in the by-law would result in
positive change. He said the govern-
ment was supportive, citing Min-
ister for Information U Ye Htuts
recent promise to work with other
ministries to improve their informa-
tion dissemination systems.
The Ministry of Information has
provided media training to 500
government ofcials to prepare for
the introduction of the News Me-
dia Law, while each department in
every ministry will have an assigned
spokesperson.
Ministries are already prepar-
ing [to reply to enquiries within
24 hours], said U Thiha Saw, who
is also editorial director at The
Myanmar Times. It is likely that
journalists will gain improved ac-
cess to information in coming years.
Journalists right to get informa-
tion is the same as the publics right
to know, so it is a very important
provision.
He said the press council had
initially argued that enquiries
should receive a response within 12
hours, but this was doubled after
negotiations with the Ministry of
Information.
The by-laws, which were drafted
by the press council, are with the At-
torney Generals Ofce and should
be enacted within two months, he
added.
It could be as soon as two
weeks or at the most two months
for the by-laws to be signed by the
president.
The law will also require minis-
tries to discipline staf who fail to
respond to media enquiries proper-
ly or within 24 hours. This also ap-
pears to have government support,
with U Ye Htut telling reporters on
October 21 following a one-hour
meeting with the Myanmar Jour-
nalists Network that they could in-
form the ministry through the press
council or journalists network if
they have trouble getting informa-
tion from ministries.
U Thiha Saw said that while
there might be limits on releasing
some sensitive information the ma-
jority of requests should receive a
response.
For example, if the Ministry of
Construction was asked about how
many bridges were being built and
how much it had spent and the
ministry declined to answer then
action should be taken against the
ministry.
This kind of enquiry concerns
every member of the public and [the
information] is neither a state se-
cret nor [dangerous for] state secu-
rity. The public have a right to know
what the ministries are doing with
public money and the media must
have the right to ask questions so
that the public can know.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Court rejects
frst Bi Mon Te
Nay appeal
AN appeal from ve jailed stafers
of defunct weekly journal Bi Mon Te
Nay has been rejected by Yangons
West District Court, their lawyer
said last week.
U Kyaw Win told The Myanmar
Times that the appeal against the
two-year sentences handed down
earlier this month was rejected on
October 27.
Our appeal was read out along
with the text of the verdict and the
court refused to accept [the appeal],
he said, adding that no reason was
given for rejecting the appeal.
Two publishers and three edi-
torial staf from Bi Mon Te Nay
were arrested in July for publish-
ing a factually incorrect statement
from a political activist group, the
Movement for Democracy Current
Force (MDCF), that claimed Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic po-
litical leaders had formed an interim
government.
They were arrested under the
Emergency Provisions Act and
later charged with incitement un-
der the Penal Code. On October 10
they were sentenced to two years
imprisonment.
Relatives of the jailed journalists
are considering whether to appeal to
the Yangon Region High Court. They
have 60 days to make a decision.
There are higher courts for us,
the Yangon Region High Court and
Supreme Court. We are discussing
whether to submit an appeal. The
families will decide, U Kyaw Win
said.
On October 21, Minister for Infor-
mation U Ye Htut promised to raise
the case with the president, who has
the power to free them in an amnes-
ty, but also said that the government
could not get involved until the legal
process has concluded.
As the prospects for an amnesty
appear good, submitting an appeal
even if it is eventually successful
could result in the men serving
longer than if they did not appeal.
SHWEGU THITSAR
khaingsabainyein@gmail.com
Minister for Information U Ye Htut speaks at a press conference at the Myanmar
Journalists Network on October 21. Photo: Yu Yu
Journalists right to
get information is the
same as the publics
right to know, so it
is a very important
provision.
U Thiha Saw
Myanmar Press Council (Interim)
LUN MIN MANG
lunmin.lm@gmail.com
Rare red pandas caught
on film in Kachin State
NEW footage of rare and endangered
red pandas taken in Kachin State has
highlighted the threat to their surviv-
al posed by hunting and the wildlife
trade, as well as the devastating im-
pact illegal logging and deforestation
has had on their habitats.
The red panda (Ailurusfulgens) is
listed as vulnerable on the Interna-
tional Union for Conservation of Na-
ture (IUCN) Red List, with fewer than
10,000 mature individuals estimated
to survive in the wild.
However, a relatively large popula-
tion lives in the high-altitude bamboo
and conifer forests of the Imawbum
mountain range, in Myanmars far
northeast.
The footage of the red pandas,
the rst caught on lm in Myanmar,
was captured by conservation group
Flora and Fauna International (FFI).
It shows a pair crawling slowly on a
rocky landslide caused by Chinese log-
ging up to a degraded forest to feed on
bamboo leaves.
When we encountered the two red
pandas, we felt two emotions at the
same time: incredibly happy for the
direct sighting and for obtaining this
rst exciting footage, but terribly sad-
dened seeing the state of their habitat
and threats to the species survival,
said Saw Soe Aung, an FFI eld biolo-
gist who captured the pandas on lm.
Chinese logging companies are not
only destroying the delicate alpine for-
est but are also creating access roads
that enable hunting and a wildlife
trade fuelled by Chinese demand, FFI
said in a statement.
The organisation is working with
Myanmars Forest Department to pro-
mote conservation of the species and
it is hoped the proposed Imawbum
National Park boundaries will be des-
ignated by the end of this year. The
initiative will also see eforts directed
to promoting awareness among local
indigenous communities about the
threats the red pandas face.
FFI said hunting has declined
since the group worked with ethnic
Law Waw and Lisu communities in
the area to establish a communi-
ty-managed no-hunting zone and
employed community rangers for
enforcement.
While the creation of the national
park would ofer protection for red
pandas in the area, it is unlikely to
stop illegal hunting and logging activi-
ties completely. Frank Momberg, FFIs
program director for Myanmar, said
international cooperation is required
to address the broader issue of illegal
logging.
We hope that the national park
designation combined with Myan-
mars recent raw log export ban will
encourage the Chinese government to
stop loggers venturing into Myanmar,
he said.
Two rare red pandas climb over rocks in Kachin State. Photo: Supplied/FFI
KAYLEIGH LONG
kayleighelong@gmail.com
Thai court dismisses suit against activist
A BANGKOK court has dismissed a
defamation suit against migrant rights
activist Andy Hall on October 29 on the
grounds that the police did not suf-
ciently involve the Thai Attorney Gen-
erals Ofce or Mr Halls defence team
during their investigation.
However, the activists legal woes
are far from over. The case is the rst
of several civil and criminal suits
brought against the Yangon-based re-
searcher by Natural Fruit Company
in response to Mr Halls documenta-
tion of the exploitation and abuse of
mostly Myanmar migrant workers in
its factories. The report was published
by the Helsinki-based advocacy group
Finnwatch.
On October 30, the same court ruled
that hearings for a second charge of civ-
il defamation will be pushed back until
after more serious criminal charges are
decided in November.
The hearing for these charges,
which include violating the computer
crimes act and criminal defamation,
will begin on November 17 in Bangkok.
Even with the rst charge dropped,
Mr Hall still faces up to seven years in
prison and nes of US$10 million.
He said he was pleased the charge
had been dismissed but disappointed
the Thai authorities were not doing
more to rein in Natural Fruit. The
Thai gov ongoing lack of willingness/
failure to see #naturalfruit harassment
stopped well reects dire migrant
rights situation in Thailand, he post-
ed on Twitter. Bill OToole
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Dated. 3
rd
November, 2014
Views
Confict as an opportunity
TATSUSHI Arai is an independent
scholar of conict resolution from
Japan and an associate profes-
sor of peacebuilding and conict
transformation at the School for
International Training (SIT) Gradu-
ate Institute in the United States.
Mr Arai has extensive practical ex-
perience in diverse conict-afected
societies, including Myanmar. Here
he gives his views on Myanmars
interreligious conicts and the pro-
posed interfaith marriage law.
Religious diferences play a
signicant role in Myanmars
intercommunal conicts. How
can these conicts be over-
come?
The most important long-term
efort to overcome these conicts
is to facilitate sustained humanis-
ing dialogue between Myanmars
diverse religious communities and
within each community. This dia-
logue must take into consideration
not only religious diferences, but
also the role of nationalism, eth-
nicity, gender, seniority, socio-eco-
nomic class, urban-rural divides
and regional diferences. These are
all interconnected causes of the
religion-inspired conicts.
What concrete steps can we
take to initiate a dialogue like
this?
Two kinds of activities are es-
pecially important to carry out
interreligious dialogue in Myan-
mar. The rst is the establishment
of inter-religious peacebuilding
committees. We have seen a good
example of this in Mandalay in the
aftermath of the recent communal
violence. These committees can
proactively verify the accuracy
of potentially harmful rumours,
become a bridge-builder between
opposing groups and help create
a safe space for conciliation dia-
logue between conict parties.
The second suggested activ-
ity is to identify and share useful
methods of interreligious dialogue
across regions. One simple and
useful approach that I have used
in diferent ethnic Burmese com-
munities is a role reversal between
people of diferent religious
backgrounds. This approach asks
Buddhists to place themselves in
Muslims shoes and Muslims to
place themselves in Buddhists
shoes. Hindus, Christians, and
others can adopt the same method
and adjust it to meet their unique
needs. Once people are placed in
diferent roles, I ask members of
each group to discuss and present
what they think is the most
beautiful aspect of the religion to
which they were assigned. After
group presentations, all dialogue
participants will then be asked
to represent their own religious
identities, form discussion groups
based on their real identities,
and answer the same question as
before in the presence of the other
religious groups. Interfaith dia-
logue of this nature can be done
in communities, classrooms and
workplaces throughout Myanmar.
What is your opinion on the
proposed interfaith marriage
law?
I have met many prominent Bud-
dhist and Muslim leaders and
learned their perspectives on this
subject. I see the serious concerns
on the part of the Buddhist leaders
advocating the law. However, I do
not see why and how the proposed
bills on religious conversion,
marriage, monogamy and popula-
tion control, with a clause on the
punishment of violators, could
possibly resolve the social roots of
their concerns. In other words, I
recognise a signicant gap between
the means and ends that the laws
proponents have in mind.
What then should be done to
address the underlying issues
that concern advocates of these
laws?
Let us take the stated objective of
population control as an example
and illustrate how the principle
of conict resolution applies to
the social context in which the
marriage law has been debated.
To begin with, to the best of my
knowledge, there is no conclusive
evidence to demonstrate that
either polygamy or interreligious
marriage per se is responsible for
excessive population growth. On
the other hand, there is well-
established evidence to show that
poverty and lack of education
drive population growth, especial-
ly when these social factors afect
girls and their mothers.
Given this empirical under-
standing of the issue, I wonder
what would happen if we real-
locate the signicant resources
and political capital spent on the
marriage law campaign to well-
organised, multi-year initiatives
that dramatically expand basic
education and reduce poverty,
starting with the regions in which
interreligious marriages have been
a serious issue.
Once a signicant portion of
the previously uneducated popula-
tion receives basic education, and
once opportunities for livelihood
development expand, young girls
and their families can make better
choices about their marriages and
their religious practices.
Finally, and most fundamen-
tally, senior religious leaders on
both sides must come face to face
to openly discuss the historical
roots of their unprocessed fears
about the other sides threaten-
ing presence, and encourage their
community members to do the
same at the grassroots level.
How communal conict could open the door to much-needed interfaith dialogue
Religious leaders
on both sides must
come face to face
to openly discuss
the historical
roots of their fears
about the other
sides threatening
presence.
Slowing of momentum not
the death of the peace process
FOLLOWING the September round
of peace talks, concerns have arisen
about the future of the peace process.
Some have talked as if there was a
major deadlock. Some have even
described it as a death knell for the
peace process.
But from an insiders point of view,
the last round of talks did not end in a
deadlock. Far from it, in fact; perhaps
the situation can best be described as a
temporary lull in the process.
Since the last negotiations, many
informal meetings have taken place.
The whole peace process is most cer-
tainly alive and kicking.
It is true there were disappoint-
ments both inside and outside the
negotiating rooms after the Septem-
ber talks. Some openly expressed their
dismay at the results, while others kept
it to themselves so as not to alienate
their counterparts or jeopardise the
peace process further.
There was so much hope before
the talks that the remaining issues in
the nationwide ceasere talks could
be sorted out. Before they began there
was even discussion of a possible sign-
ing date. Preparations for the next step
the development of the framework
for political dialogue were being
made in earnest.
How could anyone manage such
high expectations? Myanmar had been
on a roll and enthusiasm for the peace
process had never been higher.
But negotiations happen in uid
situations. The peace talks in Myan-
mar are no exception.
These talks have taken place
against the backdrop of larger social,
economic and political reforms.
They are neither linear nor straight-
forward. As one expert put it to me
recently, the ceasere talks are not
conventional in the sense that there
are many diferent groups involved,
each with varying dynamics.
Politics outside the negotiating
room can also turn a promising situ-
ation into a deadlock or stalemate.
There are arguments that the Septem-
ber talks were greatly inuenced by
outside politics, happening away from
the negotiation table. It could very well
be true.
I have said over and again that the
current draft nationwide ceasere
agreement is a political document
rather than a ceasere. If it had been
a typical ceasere negotiation, it
could have been concluded within six
months.
Many international experts have
come to us, ofering useful tips and
advice on how to negotiate. Some of
them say tackle the easy issues rst.
Others say we must start with the dif-
cult ones.
However, nothing can prepare you
for the surprises that often occur dur-
ing such negotiations. Our experiences
tell us that there are no clear rules as
to how to negotiate. The issues can be
AUNG
NAING OO
newsroom@mmtimes.com
A Tatmadaw soldier stands guard in Myawaddy, Kayin State, last month. Photo: Kaung Htet
KHIN SU WAI
jasminekhin@gmail.com
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as ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED), a company organized
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is the owner and proprietor of the following Trademark:-
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Tin Ohnmar Tun, Tin Thiri Aung & The Law
Chambers
Ph: 0973150632
(ForMark- i Inc, Japan)
Dated. 3
rd
November, 2014
easy or difcult depending on the
situation and the context. They are
often mixed. Some we think will be
easy but turn out to be difcult, while
difcult issues are resolved in no time.
Likewise, there are arguments as to
what should come rst: a ceasere or
political dialogue.
As the ceasere talks have dragged
on, some are saying it would have
been better to start political dialogue
with the 14 ethnic armed groups that
have signed bilateral ceaseres with
the government. There were even
suggestions that we should not have
embarked on a nationwide ceasere.
But we rmly believe in stopping
the killing before tackling anything
else in regards to armed conict. As a
result, we believe nationwide ceasere
talks are essential. We want to go into
political dialogue without worry-
ing about ceasere violations. Only
a nationwide ceasere with proper
monitoring mechanisms can give us
the peace of mind to focus on political
dialogue.
There is a perception that the peace
process involves only two sides - the
government and ethnic armed groups.
In reality, however, the nationwide
ceasere talks are multiparty
negotiations.
On the ethnic armed-group side,
the Nationwide Ceasere Coordination
Team (NCCT) comprises 16 groups.
Its members have had to spend much
time negotiating to secure a common
position. There are other ethnic armed
groups not involved in that process
and, although they are not around the
table, their existence and role in the
peace process is clear.
On the government side, there is
not only the executive branch; the par-
liamentary and military representa-
tives have also played critical roles.
This makes the negotiation process
exciting but it has also frustrated some
stakeholders.
As we are now at the tail end of
negotiations it is entirely natural to
experience difculties. All negotiators
have pushed back some difcult issues
toward the end.
There may be other issues that can
stall or prolong the negotiations in My-
anmar: the efects of the war economy,
geopolitics, and concerns that one
side may take advantage of the others
willingness to concede ground. Equally
critical is the inability to think through
the whole process, which creates a fear
of going into uncharted water.
There are also issues such as the
spoiler problem and small group
dynamics that may determine the
outcome of a negotiation.
In a nal analysis though, no one
has turned their back on the peace
process in Myanmar.
For us within the process, the short
lull has given us an opportunity to
stand back and review events to date
what worked, what did not and what
went wrong. It has given us the chance
to pause for a reality check. In some
ways, it has been a blessing in disguise.
Aung Naing Oo is associate director of the
Peace Dialogue Program at the Myanmar
Peace Center. The opinions expressed here
are his own.
Slowing of momentum not
the death of the peace process
A Tatmadaw soldier stands guard in Myawaddy, Kayin State, last month. Photo: Kaung Htet
Aquinos sure touch deserts him
IN recent months, the shine has
gone of several political lead-
ers who were previously so well
regarded and respected that they
appeared beyond reproach.
It has happened to relative stal-
warts like United States President
Barack Obama and Singapore Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as well as
to neophytes like Indias PM Naren-
dra Modi and Indonesias President
Joko Widowi. So it is clearly not due
to familiarity breeding contempt, nor
to the bumbling inexperience of new
kids on the block.
Of course, like rock stars and
football heroes, no politician re-
mains popular indenitely; sooner
or later, no matter how well they
have performed in the past, their
lustre dims and the public turns
away from them. It has applied to
leaders here, as both the much-
respected head of state, President
U Thein Sein, and the once-char-
ismatic opposition leader, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, have seen their
popularity begin to wane.
But no leader in this region has
witnessed such a precipitous fall in
the publics estimation as President
Benigno Aquino of the Philippines.
After assuming ofce in 2010,
Aquino barely put a foot wrong
and his leadership of an unusually
competent administration reversed
the image of his nation as the
regions basketcase.
In fact, the Philippines streaked
into the lead as Southeast Asias
fastest-growing economy, while
concurrently Aquino forged a peace
deal with Muslim insurgents and
launched a war on corruption.
Indeed, his forthright attack on
endemic graft and bribery targeted
not only lower-ranked bureaucrats,
but also the high and mighty.
Among his rst victims were
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez,
who quit after facing charges of
betraying the public trust, and the
Supreme Court Chief Justice Rena-
to Corona, who was impeached for
failing to declare personal assets of
US$2.4 million.
Then Aquinos attention turned
to his predecessor, former Presi-
dent Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
who was rst detained for electoral
fraud and then accused of taking
$8.8 million from state lottery
funds. She remains in custody.
These high-prole cases set the
tone for Aquinos anti-corruption
purge, which continued in tandem
with his economic revival policies.
He also inducted a more steely
foreign minister, Albert del Ro-
sario, and directed him to take a
stern line against Chinas incre-
mental occupation of ofshore terri-
tories claimed by the Philippines.
By refusing to be cowed by Bei-
jing and steadfastly asserting Ma-
nilas right to islands abutting its
coastline, Aquinos administration
won tremendous kudos at home.
It also won friends among fellow
ASEAN members who are locked in
similarly tense sovereignty disputes
with China.
All these moves engendered a
feelgood factor that spurred invest-
ment in the domestic economy
and, together with higher over-
seas remittances, sent Philippine
growth rates soaring. Aquino, of
course, reaped the benet and
opinion polls gave him an approval
rating of around 70 percent.
But that was then. His approval
gures have sunk like a stone dur-
ing the past few months.
Why? Well, it has been a combi-
nation of factors, but nothing has
dented his image so much as when
he mused about running for a
second term something that hap-
pens to be illegal under the current
constitution, which limits presi-
dents to a single six-year term.
It appears that few people, aside
from Aquino and his inner coterie,
think much of this idea; indeed,
most seem to nd it ofensive. An
October 2 survey by the respected
Pulse Asia organisation showed
that 62pc of Filipinos opposed any
constitutional amendment to allow
Aquino to run again.
As Richard Heydarian, a politi-
cal scientist at De La Salle Univer-
sity in Manila, noted, Aquinos
irtation with a second term in
ofce, which would require a revi-
sion of the 1987 constitution, set of
alarm bells among political elites
and everyday voters alike.
Other issues also kicked in
to accentuate a negative swing
against the president. After Ty-
phoon Yolanda roared through the
central Philippines and wreaked
massive death and destruction,
Aquino was chastised for his poor
response and the way he tried to
shift blame onto local ofcials.
As well, the fruits of the very
welcome economic upsurge have
not been spread equitably among
the masses. Poverty levels and
jobless rates have not improved
signicantly. Also, Aquinos much-
lauded anti-corruption campaign
has become increasingly perceived
as being directed against opposi-
tion gures, rather than members
of the administration.
As a result, Aquinos approval
ratings have plummeted by as
much as 20pc, reaching their
lowest level since his election four
years ago. Thankfully, he has now
shelved the idea of a second term
and has instead said that his pre-
ferred successor would be Interior
Secretary Manuel Roxas, an Aquino
loyalist who unfortunately has little
public support.
So, as the presidents lame duck
years draw near, there are concerns
that he may later be targeted for
retribution; in fact, some observ-
ers suggest that is the reason for
his recent missteps and loss of
political awareness. The man needs
to get his act together, and to do it
soon. If not, his good deeds may be
forgotten and attention will focus
instead on what went wrong.
ROGER
MITTON
rogermitton@gmail.com
Nothing has dented
his image so much
as when he mused
about running for a
second term.
26 THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
Business
MYANMA Economic Holdings Limited
has won a dispute over the ownership
of Myanmar Brewery Limited, the
military-owned conglomerate has an-
nounced, and will now accelerate plans
to buy out its joint venture partner.
MEHL has been locked in a legal
battle with Singapore-based Fraser and
Neave Limited (F&N), which owns 55
percent of Myanmar Brewery since Au-
gust 2013, when it announced it would
submit the dispute to an arbitration tri-
bunal in Singapore.
Arbitrators on October 31 upheld
MEHLs right to buy F&Ns shares in
the brewery, enabling it to increase its
stake from 45pc.
We are very pleased with the ruling.
It vindicates our legal position that the
[joint venture agreement] clearly pro-
vides for us to buy F&Ns shares after
they failed to meet their contractual ob-
ligations, said MEHL deputy managing
director U Myint Aung in a statement.
F&N was a partner with Heineken
in Asia Pacic Breweries Limited
(APB) until 2012, and also had a long-
standing partnership with UMEHL in
Myanmar. In 2012, control of Fraser
and Neave was bought for US$2.2 bil-
lion by ThaiBev, owned by billionaire
Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.
F&N sold its other beer investments
to Heineken but the Dutch rm did not
take on the Myanmar stake, making it
F&Ns sole beer holding. The brewery
produces popular domestic brands My-
anmar Beer and Andaman Gold, and
brews Tiger Beer under licence.
MEHL argued that ThaiBevs buy-
out of F&N constituted a change in
ownership and therefore violated the
joint venture terms, which gave the
partners rst right of rst refusal to
purchase each others shares before
they are ofered to a third party.
In November 2013, MEHL said in a
rare public statement that it had start-
ed arbitration proceedings after nego-
tiations between the two companies
broke down.
Following the October 31 ruling,
MEHL will now be able to purchase
F&Ns shares at a price set by a valuer
agreed upon by both companies. F&N
said in a statement that MEHL had
sought to purchase its 55pc stake for
US$246 million. Huang Hong Peng,
chief executive of cer of beer at F&N,
described this gure as grossly in-
adequate. This price was set by the
Controller of Military Accounts (CMA),
which, though authorised to audit in
Myanmar, is not a certied public ac-
countant, a lawyer familiar with the
case told The Myanmar Times.
The case was touted as a test for
Myanmars legal framework and for-
eign investment environment. U Myint
Aung said that the ruling should bol-
ster condence in the way the country
handles such disputes.
It is very important for Myanmar
that foreign investors have condence
in the way we do business. The conduct
of this arbitration shows our commit-
ment to the rule of law and that we will
always adhere to due process, U Myint
Aung said.
The beer market in Myanmar is
forecast to see considerable growth.
State- and military-owned enterprises
have had a virtual monopoly in the sec-
tor for decades but the government de-
cided to open it up to foreign brewers,
including Heinekens APB, last year.
Figures from Euromonitor Interna-
tional show that the legal beer market
hit 172 million litres in 2013, with annu-
al growth of 5.5pc since 2009. In dollar
terms, beer sales amounted to US$265
million in 2013, and have posted 14pc
annual growth between 2009 and 2013.
Annual growth of 21pc is expected be-
tween 2014 and 2018, when the market
is forecast to reach $675 million.
Despite the growth, beer consump-
tion in Myanmar remains low com-
pared to other countries in the region.
Myanmar drinkers consumed just 3.2
litres per person in 2013, far behind
neighbouring Vietnam, where per-cap-
ita consumption was 36 litres, and the
Asia Pacic region average of 18 litres.
Danish brewer Carlsberg will of-
cially open its production facility in
early December. Dutch rival Heineken
is constructing its own brewery.
F&N said it plans to study ways to
enable it to maintain its presence in
the Myanmar market, which still has
great growth potential and remains of
keen interest.
Military frm tops in
Fraser & Neave dispute
TIM
MCLAUGHLIN
IN PICTURES
Photo: Yu Yu
Threes a crowd
Telenor has liftof in Yangon. The Norwegian telco rolled out services and 1 million
SIM cards in Myanmars largest city on Sunday, October 26. The rm joins MPT and
Ooredoo in ofering service in Yangon. Catherine Trautwein
A US$1.4 billion contract for an air-
port outside Yangon has been award-
ed to a Singapore-led consortium,
the Department of Civil Aviation has
announced, after talks with the origi-
nal tender winner stalled earlier this
year.
A consortium comprised of Sin-
gapores Yongnam Holdings, Changi
Airport Planners and Engineers, and
Japans JGC Corporation was selected
by the Ministry of Transport on Oc-
tober 29 to construct Hanthawaddy
International Airport in Bago Region.
Hanthawaddy is the largest of three
airport projects being undertaken in
an attempt to modernise the coun-
trys main air hubs in preparation for
anticipated future growth in arrivals.
Department of Civil Aviation
director general U Win Swe Htun
said the project has gained plenty
of attention since it was begun in
2012, but has so far been beset with
rumours.
We have carefully chosen one
company from the last two competi-
tors, he said at a press conference
on October 29.
A consortium led by Incheon Interna-
tional Airport Corporation of South Ko-
rea won the original contract to build
the airport in August 2013 but the ten-
der was reopened in February when
the government and of cials from the
group could not agree on certain as-
pects of the South Korean proposal.
Department of Civil Aviation of-
cials said that there were disagree-
ments with the Incheon group over
the capacity of the airport, with
Incheon proposing that the airport
be built to handle 10 million visitors a
year, 2 million less than the DCA had
targeted. There were also signicant
issues over the way in which the pro-
ject would be nanced, the DCA said.
Incheon International Airport Corpo-
ration did not respond to requests for
comment.
U Win Swe Htun said the DCA had
requested Incheon change its propos-
als to adapt to the DCAs vision, but it
had refused.
We told them our desires but they
rejected them, so we have chosen
Yongnam instead, he said.
Spore wins in take two for airport build
TIM MCLAUGHLIN
AYE NYEIN WIN
An artists impression of the proposed Hanthawaddy airport. Photo: Supplied
US MILLION
$246
Value MEHL has offered F&N for its
55pc stake of Myanmar Brewery, which
so far F&N has rejected.
TRADEMARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE
Hara (Thailand) Co.,Ltd, a company organized under the laws
of Thailand and having its principal offce at 18 Soi Chan 43
Yak 31, Chan Road, Tungwatdon Sub-District, Sathorn District,
Bangkok 10120, Thailand is the owner and sole proprietor of the
following Trademark :-
Used in respect of : -
Blue jeans trousers; other trousers; pants; shirts; polo shirts;
clothing; garters; sock suspenders; suspenders (braces);
waistbands; belts for clothing; masquerade costumes; clothes for
sports.(International Class 25)
Any unauthorized use, imitation, infringements or fraudulent
intentions of the above mark will be dealt with according to law.

Tin Ohnmar Tun, Tin Thiri Aung & The Law Chambers
Ph: 0973150632
(For. Domnern Somgiat & Boonma,
Attorneys at Law, Thailand)
Dated. 3
rd
November, 2014
27 BUSINESS EDITOR: Jeremy Mullins | jeremymullins7@gmail.com
Threes a crowd
Telenor has liftof in Yangon. The Norwegian telco rolled out services and 1 million
SIM cards in Myanmars largest city on Sunday, October 26. The rm joins MPT and
Ooredoo in ofering service in Yangon. Catherine Trautwein
Spore wins in take two for airport build
THE kyat depreciated in value past the
psychological barrier of K1000 against
the US dollar last week, though ex-
perts downplayed concern it will sig-
nicantly afect the economy.
The Central Bank of Myanmars
reference rate stood at K1006 per dol-
lar on October 31, capping a week of
declines against major international
currencies, also including the euro
and yen.
Values of about K1000 per dollar
are near the highest the kyat has trad-
ed at since April 2012, when the Cen-
tral Bank implemented a managed
oating exchange rate in the place of
an of cial but unrealistic exchange
rate of K6 per dollar. The kyat then
almost immediately moved to K800
per dollar.
The kyat has been depreciating
from rates around K990 recorded in
mid-October, and about K970 a dollar
in mid-September.
There are a number of reasons
the exchange rate uctuates, and
speculation also has a big impact,
said a Central Bank director, who re-
quested not to be named.
The Central Bank sells daily
lots of dollars and purchases kyats,
partly in an attempt to restore value
in the local currency. However, the
Myanmar kyat has also declined
against regional currencies like the
Thai baht, Singapore dollar and
Chinese yuan.
The kyat generally follows season-
al uctuations, with demand for the
local currency being highest during
harvests and other periods of high
exports. With the rice harvest not set
to begin in most of the country until
December, demand for the kyat has
wavered in recent weeks.
Downtown money changers say
business is brisk, as customers try to
switch to the US dollar now to avoid
further depreciation.
U Naing Gyi, a 50-year-old money
changer on Bo Aung Kyaw Road, said
his phone line is constantly ringing
with customer requests.
He added the US dollar and gold
are the two more important exchange
rates in Myanmar, with other curren-
cies also based on these two rates.
I cannot supply customers as
much as I would like to right now,
he said. Strong demand means its
unlikely the rate will decline easily.
Ministry of Commerce economic
advisor U Maung Aung said the de-
cline in the kyats value has not yet
been large enough to cause problems.
Though imports have outpaced
exports by about $3.1 billion over the
last seven months, U Maung Aung
claimed the expanding trade decit
is likely not the main reason for its
decline, as much of the imports are
being used to generate economic ac-
tivity inside Myanmar.
Most imports are paid for with US
dollars, adding value to the green-
back against the kyat.
Kyat depreciates past
barrier of K1000 per USD
1005
1000
995
990
985
O
c
t

1
4
O
c
t

2
4
O
c
t

1
7
O
c
t

3
0
Rice traders stuck
until China rice
seizures stop
Government expresses
displeasure at under-
used industrial land
Exchange Rates (October 31 close)
Currency Buying Selling
Euro
Malaysia Ringitt
Singapore Dollar
Thai Baht
US Dollar
K1250
K302
K775
K30
K1002
K1270
K303
K782
K31
K1006
BUSINESS 29 PROPERTY 36
AYE THIDAR
KYAW
ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com
Kyats required to buy a US dollar
Source: Central Bank of Myanmar website
Myanmar of cials on October 29
hat said that they are now in talks
with the Japan International Coop-
eration Agency to cover part of the
construction cost with development
assistance. The projects completion
date has now been pushed back from
2016 to December 2019.
The Singaporean consortium, as
well as a consortium led by Frances
VINCI and another led by Japans
Taisei airports were originally selected
as backups to the Incheon group. They
were asked in March to resubmit pro-
posals, based on which the Singapo-
rean consortium was selected.
Located on a 9000-acre (3642-hec-
tare) site about 77 kilometres (48
miles) northeast of Yangon near
Bago, Hanthwaddy was rst slated for
development in the early 1990s. Work
began in March 1994 but was stopped
in October 2003.
The project has been criticised
for its distance from Yangon and
the poor quality of the existing road
that links the two cities. The road
would need to be substantially en-
larged and upgraded in order to cut
travel time, but to date there has
been no information given by the
government on if these upgrades
would be made, or if plans are be-
ing made for public transport links
with the city.
U Win Swe Htun also downplayed
concerns Hanthawaddy could attract
funding to the detriment of other
sectors, adding loans will be request-
ed from Japan to fund a portion of
the project.
The project is the largest of three
that the government has unveiled in
order to upgrade the countrys air in-
frastructure, amid strong growth in
foreign arrivals. More than 2 million
foreigners visited Myanmar in 2013,
according to Minister for Hotels and
Tourism U Htay Aung, and the min-
istry is targeting 5 million a year by
2015.
A consortium led by Pioneer Aero-
drome Services, a subsidiary of Asia
World, was selected in August 2013
to overhaul Yangon International Air-
port and increase its capacity from 2.7
million to 6 million passengers a year
by 2015. Work on the domestic termi-
nal has already started.
Meanwhile, a consortium com-
prising Mitsubishi, Japan Airlines
and SPA Project Management were
selected to overhaul Mandalay In-
ternational Airport, which opened in
2000 but until very recently was op-
erating at well below capacity. Several
regional airlines have slowly added
international ights to Mandalay.
28 Business THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
SMALLER-SCALE foreign busi-
nesspeople are having dif culty
securing long-term leases, which
is hampering foreign investment,
businesspeople say.
Foreign businesspeople invest-
ing large amounts in sectors like
manufacturing usually apply for
permits through the Myanmar In-
vestment Commission and can re-
ceive leases lasting up to 50 years,
with the possibility of extensions.
Investment that does not require
MIC approval is limited to a one-
year lease in most cases.
The requirement to renegotiate
leases and possibly being forced to
relocate each year adds to the dif-
culties of doing business in Myan-
mar, said one foreigner running a
PR company.
I could face dif culty if the land
owner does not renew the lease for
another year or if the price increases
signicant, he said. Many foreign
businesspeople are challenged by
this limit.
Dif culties securing long-term
leases could be somewhat of a barrier
for foreign businesses looking to enter
Myanmar, and was a complaint at a
recent Myanmar investment summit
in New York, said MIC secretary U
Aung Naing Oo.
MIC is presently discussing the
issue with the Ministry of Home
Afairs, though a solution may be
some time in coming. Right now
we know this could be a barrier for
foreign businesspeople to some ex-
tent, he said.
Foreigners and foreign compa-
nies are not allowed to own land in
Myanmar and may only have leases
lasting up to one year under the
Transfer of Immoveable Property
Restriction Act, said Kelvin Chia
Yangon principal foreign consult-
ing attorney Pedro Jose Bernardo.
The exception comes for rms
with investment permits under the
Myanmar Foreign Investment Law,
which allows foreign rms to hold
leases for up to 50 years, with two
possible extensions of 10 years each.
Not all foreign investors, partic-
ularly those not in manufacturing
or industrial activities, necessarily
obtain an MIC permit. Obviously,
if you are one such non-MIC for-
eign company with a one year lease,
you are generally at the mercy of
your landlord, because you can be
evicted at the end of one year
land security, in this sense, is dif-
cult, he said.
Foreign investors would, of
course, prefer predictability and
continuity in operations having
short lease tenures [without an
MIC Permit] would increase inves-
tor insecurity in this case.
Economist and business observer
U Hla Maung said securing leases is
one of a number of legal limitations
on foreign business in Myanmar
that ought to be addressed.
Foreign businesses attempts to
secure long-term leases is an on-
going issue, but some local land-
owners avoid it and simply rent to
foreigners for longer periods than
allowed by the law.
However, there may be foreign-
ers who dont want to work illegal-
ly, so of cial liberalisation [of the
restriction] would be better in the
long term, he said.
The country really needs to at-
tract more and more FDI, so we
need liberalise any restriction if it
is really a barrier, U Hla Maung
added.
Additional reporting
by Jeremy Mullins
Smaller foreign companies
face restrictions on leases
ZAW
HTIKE
zawhtikemjn1981@gmail.com
Foreign investors
would, of
course, prefer
predictability
and continuity in
operations.
Pedro Jose Bernardo
Kelvin Chia Yangon
THE Myanmar Rice Federation
plans to open several warehouses
for rice traders to store their prod-
uct for use as collateral to receive
bank loans, said its chair U Chit
Khaing.
The system would alleviate the
need to sell rice immediately even
if prices are low to pay for a sud-
den expense. Instead, traders will
be able to store the rice at the ware-
houses for a fee, using it as collater-
al for loans from U Chit Khaing-led
Myanmar Apex Bank.
Speaking exclusively to The My-
anmar Times, U Chit Khaing said,
If we can set up the system, farmers
can keep their paddy in the ware-
house till prices improve, while tak-
ing out bank loans and repaying
their debts.
U Soe Tun, joint sec-
retary of the MRF, said
a pilot project for the
Warehouse Financ-
ing scheme would be
launched in three
townships in Ay-
eyarwady, Yangon
and Bago regions.
Local rice pric-
es have been in
decline as China
shuttered its bor-
der to imports from
Myanmar beginning in late October.
Some rice industry experts have sug-
gested that the government should
buy paddy directly, or lend to traders
so they can buy from farmers, in an
efort to support local farmers.
Freedom Farmers League chair
U Thein Aung said, We have ap-
proached the government in the
hope of getting loans, even at a
higher interest rate than the banks.
But U Chit Khaing said buying
b u f f e r rice would not
reduce f ar me r s
losses. Were go-
i ng with the
pa ddy
storage
s ys t em,
he said.
Rice federation to
introduce Warehouse
Financing at Apex
ZAW HTIKE
zawhtikemjn1981@gmail.com
U Chit Khaing.
Photo: Staff
Business 29 www.mmtimes.com
U SAI Kyaw has about 50 tonnes of
rice sitting in a Muse warehouse a cou-
ple kilometres from the Chinese bor-
der. Its a problem. His rms capital is
tied up in the rice, and he would like
to export it. Until that happens, he is
not able to buy more from farmers in
the rice baskets of Ayeyarwady, Bago
and Sagaing regions.
Two months ago it would have
been easy to shift. However, the stock
has been stranded since Chinese au-
thorities efectively sealed the border
to rice imports in late September. Rice
is piling up at dozens of other ware-
houses south of Muse, and there are
no buyers in sight.
In good times U Sai Kyaw was able
to sell about 50 tonnes a month to Chi-
nese buyers, who come from Ruili, just
across the nearby border. They then
transport it to China for use mostly in
rice noodles and snacks.
While legal from Myanmars per-
spective, China of cially bans rice im-
ports from Myanmar due to a lack of
agreements governing the trade. How-
ever, its border of cials turned a blind
eye to imports, enabling Myanmars rice
exports to China to grow from nearly
nothing in 2011 to 752,000 tonnes or
59 percent of Myanmars total rice ex-
ports in the 2012-13 scal year.
Myanmars rice exports are gener-
ally of lower quality than its competi-
tors such as Vietnam, Thailand and
Pakistan. However, buyers, particu-
larly in remote Yunnan Province, have
been willing to ofer top dollar for
even poor-quality Myanmar rice for
use in processed, rice-based foods.
This all changed in late September.
According to Myanmar traders, Chi-
nese border of cials began seizing the
cargo from nearly every truck, launch-
ing a crackdown on a trade that had
been steadily growing in importance.
With little recourse, traders have
stopped trying to ship rice across the
border. Where once more than 100
truckloads a day would cross the bor-
der by road or water, as few as two or
three are attempting it now.
Chinese of cials have not yet pub-
lically explained the seizures the
embassy in Yangon has not answered
repeated requests for comment but
traders say it may be linked to Chinas
ongoing rice harvest. By shutting of
Myanmar exports, the idea is that
Chinese farmers will receive a higher
price for their own crop.
Rice trader U Min Thein said there
have been other crackdowns in the past
by Chinese of cials but they have been
less severe and shorter in duration.
Its tough to negotiate with China
on the issue, he said.
Rice trade with China is a rela-
tively new phenomenon. Until 2012,
China was only a minor importer
of rice, not just from Myanmar but
from the rest of the world. In turn,
Myanmars largest rice exports were
sent by sea to African and Middle
Eastern countries.
Although China still produces large
quantities of rice, one reason it im-
ports could be to take advantage of a
spread between domestic and interna-
tional prices. Another is that Chinese
consumers are diversifying their food
consumption to diferent types of rice,
according to a 2013 article, Game
changers in the global rice market, by
the International Rice Research Insti-
tutes Samarendu Mohanty.
Like India, nobody expected
China to come close to displacing
Nigeria as the top importer in 2012,
the article said.
Increased Chinese demand has
been a bright spot for exporters in
an increasingly gloomy international
market. International prices have de-
clined about 20pc this year, heading
for the biggest loss since 2001 and
keeping a lid on global food costs that
the United Nations said fell for a sixth
month in September.
The price for 5pc broken Thai white
rice, an Asian benchmark, was at $426
a tonne on October 22, according to
the Thai Rice Exporters Association.
High-quality rice cost about K16,000
per 50 kilogram bag in Yangon mar-
kets last week.
U Sai Kyaw said before the recent
actions, Chinese border of cials usu-
ally seized about three shipments a
month, though this gure had in-
creased in previous Septembers and
Octobers during Chinas harvest.
Everyone knows that Yunnan
province needs rice and our country
has excess rice, he said. But the sei-
zures have been so strict this month.
These days are the worst.
While the 50 tonnes stored in his
warehouse will likely not become in-
edible any time soon, it will degrade in
quality, losing taste and texture.
It will be hard to wait until the
trade resumes, he said.
While most border trade be-
tween Muse and Ruili goes through
the Mein Way gate in the centre of
town, smuggling and grey market
trade in goods such as rice often
happens at informal river crossings
just west of the city.
Authorities generally look the other
way. When The Myanmar Times visited
one such river crossing, it was within
sight of a Myanmar police kiosk guard-
ing a nearby bridge. At this informal
crossing point, the smugglers quoted a
price of K30,000 for reporters to rent a
boat to make the four-minute crossing,
including a free return trip.
Myanmar authorities have launched
a number of high-prole seizures on il-
legal trade with the Ministry of Com-
merces Mobile Enforcement Teams.
Still, with Myanmars rice exports legal
from Nay Pyi Taws point of view, local
authorities do what they can to support
the trade.
U Tin Ye Win is the director at the
105 Mile Zone, the customs post near
Muse where exports are processed be-
fore transiting to China.
Trading is just a part of the polit-
ical situation, he said. For rice, Chi-
na pretends they dont need much.
When there are incidents between
Myanmar and China, they say that
your countrys economy depends on
our country, you dont dare losing
contact with us.
Despite the dispute, the 105 Mile
Zone continues to process rice exports
for future exports. U Tin Ye Win said
much of his focus is instead on ending
trade in illegal goods.
Rice dealers say they have little re-
course but to sit and wait. Many trad-
ers have left staf to oversee their Muse
warehouses and returned to their
homes in Mandalay, as winter starts to
chill northern Shan State.
U Sai Kyaw said it will be dif cult
to re-orient trade in the short term, as
much of the export industry is geared
toward China.
While there are small amounts of
exports to the European Union, where
Myanmar rice enjoys preferential mar-
ket access, EU quality standards are
often unattainable for locally milled
rice. India has also requested rice im-
ports to feed its remote northeastern
states, though it is relatively small at
20,000 tonnes a month.
Unlike China, which wants rice for
use in noodles and snacks, African
markets want rice for eating directly,
so tend to have higher quality stand-
ards. Also, it is easier and cheaper to
transport rice to Africa by ship than
by the snaking twolane highway
through Shan State to China, so Afri-
can buyers ofer lower prices.
U Min Thein said he is hopeful the
border seizures could end as soon as
this month. The longer he is forced to
wait, the less business he can do.
But Im most worried about the
farmers, he said. Without traders
buying their rice, prices will decline.
High-level of cials have not been
idle since the seizures began.
A memorandum of understanding
setting out a sanitary and phytosani-
tary agreement, which governs health
standards of rice imports, was inked
on September 25. Chinese and Myan-
mar of cials have also started negotia-
tions as to exactly how much rice can
of cially cross the border.
Myanmar Rice Federation chair
U Chit Khaing said the rst of -
cial rice exports to China will begin
with 200,000 tonnes early in 2015.
Half will be shipped through the
usual routes at Muse, while the other
100,000 tonnes will be shipped by sea
through the Straits of Malacca to Chi-
nas eastern seaboard the rst time
this has been allowed.
China has also formed a commit-
tee comprising of cials from the na-
tional and Yunnan governments to
negotiate. Myanmar has reciprocated
by forming a 36-member committee
comprising rice businesspeople for
the ongoing talks.
I think the rst ever [of cial] bor-
der trade of rice to China will be able
to start in January, but there are so
many things still to be discussed with
the Chinese committee, U Chit Kha-
ing told The Myanmar Times in an
exclusive interview.
The negotiators also hope to deal
with taxes levied on the informal
trade, which have run as high as
30pc. U Chit Khaing said Myanmar
is aiming for a quota system allowing
tax-free imports into China, similar to
what Beijing has granted to Vietnam
and Pakistan.
U Sai Kyaw says he doesnt know
what he will do if the border stays shut.
The domestic rice harvest peaks
from December through February, and
if the trade to China is not open then,
prices will decline and farmers will be
the hardest hit.
China is the exit for Myanmars
rice, he said. What happens here will
impact the whole country.
Additional reporting by Zaw
Htike and Bloomberg
Chinas decision to efectively close the border to rice imports leaves Myanmars farmers and traders in limbo
jeremymullins7@gmail.com jasminekhin@gmail.com
JEREMY
MULLINS
KHIN SU
WAI
Trucks marshall at the customs centre at 105 Mile Zone. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
What to do
when the rice trade stops
The seizures have
been so strict this
month. These days
are the worst.
U Sai Kyaw
Rice trader
The rice is piling up in Muse city
warehouses.
Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
Toyota unveiled new imports to Myanmar last month. So far theyre nicer-looking than a Probox. Photo: Staff
Video rental shops are a tough proposition in most markets around the world these days. Photo: Naing Win Tun
CARS from Japanese automaker
Toyota are the most widely driven
automobile in Myanmar at present,
but the rm is shifting gears as new
automobiles gain in popularity.
The domestic auto market has
been dominated by used Toyotas,
with its Probox model a particu-
lar common sight on the streets of
Yangon. Yet a 2013 government de-
cision to allow extensive imports of
new cars resulted in a sea change for
the market, with world-class brands
such as Toyota, Ford, Mercedes and
Mitsubishi opening dealerships and
beginning campaigns to woo in-
creasingly af uent buyers.
While many of these North Amer-
ican, European and Asian brands
start with relatively blank slates in
the country, Toyota, or at least its
used models, has an extensive local
history.
Toyota competes more with used
Toyotas than competing with other
brands in the market, said Ko Myo
Myint Thein from TTAS Co, the sole
of cial local dealer of Toyotas.
The low cost and extensive use
of used models mean it is dif cult
to compete on pure volume terms,
so TTAS is focusing on selling new
Toyotas on the strength of their qual-
ity and the service the rm provides.
Purchasing used cars can result
in problems for customers, he said.
Showrooms have difficulty repair-
ing faults on used models, leav-
ing them to solve the problems
themselves. Used Toyotas are also
imported to Myanmar through
non-official companies, meaning
these imports are not subject to a
number of protections provided to
legitimately-purchased new cars.
Inoue Hisayuki, Toyota chief exec-
utive of cer for Asia and the Middle
East, said the rm takes responsibil-
ity for its cars that are legitimately
imported in Myanmars case this
means only new models.
Speaking at a Bangkok press con-
ference on October 16, Mr Inoue said
the rm is not particularly involved
in the local used car market.
Targeting the local market
Ko Myo Myint Thein said TTAS and
Toyota are working on adapting its
imports to meet local demand. Cur-
rently it sets a target and imports
automobiles based on anticipated
demand, but then adjusts imports
based on market realities.
Later we will meet our targets,
as the new car market develops, he
said.
Toyota has a number of strong
selling points for its new models in-
cluding a fair price, good quality and
readily available spare parts and me-
chanics familiar with the brand.
However, used Toyotas are known
for being an economical option.
Most used Toyotas currently on the
road are used vehicles and are gen-
erally right-hand drive, less suitable
for Myanmars roads than the new
Toyotas which are left-hand drive.
A complete switch in consumer
purchases from used to new models
may take some time. Taxi driver Ko
Kyaw Zaw said as much as he would
like to upgrade, new cars are out of
reach for most people.
I think only bosses can buy
brand new Toyotas. For the middle
class, they buy used cars, he said.
There are plenty of mechanics
able to service used models, with
lots of spare parts available in the
country, making used models an at-
tractive proposition, he said.
One advantage for new Toyotas is
the quality servicing provided by the
dealer. Ko Kyaw Zaw said the local
dealers should continue to develop
its strong service.
Aung Gabar Motor Services im-
ports used Toyotas, which are its
most popular brand, said deputy
manager Ko Min Min.
We cant compete with the
brand-new showrooms in terms of
services or guarantees, but we sell
our models at a cheaper price, he
said.
But people who want high mod-
els or the latest cars usually buy
them brand-new.
No factory plans yet
Mr Inoue said Toyota currently
has no plans to build a plant in
Myanmar. While tax rates are cur-
rently quite high on imports, it will
soon drop to zero for imports from
ASEAN member countries such as
Thailand under the blocs free trade
agreement.
Production facilities often cost
into the billions of dollars, so stable
policies are necessary before build-
ing automobile factories. Thailand
also already has a number of Toyota
plants and can produce world-class
automobiles, he said.
Ko Nyan Hlaing, an automobile
acionado, said Toyota dealers in
Thailand focus on quality service, a
focus he said he expects to see repli-
cated in Myanmar.
The rm presently has 2014
Prado, Land Cruiser, Hilux, Camry
and Corolla models on display in
its showroom on Kabar Aye Pagoda
Road. Next month another Toyota
showroom is set to open in Yangon,
to be run by Toyotas second Myan-
mar distributor, the Mingalar Motor
Company.
Toyota is one brand with signi-
cant local awareness. Its cars occupy
a prominent position on Myanmars
roads, but the challenge the compa-
ny faces is transitioning from being
the leading used car brand to being
a popular new car company as well.
Toyota keeps pace with changing market
MA Hnin Hnin Khain is like many
cinephiles in that she formerly vis-
ited her local video rental shop every
day to borrow a movie for the even-
ings viewing.
But improved television shows,
particularly Channel 7s Korean
movies, mean Ma Hnin Hnin Khain
nds she has begun spending less of
her income at the local rental shop.
The drop in customers is being
keenly felt by video rental shops,
which purchase lms and then rent
them out for one night at a cost of
K200 or K300 a piece. Though main-
stays for connoisseurs of local cin-
ema, their days may be numbered as
television and Korean dramas take
hold, and cheap pirated foreign lms
are readily available.
Its tough to keep customers inter-
ested in locally made movies, when
foreign productions with larger
budgets and international stars ll
up the nightly television screen, said
the owner of Sat Wai movie rental
shop in Thingyangyun township.
Some people in the suburbs still
watch Myanmar lms, but viewers
are increasingly turning to television,
not renting videos, said the owner.
There are only a few people left rent-
ing movies.
The owner said she had opened
her shop years ago because her house
was centrally located, and lms were
a hot commodity.
But technology has caught up,
and cheap foreign lms are increas-
ingly undercutting the Myanmar
movie rental business, said the own-
er of Grand rental shop in North
Okkalapa.
Weve been open for 12 years and
its the main business for my family
and its declined by half, the own-
er said. We ll have to nd another
business to survive.
Myanmar productions are heavily
local, with diferent areas latching
on to diferent actors and actresses,
said U Khin Htay from Zabutalu pro-
duction. Some actors are popular in
rural areas, while other actresses are
big in the cities.
Still, the price-sensitive rural ar-
eas have almost entirely abandoned
legitimate lms, forcing the rm to
increasingly depend on Mandalay
and Yangon for revenue.
U Khin Htay said a strong law on
copyright and an improved distri-
bution system are important to de-
veloping the local lm industry, but
domestic studios must also improve
their product.
Although cheap, mass-produced
foreign lms are commonly pirated
and sold, Myanmar lms are some-
what less susceptible as they must
also be pirated locally. However,
some shops do pirate local movies
on a small-scale level.
The local aspect to Myanmar lms
is the lifeline for the industry. U Win
Min Aung is like many who remain
renters he watches Myanmar mov-
ies because he has an easier time un-
derstanding the culture and guring
out if the lm will be worthwhile.
I like Myanmar movies because
its easier for me to tell if theyre go-
ing to be good or not, he said.
Other would-be renters say its
tough to nd lms in the downtown
area. Most youth have switched to
foreign lms, said Ma Suthandar,
who lives in Tarmwe township.
Rental shop owners say there is
little they can do to prevent the slide.
The owner of Sat Wai rental shop
said she tries to adjust her stock to
generate more custom. Lately she
has been buying more funny movies
and less action and ghost movies.
If the actor is not famous and
new, people dont want to watch the
lm, she said.
Show may be over for local-language video rental shops
Long the dominant used car in Myanmar, Toyota aims to build a reputation as a new car brand worth purchasing
MYAT NOE OO
myatnoe.mcm@gmail.com
AYE
NYEIN
WIN
Some people in the
suburbs still watch
Myanmar lms,
but viewers are
increasingly turning
to television.
Sat Wai rental shop owner
Business 31 www.mmtimes.com
IN BRIEF
Two more airlines cleared for
take-off by investment body
The Myanmar Investment Commis-
sion has approved two locally-owned
airlines to begin operating local and
international routes.
Apex airline, run by Apex Airline
Public Company, and FMI Air, owned
by Serge Pun and Associates, were ap-
proved in the third week of October, in
time for the start of tourist season.
FMI Air formerly operated as a
charter service but is to transition to
a regularly scheduled service. It has
conducted ights on the Nay Pyi Taw to
Yangon route. Apex airline is spear-
headed by a consortium of business-
people and is still preparing to start
operations. Sandar Lwin
Fisheries survey gets under way
South Korea will provide US$25,000
to fund research into Myanmars
sheries sector in the hope of making
its products more competitive on the
international market and encouraging
South Korean companies to invest in
the sector.
The Korea Maritime and Ocean
University has teamed up with the My-
anmar Marine University to study the
sector, with the rst half of the funds
distributed in September.
The survey is due to be completed
in December, with a research team
from a South Korean think-tank to
conduct an assessment of the sector
for potential foreign investment.
Shwegu Thitsar,
translation by Thiri Min Htun
Reneries needed to aid energy
independence
The Ministry of Energy ought to support
high-tech oil reneries to help meet
domestic fuel demand, said Major
Than Tun Myint, a military repre-
sentative at the Amyotha Hluttaw, on
October 29.
Current domestic petroleum pro-
duction must often be exported to be
rened. If we produce high-tech fuels,
we can reduce the trade decit, he
said. The current nancial years trade
decit has already exceeded last years
US$2.65 billion trade decit.
The Ministry of Energy has a tender
to improve the renery in Yangon
Regions Thanlyin township through a
foreign partnership. It also has plans
for further renery capacity, said
deputy energy minister U Aung Htoo.
Pyae Thet Phyo,
translation by Zar Zar Soe
Illegal trade targeted in Mandalay
Mandalay area authorities will launch
a program targeting illegal trade at
Mandalay International Airport and jet-
ties along the Ayeyarwady river in a bid
to cut down on smuggling.
The program will last for the month
of November, and will see authori-
ties seize goods being traded without
licences and taxed at applicable rates.
If the taxes are paid, the goods will be
returned rather than conscated, as
the program aims to be educational,
said U Thein Win, director at Manda-
lays Department of Commerce and
Consumer Affairs.
Our aim is to generate tax revenue
for the country and ensure traders
conduct trade the right way, he said.
Than Naing Soe,
translation by Thae Thae Htwe
Mandalay rice company planned
Several prominent Mandalay rice
traders are banding together to start a
rice exporting company to seek legal
opportunities to trade with China.
The rm aims to represent all the
rice associations, such as millers and
brokers, in the city, though the board
of directors will be composed entirely
of rice rtaders, said U Min Htet Aung,
secretary of the Mandalay Wholesale
Commodity Exchange Centre.
We cant easily gain access to
export rice legally to China through ex-
isting associations, so we are preparing
to found a company, he said.
Than Naing Soe,
translation by Zar Zar Soe
FAR more motorcycles are import-
ed to Myanmar illegally than are
brought in legally, said deputy rail-
way and transportation minister U
Chan Maung.
Of the 4.053 million motorcycles
presently registered in Myanmar,
some 768,605 or 19 percent were
made in the industrial zones or were
brought in from abroad with ofcial
import licences, while the remaining
3.285 million are illegally imported,
he said during a session of the Amyo-
tha Hluttaw on October 27.
Our gures show far fewer ve-
hicles are being ofcially imported
than the number of illegal imports,
he said.
The number of illegally imported
motorcycles may be higher still as
many are thought not to have regis-
tered for licence plates.
Government authorities have
conducted registrations of illegally
imported motorcycles, meaning
people are not concerned they are
buying illegally imported vehicles
as they can get licences through the
frequent amnesties, he said.
It falls afoul of the import and
exports laws, he said. Its like ex-
horting people to break the law.
U Chan Maung said most re-
cently 451,608 illegal motorcycles
were registered during an amnesty
program lasting from February 17
to July 4 of this year, adding there
will be no more such amnesty pro-
grams. In the future the govern-
ment will attempt to encourage
purchases from ofcial sources, he
said.
Buying motorcycles from show-
rooms is law-abiding and more
suitable for Myanmar. In most in-
ternational companies, motorcycles
are imported legally and people
buy them at showrooms, he said.
Illegally imported vehicles in
the future will be forced to pay
nes, which if not paid could result
in the vehicles being conscated, he
claimed.
There are hundreds of diferent
brands of motorbikes available in
Myanmar, most of which are im-
ported from China.
Four-fifths of registered bikes
are brought in illegally
PYAE
THET
PHYO
pyaethetphyo87@gmail.com
A Mandalay city motorbike salesperson makes a deal. Photo: Phyo Wai Kyaw
MILLION
4.05
Number of motorcycles registered with
the transportation authorities
THE Kokang autonomous government
plans to open a new border gate in the
region that will act as a subsidiary gate
to the major Chinshwehaw crossing,
said autonomous government secre-
tary U Kyaw Swe.
Located in northeast Shan State on
the border with Chinas Yunnan prov-
ince, the existing Chinshwehaw cross-
ing is often overloaded during peak
hours.
We need another gate because
Chinshwehaw is so busy during the
harvest season, causing serious de-
lays and losses for exports of seasonal
crops, he said. The autonomous gov-
ernment has submitted a proposal to
Shan State for the second gate, hoping
to receive approval by the coming sug-
arcane harvest. Sugarcane in particu-
lar deteriorates rapidly in quality less
than a week after harvest, requiring its
speedy cross-border transport.
The proposed subsidiary gate is lo-
cated within shouting distance of the
main Chinshewhaw gate. The project
also involves a ring road around the
town to alleviate needs of transporting
goods trhough the middle of town.
The Kokang area depends on
sugarcane, rubber, maize and green
tea production. Ministry of Com-
merce data shows Chinshwehaw is
the third-largest of the ve border
gates with China by trade volumes.
Exports through the gates include
maize, rice and beans, while imports
include fertiliser and construction
materials. Sandar Lwin
Kokang region adds a border gate
Penalties on the rise
for tax dodgers
PENALTIES on tax dodgers will be
raised this year as the government at-
tempts to maximise state revenues in
the face of mounting spending projects,
said minister of nance U Win Shein.
Current government revenues are
not enough to meet the national budg-
et, forcing use of foreign aid, grants and
loans to develop projects, he said at a
forum of businesspeople on October
28.
The decit may be a temporary
measure to support projects, but must
be overcome eventually.
Over the long term, every govern-
ment has to pay of its debt, he said.
Myanmar has one of the lowest tax-
to-GDP ratios amount Southeast Asian
countries, aiming for 9 percent for the
2014-15 scal year, from 3.6pc in 2011-
12. Bangladesh by comparison has a
rate of about 10pc.
Pledges to crack down on tax avoid-
ers have not drawn universal support,
with some businesspeople saying pay-
ing tax will afect their bottom line.
Meanwhile the taxation bureaucracy
still has limited technical ability and a
lack of skill, and negotiations are com-
mon between taxpayers and govern-
ment of cials who are to check audits.
New rules introduced for the cur-
rent scal year stipulate taxpayers
must pay 10pc nes for failing to le or
ling late, and a 50pc ne for failure to
pay taxes on purpose, along with other
nes for a variety of prohibited tax ac-
tivities.
Internal Revenue Department di-
rector Daw Mya Mya Oo said all taxpay-
ers will receive the same kind of treat-
ment. It will be a disappointment if we
cant punish all tax avoiders fairly, she
said.
The department releases a list of
the top 500 annual taxpayers each year,
which often does not include several
notable larger companies, a point fre-
quently noted in commentary in local
media. However, Internal Revenue De-
partment director general U Min Htut
said several of the large taxpayers had
simply led too late to be included in
the published list.
We have faced negative comments
claiming we did not urge big compa-
nies to pay tax, but we found they did
become involved [in paying tax], he
said.
The department has opened a Large
Taxpayer Of ce for about 500 large
rms, including The Myanmar Times
publisher Myanmar Consolidated Me-
dia, allowing them to self-assess taxes
instead of requiring visits by auditors.
These 500 rms together contributed
more than 50pc of total tax revenues
last year.
U Ko Ko Htwe, chair of large con-
struction company Taw Win Family,
said it is wise to incentivise rms to pay
taxes instead of simply levying penal-
ties, as there is a deeply ingrained habit
of avoiding taxes in the business com-
munity.
Habits are unlikely to change in
a day, he said. Its a large tradition
to avoid taxes, even for of cials, and
changing minds will take time. The In-
ternal Revenue Department also needs
to reform its human resources, will au-
diting rms also needs more experts.
Myanmar rms often keep multiple
sets of books for diferent purposes,
such as showing auditors, partners or
internal use.
If the government doesnt like cor-
ruption, it can take action on staf who
accept bribes, but the situation is re-
versed for taxpayers. They need to give
an incentive to taxpayers by reducing
rates, said U Ko Ko Htwe.
Not all companies included in the
list of large taxpayers said they are
aware of the benets of the new system.
A director at A1 Construction said
there is little knowledge of what it
means to be included on the list.
I feel its just an abstract dignity.
We dont get any benet or any guaran-
tee. It doesnt make it easier to borrow
from the banks or anything like that,
the director said.
AYE THIDAR
KYAW
ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
a company organized under the laws of Korea and having its
principal offce at 416, Maetan-dong, Suweon, Kyungki-do, Korea
is the owner and sole proprietor of the following trademark:-
(Reg: No. IV/592/1993 & IV/1501/1998)
in respect of:- Engines for non land vehicles; motors other than for
land vehicles; turbines other than for land vehicles; electric generators;
concrete mixers; earth moving machines; road making machines;
cranes; grinding machines; lathes; presses machines for industrial
purposes; boring machines; foundry machines; dredging machines,
rammers (machines); electric openers; washing machines; chip
mounting machines; robots; ploughs; programmable logic controller;
control cable for machines; conveyors (machines); electron beam
machines; control mechanisms for machines; electric hand drills,
Mine borers; dish washers Intl Class 7
Amplifiers; alkaline batteries; alumina parts for magnetron;
automatic vending machines; buzzers; battery chargers; binoculars;
cathode ray tubes bulbs; cathode ray tubes; cold cathode fuorescent
tube; capacitors; car communication equipment; cameras; cash
registers; charge coupled device cameras; color flter for liquid crystal
display; computer programs; computer memories; computers; cable
T.V. convertors; defection coils; cassette tape recorders; compact
disk players; digitizers; discharge indicator tube; defection yoke;
dot, inkjet, or laser printers; electric fat irons; electronic switching
systems; electronic view-fnder tube; electric vacuum cleaners;
electric measuring devices; electroluminescent display; electron guns;
electronic calculators; ferrite core for rotary transformer of video
cassette recorder; fat display tube; feld emission display; flters for
fltering electro-magnetic waves; fash gun; fy-back transformers;
glass for color television picture tube bulb; headphones; high frequency
apparatus; identity cards readers; integrated circuits; inverters; lens for
optics; liquid crystal display; lasers not for medical purposes; laser
disk players; loud speakers; magnetic, foppy, optical disks, and drives
thereof; matrix blanks for liquid crystal display; monitors; magnetic
identity cards; optical cables; optical character recognizer; optical
fbers; oscillographs; piezo-electric parts for communications; printed
circuit board; photo copying machines; portable communication
equipment; projection tube, photo tube; plasma display panel; polymer
dispered liquid crystal; polymer network liquid crystal; plasma address
liquid crystal; photographic shutters; phototelegraphic apparatus;
R.F. modulators; radar sets; radios; radio telephonic sets; remote
control apparatus; resistors; semiconductors; sensors for measuring
weights and checking gas; liquid crystal projectors; supersonic wave
humidifers; satellite broadcasting receivers; testing apparatus not for
medical purposes; television apparatus; thin flm matrix; transmitters
of electronic signal; tuners; telephone apparatus; vacuum fuorescent
display tube; video cameras; video tapes; video game machines and
video game programs; video cassette recorders; wafers (silicon slice);
word processors Intl Class 9
Air purifying appliances; ultra high pressure mercury lamp;
compact fuorescent lamp; electrodeless lamp; back-light lamp;
metal halide lamp; lamp fxtures; electric braxiers; electric fans;
electric percolators; refrigerators; electric stoves; electric water
cooling and heating machines; electronic juicers; exhausted gas
purifcation ceramics; microwave ovens; air-gas generator; air
conditioning apparatus; electric blankets; electric cooker; electric
ovens; electric ranges; electric toasters; electric coffee machines;
electric humidifers; lanterns for lighting; hair driers; hot plates;
light bulbs; room coolers; laundry driers Intl Class 11
Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or
other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law.
U Kyi Win Associates
for Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon.
Phone: 372416 Dated: 3
rd
November, 2014
SMALL and well-run Singapore,
New Zealand and Hong Kong are
the worlds easiest places to run a
business, while global giants China,
Brazil and India remain far down
the list, according the World Bank.
Three small but hot Pacic econ-
omies led the Banks annual Doing
Business report, released on Oc-
tober 31, which focuses on where
businesses are best helped and least
hindered by government.
The top 10 was lled out by
Denmark, South Korea, Norway,
the United States, Britain, Finland
and Australia, mostly the same de-
veloped economies as in previous
years.
But the report, despite revisions
to its methodology after upsetting
China in past years, left emerging
market giants far down the list, fast
growth and success in drawing in-
vestment notwithstanding.
China ranked 90
th
out of 189
countries and territories, barely im-
proved from 93 a year ago; Brazil
is 120th, also up three places; and
India was ranked at 142, two spots
worse than before.
All three ranked lower than trou-
bled economies and difcult invest-
ment environments like Russia and
Greece. But that only underscored
the admittedly narrow focus of the
survey, in terms of assessing a coun-
trys success.
Doing Business measures a
slender segment of the complex or-
ganism that any modern economy
is, admitted World Bank chief econ-
omist Kaushik Basu in a forward to
the report. An economy can do poor-
ly on Doing Business indicators but
do well in macroeconomic policy or
social welfare interventions.
The scores measure the operating
environment for a business, including
how easy it is to start a company, to
transfer a property or resolve a com-
mercial dispute; the time and cost of
clearing imports and exports through
a port; how easy is it to get an electric-
ity connection; and other issues that
face business owners in any country.
By those measures, Singapore
was, as in recent past years, on top
with a score of 88.27, and New Zea-
land close behind with 86.91.
The top 30 countries all had
more than 74 points, while the bot-
tom ve, with isolated and authori-
tarian East African pariah Eritrea at
the very end, all scored below 40.
The contrast between the best
and worst underscored why Singa-
pore is highly praised and successful.
Entrepreneurs in the Southeast
Asian island nation need just 2.5
days to open a business, 31 days to
get electric power and four days and
US$440 to import a container.
Meanwhile in Eritrea, a similar
businessman would need on average
84 days to start a company and 59
days to get electricity, while import-
ing goods takes 59 days and $2000
per container.
Mr Basu stressed that the sur-
vey is not a measure of the level
of government intervention in an
economy.
A signicant number of the top
30 economies in the ease of doing
business ranking come from a tra-
dition where government has had
quite a prominent presence in the
economy, he noted.
The top-performing economies
... are therefore not those with no
regulation but those in which gov-
ernments have managed to create
rules that facilitate interactions in
the marketplace without needlessly
hindering the development of the
private sector.
Ultimately, Doing Business is
about smart regulations that only a
wellfunctioning state can provide.
The secret of success is to have
the essential rules and regulations
in place but more importantly to
have a good system of clearing de-
cisions quickly and predictably, so
that small and ordinary businesses
do not feel harassed. AFP
Pacifc countries top survey
IN BRIEF
ConocoPhilips decides
Bangladesh blocks not viable
US energy giant ConocoPhillips has
decided to stop exploring for oil and
gas in Bangladeshs two deep-sea
blocks after deciding it was not com-
mercially viable,
Bangladesh awarded the US com-
pany rights to explore in blocks 10 and
11 in the energy-rich Bay of Bengal in
2011 after Myanmar found a huge gas
reserve in nearby waters.
But after conducting two surveys,
ConocoPhillips has told Bangladeshs
state energy group PetroBangla it will
not continue exploring, the countrys
junior energy minister Nasrul Hamid
said. AFP
Apple chief comes out as gay
Apples Tim Cook became the most
prominent chief executive to acknowl-
edge his homosexuality, putting fresh
focus on gay representation in the
boardroom.
Let me be clear: Im proud to be
gay, and I consider being gay among
the greatest gifts God has given me,
Mr Cook said.
Mr Cooks announcement, in an
essay written for Bloomberg Busi-
nessweek, is a watershed since he is
the rst CEO of a major US corpora-
tion to make such a declaration.
Bloomberg
India mulls mining permit auction
India may auction permits to mine iron
ore, bauxite and some other minerals,
mirroring a policy for coal after the
nations top court ordered scrapping of
arbitrary allocations, people familiar
with the plan said.
A bill to amend the Mines and
Minerals Development and Regulation
Act of 1957 shall be placed in the next
parliament session starting November
24, said the two people, who asked not
to be identied pending an announce-
ment. Ofcials led by Mines and Steel
Minister Narendra Singh Tomar are
meeting state governments to seek
support, they said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who
strode to power in May with the biggest
mandate in 30 years, is overhaul-
ing rules to cut graft and spread the
benet of the nations resources to all
its 1.2 billion people.
Bloomberg
MYANMAR narrowly escaped being
named as one of the top 10 most dif-
cult places to do business, coming
in 177
th
spot on the 189country list
released by the World Bank on Octo-
ber 29.
It is the lowestranked ASEAN
member in the Doing Business 2015
report, and with the exception of Af-
ghanistan, the lowestranked Asian
country.
Myanmar scored last in the start-
ing a business category, but did rela-
tively well in the paying taxes and
trading across borders categories,
nishing 116
th
and 103
rd
respectively.
Myanmar was singled out as the coun-
try showing the most improvement for
trading across borders in the report.
Its Ministry of Commerce abol-
ished the export licence requirement
for 166 types of goods and the import
licence requirement for 152 reduc-
ing the time, cost and number of doc-
uments required to export and im-
port general cargo products, it said.
As measured by Doing Business,
exporting now takes 20 percent less
time than before, and importing 19pc
less time. Jeremy Mullins
Doing
business in
Myanmar
not too easy
Best
1: Singapore
2: New Zealand
3: Hong Kong
4: Denmark
5: South Korea
6: Norway
7: United States
8: Britain
9: Finland
10: Australia
Worst
189: Eritrea
188: Libya
187: Central African Republic
186: South Sudan
185: Chad
184: Democratic Republic of Congo
183: Afghanistan
182: Venezuela
181: Angola
180: Haiti
177
Myanmars position in the Doing
Business 2015 survey, out of 189
countries.
International Business 33 www.mmtimes.com
OPINION
MICROFINANCE is new to Myan-
mar except for a very few programs
over the past 15 years or so. The
country is still nding its way with
regard to policies and approaches.
The Myanmar government, donors
and practitioners can learn from
countries where modern micro-
nance has matured and was in ex-
istence from the 1970s and 1980s. In
this article, the author discusses the
lessons Myanmar can learn from
the experiences and approaches of
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We can
see government actions afect the
poor in their eforts to access small
capital.
The issue is one whether the
future will ensure pro-poor (good)
micro nance or commercial high
interest pro-prot micronance.
Sri Lanka has a long historical
relationship with Myanmar with a
similar culture and the majority of
the population of both countries be-
ing Buddhists. Bangladesh on the
other hand is a new country sharing
a border with Myanmar and conse-
quently enduring tensions. Bangla-
desh is credited as the country which
initiated modern micronance due
to Muhammad Yunus initial experi-
ments in the early 1970s. Sri Lanka
started modern micronance in
the mid 1980s, primarily learning
from the program in Bangladesh.
Incidentally, Myanmars oldest and
major micronance program PACT,
which assists over 700,000 families,
was initiated and is still headed by
a Bangladeshi professional.
In both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
micronance was pioneered by non-
governmental organisations (NGOs)
with no prot motive, solely with
the objective of poverty alleviation
and womens empowerment. In the
last 20 years, however, there has
been a signicant change in objec-
tives and approach to micronance
in the two countries. In both Bang-
ladesh and Sri Lanka large amounts
of grant money were given by donors
to NGOs to commence and expand
micro nance work. Further, the
World Bank and ADB commenced
wholesale funding agencies in both
countries to on-lend to NGOs who in
turn retailed to borrowers. In Bang-
ladesh the wholesale body is called
PKSF and in Sri Lanka, NDTF.
Major similarities, however, end
there. In Bangladesh there is legis-
lation for micronance whilst in Sri
Lanka there is no legislation despite
the industry being nearly 30 years
old. In Bangladesh the wholesale
organisation PKSF has had 24 years
of continuous service and as of De-
cember 2013 funded 273 NGOs and
had an outstanding loan balance of
US$460 million. In Sri Lanka the
equivalent organization NDTF was
closed down in 2011 and the funds
transferred to banks. This action
dried the main funding source for
NGOs and virtually killed funding
for the NGO micronance sector
as they are not permitted to accept
savings due to lack of regulations.
They are also not permitted to take
foreign loans.
The policies of Bangladesh en-
couraged pro-poor NGO driven mi-
cronance whilst in Sri Lanka once
NDTF ceased to exist, the growth
is in the commercial micronance
sector, driven by Finance Compa-
nies and Banks. Finance Companies
charge 28 percent at interest rates
(around 56pc declining) for micro-
nance and one company reported
a prot of 490 million Sri Lankan
rupees (US$3.76 million) in 2013.
Compared to this, NGOs charge
around 12 to 14pc at, as they are
not prot-driven, and their objective
is not to make prots from the poor.
Of course, this does not mean that
NGOs are not nancially sustainable
or not making reasonable prots. All
major Bangladeshi MFI like ASA,
Grameen, BRAC and good Sri Lan-
kan NGO MFIs like Berendina (BMI),
which is headed by the writer, make
signicant prots and use these to
give further loans to the poor and
not to give dividends to the rich. In
this case prot is a measurement of
efciency rather one of greed. One
important lesson for donors is not
to rush into stopping grants for mi-
cronance without putting in place
an alternative mechanism for fund-
ing. Even PACT has succeeded due
to availability of grant funds. If the
switch is made a PKSF equivalent
independent national body must be
made for on-lending.
Another diference between Sri
Lanka and Bangladesh is the role of
government-implanted micronance
programs. In Sri Lanka the largest
micronance program is the govern-
ment managed Samurdhi which has
over 700,000 clients. This is sub-
sidised by the treasury with over 1
billion rupees per year and provides
loans at very subsidised interest
rates. In Bangladesh, too, govern-
ment started such programs but re-
alised their folly and created an en-
vironment for NGOs to be the main
provider of micronance. Myanmar
is also starting government-man-
aged micro nance programs. This is
partly for political reasons, but is it
fair on the poor and the economy?
Hence an important lesson from the
two countries is that governments
role should be facilitation and not
direct retailing or wholesaling of
credit.
Further, a more hands-of ap-
proach with minimum interference
create an enabling environment.
However the Myanmar government
is right in putting an interest cap
but should also be wary of numer-
ous charges some MFIs introduce
making efective interest rates much
higher than what is allowed.
There are various other argu-
ments brought to suggest that mi-
cronance must be commercialised
and not left to the NGO sector. One
such argument is that commercial
actors are more competent in man-
aging savings. However NGOs in
Bangladesh which now hold over
US$3 billion in savings with them
have proven that this is a myth.
Dulan de Silva is a freelance consultant
in microfinance who has worked in over
15 countries including Sri Lanka and
Myanmar.
He has spent most of his adult
life trying to help eradicate poverty,
and appealing to the government and
donors to take these lessons into
consideration when making decisions
about the future of microfinance in
Myanmar.
DULAN DE SILVA
dulande@gmail.com
Learning microfnances lessons
The Myanmar
government,
donors and
practitioners can
learn from countries
where modern
micronance has
matured.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ofer two very diferent models for Myanmars burgeoning micronance scene but which of them is best?
34 Business Views THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
JOB WATCH
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
The Italian Embassy in Yangon is seeking candidates for 1 position as Admin-
istrative Assistant, requiring previous experience in secretariat and adminis-
trative tasks. Very good English and Myanmar knowledge (spoken and written)
is required.Knowledge of Italian language will also be valued;candidates shall
therefore declare in the application form if they intend to participate in the Ital-
ian language test.
Candidates must submit by December 1st, 2014 an application form, available
at the Embassy and at: www.ambyangon.esteri.it , to: Italian Embassy, 3 Inya
Myaing Rd, Golden Valley, BahanTwsp, Yangon or to: archivio.yangon@es-
teri.it
Applicants shall be: at least 18 years old; in good health; high-school equiva-
lent degree; resident in Myanmar for at least 2 years.
For queries, call: 01.527100 ext. 0
EMBASSY OF ITALY
YANGON
Pact, a U.S based INGO with operations throughout Myanmar, is
currently seeking an experienced and dedicated candidate for the
position below.
Position Title: Senior Regional and Operations Coordinator
Department: Shae Thot Program
Position Summary: The Senior Regional and Operations Coordinator (SROC) is a key member of the leadership team
of a dynamic and growing country program and responsible for providing leadership for operations, high-level program
implementation, and effective program compliance to ensure programming is effcient and responsive to community needs;
plays a key role in coordinating partnerships with international and national organizations, managing relations with
government, and in the overall management of the Operations Unit and Regional Offces for Pact's Shae Thot program.
Requirements:
University degree in a related feld
At least 5 years of management experience in international development or similar organizations
Excellent written and verbal communication in English and Burmese.
NB: This position does not include expatriate allowances or benefts, should a non-Myanmar national be selected.
Detailed job description including requirements for the position is available at the Pact offce or www.themimu.info/jobs/
index.php
Interested and qualifed candidates can send their application letter,
CV, one passport-sized photo and references to:
HR Offcer, Pact #608 Penthouse, Bo Son Pat Condominium, Pabedan Township
Tel: 09-8553198; 373221, 378931 & 245447 (Ext: 78, 73)
E-mail: myanmarhr@pactworld.org
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
The Human Resources Manager: Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd.
379-383 Bo Aung Kyaw Street, Kyauktada T/S, Yangon
Email applications to: mcmhrd@myanmartimes.com.mm
Challenging Media Sales Position
MCM is looking for an excellent candidate to oversee our National Sales Force.
Successful candidates will have strong commercial management experience, the vision
to develop our business, and a track-record of B2B Sales Management. Experience in
the media sector will be a bonus.
The National Sales Director will oversee our Sales Departments activities
day-to-day, coaching the team towards strong sales performance while overseeing
the placement of advertisements into our products, and reporting directly to top
management.
Success in this challenging position will require going beyond week-to-week
management and test your ability to chase new business, develop new business
opportunities, and inform the companys growth as a whole. Your success in this
position will pave the way towards a rewarding career in Media. Are you ready to take
your management career to the next level? Remuneration will be commensurate with
candidates experience.
Apply today:
Email our HR team at MCMHRD@mmtimes.com.mm for a full job description and
details on the application process.
Business Development manager
Marketing manager
Sales and distribution manager
Brand manager
Logistic officer
Medical doctor
Project manager
Sales engineer
Site engineer
Chief Accountant
Accountant
HR Manager
HR Executive
Legal executive
Secretary
Passenger service agent ( airline)
Receptionist
Customer service
No. 851/853 (A/B), 3rd Floor, Room (7/8), Bogyoke Aung San Road, Lanmadaw
Township, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: (951) 229 437, 09 49 227 773, 09 730 94007
Email: esearch@yangon.net.mm, esearch.myanmar@gmail.com
www.esearchmyanmar.com www.facebook.com/esearchmyanmar
N
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C
A
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E
S

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P
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Y

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BUSINESS EDITOR: Jeremy Mullins | jeremymullins7@gmail.com
Property
IN PICTURES
Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
The Myanmar city of Muse (foreground) ends
and the Chinese city of Ruili begins. The border is
approximately at the tree line.
UNDEVELOPED land on industrial
zones will subject to fines and pos-
sible confiscation by the Ministry of
Industry in a bid to combat wide-
spread property speculation, ac-
cording to deputy industry minister
U Thein Aung.
Industrial zones have been the
site of rampant property specula-
tion, with investors buying and
holding land in hopes of it appreci-
ating in value.
The resulting price increases
and restricted supply makes it dif-
ficult to find reasonably price land
for businesspeople attempting to
build an actual factory.
We are planning to fine owners
who fail to complete their projects
in the proposed period, said U
Thein Aung.
We will also revoke land-use
permits for land where investors
havent presented a project propos-
al, he added.
It can also be difficult to revoke
permits that provide rights to in-
dustrial zone land plots, however,
as it needs to be done gently and
fairly. Still, it is a job that needs to
be done, said U Thein Aung.
Vacant land is useless for the
country, he said. We need to cre-
ate job opportunities and eliminate
poverty.
Land has often been purchased
by businesspeople with plans for a
project, but then resold to specula-
tors when they offered higher pric-
es. U Thein Aung said there are now
nine teams actively checking up on
vacant land in industrial zones,
though it can be difficult to deter-
mine whether the land is vacant
due to being owned by speculators
or vacant for another reason.
U Thein Aungs comments came
in the Amyotha Hluttaw on October
15 in response to a question from
Yangion Region representative U
Myat Nyarna Soe, who said high
land prices are making it difficult
for foreign investors to choose My-
anmar to set up their facilities.
U Myat Nyarna Soe said he had
visited Hlaing Tharyar industrial
zone and received complaints from
businesspeople whose face grow-
ing rental prices stemming from
speculators bidding up purchasing
prices.
Foreign investors dont want to
do business with expensive rental
prices, so the development of the
countrys economy is being ob-
structed by soaring land prices even
though Myanmar has rich human
and natural resources, he said.
There are currently 19 developed
industrial zones, six more zones un-
der development, 24 sub-industrial
zones and three special economic
zones Thilawa, Dawei and Kyauk-
phyu. The three SEZs in particular
are geared toward attracting sig-
nificant foreign business, and offer
companies a number of benefits by
locating on the zones.
Fines and seizures
coming to industrial
land with no progress
PYAE THET PHYO
pyaethetphyo87@gmail.com
We will also revoke
land-use permits
for land where
investors havent
presented a project
proposal.
U Thein Aung
Deputy industry minister
SURGING property prices are making
it more dif cult for buyers to pay for
units with one-time purchases, and
buyers are increasingly turning to pre-
sales that allow installment payments.
Pre-sales were virtually unheard of
before 2011 in Yangon, but after land
prices took of, local contractors have
begun turning to the practice to make
their developments afordable, said U
San Yu, who is a manager at construc-
tion sites.
Contractors were suddenly faced
with real dif culty in funding projects,
so they began doing deals with land
owners and started using a pre-sale
system, said U San Yu.
Pre-sales work in a number of
ways. The most common is that a buy-
er places a down payment on a unit,
typically around a quarter or a third of
the whole amount, and then pays the
rest in installments as the building is
actually built.
The system is not without con-
troversy, however. Some contractors
accept down payments and then are
slow to start actually building, often
leaving the buyers with little recourse
but to sit, wait and hope the project
actually gets built. Customers need
to make sure they are buying from li-
censed contractors, said U San Yu.
YCDC also launched a crackdown
on unlicensed contractors last year,
taking particular aim at builders in
Yangons outskirts who operated with-
out the correct permits and licences.
Thingangyun township has gained
a reputation for being an area with
many buildings going up without li-
cences. One local contractor request-
ing anonymity said sometimes the real
estate sector is a way to turn so-called
black, or questionably obtained,
money into clean white money.
These kind of contractors do not
use licences, and they often ofer pre-
sale apartments at cheaper prices, he
said.
It is cheaper to put up buildings
without the expenses of receiving
YCDC approval, though this also en-
courages shady property dealings, he
said. In particular, it can take up to
three months to get a building licence
for freehold land and up to a year to
get a licence for grant land.
Fees can also add up, according to
U San Yu. It costs so much in fees to
nish a building. For instance, renew-
ing a contractor licence is between
K20 million and K50 million, depend-
ing on size of the building they are al-
lowed to build. Theres also a K3 mil-
lion deposit per building, a K3 million
re protection fee to the Department
of Fire Service, as well as the cost of
the project itself.
Buyers also often seek out unli-
censed units in a bid to nd lower
prices, said U Yan Aung, general man-
ager of Asia Construction Company.
Some contractors have many pro-
jects, and use pre-sale revenue from
one project to fund a separate project,
meaning it can take a long time before
some projects are completed.
Buyers must be sure to have a
rm, written contract completed by a
lawyer before buying a pre-sale unit.
Some contractors insist on making the
contracts themselves, so they are cov-
ered when something goes wrong.
The root reason for contractors
pre-selling is that property develop-
ment has a large, up-front cost. Often
contractors pay the land owner in
kind with nished units instead of by
cash, and many also see presales as a
way to raise much-needed capital.
Edwin Vanderbruggen, senior
partner at legal rm VDB Loi, said
if construction rms are conducting
pre-sales, they should show irrefutable
proof to customers that the building
will proceed, such as disclosing the
capital it has for construction.
If the contractors dont do that,
the buyers dont have to believe them
until construction is nished on all the
units, he said.
Mr Vanderbruggen added the Yan-
gon City Development Committee and
Department of Human Settlement and
Housing Development have added
new laws on buildings, which are bet-
ter than previous rules. However, the
regulations could still be improved.
In other countries, apartment own-
ers are able to get a copy of the build-
ers licence to accompany the contract
when applying for a bank loan, though
there is no such system here, he said.
Although experts warn buyers to be
cautions, not every buyer of a pre-sale
unit experiences trouble.
Ko Nyan Linn bought a pre-sale
apartment which will cost him a total
of about K18 million.
I go and see the construction site
almost every day to see whether my
unit is nished, he said. I am not rich.
Property price rise puts
pressure on pre-sales
MYAT
NYEIN AYE
myatnyeinaye11092@gmail.com
37
FOSTERING growth in the property
market will require an improved legal
climate, likely including more partici-
pation by the Myanmar Investment
Commission, according to Edwin
Vanderbruggen, senior partner at legal
and tax advisers VDB Loi.
Most sectors in the economic are
seeing signicant growth, and prop-
erty is no diferent, though it comes
with its own set of challenges.
The recent property laws and reg-
ulations are not bad but they need to
be rm and [could] be better, he said.
Less than 5 percent of large-scale
property projects have obtained a My-
anmar Investment Commission (MIC)
permit, which is partly due to the com-
missions policies requiring developers
to have an actual lease and partly due
to applicants being unable or unwilling
to take on MIC scrutiny, he said.
MIC permits are required for most
large foreign investment such as man-
ufacturing, but not for property. Man-
datory or not, developers should in
our view be more open to submitting
their project to the MIC for approval
and support, he said at a conference
jointly organised by local business
chamber UMFCCI and VDB Loi on
October 24.
Increased MIC involvement in the
real estate sector could be positive in
certain instances, such as if leased
land needs to be subdivided and sub-
leased. Some government land owners
are reluctant to modify lease terms,
but MIC could play a role by helping
investors and the government develop
structures that are suitable for raising
funds.
Financing developments is also
still at an early stage in the country,
he said. Most foreign-invested projects
are nanced by a combination of eq-
uity, shareholder loans and proceeds
from unit sales, while project nanc-
ing from overseas is still quite rare.
Although the 2012 Foreign Exchange
Management Act improved the situ-
ation, the Central Bank of Myanmar
and the MIC are not yet familiar with
the needs and expectations of foreign
lenders.
Richard Emerson, country man-
ager of Savills real estate rm, said
Myanmar has a good property market,
though investment is less than ex-
perts hopes because of the high prop-
erty prices and weakness of property
rules and regulations.
Building better
real estate laws
TIN YADANAR TUN
yadanar.mcm@gmail.com
MYAT NYEIN AYE
myatnyeinaye11092@gmail.com
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
We told them our desires but they rejected them, so we have chosen
Yongnam instead.
Directorate of Civil Aviation official U Win Swe Htun on the decision to ditch Incheon to build Hanthawaddy
First lawsuit led in
MH370 tragedy
WORLD 42
HOUSE OF THE WEEK
House of the Week has a few re-
grets. Never getting good at bowl-
ing, for instance, or not pursuing
youthful dreams of raising profes-
sional fighting cocks. But no deci-
sion stings more dearly than the
decision not to get involved in the
Golden Valley property game half a
decade ago.
Its a great area to live in Yan-
gon, but the secrets out, and its
not cheap. Those that bought in a
half-decade ago generally have a
good thing going, but its a tough
market for your average renters
like House of the Week.
Thats why we were pleased as
punch to find this weeks house.
Its smack in the middle of Golden
Valley, and the asking price is a
good starting point at K3.5 million
a month to rent. Given that it could
be negotiated lower, its the start
of something of a deal.
The 2400-square-foot, two-
storey home has two master bed-
rooms, two smaller bedrooms and
a couple of living rooms. There
is also plenty of outdoor space,
though it could use a gardeners
attention, while indoors is well-
decorated with tasteful parquet
floors.
Its also a short walk from Yan
Gyi Aung Pagoda, which, depend-
ing on your religious leanings, is
a convenient stop to express your
faith. Downtown is also a short trip
away, making it a convenient com-
mute for those working in the city.
The full list of amenities are
here, but the home isnt fully fur-
nished and will need an assort-
ment of furniture. And now that
the Golden Valley housing issue
might be solved for House of the
Week, at least on a rental basis,
maybe its time to look into those
fighting cocks.
Tin Yadanar Htun
Location : Old University
Avenue Road,
Golden Valley,
Bahan township
Price : K 3.5 million
per month
(negotiable)
Contact : Estate Myanmar
Real Estate Agency
Phone : 09-43118787
09-43031699
The Golden Valley housing game
PERCENT
5
Proportion of large-scale property
projects that seek Myanmar Investment
Commission approval
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that Aktiebolaget SKF, a
company organized under the laws of Sweden of S-415
50 Gteborg, Sweden, do solemnly and sincerely declare
that we are the Owners and Sole Proprietors of the
following trademark in Myanmar: -
The said mark is used in respect of: - lubricants and greases;
balls of steel and brass, castings, sheaves and pulleys,
washers, locking nuts and clips, sleeves, greases nipples;
ball and roller bearings, plain bearings, hydrostatic bearings,
parts thereof and accessories thereto; seals for bearings,
bearing housings, sheaves and pulleys, crankshafts;
machinery components, especially couplings, transmissions,
cardan joints, live centres, machine tool spindles, gear
wheels and gear boxes, axles for machines, ball bushings,
ball groove slides, ball and roller screws, link rollers, rod
ends; mounting tools namely hydraulic oil injectors, pumps,
hydraulic nuts and hydraulic withdrawal tools, pressure
oil apparatus, oil mist lubricators, lubrication systems and
devices, parts of the aforementioned goods and accessories
thereto; textile machinery components, especially spinning
spindles, drafting rollers, treadle rolls, shaft rollers, eccentric
rollers, spindle inserts, tension and idler pulleys, cam
followers, pendulum weighting arms, top rollers, bottom
roller bearings, lubricating apparatus for spinning spindles,
yarn feeders, open-end spinning units; sealed bearing unit;
automatic lubricant dispenser; mechanical balancing unit;
insulated bearings; sensorized bearings; coated bearings;
smart actuators such as electromechanical actuating units;
actuators and linear motion systems, positioning systems;
linear bearings and guidings; magnetic bearings; hand tools
especially, spanners, bearing pullers, withdrawal tools,
bolt pre-spanners, lubricant hand-presses, hook spanners,
impact spanners; measuring equipment and instruments
especially gauges, theremometers, shock pulse meters,
test rigs, grease testing apparatus, electronic stethoscopes,
digital tachometers, apparatus for supervising lubrication
and grease temperature, parts of the aforementioned goods
and accessories thereto, computer analysis system for
machinery in industrial process and manufacturing plants,
registered computer programs, systems for handling of
information; bearing heaters; bearings for vehicles, bearing
units and axle boxes for land vehicles; brake drums and
discs, crankshafts, couplings, transmissions, gear wheels and
gear boxes, tappets and wheel hubs, all for land vehicles;
airframe components, fight control rods and cables, aero-
engine bearings, rudder bearings; wheels and castors for
land vehicles; bearings for water jet vehicles; pod propulsion
systems; railway bearings; printed instructional and teaching
material (except apparatus), magazines, newsletters,
brochures, manuals and handbooks, all in the feld of
industrial technology; stationery; materials for packing,
stopping, sealing and insulating; sealings and packings for
components for use in hydraulics, pneumatics and automatic
control, oil seals, fuid seals; on-line advertising of metal
goods, via the Internet; compilation of stock and product
information into computer databases; installation, repair
and maintenance of industrial plants, tools, equipment and
machinery, parts and components all related thereto and all
for the machinery, heavy, electric, mining, steel, pulp and
paper, printing, vehicle and aerospace industry; customer
service such as product information within the above
business felds; freight transportation by air, water or land;
warehouse storage; logistics and reverse logistic services,
namely storage, transportation and delivery of documents,
packages, raw materials, and other freight for other by air,
water or land; information regarding material treatment,
namely, electro and metal coating; metal heat treatment
and metal casting; hardening of metal and metal products in
connection with industrial production processes; education,
instruction and teaching, namely in the feld of technical
products and services; providing on-line publications (not
downloadable) in the feld of technical products and service;
engineering; technical expertise services and technical
advice in the feld of mechanical, technical and industrial
production; product research and development; construction
and engineering drafting and drawing; industrial design;
industrial research, namely technical project studies and
research regarding mechanical, technical and industrial
production; material testing; calibration (measuring);
consulting services in the field of design, selection,
implementation and use of computer hardware and software
systems for others; integration of computer systems and
network; computer programming for others; monitoring
computer systems of others and providing back-up computer
programs and facilities; monitoring security control and
quality control of products and material
The said trademark is the subject of Declaration of
Ownership recorded with the Registrar of Deeds and
Assurances, Yangon, Myanmar, in Book under No.
IV/40/2005 dated January 7, 2005.
Any infringement or colourable imitation thereof or other
infringement of the rights of the said Corporation will be
dealt with according to law.
for Aktiebolaget SKF
by its Attorneys
REMFRY & SAGAR
INDIA Dated: 3
rd
November, 2014
38
Science & Technology
THE people actively building Wiki-
pedias Myanmar language site have
a joke. Each time a celebrity dies, a
Myanmar Wikipedia page is born.
Thats because when a famous
person passes on, news sources pub-
lish stories about them, which serves
as ready-made references for the
Myanmar Wikipedia community of
editors. Sometimes its very hard to
collect the information about the bi-
ography, says Ko Zaw Thet Aung, a
community administrator. [When]
some celebrity dies, their biogra-
phys in the newspaper.
Wikipedia relies on a community
of volunteers to write and edit ency-
clopedia articles online. The website,
run by non-prot organisation Wiki-
media Foundation, was founded as
an English-language page, but now
covers more than 33 million pages in
upward of 287 languages around the
world including Myanmar. A dedi-
cated community of Myanmar edi-
tors, whose core group of frequent
contributors numbers about 10 to 20
people, has helped build up a vault
of more than 33,000 Myanmar lan-
guage articles.
For the small group of volunteers
building the Myanmar-language
Wikipedia presence, content begets
content. Editors can take every-
thing from current events to books
on niche topics and turn them into
native language articles. Subjects
arent assigned, but crop up natu-
rally from interest. Popular topics,
on subjects as varied as geography,
famous gures and the mysterious
disappearance of MH370.
Wikipedia contributor Ko Maung
San has seen the site come a long
way from the blacklist, where it
briey ended up once or twice
when the political situation was not
very good like 2007, 2008, he said.
Still, theres plenty more informa-
tion that has not yet found its way
into the Myanmar version of the dig-
ital encyclopedia. Advocates hope to
augment the expansion of Myanmar
Wikipedia, which according to Wiki-
pedia Statistics has 3 percent more
articles now than it did last year and
sees 2 new articles go up a day.
As Anna Koval, manager of the
Wikipedia Education Program at
the Wikimedia Foundaton, said at
Ooredoos Yangon Connected Wom-
ens Conference on October 17, the
site has room to grow. And though
33,549 articles might seem like a
small number compared to the near-
ly 4.7 million pages in English, pas-
sionate people are making progress.
It only takes one match to burn
down a forest and one tree can make
a million matches, she said, speak-
ing about raising awareness for
Wikipedia.
Though a crowd of loosely organ-
ised contributors has created this
information stockpile mostly on its
own steam, it has also had help most
recently from Telenor, the Norwe-
gian telco which launched services
in Yangon on October 26.
If a contributors aim is to help
make Wikipedia a one-stop shop for
information, Telenor is working to-
ward bringing people in. In 2012 the
rm partnered with the Wikimedia
Foundation on Wikipedia Zero, the
initiative to deliver mobile users free
access to the site. The company also
helps to put on local trainings and
events.
Telenors initiatives could help
spur the responsible content gen-
eration article-writing with a
Spark of knowledge starts with Wikipedia
CATHERINE
TRAUTWEIN
Ooredoo
near to
covering all
of Yangon
CATHERINE TRAUTWEIN
OOREDOOS coverage now extends to
95 percent of Yangon city, Ooredoo My-
anmar CEO Ross Cormack announced
at a press conference on October 29.
Though a few trouble spots still ex-
ist, the company has been working to
augment coverage by putting up roof-
tops and towers, Mr Cormack said.
We have still work to do in Parami
Road on the northeast side of Inya
Lake, where you come from Parami
round the corner, and in Thaketa, and
also on the south side of Shwedagon
Pagoda, he continued. But those are
single locations which well be able to
cover in the next few weeks.
Of Yangon Regions 44 townships,
39 are blanketed by Ooredoos cover-
age and 25 are more than 80 percent
covered area-wise, Mr Cormack said.
Meanwhile in Bago Region, the
telcos coverage stretches to 15 of 28
townships, with four blanketed 80pc or
more by area, he added.
The company also claims continu-
ous 3G coverage on the highway to
Mandalay, in which division 17 out of
28 townships are covered and 12 have
80pc or more of their areas covered.
If you chose to get in your car
and drive from [Yangon] to Nay
Pyi Taw and then all the way up the
highway to Mandalay, you have con-
tinuous 3G coverage apart from a
tiny gap, Mr Cormack said. This is
a rst in Myanmar.
Ooredoo will ll the last coverage
gap on the highway with two base sta-
tions in Myit Son Gyi village, Kyaukse
township, Mandalay Region, by the end
of the year.
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that William Grant & Sons Irish
Brands Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland
and having its principal offce at 4
th
Floor, Block D, Iveagh Court,
Harcourt Road, Dublin 2, Ireland is the Owner and Sole Proprietor
of the following trademarks:-
HENDRICKS
(Reg: No. IV/9998/2014)
SAILOR JERRY
(Reg: No. IV/10002/2014)
in respect of: - Alcoholic beverages
TULLAMORE DEW
(Reg: No. IV/9999/2014)
TULLAMORE D.E.W.
(Reg: No. IV/10000/2014)
SAILOR JERRY
(Reg: No. IV/10001/2014)
in respect of: - Clothing, footwear, headgear
Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said
trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with
according to law.
for William Grant & Sons Irish Brands Limited
rd
November, 2014
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that Aktiebolaget SKF of S-415 50
Gteborg, Sweden, are the Owners and Sole proprietors of the
following Trade Mark in Myanmar.
SKF
The said mark is used in respect of ball bearings, roller bearings,
balls and rollers, piston pins, crank-shaft bearings, main and thrust
bearings for shafts of ships and for other purposes, rudder bearings,
air-craft bearings, plummer block cups, hanging bearing pedestal
and brackets, bearing boxes, transmission and overhead transmission
gears, return and guide pulleys and other transmission elements,
locomotive and railway carriages, and parts and accessories thereof,
namely, axle boxes, signal and switch rollers, bearing devices for
switches and turn tables, tools, namely, screw-taps, drilling steel
gauges and other measuring apparatus, thread callipers, screw nipples,
lubricating syringes, oilmist producers, ball bearing greases and other
lubricants, automobiles, bicycles, trucks and trolleys of all kinds as
well as parts thereof, namely wheels and castors, machines, lathe
centres, toothed wheels, toothed wheel gearings, couplings, rotatable
handles for machine tools, textile machines and their accessories,
namely, spinning spindles, drawing rollers, tension blocks, treadle
roller, shaft rollers, eccentric rollers, doffng comb boxes, centreless
ground axles; iron and steel, pipe blanks, castings of iron and steel
and pressed blocks of sheet metal for machine constructions
The said trademark is the subject of Declaration of Ownership
recorded with the Registrar of Deeds and Assurances, Yangon,
Myanmar, under No 85 of 1948 in Book No.4.
Any infringement or colourable imitation thereof or other infringement
of the rights of the said Corporation will be dealt with according to law.
for Aktiebolaget SKF
by its Attorneys
REMFRY & SAGAR
NEW DELHI MUMBAI
INDIA Dated: 3
rd
November, 2014
39
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by Myo Satt
Spark of knowledge starts with Wikipedia
conscience which Wikipedia also
emphasises through its values. At a re-
cent training at Yangons Strategy First
Institute, the Wikimedia Foundations
director of global partnerships Caro-
lynne Schloeder became emotional
when speaking about the Wikipedians
reasons for dedicated editing.
Youre going to get tears in my
eyes, she said. First of all they be-
lieve that knowledge is a basic right
and everybody should have access I
hope what were seeing is pride also
in Myanmar culture, Myanmar-specic
knowledge and how to share that with
the world.
Contributors interact with Wikipe-
dia within the structure of its ve pil-
lars: that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia;
that is must be written without bias;
that its content is free and for anyone
to use, edit and distribute; that editors
must be civil and respectful to each
other; and that no rules are set in stone,
the tenets Wikipedia page said.
Ko Zaw Thet Aung, the only active
administrator of Myanmar Wikipedias
four admins, with nearly a decade on
the site under his belt, said he has only
one power that normal contributors
dont: he can delete and protect arti-
cles, or shield them from edits by new
or unregistered users.
Yet hes far from ruling the commu-
nity with an iron st. Wikipedia can
sometimes become the eld of battle for
edit wars, when users change informa-
tion in articles, especially controversial
ones. Ko Zaw Thet Aung said he has
seen arguments over the Rakhine con-
ict and death tolls in Cyclone Nargis.
In cases of contention, Ko Zaw Thet
Aung delegates power to the people to
hand down judgment.
I will just protect the pages and
then let some experienced users decide
whats going on I cannot know eve-
rything and Im not a dictator, he said
jokingly.
His approach is typical of a self-
governing community where adminis-
trators dont even assign which articles
to write. Instead, contributors head to
a discussion page aptly called the tea
shop to decide for themselves.
In this group, whats true can be
contested. Through Wikipedia talk
pages, editors have the option of argu-
ing articles ner points, though both
Ko Zaw Thet Aung and Ko Maung San
said this behaviour hasnt yet caught on
in Myanmar. Work must be based on
specic types of reliable sources, which
play trump card in arguments.
Edit wars are not very big, be-
cause so long as we can show our sourc-
es and we can show our references, we
can just solve it, Ko Maung San said.
Particular changes expose the agents
behind them. Sometimes the term eth-
nic armed force gets rebranded as re-
bels a sign that military people have
contributed to the page, according to
Ko Zaw Thet Aung.
Content generation presents a con-
stant challenge for the community. To
get fresh contributors, people rst need
to know what Wikipedia is and, sec-
ond, need computers. Wikipedia Zero,
which facilitates free access to the site
via mobile, can help spread informa-
tion, but only if one major issue facing
users gets resolved, according to Ko
Maung San.
We need the next generation to
come in, Ko Maung San said. The
barrier is the font problem Most peo-
ple are using the non-standard font,
Zawgyi, so they have dif culty viewing
Wikipedia because all their devices and
computers defer to Zawgyi.
I think Wikipedia Zero [has a] lot
of potential in Myanmar, he said. I
think most of the Myanmar people are
English illiterate so they will get more
prot from the Myanmar language
Wikipedia than English language Wiki-
pedia. But to get that knowledge all
the mobile phones have to be support-
ed with Unicode.
Ms Schloeder said the Zawgyi ver-
sus Unicode problem can be addressed
in the interim. Its a move that could
bring more people into the Wikipedia
fold and increase awareness for the site.
Though 33,549 articles is a start,
more people need to provide kindling
for information to spread like wildre
in Myanmar.
MILLION
33
Total number of Wikipedia pages across
287 different languages
WorldWORLD EDITOR: Fiona MacGregor
BRUSSELS
Protesters pose with a police shield outside the parliament in Ouagadougou on October 30. Photo: AFP
RIVAL army factions were tussling
over the future of the West African
state of Burkina Faso last week af-
ter deposed President Blaise Com-
paore reportedly ed the capital
Ouagadougou.
Army chief Navere Honore
Traore announced he was assum-
ing power after an extraordinary
week of violent protest against
Compaores 27-year rule that
saw parliament stormed and set
ablaze.
But Mr Traores bid for control
was quickly challenged by a group
of young army ofcers who said
they had taken the destiny of the
nation in hand.
Speaking before large crowds
in the Place de la Nation, site of
some of the weeks ercest clashes,
Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Yacouba
Zida, second-in-command of the
presidential guard, said a transi-
tional body would be established
to restore constitutional order.
He appeared alongside lawyer
Guy Herve Kam, leader of the Citi-
zen Broom group that helped lead
the demonstrations in the poverty-
stricken nation.
Mr Zida also ordered the clos-
ing of the countrys borders as re-
ports suggested the president had
ed.
A French diplomatic source
told AFP that Mr Compaore was
travelling south towards the town
of Po near the border with Ghana.
The source said he was still in
the country and had not asked for
refuge in France, the former colo-
nial power.
The uprising, which has
drawn parallels with the Arab
Spring, was sparked by plans to
change the constitution to al-
low Mr Compaore to stand once
again for elections next year.
Mr Compaore is one of several
sub-Saharan African leaders who
have stayed in power for decades,
and the protests are being closely
watched across the continent
where at least four heads of state
are pressing for similar constitu-
tional changes to cling to power.
Many protesters are deeply op-
posed to army chief Traore taking
power as he is seen as a close ally
of Mr Compaore.
We do not want General Traore
OUAGADOUGOU
Protesters oust Burkina Fasos president
RUSSIA agreed to resume gas deliv-
eries to war-torn Ukraine through
the winter in an EU-brokered, mul-
ti-billion-dollar deal signed by the
three parties in Brussels on October
30.
In a hard-fought accord the EU
hopes will ease the broader crisis
over Ukraine, Russia agreed to en-
sure supplies until the end of March.
Im glad that political respon-
sibility, the logic of cooperation
and simple economic sense have
prevailed, EU Commission chief
Jose Manuel Barroso told a press
conference.
He hailed the end of a bitter gas
dispute that saw Russia cut supplies
to Ukraine in June, insisting Kiev
pay for deliveries up front.
There is no reason for people
in Europe to be cold this winter,
Mr Barroso said, referring to fears
that Russia could have turned the
Ukraine taps of, disrupting onward
supplies to many European Union
countries.
Ukraine Energy Minister Yuri
Prodan said the decisions taken to-
day will provide energy security for
Ukraine and the EU.
The deal caps two days of mara-
thon talks that had stalled before
dawn on October 30 when Russia
demanded that the EU rst agree
with Ukraine how to pay Kievs out-
standing bills and nance gas deliv-
eries through to March.
The European Commission
must reach an agreement with
Ukraine over the question of nanc-
ing, a spokesperson for Russian gas
giant Gazprom said in Moscow ear-
lier. Otherwise, negotiations make
no sense.
In Kiev, Prime Minister Arseniy
Yatsenyuk said he would ask the
United States and Germany for ad-
ditional nancial instruments for
Ukraine that would help stabilise
the budget and pay our energy bills.
EU Energy Commissioner Guen-
ther Oettinger called the deal a real
breakthrough that was reached
with cool heads against the back-
drop of a seven-month war in east-
ern Ukraine pitting Kiev against
pro-Moscow rebels.
This is perhaps the rst sign of a
well-working neighbourhood policy.
It is a good message, Mr Oettinger
said.
He said the terms of the
agreement conrmed the tentative
outlines of one he reached earlier in
the month whereby Ukraine would
pay US$3.1 billion by the end of the
year to settle a large portion of its
outstanding bills to Russia.
In return, Russia agreed a
base reference price for deliveries
through to March 2015 of $385 per
1000 cubic metres, a discount of
about $100.
In practice, depending on mar-
ket conditions and the amounts
involved, the prices will likely be
slightly lower.
The EU gets about a third of its
gas from Russia, of which around
half transits via Ukraine, a former
Soviet bloc country.
The EU was seeking to avoid a
repeat of 2006 and 2009 when Rus-
sia halted supplies to Ukraine, dis-
rupting deliveries onward to Europe
during two very cold winters.
In June, several months after
the Ukraine crisis began with the
popular overthrow of a pro-Moscow
president in Kiev, Russia cut sup-
plies again, demanding that Kiev
settle its outstanding bills and pay
up front for any future deliveries.
We are convinced that our fu-
ture relations will be constructive
and our agreements fullled, Rus-
sian Energy Minister Alexander No-
vak said after the deal.
Gazprom spokesperson Sergey
Kupriyanov issued a statement say-
ing, This is hopefully the start of
a new, more constructive chapter in
gas relations among the EU, Russia
and Ukraine.
Despite the optimism, there was
no immediate sign the deal would
lead to progress on the wider crisis.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg
said the US-led alliance remained
vigilant after an upsurge in Russian
military activity in European air-
space earlier this week.
In response, several NATO coun-
tries launched a series of intercepts,
meant especially to help reassure
east European allies unnerved by
Russias intervention in Ukraine.
Ukraine also said pro-Russia re-
bels killed seven of its soldiers in
eastern Ukraine on October 30, the
highest toll in two weeks.
The latest killings bring the to-
tal military deaths for Ukraine to
160 since a ceasere was agreed in
September, while more than 3700
people have died since the start of
ghting in April after Russia an-
nexed Crimea.
The EU has imposed a range of
economic sanctions on Russia for
its alleged military intervention
in Ukraine. Moscow has retaliated
with punitive measures of its own.
Member states agreed earlier
this week to leave the sanctions in
place after a regular review, and on
October 29 condemned Moscows
willingness to recognise upcoming
elections in rebel-held areas.
The gas deal marks a farewell for
Mr Barroso who was stepping down
on November 1 to make way for a
new commission. AFP
Russia and war-torn Ukraine sign
crucial gas deal as winter nears
There is no reason
for people in Europe
to be cold this
winter.
Jose Manuel Barroso
EU Commission Chief
Sources: Entsog, GIE, Eurogas
KIEV
MOSCOW
RUSSIA RUSSIA
UKRAINE UKRAINE
Main gas pipelines
Europes dependency on Russian gas
EU countries most dependent on Russian gas
(by volume imported, 2012)
gas imported
from Russia
24% 24%
EU
37% 37%
GERMANY 80% 80%
HUNGARY
59% 59%
POLAND
29% 29%
ITALY
16% 16% FRANCE
41
IN PICTURES
Photo: AFP
Afghanistans Ghani
vows long-term
links with Beijing
WORLD 49
Organ-trade fears
over Thai-Cambodia
kidney operations
WORLD 44
E-waste recycling
boom brings illness
to Chinese workers
WORLD 45
MONROVIA
Pro-democracy
protesters dance
with umbrellas
in the Mongkok
district of Hong
Kong on October
28. Activists were
marking one
month of mass
protests, calling on
supporters to gather
for an evening rally
wearing the masks
they have used to
ward of police tear
gas and pepper
spray.
Protesters pose with a police shield outside the parliament in Ouagadougou on October 30. Photo: AFP
HEALTH authorities called last week
for renewed vigilance over the Ebola
epidemic and urged caution over
claims the disease is retreating as the
World Bank announced a US$100 mil-
lion fund for more health workers.
The warning follows an announce-
ment by the World Health Organiza-
tion (WHO) that data from funeral
directors and treatment centres indi-
cated lower admission rates and buri-
als in Liberia, the nation hit hardest by
the killer virus.
But international aid agency Doc-
tors Without Borders said the slow-
down could be due to sick people not
being picked up because of a lack of
ambulances and being omitted from
the statistics.
The charity, known by its French ini-
tials MSF, said mandatory cremation of
dead bodies and a poor ambulance and
referral system could also be reasons for
this decrease in admissions.
It is too soon to draw conclusions
on the reduction of Ebola cases in
Monrovia, Fasil Tezera, MSF head of
mission in Liberia, said in a statement.
WHO assistant director-general
Bruce Aylward told reporters in Geneva
on October 29 that labs were seeing
a plateauing or slight decline in the
number of conrmed cases, but warned
that the crisis was far from over.
Liberia welcomed the possibility
of a turning-point in the outbreak but
echoed the call for caution issued by
the WHO and MSF.
Deputy health minister Tolbert Ny-
ensuah said that even if it managed to
achieve no new cases, Liberia would
not be able to consider itself Ebola-
free until neighbours Guinea and Si-
erra Leone had eradicated the virus.
The outbreak has claimed almost
5000 lives, according to the WHO, al-
most all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra
Leone, while cases registered world-
wide have soared to 13,703.
World Bank President Jim Yong
Kim announced the $100-million do-
nation, describing it as a rst down
payment, as he visited the UN Mis-
sion on Ebola Emergency Response
headquarters in Ghana.
We have to end this epidemic,
theres just no other way around it.
Weve got to get to zero, he said, ad-
mitting the world had reacted too
slowly and describing the economies
of the three worst-hit countries as
devastated.
The outbreak has taken a huge toll
on health workers in the region, with
272 deaths, most of them in Liberia
and Sierra Leone.
Researchers warned traditional
west African funeral rites, including
kissing and touching a dead body, had
driven the initial spread of Ebola and
must be halted.
To stem Ebola transmission in
Liberia, it is imperative to simulta-
neously restrict traditional burials,
which are efectively serving as super-
spreader events, a study in the journal
Science said.
Meanwhile, a British navy ship
arrived in Sierra Leones capital Free-
town laden with 350 personnel and
equipment to treat victims of the
deadly virus.
We have taken all precautions and
understood the situation. Berthing in
Freetown today, the mood of the per-
sonnel is one of a desire to get started
on the job and to see that Ebola is
kicked out, said Commander Ross
Spooner, from Royal Naval Air Station
Culdrose.
Samantha Power, the US ambas-
sador to the UN, said west Africa is
showing the rst tangible signs that
Ebola will be beaten, after she com-
pleted a tour of the region last week.
But the virus continues to spread
fear as far away as east Asia, with Chi-
na particularly vulnerable to an out-
break, according to Ebola co-discover-
er Peter Piot, due to soaring economic
migration to Africa.
And North Korea announced it
intended to quarantine all foreigners
entering the country for 21 days, no
matter what their country of origin.
In the United States, American
nurse Kaci Hickox, who recently re-
turned from Sierra Leone, has vowed
to ght an order by the state of Maine
to remain at home for the nal 12 days
of her 21-day quarantine period.
In France, the countrys Ebola task
force said trials would begin in Guinea
later this month on tests that can diag-
nose Ebola more quickly.
They will include a prototype de-
vice, similar to a home pregnancy test,
that may make diagnosis possible in
under 15 minutes, Jean-Francois Del-
fraissy, who spearheads Frances Ebola
campaign, told journalists in Paris.
While the outbreak is inspiring fear
across the world, it is also devastating
the response to other deadly diseases
at its epicentre.
MSF warned that Ebola had made
obtaining treatment for malaria al-
most impossible in Liberia, with the
majority of general wards closed be-
cause staf are too afraid to work.
MSF has begun distributing anti-
malarials to around 300,000 people in
the citys poorest, most densely inhab-
ited neighbourhoods. AFP
Experts urge caution over
claims Ebola is in decline
Health workers stand at an Ebola treatment centre run by the non-governmental
international organisation Doctors without Borders in Monrovia, Liberia, on
October 27. Photo: AFP
Protesters oust Burkina Fasos president
in power. We need someone cred-
ible. Traore is Blaise Compaores
henchman, said Monou Tapsoaba,
an activist with the opposition Peo-
ples Movement for Progress.
The army chief announced on
October 30 that the government
had been dissolved. The army im-
posed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and
pledged to restore constitutional
order within 12 months in a state-
ment signed by Mr Traore.
One opposition leader, Be-
newende Sankara, described the
move as a coup.
Another opposition chief, Zephi-
rin Diabre, told AFP he hoped the
two military factions will forge an
agreement.
We await the armys plans for
the transition. We will tell them
what we think, he said.
Many of the tens of thousands
massed on the streets of the capital
have called for retired general and
former defence minister Kouame
Lougue to take control, shouting:
Lougue in power!
Frances President Francois Hol-
lande vowed that Paris would con-
tribute to calming the situation in
its former colony, while Washing-
ton urged a transfer of power in
accordance with the constitution.
The EU called for the people of
Burkina Faso to have the nal say
in who rules their country.
The crisis is the worst in Burki-
na Faso since a wave of mutinies
shook the country in 2011.
Mr Compaore had initially re-
jected calls to resign. He withdrew
plans for a vote on the constitu-
tional changes but vowed to stay in
power for another year.
He was only 36 when he seized
power in a 1987 coup in which his
former friend Thomas Sankara was
ousted and assassinated.
His bid to cling to power an-
gered many, particularly young
people in a country where 60 per-
cent of the population of almost 17
million is under 25.
Many have spent their entire lives
under the leadership of one man
and are disillusioned by the estab-
lishment running the poor former
French colony, which is stagnating at
183
rd
out of 186 countries on the UN
human development index.
The death toll from the October
30 violence the peak of the unrest
was given as around 30 by two
opposition leaders.
October 30 is Burkina Fasos
Black Spring, like the Arab Spring,
Emile Pargui Pare, an ofcial from
opposition party the Movement of
People for Progress, told AFP.
Known in colonial times as Up-
per Volta, the landlocked country
became independent from France
in 1960 and its name was changed
to Burkina Faso (the land of up-
right men) in 1984. AFP
42 World THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim
insisted last week he was the victim
of a Malaysian government fabrica-
tion and conspiracy as the countrys
top court continued to hear his ap-
peal against a sodomy conviction that
would send him to jail.
Mr Anwar, who has led a once-hap-
less opposition to the brink of power,
has long asserted the much-criticised
proceedings against him are a politi-
cally motivated campaign to eliminate
him as a threat.
Based on the facts and law, I see
no possibility or no other options ex-
cept to acquit me of all the frivolous
charges, Mr Anwar, 67, told reporters
outside the Federal Court chambers
where the case is being reviewed.
Clearly people can see now the evi-
dence of fabrication and the conspira-
cy on the part of the powers that be.
Sodomy is illegal in the Muslim-
majority country.
Jailing Mr Anwar, who has been
sentenced to ve years prison, would
strip away his parliament seat and re-
move the oppositions highest-prole
gure.
Mr Anwar was initially acquitted in
2012 of the charge that he sodomised
a young former male aide. The charge
rst emerged in 2008 shortly after he
led the opposition to historic gains
against Malaysias now 57-year-old
ruling regime.
But an appeals court controversial-
ly overturned that acquittal early this
year, convicting the charismatic po-
litical veteran and sentencing him to
a ve-year jail term. He has remained
free on appeal.
The Federal Court began hearing
Mr Anwars nal appeal on October
28.
Originally expected to end with a
ruling last week, the proceedings have
now been extended to this week due
to the volume of submissions by each
side.
Government prosecutor Shafee Ab-
dullah insisted his side was condent
of our own case.
International rights case say the
case represents a major test for the
countrys judiciary, long seen by critics
as prone to manipulation by the ruling
United Malays National Organisation
(UMNO).
The United States also has said
Mr Anwars conviction raised doubts
about the rule of law.
A survey released on October 30 by
leading polling organisation Merdeka
Centre said 48 percent of Malaysians
were not condent in the judiciary.
Mr Anwar, a popular former dep-
uty prime minister with the UMNO,
previously spent six years in prison on
sodomy and corruption charges after
a falling-out with the ruling party in
the late 1990s.
That conviction was later over-
turned and he was freed in 2004.
Joining the opposition, he has
led a three-party alliance to historic
showings in recent elections with
promises to end corruption, crony
capitalism and the UMNOs divisive
racial politics.
The opposition won the majority of
votes in May 2013 elections.
But the regime, which has pre-
sided over decades of stability and
strong economic growth, retained
parliament thanks to decades of ger-
rymandering.
Since then, dozens of opposition
politicians, activists and other govern-
ment critics have been targeted with a
range of charges, mainly sedition.
AFP
KUALA LUMPUR
Anwar appeal extended
as he claims fabrication
KUALA LUMPUR
A MALAYSIAN family on October 31
sued the government and the belea-
guered national carrier for negligence
in the mysterious disappearance of
ight MH370, in what is believed to be
the rst lawsuit led over the disaster.
The suit was led by lawyers on be-
half of the two underage sons of Jee
Jing Hang, who was on board the ill-
fated Malaysia Airlines ight.
Gary Chong, a lawyer for Mr Jees
relatives, said the suit was led in a
Malaysian court on October 31.
The family is suing Malaysia Air-
lines for breach of contract, saying the
deeply troubled carrier failed in its
contractual responsibility to deliver
Mr Jee to his destination.
The family is also suing Malaysias
government, civil aviation authorities,
immigration department and air force
for negligence.
Our clients are after the truth. We
have condence in our judiciary sys-
tem that this suit will be heard and
dealt with fairly, a statement by the
familys legal team said.
Mr Chong said the family would
seek damages but declined to specify
a gure.
MH370 inexplicably disappeared
on March 8 with 239 people aboard en
route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing
in what remains one of historys great
aviation mysteries.
Malaysias government believes
the ight diverted to the far southern
Indian Ocean, citing sketchy satellite
data, but no trace has been found de-
spite an extensive search.
Neither the government nor the air-
line has revealed any results from inves-
tigations launched in the aftermath of
the tragedy, and consistently stress that
only recovery of the lost Boeing 777 air-
craft will provide full answers.
Some next-of-kin bitterly accuse
the government and airline of a bun-
gled response and cover-up, charges
that are strenuously denied.
Malaysias air force came under
particular re after top brass acknowl-
edged military radar had tracked the
red-eye ight as it doubled back over
Malaysian airspace after diverting.
The air force took no action, saying
the radar blip was not considered a se-
curity threat.
The chances of success for the law-
suit were not immediately clear.
Aviation experts said that under
international law it is an airlines re-
sponsibility to prove it was not to
blame for an accident.
The lack of evidence could compli-
cate that task for the carrier.
The airline also has been ham-
mered by the loss in July of ight
MH17, apparently shot down over
Ukraine with the loss of 298 lives in
another still-unexplained disaster, and
is in dire nancial straits as business
has dried up.
A state-linked investment fund has
directly taken over the airline as part
of a rescue plan.
In countries such as China, home
to the majority of MH370 passengers,
and Malaysia, courts are considered
relatively conservative regarding the
awarding of damages. AFP
First MH370 disaster lawsuit fled
I see ... no other
options except to
acquit me of all the
frivolous charges.
Anwar Ibrahim
Opposition leader
Anwar Ibrahim talks on his mobile phone outside court in Malaysia on October 28: Photo: AFP
TRADE MARK CAUTION
Novo Nordisk A/S, a Company incorporated in Denmark, of
Novo Alle, DK-2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark, is the Owner of the
following Trade Mark:-
NovoNorm
Reg. No. 6821/2004
in respect of Class 5: Pharmaceutical preparations for the
treatment of diabetes.
Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark
for Novo Nordisk A/S
TRADE MARK CAUTION
Illva Saronno S.p.A., a company incorporated in Italy, of Saronno
(VA), Via Archimede, 243-21047, is the Owner of the following
Trade Mark:-
TIA MARIA
Reg. No. 2410/2003
in respect of Wines, Spirits, Liqueurs (Beverages), Cocktails,
Alcoholic Drinks.
for Illva Saronno S.p.A.
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that Casio Keisanki Kabushiki Kaisha
d.b.a. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. a company organized under the
laws of Japan and having its principal offce at 6-2, Hon-machi
1-chome, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan is the Owner and Sole
Proprietor of the following trademark:-
FIG.2 FIG.3 FIG.1
FIG.4 FIG.5 FIG.6 FIG.8
(Reg: No. IV/7572/2014)
in respect of: - Electronic Calculator
Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark
or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according
to law.
for Casio Keisanki Kabushiki Kaisha d.b.a.
Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
rd
November, 2014
FIG.7
PHNOM PENH
SYDNEY
Cambodia arrests raise
organ trafficking fears
A SEVEN-INCH scar runs diagonally
across the left ank of his skinny torso,
a glaring reminder of an operation he
hoped would save his family from debt
but instead plunged him into shame.
Chhay, 18, sold his kidney for
US$3000 in an illicit deal that saw
him whisked from a rickety one-room
house on the outskirts of the Cambodi-
an capital Phnom Penh to a gleaming
hospital in the medical tourism hub of
neighbouring Thailand.
His shadowy journey, which went
unnoticed by authorities two years
ago, has instigated Cambodias rst-
ever cases of organ trafcking and the
arrests of two alleged brokers.
It has also raised fears that other
victims hide beneath the radar.
At the corrugated iron shack he
shares with nine relatives, Chhay says
a neighbour persuaded him and a
pair of brothers, all from the margin-
alised Cham Muslim minority, to sell
their kidneys to rich Cambodians on
dialysis.
She said you are poor, you dont
have money, if you sell your kidney
you will be able to pay of your debts,
the teenager said, requesting his real
name be withheld.
Similar stories have long been com-
mon in the slums of India and Nepal,
better-known hotspots for trafckers.
Up to 10,000, or 10 percent, of the or-
gans transplanted globally each year
are trafcked, according to the latest
World Health Organization estimate.
But on discovering the broker
earned US$10,000 for each kidney
they sacriced, the donors led com-
plaints, alerting police in June to a po-
tential new organ trade route.
Kidney trafcking is not like other
crimes ... If the victims dont speak
up, we will never know, said Phnom
Penhs deputy police chief Prum
Sonthor.
In July his force charged Yem Azi-
sah, 29, believed to be a cousin of the
sibling donors, and her step-father,
known as Phalla, 40, with human
trafcking.
The pair are being detained and
await trial.
Trafcking is a widespread prob-
lem in impoverished Cambodia and
police routinely investigate cases
linked to the sex trade, forced mar-
riage or slavery, but this was the rst
related to organs.
This is easy money that earns
a lot of income, so we are worried,
said Mr Prum, adding there were at
least two other Cambodian donors
taken to Thailand who had not led
complaints.
The complicity of donors, whether
compelled by poverty or coerced by
unscrupulous brokers, makes it an un-
der-reported crime which is difcult
to expose.
In August media reports emerged
about new alleged organ trafcking cas-
es at a military hospital in Phnom Penh.
Mr Prum, who investigated the
case, said it was a training exercise
between Chinese and Cambodian doc-
tors, using voluntary Vietnamese do-
nors and patients.
But he was unable to rule out
whether money changed hands.
Chhay watches from the sidelines
as boys his age play football, two years
on from an operation that has left
him feeling weak, ashamed and still
in debt.
I want to tell others not to have
their kidney removed like me. I regret
it. I cannot work hard any more. Even
walking I feel exhausted, he said. In
July he started work at a garment
factory.
Little research has been done on
the impact of transplants on paid do-
nors like Chhay but the WHO has re-
ported an association with depression
and perceived deterioration in health,
highlighting the lack of follow-up care.
Chhay remembers few details of
a transaction that still haunts him,
claiming no knowledge of the Thai city
where he was taken or the woman he
sold his kidney to.
In Thailand health authorities are
trying to shed more light on the murky
trade, with several Bangkok hospitals
under investigation.
Focus has fallen on the documents
trafckers forge to prove donors and
recipients are related, a requirement
in many countries where it is illegal to
sell an organ.
Weve asked hospitals to be more
careful when checking documents,
Thai medical council president Som-
sak Lolekha said, adding his organi-
sation was reviewing its transplant
regulations.
Driving the demand for a black
market in organs is the globally soar-
ing number of sick patients waiting
for transplants, especially kidneys.
In Thailand alone there were 4321
people on the organ waiting list up
until August with deceased donors
organs forming around half of the 581
kidneys transplanted last year, accord-
ing to the Thai Red Cross Organ Dona-
tion Centre (ODC).
World over this increasing reliance
on living donors has left desperate pa-
tients scouring for volunteers in their
families, or, in some cases, recruiting
underground.
Prompted by concerns over traf-
cking the ODC, which oversees organ
donations, launched a pilot project in
April making it compulsory for hos-
pitals to provide them with details of
living donors.
Before they could come to Thai-
land without our knowledge. We are
concerned about hospitals where they
are not following rules, thats why we
asked for a register of living donors,
said ODC director Visist Dhitavat.
While regulations are being tight-
ened experts fear the booming medi-
cal tourism industry in Thailand,
reputed for high-quality but low-
cost care, could give rise to more
criminal networks cashing-in on the
vulnerable.
It could be the tip of the iceberg,
said Jeremy Douglas, United Nations
Ofce on Drugs and Crime representa-
tive for Southeast Asia and the Pacic,
on the recent Cambodian arrests.
There could be a lot of others [cas-
es] that arent just simply coming to
trial. AFP
A Cambodian victim displays a scar in his kidney region at his home in Phnom
Penh on August 4. Photo: AFP
MEASURES giving polluters nancial
incentives to reduce emissions blamed
for climate change are set to be ap-
proved by the Australian government,
in a move critics described as inefective
environmental policy.
The so-called direct action plan,
which will see the government pay com-
panies to increase energy efciency. The
bill is expected to be approved later this
month by the lower House of Repre-
sentatives where the conservative gov-
ernment of Prime Minister Tony Abbott
has a majority. It comes after Mr Abbott
axed a tax on greenhouse gas emissions
introduced by the previous Labor ad-
ministration.
China and the United States are the
worlds worst emitters of greenhouse
gases, according to a report by interna-
tional scientists issued last month, but
Australias output is considered high
per capita.
Under the plan, competitive auc-
tions will be held, with the government
entering into contracts to buy emissions
reductions from successful bidders at
the lowest cost, Mr Hunt said.
He added that the emissions reduc-
tions would be real and signicant.
But the Labor opposition leader Bill
Shorten criticised the scheme, describ-
ing it as paying big polluters to keep
polluting, which is terrible policy. AFP
Pay-outs for
Australias
polluters
The rst-ever case of alleged kidney trading has prompted concerns over a wider
illegal trade in body parts between Cambodia and Thailand
US$
3000
Amount paid to a Cambodian man
for his kidney
World 45 www.mmtimes.com
GUIYU
MOUNTAINS of discarded remote
controls litter the warehouse oor.
In a dimly lit room, women on plas-
tic stools pry open the devices, as if
shucking oysters, to retrieve the cir-
cuitry inside.
In a narrow alley a few blocks
over, a father and son from a distant
province wash microchips in plastic
buckets. Men haul old telephones and
computer keyboards by the shovelful
of a truck.
Some items will be refurbished and
resold, others will be stripped for com-
ponents or materials such as copper
or gold.
Business is booming in the Chinese
town of Guiyu, where the worlds elec-
tronic waste ends up for recycling, and
is set to get even better.
But the industry has a heavy envi-
ronmental cost. Electronic remnants
are strewn in a nearby stream, and the
air is acrid from the burning of plastic,
chemicals and circuitboards.
Heavy metal contamination has
turned the air and water toxic, and
children have high lead levels in their
blood, according to an August study
by researchers at Shantou University
Medical College.
Much of the e-waste that passed
through Guiyu over the past few dec-
ades came from outside China.
Western countries are now making
a greater efort to process their own
e-waste, but Chinese domestic supply
will soon be more than enough to step
into any breach, campaigners say.
Chinas surging economy has
transformed the country into a con-
suming power in its own right. It is
now the worlds largest smartphone
market, and use of electronic devices
has soared.
Before, the waste was shipped
from other parts of the world coming
into China. That used to be the big-
gest source and the biggest problem,
said Ma Jun, director of the Institute
of Public and Environmental Afairs,
one of Chinas foremost environmen-
tal NGOs.
But now, China has become a con-
suming power of its own, Mr Ma said.
We have I think 1.1 billion cell phones
used, and the life of our gadgets has
become shorter and shorter.
I think the wave is coming,
he added. Its going to be a bigger
problem.
China currently generates 6.1 mil-
lion metric tonnes of e-waste a year,
compared with 7.2 million for the US
and 48.8 million globally, according to
the United Nations Universitys Solv-
ing the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initia-
tive.
But while US e-waste production
has increased by 13 percent over the
past ve years, Chinas has nearly dou-
bled, setting the Asian giant on track
to overtake the US as the worlds big-
gest source as early as 2017.
Nowhere are the prot and envi-
ronmental toll of e-waste recycling
more on display than in Guiyu in
the southeast, where some 80,000 of
130,000 residents work in the loosely
regulated industry, according to a 2012
local government estimate.
More than 1.6 million tonnes of e-
waste pass through Guiyu each year,
with recycling worth 3.7 billion yuan
($600 million) annually and attracting
migrants from near and far.
This work is tiring, but the sal-
ary is okay compared with the work
in town, said a 30-year-old surnamed
Ma, who left a salesmans job to dis-
mantle electronics. You can make
4000 or 5000 yuan [$650 to $815] a
month.
At the same time, the town has
made worldwide headlines for the
devastating health impact of its taint-
ed environment.
People think this cannot be al-
lowed to go on, said Leo Chen, 28, a -
nancial worker who grew up in Guiyu.
The situation was better than a
decade ago, he said, following authori-
ties interventions, but the efects of
years of pollution remain.
Lai Yun, a Greenpeace researcher
who has often visited Guiyu, said,
From the governments perspective,
e-waste gathering and processing is
important for the local economy, Mr
Lai said. Research has shown that 80
percent of households are involved
in this work. So, if they dont expand
this industry, these residents will need
some other kind of employment.
Adam Minter, author of Junk-
yard Planet, on the economics of the
global scrap industry said the overall
picture was mixed.
There is an environmental good
happening there. Theyre extending
the life span of usable components,
theyre pulling things out and recy-
cling them, or sending them to Korea
and Japan, something thats very ex-
pensive to do in the US and the EU,
he said.
Yet they do it in a way thats not
always good for human health and the
environment, he added. Recycling is
a morally complicated act. AFP
Workers dismantle electronic waste at a workshop at Guiyu Township in Shantou City on August 9. Photo: AFP
Boom in E-waste recycling
brings wealth but ill-health
MANILA
THE population of the Philippines dwarf
bufalo, one of the worlds rarest animals,
has grown to its largest since eforts to
save them from extinction began, conser-
vationists said on October 31.
An annual survey counted 382 tama-
raws in a protected mountain area this
year, an increase from 345 in 2013, ac-
cording to data from the World Wildlife
Fund (WWF).
The tamaraw, famed for its distinct v-
shaped horns, can be found only in the
mountains of Mindoro, a farming island
in the central Philippines.
The stocky tamaraw, with its chocolate
brown coat, runs wild in the forest and
weighs half as much as the more com-
mon carabao, which is used by farmers in
the Philippines to plough rice elds.
The tamaraw is the agship species
of the Philippines. It is our moral obli-
gation and international commitment
to preserve them, forest ranger Rodel
Boyles, who heads a joint government
and private sector conservation efort,
said.
If they are not protected, the species
might get wiped out in ve years, he said.
The tamaraw is considered critically
endangered, two steps away from extinc-
tion, by the International Union for Con-
servation of Nature.
Hunting and the destruction of their
habitat to make way for grazing areas
for cattle led to their near decimation,
as the population fell from 10,000 in the
1900s to just 154 by 2000, according to
the WWF.
The government and private sectors
Tamaraw Conservation Programme aims
to double the dwarf bufalos population
from 300 in the mid-2000s to 600 by
2020, Gregg Yan, a local spokesperson for
the WWF, said.
This requires ramping up forest pa-
trols to ward of poachers and install-
ing hidden cameras in the mountains to
better understand the behaviour of the
beast, Mr Yann said.
A team of 30 forest rangers patrol a
37-acre portion of a mountain that is con-
sidered the bufalos core habitat, Mr
Boyles said.
We are hopeful that their numbers
will continue increasing, he added. AFP
Rare dwarf
buffalo gets
good news
BEIJING
MAHJONG has become the latest
extravagance to be condemned in
censorious ofcial Chinese media, as
pleasure-seeking Communist Party of-
cials are urged to shun the game in
the name of curbing corruption.
Chinese people have been clacking
mahjong tiles for more than a century,
with some accounts even naming its
inventor as the ancient sage Confu-
cius. But ofcials have taken their hob-
by too far, according to a commentary
in the Peoples Daily last week.
The phenomenon of Communist
ofcials going to rural retreats to have
fun, play mahjong and poker ... must
resolutely stop, the commentary on
October 28 said, referring to the wide-
spread practice of betting on games
to add a little stimulation.
The article called for an equally
resolute end to government staf
spending public money to visit his-
torical sites in the name of study,
and then simply going to any old fun
place.
The commentary was the latest
in a series of state-issued broadsides
against ofcial extravagance, as Chi-
nas President Xi Jinping attempts to
improve the Communist partys image
in response to widespread anger over
endemic corruption.
The campaign has led to an un-
precedented investigation into re-
tired security czar Zhou Yongkang,
though the vast majority of ofcials
punished since Mr Xi came to power
have been from the governments
lowest levels.
The campaign against graft has
been blamed for falling sales of luxury
items, and hit business at expensive
hotels and restaurants, according to
reports.
But there has been a backlash by
some ofcials who have held secret
sauna parties and been hiding alcohol
in plastic water bottles as they seek to
get around the crackdown on extrava-
gance, the Peoples Daily said last year.
Constant reports of saunas held at
farm houses were evidence of a grow-
ing culture of low key extravagance
that was damaging the new presidents
anti-corruption campaign, it added.
The Chinese government on Octo-
ber 27 issued a ban on private clubs in
historical buildings and parks, which
are often frequented by ofcials, state-
run media reported.
Critics argue that party controls
over Chinas media and courts limit
the efectiveness of anti-corruption
campaigns, which have often been an-
nounced by incoming Chinese leaders
in recent decades.
Chinese ofcials are not obliged to
disclose their nancial assets, while
China has jailed around a dozen activ-
ists who held small-scale street pro-
tests calling for such disclosure.
Despite claims linking it back to
Confucius there is no consensus on
the denitive origin of mahjong, a
strategic game generally played with
a set of 144 tiles, but many historians
believe the modern game dates back
to 19th century China.
The historical connection has
done little for the Chinese national
team, which has fared badly on the
international circuit in recent years.
At this years Open Mahjong
Championship in Germany the high-
est-ranked Chinese player came in
30th, behind Japanese and European
competitors, according to the state-
run China Daily.
Some Chinese commented that
their shock at the news was no less
than the Brazilians when they lost 1-7
to Germany at the semi-nal of the
World Cup, the newspaper added.
Users of Chinas social media ser-
vices reacted to the mahjong ban with
a mix of approval and bafement.
You can ban ofcials from playing
mahjong in public places, but its ne
in their own homes, wrote one user
of Sina Weibo, a service similar to
Twitter.
If this ban is introduced, how
will ofcials in Chengdu live? asked
another user, referring to the south-
western Chinese city whose resi-
dents are famous for their love of the
game.
Another commentator referred to
recent government restrictions on
buying several products, which in
some cases require real-name regis-
tration before purchase.
Buying matches, petrol, fruit
knives all needs public declaration,
and now playing mahjong needs
public declaration. It seems every-
thing must now be publicly declared,
except ofcials assets. AFP
Traditional game latest
victim of Xis graft purge
Residents play mahjong on a street in Shanghai on January 6. Photo: AFP
RUSSIA is eyeing a project worth
about US$25 billion to overhaul
North Koreas railway network in re-
turn for access to mineral resources
in the hermit state, Moscows govern-
ment daily reported on October 30.
The mammoth project would in-
volve the modernisation of about
3000 kilometres (1875 miles) of the
Stalinist nations ageing railroads
over a 20-year period, minister for
development of Far Eastern Russia
Alexander Galushka told state-run
Rossiskaya Gazeta.
It is a commercial project that is
mutually advantageous, Mr Galush-
ka was quoted as saying.
The railway upgrades would focus
rst on the sections near deposits of
natural resources, said the minister.
Income from the exploitation of
deposits would then go to a joint
Russian-Korean company to fund the
railroad overhaul, he said.
North Korea is thought to be lying
on vast reserves of resources, includ-
ing uranium, iron ore, magnesium
and other minerals.
North Korea had warm ties with
the former Soviet Union based on
shared ideology. Russia retains rela-
tively close ties with its neighbour but
has backed Western powers in deal-
ing with Pyongyangs nuclear ambi-
tions.
In May, Russian President
Vladimir Putin signed a law can-
celling 90 percent of North Koreas
$10.94 billion debt to Russia from
Soviet-era loans.
Moscow has looked to boost ties
with Asia in the face of harsh sanc-
tions from the EU and US over its role
in the Ukraine crisis.
AFP
MOSCOW
Russia offers N Korea rails for minerals
The phenomenon
of ofcials going to
rural retreats to have
fun, play mahjong
and poker must
resolutely stop.
Peoples Daily Weekly
TRADE MARK CAUTION
Evonik Oil Additives GmbH, a company incorporated in
Germany, of Kirschenallee, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany, is the
Owner of the following Trade Mark:-
Reg. No. 12108/2014
in respect of Class 01: Chemicals used in industry, science and
photography, as well as in agriculture, horticulture and forestry,
chemical additives to petroleum products and to lubricants,
defoamers, chemicals for use as additives or ingredients in mineral
oils, fuels, including motor fuels, lubricants, technical oils and fats,
chemicals for the manufacture of products for surface protection
and wear protection, chemicals for the production of hydraulic
fuids, oils, lubricants and fats, chemical products for use in
the manufacture of acrylates, methacrylates and polymers, vis-
cometric products (chemicals), namely viscosity index improvers
for hydraulic fuids, oils, lubricants and fats, pour point depressants,
fow improvers, and de-waxing aids; dispersants; synthetic based
fuids and esters for industrial use, chemical products for use in
the manufacture of hydraulic fuids, unprocessed artifcial resins,
unprocessed plastics; manures; fre extinguishing compositions;
tempering and soldering preparations; chemical substances
for preserving foodstuffs; tanning substances; adhesives used
in industry. Class 04: Technical oils and greases; lubricants;
industrial oils and fats, non-chemical preparations as additives for
industrial oils and fats, lubricants and liquid fuels, non-chemical
additives to motor-fuel; dust absorbing, wetting and binding
compositions; fuels (including motor spirit) and illuminants;
candles, wicks. Class 42: Scientifc and technological services
and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and
research services; research and development as well as technical
consultancy in the feld of lubricant technology and hydraulic
liquid systems; material testing and quality control; services of
chemists; services of physicists; engineering services; services of
bacteriological, chemical or physicochemical laboratories, design
and development of computer hardware and software, in particular
in the feld of lubricant technology and hydraulic liquid systems.

for Evonik Oil Additives GmbH
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
CO., a company organized under the laws of Korea and having
its principal offce at 416, Maetan-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suweon,
Kyungki-do, Korea is the owner and sole proprietor of the
following trademark:-
(Reg: No. IV/921/1989)
in respect of:- Machines and machine tools; motors (except
for land vehicles); machine couplings and belting (except for
land vehicles); scientific, nautical, surveying and electrical
apparatus and instruments (including wireless), photographic,
cinematographic optical, weighing, measuring, signalling,
checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and
instruments; coin or counter-freed apparatus, talking machines;
cash registers; calculating machines; fre extinguishing apparatus;
vending machines; installations for lighting, heating, steam
generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply
and sanitary purposes and television sets, video tape recorders,
computers, monitors, facsimiles, telephones, semiconductors
for SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
rd
November, 2014
TRADE MARK CAUTION
LABORATORIOS HIPRA, S.A., of Avda de la Selva, 135,
17170 AMER (Girona) Spain, is the Owner of the following
Trade Mark:-
Reg. No. 1286/1999
in respect of veterinary preparations.
for LABORATORIOS HIPRA, S.A.
It hasnt been a good year for Myan-
mars reforms. Journalists have been
arrested and killed. A committee in
the military-dominated parliament
has refused to amend a constitution-
al provision that blocks Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi from running for presi-
dent, robbing her story of its fairytale
ending.
Meanwhile, the loosening of political
controls has uncorked the genie of Bur-
mese religio-ethnic chauvinism, dor-
mant during decades of dictatorship,
and the countrys ethnic periphery re-
mains conict-torn and far beyond the
control of the central government as
it has for the bulk of Myanmars history.
More than three years after President
Thein Sein took ofce and initiated the
reforms, there is backtracking on nearly
every front.
Two decades ago, another Southeast
Asian nation made a similar emer-
gence from isolation, and experienced
similar challenges. Indeed, Cambodias
progress over the past 23 years ofers a
cautionary tale not only about the likely
course of Myanmars transition, but
also the assumptions we make about
such transitions to begin with.
Cambodia opened to the world on
October 23, 1991, with the signing of
the Paris Peace Agreements. By the time
the accord was signed, the country had
been at war for more than 12 years; be-
fore that had come the murderous rule
of the Khmer Rouge, which led to the
deaths of an estimated 1.7 million peo-
ple; and, before that, more civil war.
The Paris treaty sought to nally bring
peace, democracy, and some semblance
of normality to a long-sufering country.
To implement the accords, it created
the UNTAC mission of 1992-93, un-
der whose benign auspices Cambodia
would be reborn. As Cambodia opened,
the world rushed in. Thousands of for-
eign consultants, UN staf and aid work-
ers arrived. Development aid typhooned
in. Phnom Penh, a ramshackle capital
of golden spires and potholed streets,
became a steamy outpost of what Alex
de Waal has termed the humanitarian
international.
As with Myanmars reforms, expec-
tations were high, all the more so since
Cambodias opening coincided with a
crucial historical juncture: the fall of
the Soviet Union and the wave of liberal
optimism that followed in its wake. In
1989, Francis Fukuyama had famously
proclaimed the end of history, arguing
that communisms collapse heralded
the end point of mankinds ideological
evolution and the universalisation of
Western liberal democracy as the nal
form of human government.
After four decades of ideological
stalemate, history had chosen a winner.
Cambodia quickly became a symbol
and subject of the new global optimism.
With history at an end, the interna-
tional community, working with em-
powered local NGOs, would usher a
victim of Cold War realpolitik along the
road to the democratic promised land.
But while the West had experi-
enced a revolution of moral con-
cern ,as Michael Ignatief described
it, no such change had taken place
inside Cambodia. The government
that emerged from the $2 billion-plus
UNTAC mission in 1993 was an un-
stable coalition between two wartime
enemies: the steely Hun Sen, prime
minister of the regime installed by Vi-
etnam after it overthrew of the Khmer
Rouge in 1979; and the feckless Prince
Norodom Ranariddh, head of the
royalist Funcinpec party. When UNTAC
wound up in late 1993, the civil war re-
sumed. In July 1997, Hun Sen ousted
Ranariddh in bloody factional street
clashes; 18 months later, the Cambo-
dian army nally defeated what was
left of the Khmer Rouge. And so the
Cambodia civil war came to an end
not through resolutions and treaties,
but through military force and political
deals. Hun Sen has ruled the country in
much the same wayever since.
Today, Cambodia remains far from
the promised land. Hun Sens achieve-
ments over the past 23 years have been
substantial peace, political stability,
economic growth but they are also
highly contingent. The countrys stabil-
ity rests not on any deep social consen-
sus, but on a delicate balance between
competing patronage networks. The
gap between rich and poor grows wid-
er, while tens of thousands have been
thrown of their land to make way for
large-scale agribusiness projects some
little more than cover for lucrative log-
ging operations. Cambodias political
system has little apparentaim beyond
its own perpetuation, leaving many or-
dinary people to live of the crumbs.
But the humanitarian internation-
al lives on. Twenty years after the UN
struck its blue tents, Cambodian civic
culture is awash in democratic symbols
and human rights narratives. Govern-
ment ofcials speak the language of
universal values and good governance.
Articial UN events like International
Human Rights Day are ofcial holidays.
Colourful NGO insignia can be seen eve-
rywhere, on posters, banners, t-shirts,
bumper-stickers, calendars, cofee mugs
and the sides of the white 4WDs that
roar around the capital Phnom Penh.
But thats about as deep as it goes. In
Cambodia, the end of history produced
not democracy, but a faadean almost
pure abstraction.
Now, with Myanmars own reforms
heading in a similar direction, develop-
ment experts and human rights groups
warn that the country is in danger of
becoming another Cambodia. Their
warnings contain a presumption that
things could have turned out substan-
tially otherwise. But could they?
Though Francis Fukuyamas contro-
versial thesis has fallen out of fashion,
his central idea still seems to pervade
the way we think about development.
The end of history brought us to a
point where all the important social,
political, and economic questions had
been supposedly settled. Development
was seen as merely a matter of bring-
ing in proven expertise to implement
proven solutions. For the Swiss critic
Gilbert Rist, the choice of the biological
metaphor was telling: development
implied a rational, predictable course to
social and political growth. As an acorn
grows into an oak, so would the devel-
oping world become developed, polit-
ically (via democracy), economically (via
free markets) and morally (via human
rights). All this radiant troika required
was the necessary sunshine and nutri-
ents the necessary capacity building.
These assumptions are still very
much in evidence today in Myanmar.
With reforms faltering, the reaction
of many people is to question not the
model, but the implementation. The in-
ternational community gave too many
concessions too quickly, say the inter-
national human rights groups. The US
government should ensure Myanmar
respects its commitments, and re-
impose sanctions if they fail to do so,
say the Republicans in Congress. At
its extreme, the case is made that for-
eign countries should drag Myanmars
leaders kicking and screaming into the
promised land.
But what if its not the implementa-
tion that is awed, but the model itself?
In my new book Hun Sens Cambodia,
I describe how the international inter-
vention in Cambodia produced not de-
mocracy, but a mirage of democratic
government behind which power works
much as it always has through rela-
tionships of patronage between power-
ful individuals. Meanwhile, the interna-
tional commitment to Cambodia has
devolved into a development complex
that has entrenched dependency and
now largely escaped the control of a c-
tive and divided international commu-
nity. The lesson of Cambodia is not that
things somehow took a wrong turn on
the road to democracy; its that the po-
litical road meanders, reverses, splays
of in countless directions. Theres no
iron guarantee it will end at the desired
destination at all.
This is an important lesson for My-
anmar today. Cambodias recent his-
tory shows the limits of what can be
achieved by moral suasion and interna-
tional pressure. True, outside pressure
has forced Hun Sen to release political
prisoners and prevented the most overt
forms of repression as it has to some
extent in Myanmar. These achievements
are noteworthy, but limited. Such pres-
sure can buy some short-term gains, but
it can do little to force either countries
leaders to adopt the normative outlook
that respects democracy or human
rights as concepts. This change can only
come from below from the Cambodian
and Myanmar people themselves.
According to the American histo-
rian Mark Lilla the problem with think-
ing about countries in terms of where
they lie on a linear development is it
obscures the importance of local his-
tory and context, which do more to de-
termine a countrys political fate than
the templates of international develop-
ment.
Lilla writes, If the only choices we
can imagine are democracy or le dluge,
we exclude the possibility of improving
non-democratic regimes without ei-
ther trying forcibly to transform them
(American-style) or hoping vainly (Eu-
ropean-style) that human rights trea-
ties, humanitarian interventions, legal
sanctions, NGO projects, and bloggers
with iPhones will make a lasting difer-
ence. The only sensible question to ask
about countries like Myanmar is there-
fore a sobering one: Whats Plan B?
Sebastian Strangio is a journalist and
author based in Phnom Penh. His book,
Hun Sens Cambodia, is published through
Silkworm Books and is available now from
Monument Books in Yangon. Follow him on
twitter @sstrangio.
CAMBODIA
Cambodian history
shows Myanmars
need for plan B
OPINION
SEBASTIAN STRANGIO
The change can only
come from below
from the Cambodian
and Myanmar
people themselves.
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World 49 www.mmtimes.com
BEIJING
THE new president of Afghanistan
Ashraf Ghani outlined his vision of ex-
tensive ties with China at the start of a
four-day visit there on October 28, as
NATO combat troops prepare to with-
draw from his country.
Mr Ghani, once a US-based academ-
ic, was sworn in as Afghanistans new
head of state last month in the war-
torn Asian nations rst democratic
transfer of power.
His rst state visit as president is to
resource-hungry China, which is seek-
ing greater investment opportunities in
Afghanistan.
We look at China as a strategic
partner, in the short term, medium
term, long term and very long term,
he told President Xi Jinping at Beijings
Great Hall of the People.
Mr Xis vision for the continent
had opened not just a new chapter for
Asia, but an entirely new book, he said.
Hailing Mr Ghani as an old friend
of the Chinese people, Mr Xi said he
was prepared to work toward a new
era of cooperation in China-Afghani-
stan relations to take development to
a new depth and breadth.
China shares only a 76-kilometre
(47-mile) border with Afghanistans re-
mote far northeast, but has a keen inter-
est in its neighbours mineral resources.
It has already secured major oil and
copper-mining concessions in Afghani-
stan, which is believed to have more
than US$1 trillion worth of mineral re-
sources, according to studies by the US
Geological Survey.
But all NATO combat troops will
leave the country by December, leaving
Afghan troops and police to battle Tali-
ban insurgents on their own.
There are now about 40,000 foreign
troops in Afghanistan, down from their
2011 peak of around 140,000, and their
departure raises questions over stabil-
ity in the country.
A residual force of around 12,000
soldiers, including 9800 Americans
and 500 Britons, will remain under
a security pact signed by Mr Ghani,
focusing on training local forces and
counter-terrorism.
China will provide 1.5 billion yuan
($245 million) in free assistance to
Afghanistan over the next three years,
foreign ministry ofcial Kong Xuanyou
told reporters after the October 28 cer-
emony.
Mr Kong said Mr Ghani expressed
readiness and staunch support in
the struggle against terrorist forces,
which Beijing blames for a string of at-
tacks in its far-western Xinjiang region,
the homeland of the mostly Muslim Ui-
ghur minority.
Chinas international role has come
under criticism from some parties in-
cluding US President Barack Obama,
who in an August interview with the
New York Times called Beijing a free
rider for not doing more to quell vio-
lence in the Middle East.
Chinas state-run media struck back
with editorials blasting Mr Obamas re-
mark.
The US accusation, which comes
out of nowhere, is nothing but an at-
tempt for Washington to nd a scape-
goat for its failed policy in Iraq, the
ofcial Xinhua news agency wrote in
response.
China and Afghanistan signed four
agreements on October 28, including
documents on expanding technical and
commercial cooperation.
Mr Ghanis choice of Beijing for the
trip only weeks after taking ofce is
symbolically signicant, Chinese ana-
lysts say.
Seeking other sources of support
is essential to Afghanistans stabil-
ity and development, China Insti-
tute of Contemporary International
Relations research fellow Fu Xiao-
qiang told the state-run Global Times
newspaper.
China, as the most capable nation
in the neighbourhood, has to be its rst
option, Mr Fu added. AFP
Afghanistans President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) inspect Chinese honour
guards during a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 28. Photo: AFP
Afghanistan and China vow long-term
partnership, as Nato troops pull out
THE PULSE EDITOR: WHITNEY LIGHT light.whitney@gmail.com THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014

G
E
T

Y
O
U
R

F
I
N
G
E R
S

O
N

I
T
Environmentalists
take on the
challenge of
educating unruly
crowds about
respect for wildlife
at the zoo
and beyond
O
N a sunny morning, a teenage boy with a bundle of grass in his hand
stood next to the hippopotamuss enclosure at the Yangon Zoological
Garden. He waved the grass at the hippo, enticing it to come and eat.
When it approached him and opened its mouth, the boy pulled back his
hand. He did it three times without feeding the hippo.
Modern living has made young people poor at respecting nature, as the natural
environment is replaced by housing developments, said U Aung Myo Chit, an
independent wildlife biologist, when asked if such behaviour is acceptable.
He called the zoo a gene bank that helps educate the public about the nature
and behaviour of wildlife and teaches a love and respect of nature and animals.
Unfortunately, many youth today havent seen all the animals and birds of our
country because they live far from nature. They visit the zoo for recreation, not for
learning about nature, he said, contrasting young visitors today to those of the
1990s and earlier.
Ill-treatment of animals is quite common at the zoo, U Aung Myo Chit said.
People have thrown plastic balls and a shoe into the hippos open mouth. Recently,
the eyes of two crocodiles were seriously injured after a man poked them with an
umbrella, and several cobras died after being hit with a stone.
Some visitors have even beaten the hands of monkeys with dry sticks when
theyve stretched out their hands to pick up food.
That behaviour is wrong, U Aung Myo Chit said.
While he feels it is important to raise the publics awareness and respect for the
environment, he acknowledges that it will take a lot of work. Common wisdom
suggests that it takes from seven to 21 times visits, in this case to educate a
person to change an ingrained behaviour.
Will he or she visit the zoo 21 times? Its a challenge for us, he said.
The incidents have attracted the attention of the zoos environmentalists, who
have decided that awareness must be raised. They plan especially to target children,
who tend to learn more quickly.
On May 21, six activists founded the Environmental and Education Group. From
October 11, every Saturday and Sunday the group explains the nature and behaviour
of the zoos ora and fauna to visitors for the purpose of nature conservation. They
teach the importance of treating the animals kindly, as well as place information
campaign posters in the zoos in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, and in Nay Pyi
Taw Safari park.
The group has been greatly welcomed by zoo staf since many incidents of
animal cruelty have been happening when the keepers are not constantly watching
visitors.
The animals are depressed enough in close connement. Its not enough that
they are well-looked after by the zoo keepers. The visitors need to treat them with
respect, said Dr Khin Sane Win, a member of the education group.
Animal
behaviour
the pulse 51
www.mmtimes.com
She said some creatures like owls are nocturnal and sleep in dens
and nests in the daytime. When the visitors dont see them, they
throw stones at the enclosed spaces.
The children throw stones at animals when they are motionless
because they want to see the animals be active. It isnt torture, but
they do need to be educated on how to deal with them in the zoo.
It is crucially important for the zoo, which has never done it [this
education] in the past.
Dr Tun Myint, a veterinarian at the Yangon zoo since 1992, said
some animals in the zoo have died due to public ignorance. Years
ago, a camel died shortly after being fed a loaf of bread wrapped
in plastic, which caused airway obstruction. Three deer lost their
lives in the same way after eating mango wrapped in plastic, which
caused digestive problems.
I ran and checked the camel soon after the staf informed us, Dr
Tun Myint said.But we couldnt save its life.
At the time, such incidents werent common, and the zoo didnt
take immediate action except to put up posters about the incident
and alert keepers to maintain a watch on visitors.
But the incidents are now very common, said U Sein Tin, who is
in charge of the zoos reptile department.
This means the public is at greater risk of harm, too visitors
who poke a stick or umbrella at a poisonous snake can end up with
a nasty bite.
U Aung Myo Chit added that respect for animals doesnt mean only
kind treatment by visitors. It also pertains to the zoos ability to create a
cage, tank or enclosure that closely mimics the animals natural habitat.
These days, there is concern about whether the zoos animals are able to
live in captivity as well as they would live in the wild.
Since the question has been raised, the Yangon zoo is planning to
expand its enclosures, especially for tigers and bears, whose spaces
currently are much too conned.
When the zoo was founded in 1906, its planners designed cages
and enclosures for the purpose of exhibiting the animals only.
According to data collected on September 30, there are now 601
mammals, 583 birds and 202 reptiles living on the zoos 58.16 acres
(0.23 square kilometres) of land.
Later, the environmentalists started to consider the animals
welfare. Wild animals need their freedom and they dont enjoy
captivity, U Aung Myo Chit said. So well gradually change the
spaces in order to get closest to their natural habitat.
Animal
behaviour
Contrary to the belief of some zoo visitors, animals do not digest plastic bags. Photos: Yu Yu
ZON PANN
PWINT
zonpann08@gmail.com
52 the pulse THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
WEEKLY PREDICTIONS
NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
AUNG MYIN KYAW
4
th
Floor, 113, Thamain Bayan Road, Tarmwe township, Yangon.
Tel: 09-731-35632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com
GEMINI | May 21 June 20
Fear nothing about
pursuing a vision. Assess
your individual perception,
probabilities and
possibilities to make the
right decision. Let people see your heart
before they see your hope. Go for the
win-win goal. Remember, when you help
people get what they want, they will help
you.
SAGITTARIUS | Nov 22 Dec 21
Policies are many but
principles are few. Policies
will change but principles
never do. The problem of ill
health gives meaning to
medicine. The problem of social disorder
gives meaning to government. Know that
lifes heaviest burden is having nothing to
carry. Know that everyone wants to feel
valuable.
TAURUS | Apr 20 May 20
People do what people see,
but you should see more.
Dont follow only a dream.
Make up your mind to work
for better and bigger things.
Keep asking yourself, Survival, success
or signicance? You can expect to be
familiar with potential partners who can
help you change for the better.
SCORPIO | Oct 23 Nov 21
High morale comes
from having faith in
your ideas. People
must buy into you
before they buy into
your dreams. Success
is really the result of
planning, and it happens where
preparation and opportunity meet.
ARIES | Mar 21 Apr 19
Problems follow logically
and directly from a
self-destructive premise.
Establish a new key
premise in your thinking to
restore your mind to peace and
tranquility. Let the law of harmony
operate in your mind and body. Your
mind knows the answers to all
questions, and it does not argue or talk
back.
LIBRA | Sept 23 Oct 22
Stay enthusiastic, encourage
others and believe in people,
and you could be
empowered yourself. Your
assumptions about others
must allow you to continually motivate
and develop them. Know that positive
assumptions will stimulate positive
leadership. Treat people to a vision of
themselves to help them advance.
CANCER | June 21 July 22
Your subconscious never
sleeps but it controls all
your vital functions.
Forgive yourself and
everyone else before you
go to sleep. Believe that your future is in
your subconscious mind, and make
sure to stay far away from misdeeds
and wrong actions. A beautiful heart is
in connection with love always.
CAPRICORN | Dec 22 Jan 19
Personal integrity and right
actions must be your priority
before you gain popularity
and fame. It is essential to
begin developing self-
discipline in a small way today in order to
be disciplined in a big way tomorrow.
Good thoughts and good intentions must
be translated into w right action.
PISCES | Feb 19 March 20
Make time to care for
yourself. Get into great
shape. Work with a coach to
improve your skills.
Commune with nature to
achieve harmony with everybody and
everything. Reect on what you want to
stand for and what will be your impact. An
unexpected opportunity may change your
mind.
VIRGO | Aug 23 Sept 22
A life free of obstacles and
difculties would reduce all
possibilities and power to
zero. Life would lose its
creative tension. Know that
the problem of mass ignorance gives
meaning to education and problems give
meaning to life. Know that failure is the
opportunity to begin again more
intelligently.
AQUARIUS | Jan 20 Feb 18
Good health and good sense
are two great blessings.
Believe that the greatest
right in the world is the right
to be wrong. You should
speak little and only when absolutely
necessary. Know that drama is not
effective without sorrow. The more
fearless you are, the better you will be
able to face disturbances.
LEO | July 23 Aug 22
Plato said, The unexamined
life is not worth living.
Nearly all people can stand
adversity but no one can get
power honestly.
Acknowledge that power leads to the
abuse of power, and abuse of power leads
to the loss of power. There is but one
correct use of power, and it is to serve
people.
New literary festival set
for January in Yangon
L
ITERATURE for Peace, a
new international literary
festival featuring Nobel-
prize-winning authors,
will take place January
17-19 at the National Theatre of
Yangon, organisers said. The festival
committee expects over a hundred
authors from around the country
to attend, which would make it
the second-largest such festival
in Myanmar after the Irrawaddy
Literary Festival.
As a winner of the Nobel Peace
Prize, of course, Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi will be the Nobel-winner
representing Myanmar, said Cho
Cho Lwin, festival media ofcer.
She said their goal is to secure the
attendance of at least four Nobel
winners, adding that they could
not reveal the list of attendees yet
because we have to negotiate for
their visas and schedules, et cetera.
The festival events will include
conferences as well as exhibitions
of cartoons, Nobel-winning books
and their Myanmar translations,
and photos about peacemakers
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing and
U Thant. There will be group
discussions and a daily book bazaar
as well as evening entertainment
such as music and plays in which
authors themselves will participate.
The festival will be lead by local
writers and an independent donor
from Norway. The patrons of the
festival are U Thaw Kaung, Mg Paw
Tun, Min Yu Wai, Mg Moe Thu, Mg
Than Swe (Dawei), Ko Lay, Lal Twin
Thar Saw Chit, Mg Khin Min (Danu
Phyu) and Dr Khin Maung Nyo.
I want local readers to be
intimate with the Nobel literature,
writer Mg Moe Thu said, adding
that he hopes the festival will be
a one-stop shop for the books.
The most important thing for the
festival to do is collect the books
written by the prize winners and to
translate these and produce them
for public consumption.
We are arranging it urgently
now, he said.
About forty local publishers
will participate in the project.
Among the translations to be made
available are seven books by Swiss
artist and writer Hermann Hesse, 21
books by Pearl S Buck, an American
known for her depictions of life in
China, and 16 books by American
John Steinbeck, known best for his
Dustbowl trilogy about the Great
Depression.
We made a list and have about
100 books to produce, said U
Win Cho, publisher and festival
committee member. Honestly, I
dont know how many books we
will produce.
The festival will be free for all
to attend during the day. Ticket
prices for nighttime events and
entertainment programs have yet to
be xed.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel founded
the Nobel Prize in 1897, and Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi won the Noble
Prize for Peace in 1991.
CHIT SU WAI
suwai.chit@gmail.com
Got an event?
List it in Whats On!
whatsonmt@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 3 - 9
ART
Nov 1-5 Uncovering H Lwin. Oil painting
by H Lwin. The Yangon Gallery, Peoples
Park, near the Planetarium, Ahlone Road,
Dagon 10am-6pm
Nov 1-7 Travelling with Black Sheep.
Aung Kyi Soes second solo exhibition.
Nawaday Tharlar Gallery, Room 304, 3
rd

foor, 20B Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon 1-5pm
Nov 7-9 Fragrance of Myanmar. Paintings
by 13 Myanmar artists. The Yangon Gallery,
Peoples Park, Ahlone Road, Dagon 10am-
6pm
FILM
Start times at Mingalar (1, 2), Thwin, Shae
Shaung (1, 2) and Nay Pyi Taw cinemas are
10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm.
Start times at Junction Square and Maw
Tin are 10am, 1pm and 4pm daily and 7pm
and 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday.
Start times at Mingalar San Pya are 10am,
12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm and 9:30pm.
Nay Pyi Taw Cinema, near Sule Pagoda
John Wick. Directed by David Leitch. An
ex-hitman gets back into the game to take
down gangsters who ruined his life.
The Pirates! Directed by Peter Lord, Jeff
Newitt. An animated story about the
pirates of Blood Island.
The Equalizer: The Dawn of Justice.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua. A former black
ops commando is drawn back to fght
Russian gangsters.
Mingalar Cinema 2, at Theingyi Zay, Latha
Bang Bang. Directed by Siddharth Anand.
A bank receptionist and a charming
vigilante go on a transcontinental chase.
Mingalar Cinema 2, at Dagon Center 2,
Myaynigone
The Pirates!
Shae Shaung Cinema, Sule Pagoda
Road, Kyauktada
Dracula Untold. Directed by Gary Shore.
The true story of Vlad the Impaler is
combined with the myth of Dracula.
Bang Bang.
Junction Square Cineplex, Kamaryut
Annabelle. Directed by Kevin Carraway.
A demon-possessed toy doll terrorises a
young family.
Reclaim. Directed by Alan White.
Americans abroad stumble into a high-
stakes underground scheme and must
save their daughter.
Mingalar San Pya Cineplex, Phone Gyi
Street and Anawrahta, Lanmadaw
John Wick.
Bang Bang.
MUSIC
Sept 5-Dec 31 Live Music. Thiripyitsaya Sky
Bistro, 20
th
Floor, Sakura Tower, 710 pm
Nov 3 Monday blues. Mojo Bar, 135 Inya
Road, Bahan 9:30pm-11:30pm
Nov 5 Live music. 50
th
Street Bar, 9/13 50
th

Street, Botahtaung 8pm
Nov 7 Jazz & blues night, performed by
the Aaron Gallegos Trio. Gekko Japanese
Restaurant, 535 Merchant Street,
Kyauktada 7pm
Nov 6 Night of Light 2014: A Tribute To 30
th

Emperor performed by Zaw Win Htut, Ye
Thwin, Rin Go and more. Tickets K7000
to K25,000 at City Mart, Ocean, Feel and
1886 Call Center. Peoples Park, Pyay Road,
Ahlone 4pm
MISC
Nov 4 Gallery conversation and drinks.
Pansodan Gallery, 289 Pansodan Street,
Kyauktada 7pm-late
Art by Aung Kyi Soe is on show at Nawaday Tharlar
Gallery until November 7.
the pulse 53 www.mmtimes.com
I
FEEL a burden when people order
clothes as they want and I dont
want to make it, said Sann Bawk
Rar, the 34-year-old owner and
designer of Shayi ready-to-wear
fashions. I think that those people
want a tailor, not a designer. I dont
accept orders from anyone.
Her business headquarters are clean
and overwhelmingly white with blouses
and skirts draped on hangers adding
bursts of colour. Also on the walls are
photographs of female models wearing
her designs. The work room is full of
packaged clothing, bolts of cotton and
print fabric and bundles of accessories
including lace and buttons.
Sann Bawk Rar is known for her
cotton-based Kachin-style garments,
with Shayi becoming the rst popularly
known commercial brand of clothing
made from traditional Myanmar
designs and fabrics.
While she creates amazing designs
with traditional fabrics, however, she
herself prefers freestyle clothing. Her
wardrobe contains items in subdued
colours, black and brown mostly, which
she nds most comfortable to wear
during her daily routine.
But as a designer, Sann Bawk Rar
uses a variety of vibrant colours. She
said she thinks everyone needs to be
fashionable in their daily life, adding
that fashion is closely related to ones
mood.
I never think that I am
fashionable, she said. For me,
fashion is free. I dont want to feel
uncomfortable because of my clothes.
Thats why I produce a ready-to-wear
brand that is for everyone.
At age 10, she was already making
clothes for her sisters and her dolls.
After she nished her matriculation
exam, she started to teach basic
dressmaking classes in Mandalay,
where she had grown up in her ethnic
Kachin family.
She stepped into her professional
career as a fashion designer after taking
a dressmaking class with a famous
designer, Daw Thidar Win. That led to
her collaboration with weavers from
Amarapura township with whom she
planned to open a womens boutique
shop in 2005. At that time there was no
comparable brand-name boutique in
Yangon.
She had moved from Mandalay to
Yangon for her education to attend the
University of Foreign Languages as an
English major, but after she graduated
in 2004, she passed up the opportunity
to work for NGOs and earn a salary in
dollars and stepped into the fashion
eld.
As she was the rst daughter
among her familys ve children to
get a degree in English, her mother
had wanted her to take a good job
and help look after the family. But
Sann Bawk Rar didnt follow her
mothers way.
It was my desire to be a designer
for my career. Because people must
work for their lifetime, and, as for me,
I dont want to work at something that
doesnt interest me, she said. I almost
forget everything when Im making a
new design, and I spend so much time
on it.
Her family supported her idea to
open a fashion shop. She was 25 at the
time, and she was spending almost
24 hours a day cutting and sewing,
proving that she could handle her
choice. Still she faced many difculties
in opening her rst shop.
I didnt know where I could buy
fashion products or fabric and where
I should open the shop. I didnt know
anything, she said. I gave all my time
to my project.
She opened the rst Shayi shop with
six staf on Nawaday Street in Dagon
township. The idea was to market
traditional fabrics made into modern,
casual garments cotton dresses,
blouses and longyis that would appeal
to a wide range of girls and women.
Shayi opened with 200 dresses,
which Sann Bawk Rar estimated would
be enough to last two months. She was
wrong. Within two weeks almost all the
clothes were sold out.
I couldnt live while the clothes
hangers in my shop were empty,
she said. That was the toughest and
happiest time in my life as a designer.
I made more dresses, not sleeping or
eating.
But then another problem arose. A
few customers came back to her shop
unhappy that their recent purchases
had been bleached of their colour in
the wash.
At that time, the loom-woven
cotton was either white or fawn colour.
If I needed red or blue fabric, it had
to be dyed, she said. So I cooperated
with the weavers and asked them to
change the type of dye they were using.
Seven months after the shop
opened, she joined with local model
agencies to exhibit her designs in
September 2005 during Myanmar
Greatest Fashion Week, as well as at
other local fashion shows. The exposure
brought her a lot of attention and
support.
From basic dresses, blouses and
skirts, she progressed to making more
complex designs from lessons on the
internet and by looking at foreign
fashion catalogues, designer collections
and design books.
Im blessed. Im good at learning,
and I learned about how a designer
works from a concept, target and
inspiration to make a show. I also
learned pattern-making, colour
theory, drawing and cutting by myself.
Especially, I learned that a designer
who produces a brand by himself
must have an idea of a lifestyle, a way
of thinking a whole concept for the
fashion show.
In 2010, she became a member of
the Myanmar Fashion Designer Group
and started to participate in their group
shows, including in 2011 The Fashion
Phenomenon and many overseas
fashion shows. Recently she was part of
the groups two-day 2014-2015 Fashion
Fair in Yangon.
Though shes gained much
experience, these events always bring
her stress, she said.
I dont plan how many designs I
will produce per month or per year.
Sometimes I get an idea when Im
travelling, she said. But when Im
working for a fashion show, I can feel
pressure to produce.
Her most common daily feeling,
however, is gratitude.
I think Ive got everything Ive
wanted since I was young, she said.
Ive got lots of local customers who like
my designs and quality products. That
is the good result of many experiences
and times during which I had to work
a lot harder.
Today she runs three Shayi
boutiques two in Yangon and one in
Mandalay. She plans to open another
branch in Yangon and also in Monywa,
as per her customers demands.
She can also aford to take Sundays
away from work to spend time with
her husband, go to church and plan to
have a baby.
Seaming
tradition with
modern are
NANDAR AUNG
nandaraung.mcm@gmail.com
Sann Bawk Rar displays a recent creation at her Bahan workshop. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
The Global Gossip
LOS ANGELES
Suge Knight arrested in row over
photographers camera
Notorious rap mogul Marion Suge Knight
and comedian Micah Katt Williams were
arrested October 29 for allegedly stealing a
camera from a photographer, authorities said.
Knight, 49, and Williams, 43, have been
charged with robbery, according to the Los
Angeles district attorney.
Bail was set at a million dollars for Knight,
who founded and runs Black Kapital Records,
and who cofounded Death Row Records with
hip-hop king Dr Dre in the early 1990s.
Williams bail was set at $75,000 dollars,
prosecutor Jackie Lacey said.
She said the men allegedly took the
camera from a celebrity photographer on
September 5 in Beverly Hills.
Knight was arrested in Las Vegas and
Williams in Inglewood. The producer, who
has a prior conviction for assault with a
deadly weapon, faces up to 30 years in jail if
convicted.
Williams could face seven years behind
bars.
WASHINGTON
US commando who killed Bin
Laden to reveal identity
The US Navy Seal commando who red the
shots which killed al-Qaeda chief Osama
Bin Laden is to reveal his identity in a Fox
News television documentary this month,
the network announced October 29.
The Man Who Killed Osama Bin Laden
will air in two segments November 11-12,
with the commando recounting his role
in the raid that killed Bin Laden at his
Pakistani compound in 2011.
The Navy SEAL will share his story of
training to be a member of Americas elite
ghting force and explain his involvement
in Operation Neptune Spear, the mission
that killed Bin Laden, the network said in
a press release.
The program will also offer a look at a
secret ceremony in which the commando
donated the shirt he was wearing during
the mission to the National September 11
Memorial & Museum in New York City, it
said.
Singer Miley Cyrus
wears this thing at
the 2014 amfAR LA
Inspiration Gala at Milk
Studios in Hollywood on
October 29. Photo: Jason
Kempin/AFP
SAN FRANCISCO
YouTube considers offering ad-free
subscription
Subscriptions and even a streaming music
service are among new options that YouTube
is considering offering its more than one
billion users, YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki
said at a technology conference in California
late October 27.
YouTube right now is ad-supported, which
is really great in the sense that it has enabled
us to scale to a billion users; anyone can
access the content, Wojcicki said in an online
video clip of her on-stage conference chat.
But there are going to be cases where
people will say, I dont want to see the ads,
or, I want to have a different experience.
Wojcicki also conrmed rumours that
YouTube is working on a streaming music
and video service that could compete with the
likes of Pandora and Spotify. AFP
Singer Rihanna attends
amfARs fifth annual
Inspiration Gala in Los
Angeles at Milk Studios in
Hollywood on October 29.
Photo: AFP/Robyn Beck
LOS ANGELES
Big Bang Theory actress Cuoco gets
Hollywood star
The Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco was
joined by fellow cast members from the hit TV
sitcom as she received a star on Hollywoods
storied Walk of Fame.
Jim Parsons (Sheldon), Johnny Galecki
(Leonard), Simon Helberg (Howard) and Kunal
Nayyar (Raj), as well as the shows co-creator
Chuck Lorre, were on hand for the star-
unveiling ceremony on Tinseltowns famous
sidewalk.
This cast has changed my life in many
ways, said the 28-year-old, who plays Penny in
the series, which has been running since 2007
and is in its eighth season.
We laugh a lot (doing the show). This is a
testament to the hard work and the dedication
and the joy of doing something we love, said
Lorre, as crowds gathered for the morning
ceremony.
Big Bang averaged about 20 million viewers
an episode last season, making it the most-
watched comedy in America.
Actress Kaley Cuoco
beams with star pride.
Photo: AFP/Mark Ralston
British actor David Gyasi
adjusts his cufflink on
the red carpet for the
European premiere of the
film Interstellar in London
on October 29. Photo: AFP/
Leon Neal
T
HE musics thumping,
the dance oors packed
and the bars bustling.
Welcome to one of New
Yorks hottest nightclubs
and a new generation of clubbers:
six-year-olds.
The VIP Room threw open its
doors to children aged six to 12 on a
Sunday afternoon to give them a taste
of the nightclub, electronic music
and dance scene in New Yorks uber
trendy Meatpacking District.
Among those hitting the decks
was eight-year-old DJ Alden. Kids
swarmed onto the dance oor,
bopping up and down to beats with
proud moms shimmying alongside or
snapping pictures.
It was awesome! said Alden,
son of the organisers who jumped
on the decks during the four-hour,
Halloween-themed party. The best
thing was when I was in the DJ
booth, DJing for everybody.
A dancer dressed as a robot with
LED lights on his legs, arms, head
and body took to the podium to
whip up the crowd. When he starts
shooting dry ice from two white guns,
they go wild.
The children scream with
pleasure, reaching up their hands as
the robot takes them through basic
dance steps, getting them to feel the
beat.
More than 300 people, including
parents and younger siblings,
attended the party organised by
a husband-and-wife team whose
company CirKiz opens top New York
clubs to children once a month.
I love it. My daughters having
a great time, said Laura Lampert, a
legal secretary from Harlem dressed
in a leopard-print dress with cat ears,
pointing out her child twirling to the
side.
Its a lot of fun. Its also safe for
the kids. Its during the day, and they
get to feel like grown-ups, she said.
While parents sit back with a beer
or vodka from the bar, children get
a taste of the DJ booth they are
encouraged to touch the equipment
and dabble in a spot of mixing.
Natalie Elizabeth Weiss DJs at the
childrens club sessions and thinks
they are a brilliant way of opening
young minds.
Its giving us a chance to get back
to our roots as humans, which is get
together and dance to music, she
told AFP.
She gives DJ lessons to children as
young as three months, which have
gone viral among trendy families
across New York.
There has been interest as far
aeld as South Korea, Berlin and Los
Angeles. Weiss plans masterclasses
in Atlanta and Orlando, and she ies
next month to Taiwan to initiate the
program there.
But the parties are the brainchild
of Jesse Sprague, a DJ who has
worked on the club scene for 20
years, and his wife Jenny Song. They
say the raves are great fun for a child.
They get to come into a really
cool space, socialise with their
friends, get away from televisions,
iPads and tablets, and come in and
experience something that has a very
cool vibe, said Sprague.
One of the mission statements is
that we want to inspire kids to pursue
things that are artistic. It helps to
develop a creative mind, having the
kids be in a stimulating sensory
environment.
The couple got the idea after
throwing their sons rst birthday
party at New York club Cielo. Friends
had such a good time that they urged
the couple to turn it into a business.
In concession to the tender age
of clubbers, they keep the volume in
check, screen songs for content and
restrict ravers to cupcakes instead of
cocktails.
Pier Singh, dressed up as a Candy
Corn Witch in tight trousers, high-
heeled ankle boots and a spangly
top, struts onto the dance oor with
two-year-old son Nico in a New York
police uniform.
Older brother Miles, six, is Spider-
Man and likes to break-dance. Singh
saw the party advertised on Facebook
and knew it would be the perfect
family outing.
I think its really awesome, said
Singh. What kid doesnt love dancing
these days, she laughs. AFP
NEW YORK
Kids go clubbing
JENNIE MATTHEW
Junior ravers take over The VIP Room in Manhattan on October 26. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP
S
t
r
e
e
t

S
e
e
n
Waiting for customers at
the 38
th
Street market.
Photo: Yu Yu
Aspiring
girl-band
members
wanted
Keep t to reduce cancer risk
T
HE most recent edition of
Living Well in Myanmar
ofered ve guiding lifestyle
principles for avoiding a
heart attack. By eating well,
exercising, maintaining a healthy
weight, not smoking and drinking
alcohol in moderation, you can
greatly reduce your chance of running
into heart troubles. But can those
behaviours also help with other areas
of your health?
We have evidence, of varying
quality, that exercise reduces your risk
of Alzheimers disease, not smoking
reduces your risk of stroke, and eating
well lowers your risk of diabetes.
What about a healthy weight?
Besides the obvious advantage of
things like reduced joint pain and
cholesterol levels, what other benets
does keeping of the pounds provide?
Increasingly in recent years,
medical evidence has suggested
that being overweight is linked to
developing cancer over the course
of a lifetime. A study published in
the journal The Lancet a few months
ago gives us greater insight into how
strong the relationship between extra
pounds and malignancy might be.
The authors reviewed medical
records from general practitioners
working in the UK and assembled
data on more than 5 million patients
over seven years. They found that
for each 5-point increase in BMI
there was a linear increase in the
occurrence of many types of cancer.
(BMI is a standardised measure of
body fat based on weight and height.
A 5-point increase in BMI is around 15
kilograms, or 33 pounds.)
The biggest dangers were
identied for uterine cancer (62
percent increased risk), gallbladder
cancer (31pc increased risk), kidney
cancer (25pc increased risk) and
liver cancer (19pc increased risk).
Overweight people also had more
colon, thyroid, cervical, ovarian, breast
and leukemic cancers.
The researchers concluded that in
the UK an annual 12,000 extra cases
of cancer occur simply because people
are overweight. This compounds the
already heavy burden that obesity
places on national health care
systems.
In Myanmar we dont have
the same levels of obesity-related
complications as in many Western
nations yet. Anecdotally most
general practitioners I work with in
Yangon say there is a growing trend
in excessive weight gain among
their patients. Its also safe to say the
general population underappreciates
the dangers of being overweight. And
at the moment it may well be more
dangerous to be obese in Myanmar
than in a developed country. This
is because the current lack of
accessible, reliable and well-regulated
medical care makes it unlikely that
an overweight person can access
the risk-reduction screenings
and interventions that they need.
A strong case can be made that
preventing obesity is more important
in Myanmar than in many other
countries.
The physiologic mechanism by
which extra weight leads to cancer
is poorly understood. Also, there
appears to be signicant variation
in how much obesity contributes to
each cancer type and at what weight
levels the danger begins to increase.
But despite the lack of clear scientic
explanations or guidelines, we can
now be certain that maintaining a
healthy weight reduces cancer risk,
and the best way to do that is by
choosing a healthy mix of foods,
avoiding excessive calories and
leading an active lifestyle.
Christoph Gelsdorf is an American Board
of Family Medicine physician who sees
patients in Yangon and California (www.
gelsdorfMD.com). He is an honourary
member of the Myanmar General
Practitioner Society. Reader thoughts and
questions are welcomed.
Living Well in Myanmar
CHRISTOPH
GELSDORF, MD
livingwellmyanmar@gmail.com
MYANMAR is set to get another
girl band. Rize Entertainment plans
to launch a 100-member group to
promote across Asia, said Moe The
Cho, manager of the Japan-Myanmar
company.
It plans to train young Myanmar
women aged 18 to 25 and is accepting
applications now from all who are
interested.
Although there will be 100
members in the group, we will divide
into many subgroups such as AKB48
has done with success in Japan and
worldwide. They will all be able to
sing and dance, Moe The Cho said.
The girl band AKB48 was formed
with 48 members and now lists 140.
The band Rize plans to form
will make an album in Myanmar
language. Applications for auditions
will be accepted until November 7,
with the audition date scheduled for
November 10.
Selected performers will sign
a contract with Rize and receive
free training for eight months from
established Japanese artists.
After that they will be expected to
go on tour with the group. If a trainee
declines to go, they will owe the
company K10 million so performers
best check the rules and regulations
of the contracts carefully.
The contest has already created a
buzz among prospective candidates.
I want to be a dancer, and I think
this is the opportunity for me to be
popular not only in Myanmar but also
worldwide, said Wit Ye Phyo, 19.
Applications are available at Rize
Entertainment, 1
st
oor, 205 Yuzana
Tower, Bahan.
CHIT SU WAI
suwai.chit@gmail.com
Weight categories illustrated from underweight to obese. Figures 6-9 represent normal. Image: Ettarh R et al
the pulse food and drink 57 www.mmtimes.com
E
GGS are good when you
cook them right, and people
say thats easy to do. But
you have to know what
youre doing rst.
I often make egg dishes when-
ever I have guests with little kids
over for brunch. They want to eat
the same thing the adults are eat-
ing, not from separate plates. So the
easiest dish that all will enjoy is an
egg dish.
One recipe is for marble eggs
avoured with tea and soy. These
can be served as a garnish on rice
dishes or with barbecue or meat stew.
You can do tea avours only or soy
avours only or both. The colour of
the tea and soy marks the egg whites
through cracked shells so they appear
marbled.
The second recipe is from my
mum one of our family favourites.
I have updated it a little. Whenever
my mum cooked this curry, my sisters
and I would constantly be in the
kitchen, nibbling. She would nd
there were not enough egg slices to
serve at lunch time and wed be in
trouble. Still, we never learned to stop
nibbling.
MARBLE EGGS
6 eggs
cup soy sauce
cup water
2 star anise
2 slices ginger
1 tbsp tea leaves
Place eggs in a sauce pan and add
enough water to cover. Boil on
medium heat. As soon as the water
bubbles, simmer for 5 minutes.
Take out the eggs and let cool.
Tap the shells with the back of a
spoon. Let the shells break a bit while
remaining attached to the egg.
Put the eggs back in the water,
adding all the remaining ingredients
to the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Transfer the eggs to a bowl and let
cool. Peel of the shells (under cold
running water if you need to).
Serve with chilli sauce or fresh
sour-and-spicy sauce.
Photos: Phyo
Restaurant Review
Food 10
Drinks 8
Service 7
Value for money 9
X-factor 8
Restaurant Rating
In Mandalay, offshoot of popular Yangon pub offers

casual diners a step up from the beer station
Photos: Si Thu Lwin
Ginki Kids
71
st
Street on the corner of 28
th

Street, Mandalay
Open 10:30am-11pm daily
GINKI Kids has been a xture on the
Yangon bar scene for more than 15
years. Tucked away in Golden Valley,
it draws a mixed crowd of young
Burmese who come to socialise over a
few cocktails, families who come for
dinner and the occasional expat who
comes for the familiar pub-style vibe.
I, for one, loved going there as it was
laid back, with great food and good
people-watching.
In Mandalay, dinner and drinks
means beer station, and there is
certainly no shortage of them around.
But Ginki Kids owner U Aung Kywe
thought that Mandalay residents
might be ready for something new.
And he was right.
Open for only a week, with no sign
out front to indicate the restaurant,
Ginkis garden was full when I arrived
with my friends. The non-smoking
inside dining area was inviting with
a high wood ceiling, minimal but
tasteful decoration and glass walls.
But since the cool winter
temperatures had just set in, we
wanted to sit outside. After a drink
(large Myanmar K2000; cocktails
starting at K2500) on the U-shaped
lounge sofa on the patio, a table came
available in the garden.
The food menu is the same as in
Yangon plus several Indian dishes. My
friends, who had not visited either
Ginki before, left the ordering up to
me. I chose a few items that were
popular at the original restaurant and
some that were new to me. We were
not disappointed. Every dish was
fresh, tasty and just the right size.
From the starters we ordered the
chicken satay (K5000) and the bizarre
but owner-recommended mashed
potatoes with mayonnaise (K3000).
Five large satay sticks showed up
at the table sizzling hot. The meat
was succulent and avourful, so
much so that it did not need
the soy-based dipping sauce
that came alongside. We were
intrigued by the potatoes, as
it sounded like such a strange
combination. A heaping mound
of nely ground mashed potato
came served on a banana
leaf, the mayonnaise served
thankfully in a small ramekin
on the side. With a little
trepidation we took
a bite the texture
was more akin to
American-style grits,
but we all agreed
the avour was
great.
The food
kept getting
better from
there. We
had two
vegetable
dishes (kailan with mushrooms in
oyster sauce K3000; fried Japan
tofu with vegetables K3500) which,
like the satay, came to the table
with steam rising of of them. The
vegetables were fresh and rich in
colour and avour.
Of the several soft-shelled crab
items on the menu, we opted for the
fried soft crab with black pepper
and vegetables (K6000), which was
loaded with delicious crabs and
complemented by a nice sauce
that didnt overpower the crab
meat.
Thoroughly stufed, our
last dish arrived spicy grilled
pork neck (K5000) and
despite our full bellies we
devoured it. Accompanied
by sticky rice with sesame,
the meat melted in our
mouths and the avours were
incredible a bit of
heat from the chillis,
sauted onions and
crispy ground rice.
Whilst the food
was incredible,
and we
appreciated that
it was served
hot, our only
complaint
was that it
was brought
out one or two
plates at a time. The lag between
service was not terrible but the
timing could be improved. Aside
from that, Ginki Kids Mandalay gets
high marks all around, and Im sure
it will quickly become one of the
top dining spots in Mandalay. And,
given that its a ve-minute drive
from my of ce, I will certainly be a
frequent visitor.
ANNE CRUICKSHANK
DAW PHYU PHYUS SWEET EGG
CURRY
6 eggs
1 tbsp soy sauce
6 cloves garlic (medium size)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground white pepper
In a sauce pan, add the eggs and wa-
ter to cover them. Boil on medium
heat for 8 minutes. Turn the heat of
and leave them in the hot water for
2-3 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl
lled with cold water. When they
are cool enough to handle, peel the
shells of and cut them into 4 slices.
Mix the soy sauce and sugar in a
bowl and set aside.
Add the vegetable oil to a non-
stick frying pan and heat it on
medium. Saut the garlic. As soon as
the aroma of the garlic comes out,
remove the pan from the stove. Add
the soy sauce mixture to the pan
with care. Please note that if the oil
is hot, it could spit.
Place the sliced eggs, cooked whites
facing down, in the sauce. Cover with
a lid and put back on the stove. Sim-
mer for 5 minutes. Turn the eggs and
remove them from the stove.
Serve with rice or as an appetizer
or nibbles.
food
Try these
eggcellent
nibbles
for kids
PHYO ARBIDANS
phyo.arbidans@gmail.com
THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
Socialite
The popular bar and grill
welcomed back customers on
October 23 after being tempo-
rarily shut for renovations and
a menu update. Guests enjoyed
free-ow drinks and snacks all
evening long.
On October 24, the Institute Francais held the fth event in its series French Love
Friday with an open-air party and electronic music.
IFB hosts another Friday party
The Memory! Reprise Film Festival gave local movie-
goers a chance to watch classics from around the
globe at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema October 28-November 2.
The festival opened with Charlie Chaplins The Circus,
celebrating 100 years since the creation of the famous
Tramp.
Festival screens classic lms
Union Bar celebrates
reopening
Cat, Ben, Kelly and Adam Rodolf Lesser, Lesley Abraham, Erleno Falch and Helile Skela
Sai, Brice, Steven and
Charlie
Bhattarai and Pokhrels family
Marcel, Edwin and Carsten Kyaw Myat Chit, Phong Phong, Aung Thiha and Wuttyi
Lera and Emily
Alex and his friends
Sarah and Sonya Aung Pyae, Soe Zayar and Soe Yarzar
Haymar, Aye Mi San, Brice, Jeremy, Steven, Zin Nwe and Charlotte
www.mmtimes.com
Socialite
The Embassy of Turkey celebrated 91 years of its
Republic at Chatrium Hotel on October 29.
Turkey celebrates 91
st
anniversary
Law rm DFDL celebrated its 20th anniversary with a party at
lAlchemiste attended by CEOs, ambassadors and members of the
media on October 22.
DFDL marks 20 years
Jessica
Alvi Hakim, Jasmeet Singh and Jogeshwar Maini
Simon and Khin Thandar
Ko Nyan Thar,
Jeremy and
Nichole Jerome Buzenet and Daw Thida Aye
Adeana Shendal Greenlee and Mark DAlelio DFDL staff William D Greenlee Jr, Tobat Hall, Adeana Greenlee and Mark Hampson Ma Ni Ni Oo and Ma Ei Phyu Win
60 the pulse travel THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES
Airline Codes
6T = Air Mandalay
7Y = Mann Yadanarpon Airlines
FMI = FMI Air Charter
K7 = Air KBZ
W9 = Air Bagan
Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines
YH = Yangon Airways
YJ = Asian Wings
Subject to change
without notice
Day
1 = Monday
2 = Tuesday
3 = Wednesday
4 = Thursday
5 = Friday
6 = Saturday
7 = Sunday
Domestic Airlines
Air Bagan (W9)
Tel: 513322, 513422, 504888. Fax: 515102
Air KBZ (K7)
Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (airport), 373766
(hotline). Fax: 372983
Air Mandalay (6T)
Tel: (ofce) 501520, 525488, (airport)
533222~3, 09-73152853.
Fax: (ofce) 525937, 533223 (airport)
Asian Wings (YJ)
Tel: 515261~264, 512140, 512473, 512640
Fax: 532333, 516654
FMI Air Charter
Tel: 240363, 240373, 09421146545
Golden Myanmar Airlines (Y5)
Tel: 09400446999, 09400447999
Fax: 8604051
Mann Yadanarpon Airlines (7Y)
Tel: 656969
Fax: 656998, 651020
Yangon Airways (YH)
Tel: 383100, 383107, 700264
Fax: 652 533
YANGON TO NAY PYI TAW NAY PYI TAW TO YANGON
Flight Days Dep Arr Flight Days Dep Arr
FMI A1 1,2,3,4,5 7:15 8:15 FMI A2 1,2,3,4,5 8:35 9:35
FMI B1 1,2,3,4,5 10:45 11:45 FMI B2 1,2,3,4,5 13:30 14:30
FMI C1 1,2,3,4,5 17:00 18:00 FMI C2 1,2,3,4,5 18:20 19:20
YANGON TO MANDALAY MANDALAY TO YANGON
7Y 111 Daily 5:50 7:55 YH 910 1,2,3,4,7 7:40 9:45
7Y 133 2,5,7 5:55 8:00 7Y 112 Daily 8:10 10:05
YH 909 1,2,3,4,7 6:00 7:40 YH 634 2 8:10 10:15
K7 262 Daily 6:00 8:10 7Y 134 2,5,7 8:15 10:10
YH 917 5 6:00 7:40 K7 262 Daily 8:25 12:25
YH 917 1,2,3,4,6,7 6:10 8:30 YH 918 1,2,3,4,6,7 8:30 10:45
6T 401 2,3,4,5,6,7 6:20 8:30 W9 201 Daily 8:40 10:35
YH 633 2 6:30 8:10 6T 402 2,3,4,5,6,7 8:45 10:50
YH 831 4,6 7:00 8:40 YH 918 5 9:10 11:05
W9 201 Daily 7:00 8:25 K7 244 1,3,5,6,7 9:55 13:00
YH 835 1 7:00 12:55 K7 267 Daily 10:20 12:25
K7 266 Daily 8:00 10:05 YH 738 7 13:25 17:50
K7 244 1,3,5,6,7 8:15 9:40 YH 832 6 13:50 15:15
7Y 815 3 10:30 11:55 YH 832 4 14:50 16:25
7Y 813 7 10:30 11:55 7Y 816 1,4,6 15:00 18:45
7Y 707 2,5 10:30 14:45 7Y 708 2,5 15:00 19:18
7Y 815 1,4,6 10:30 14:45 YH 912 2 15:30 17:25
YH 911 2 11:00 12:40 YH 836 1 15:45 17:10
YH 727 1 11:15 13:25 7Y 814 7 16:00 17:25
YH 729 2,4,6 11:15 14:15 7Y 816 3 16:40 18:05
YH 737 3,7 11:15 13:25 YH 728 1 16:45 18:10
W9 251 2,5 11:30 12:55 K7 225/7Y 242 Daily 16:50 19:00
YH 737 5 11:30 13:40 YH 738 5 16:55 19:05
YH 835 7 11:30 13:10 YH 830 5 17:00 18:25
YH 829 5 12:30 14:10 YJ 152/W9 7152 1,3,6 17:05 18:30
K7 822 2,4,7 12:30 16:55 YJ 211/W9 7211 7 17:10 19:15
YJ 151/W9 7151 1,3,6 13:00 16:45 W9 211 4 17:10 19:15
K7 622 1,3,5,7 13:00 14:25 7Y 222 Daily 17:10 19:15
K7 226 2,4,6 13:30 14:55 K7 823 2,4,7 17:10 18:35
K7 224/7Y 241 Daily 14:30 16:35 YH 732 1,2,3,4,6,7 17:10 19:15
YH 731 1,2,3,4,6,7 15:00 17:10 K7 227 2,4,6 17:20 18:45
7Y 221 Daily 15:00 16:55 YH 738 3 17:25 18:50
YJ 211/W9 7211 7 15:30 16:55 K7 623 1,3,5,7 17:40 19:05
W9 211 4 15:30 16:55 YH 836 7 17:50 19:15
YH 731 5 15:30 17:40 6T 502 Daily 17:50 20:00
6T 501 Daily 15:30 17:35 YH 732 5 17:40 19:45
YH 730 2,4,6 18:00 19:25
W9 252 2,5 18:15 19:40
YANGON TO NYAUNG U NYAUNG U TO YANGON
7Y 111 Daily 5:50 7:10 7Y 111 Daily 7:25 10:05
7Y 241 1,3,4,6 5:55 7:15 7Y 241 1,3,4,6 7:30 10:30
K7 262 Daily 6:00 7:20 YH 918 1,2,3,4,6,7 7:45 10:45
YH 917 5 6:00 8:25 YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 7:55 10:55
YH 909 1,2,3,4,7 6:00 8:25 6T 401 2,3,4,5,6,7 7:55 10:50
YH 917 1,2,3,4,6,7 6:10 7:45 YH 910 6 8:05 9:25
YH 909 5 6:10 7:45 YH 634 3,7 8:05 10:10
YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 6:20 7:40 6T 401 1 8:10 10:35
6T 401 2,3,4,5,6,7 6:20 7:40 YH 910 1,2,3,4,7 8:25 9:45
6T 401 1 6:20 7:40 YH 918 5 8:25 11:05
YH 917 1 6:30 8:05 K7 242 Daily 8:35 11:45
YH 909 6 6:30 8:05 YH 910 5 9:35 10:55
YH 633 3,7 6:30 8:05 K7 263 Daily 11:05 12:25
K7 242 Daily 7:00 8:20 K7 265 Daily 17:25 18:45
K7 224/7Y 241 Daily 14:30 17:25 K7 225/7Y 242 Daily 17:40 19:00
YH 731 1,2,3,4,6,7 15:00 17:55 YJ 129/W9 7129 2,5 17:50 19:10
K7 264 Daily 15:00 17:10 W9 129 1,3,6 17:50 19:10
7Y 221 Daily 15:00 17:40 YH 732 1,2,3,4,6,7 17:55 19:15
YJ 129/W9 7129 2,5 15:30 17:35 7Y 222 Daily 17:55 19:15
W9 129 1,3,6 15:30 17:35 YH 732 5 18:25 19:45
6T 501 15:30 18:25 6T 502 Daily 18:40 20:00
YH 731 5 15:30 18:25
YANGON TO MYITKYINA MYITKYINA TO YANGON
YH 835 1 7:00 9:40 YH 832 6 12:25 15:15
YH 831 4,6 7:00 10:35 YH 832 4 13:25 16:25
YH 835 7 11:30 14:35 YH 836 1 14:20 17:10
W9 251 2,5 11:30 14:25 YJ 152/W9 7152 1,3,6 15:35 18:30
YH 829 5 12:30 15:35 YH 830 5 15:35 18:25
YJ 151/W9 7151 1,3,6 13:00 15:15 K7 623 1,3,5,7 16:10 19:05
K7 622 1,3,5,7 13:00 15:55 YH 836 7 16:25 19:15
YH 826 3 14:00 16:40 YH 827 3 16:40 19:05
W9 252 2,5 16:45 19:40
YANGON TO HEHO HEHO TO YANGON
7Y 111 Daily 5:50 8:40 7Y 242 1,3,4,6 8:25 10:30
7Y 241 1,3,4,6 5:55 8:10 YH 910 5 8:40 10:55
7Y 133 2,5,7 5:55 8:45 YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 8:50 10:55
K7 262 Daily 6:00 9:55 7Y 112 Daily 8:55 10:05
YH 917 5 6:00 9:55 7Y 134 2,5,7 9:00 10:10
YH 917 1,2,3,4,6,7 6:10 9:35 YH 634 3,7 9:00 10:10
YH 909 5 6:10 8:40 YH 634 2 9:05 10:15
YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 6:20 8:35 6T 402 1 9:20 10:35
6T 401 2,3,4,5,6,7 6:20 9:20 W9 201 Daily 9:25 10:35
6T 401 1 6:20 8:50 K7 243 Daily 9:30 11:45
YH 917 1 6:30 9:00 YH 918 1,2,3,4,6,7 9:35 10:45
YH 633 3,7 6:30 9:00 6T 402 2,3,4,5,6,7 9:35 10:50
YH 633 2 6:30 9:05 YH 918 5 9:55 11:05
K7 242 Daily 7:00 9:15 K7 263 Daily 10:10 12:25
W9 201 Daily 7:00 9:10 K7 245 1,3,5,6,7 10:45 13:00
K7 266 Daily 8:00 9:15 K7 267 Daily 11:10 12:25
K7 244 1,3,5,6,7 8:15 10:30 YH 506 1,2,3,4,6 11:55 14:00
7Y 815 3 10:30 12:40 7Y 241 2 12:00 14:05
7Y 813 7 10:30 12:40 6T 352 6 12:45 15:00
7Y 815 1,4,6 10:30 14:00 YH 506 5 12:55 15:00
7Y 241 2 10:35 11:45 7Y 816 1,4,6 14:15 18:45
YH 505 1,2,3,4,6 10:30 11:55 7Y 813 7 15:15 17:25
YH 911 2 11:00 16:15 7Y 816 3 15:55 18:05
6T 351 6 11:15 12:30 YH 728 1 16:00 18:10
YH 727 1 11:15 12:40 K7 224/7Y 241 Daily 16:00 19:00
YH 737 3,7 11:15 12:40 K7 829 1,3,5 16:10 17:25
YH 505 5 11:30 12:55 YH 912 2 16:15 17:25
YH 737 5 11:30 12:55 K7 823 2,4,7 16:20 18:35
YH 505 6 11:30 12:55 7Y 221 Daily 16:25 19:15
K7 828 1,3,5 12:30 13:45 YH 732 1,2,3,4,6,7 16:25 19:15
K7 822 2,4,7 12:30 13:45 K7 264 Daily 16:30 18:45
K7 224/7Y 241 Daily 14:30 15:45 YH 738 7 16:40 17:50
YH 731 1,2,3,4,6,7 15:00 16:25 YH 738 3 16:40 18:50
K7 264 Daily 15:00 16:25 YJ 129/W9 7129 2,5 16:55 19:10
7Y 221 Daily 15:00 16:10 W9 129 1,3,6 16:55 19:10
YJ 129/W9 7129 2,5 15:30 16:40 YH 732 5 16:55 19:45
W9 129 1,3,6 15:30 16:40 6T 501 Daily 17:00 20:00
6T 501 Daily 15:30 16:45 YH 738 5 17:40 19:05
YH 731 5 15:30 16:55
YANGON TO MYEIK MYEIK TO YANGON
YH 633 3,7 7:00 9:15 YH 634 3,7 11:25 13:25
K7 319 2,4,6 7:00 9:05 K7 320 2,4,6 11:30 13:35
YANGON TO SITTWE SITTWE TO YANGON
7Y 445 3,4,6 11:00 12:50 7Y 446 3,4,6 13:05 14:25
6T 605 1,2,3,4,5,7 11:15 13:10 YJ 309/W9 7309 5 13:10 14:55
YJ 309/W9 7309 5 11:30 12:55 W9 309 1,3,6 13:10 14:55
W9 309 1,3,6 11:30 12:55 6T 606 1,2,3,4,5,7 13:30 14:50
K7 422 Daily 13:00 14:55 K7 423 Daily 15:10 16:30
YANGON TO THANDWE THANDWE TO YANGON
7Y 241 1,3,4,6 5:55 9:25 7Y 242 1,3,4,6 9:40 10:30
YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 6:20 9:50 YJ 141/W9 7141 Daily 10:05 10:55
K7 242 Daily 7:00 10:35 K7 243 Daily 10:50 11:45
K7 244 1,3,5,6,7 8:15 11:50 K7 245 1,3,5,6,7 12:05 13:00
YH 505 1,2,3,4,6 10:30 13:10 7Y 445 3,4,6 12:05 14:25
7Y 241 2 10:35 13:00 6T 605 1,2,3,4,5,7 12:25 14:50
7Y 445 3,4,6 11:00 11:50 YH 506 1,2,3,4,6 13:10 14:00
6T 351 6 11:15 13:50 7Y 242 2 13:15 14:05
6T 605 1,2,3,4,5,7 11:15 12:10 YJ 311/W9 7311 4 13:35 14:25
YJ 311/W9 7311 4 11:30 13:20 W9 311 2,7 13:35 14:25
W9 311 2,7 11:30 13:20 YJ 309/W9 7309 5 14:05 14:55
YJ 309/W9 7309 5 11:30 13:50 W9 309 1,3,6 14:05 14:55
W9 309 1,3,6 11:30 13:50 6T 352 6 14:05 15:00
YH 505 5 11:30 14:10 YH 506 5 14:10 15:00
K7 422 Daily 13:00 13:35 K7 423 3 14:10 16:30
K7 422 1,2,4,5,6,7 14:10 16:30
YANGON TO DAWEI DAWEI TO YANGON
YH 633 5 6:30 7:55 YH 634 5 10:45 11:55
K7 319 2,4,6 7:00 8:10 K7 320 2,4,6 12:25 13:35
YANGON TO LASHIO LASHIO TO YANGON
7Y 707 2,5 10:30 12:08 K7 829 1,3,5 15:05 17:25
YH 729 2,4,6 11:15 13:15 YH 730 2,4,6 17:00 19:25
K7 828 1,3,5 12:30 14:50 7Y 708 2,5 17:40 19:18
YANGON TO PUTAO PUTAO TO YANGON
YH 831 6 7:00 11:30 YH 836 1 10:35 17:10
YH 835 1 7:00 10:35 YH 832 6 11:30 15:15
W9 251 2,5 11:30 15:25 YH 836 7 15:30 19:15
YH 835 7 11:30 15:30 W9 252 2,5 15:45 19:40
YANGON TO CHIANG MAI CHIANG MAI TO YANGON
7Y 305 1,5 11:00 12:50 7Y 306 1,5 13:45 14:35
W9 9607 4,7 14:30 16:20 W9 9608 4,7 17:20 18:10
the pulse travel 61 www.mmtimes.com
N
O-FRILLS Singapore
airline Tigerair is linking
up with Golden Myanmar
in a daily code-share ight
from Singapore-Yangon-
Singapore, GMAs chief operations
ofcer U Khin Mg Myint told The
Myanmar Times.
We will sell the tickets and Tiger
will contribute their ight. This will
reduce costs, he said.
Tiger is Singapores largest no-
frills carrier, ying to more than 90
destinations in the Asia Pacic region.
The companys commercial director,
Robert Yang, said, We look forward
to an expansion of the code-share
arrangement to other Myanmar
destinations like Mandalay and
Bagan.
GMA is currently ying domestic
routes, and also to Chiang Mai and
Bangkok. The company is planning
to add the route Yangon-Kunming in
November, and from the end of this
year will y to Doha, said U Khin Mg
Myint.
From October 26 we run a direct
ight to Bangkok before ying to
Singapore. Ticket price is only US$49
one-way, he said.
Tigerair shares
routes with Golden
Myanmar
EI EI THU
91.eieithu@gmail.com
Singapore looms. Photo: Ramir Borja
GMA will add a Yangon-Kunming route in November. Photo: Steve Evans
Airline Codes
3K = Jet Star
8M = Myanmar Airways International
AK = Air Asia
BG = Biman Bangladesh Airlines
CA = Air China
CI = China Airlines
CZ = China Southern
DD = Nok Airline
FD = Air Asia
KA = Dragonair
KE = Korea Airlines
MH = Malaysia Airlines
MI = Silk Air
MU = China Eastern Airlines
NH = All Nippon Airways
PG = Bangkok Airways
QR = Qatar Airways
SQ = Singapore Airways
TG = Thai Airways
TR = Tiger Airline
VN = Vietnam Airline
Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines
Subject to change
without notice
International Airlines
Air Asia (FD)
Tel: 09254049991~3
Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)
Tel: 513322, 513422, 504888. Fax: 515102
Air China (CA)
Tel: 666112, 655882
Air India
Tel: 253597~98, 254758. Fax 248175
Bangkok Airways (PG)
Tel: 255122, 255265. Fax: 255119
Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG)
Tel: 371867~68. Fax: 371869
Condor (DE)
Tel: 370836~39 (ext: 303)
Dragonair (KA)
Tel: 255320, 255321. Fax: 255329
Golden Myanmar Airlines (Y5)
Tel: 09400446999, 09400447999
Fax: 8604051
Malaysia Airlines (MH)
Tel: 387648, 241007 (ext: 120, 121, 122)
Fax: 241124
Myanmar Airways International (8M)
Tel: 255260. Fax: 255305
Nok Airline (DD)
Tel: 255050, 255021. Fax: 255051
Qatar Airways (QR)
Tel: 379845, 379843, 379831. Fax: 379730
Singapore Airlines (SQ) / Silk Air (MI)
Tel: 255287~9. Fax: 255290
Thai Airways (TG)
Tel: 255491~6. Fax: 255223
Tiger Airline (TR)
Tel: 371383, 370836~39 (ext: 303)
Vietnam Airlines (VN)
Tel: 255066, 255088, 255068. Fax: 255086
Day
1 = Monday
2 = Tuesday
3 = Wednesday
4 = Thursday
5 = Friday
6 = Saturday
7 = Sunday
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES
YANGON TO BANGKOK BANGKOK TO YANGON
Flights Days Dep Arr Flights Days Dep Arr
PG 706 Daily 6:15 8:30 TG 303 Daily 7:55 8:50
8M 335 Daily 7:40 9:25 PG 701 Daily 8:50 9:40
TG 304 Daily 9:50 11:45 8M 336 Daily 10:40 11:25
PG 702 Daily 10:30 12:25 TG 301 Daily 13:00 13:55
TG 302 Daily 14:55 16:50 PG 707 Daily 13:40 14:30
PG 708 Daily 15:20 17:15 PG 703 Daily 16:45 17:35
8M 331 Daily 16:30 18:15 TG 305 Daily 17:50 18:45
PG 704 Daily 18:20 20:15 8M 332 Daily 19:15 20:00
TG 306 Daily 19:45 21:45 PG 705 Daily 20:15 21:30
YANGON TO DON MUEANG DON MUEANG TO YANGON
DD 4231 Daily 8:00 9:50 DD 4230 Daily 6:20 7:05
FD 252 Daily 8:30 10:15 FD 251 Daily 7:15 8:00
FD 254 Daily 17:30 19:10 FD 253 Daily 16:20 17:00
DD 4239 Daily 21:00 22:45 DD 4238 Daily 19:30 20:15
YANGON TO SINGAPORE SINGAPORE TO YANGON
Y5 233 Daily 10:10 14:40 SQ 998 Daily 7:55 9:20
SQ 997 Daily 10:35 15:10 3K 581 Daily 8:50 10:30
3K 582 Daily 11:20 15:50 MI 533 4,6 11:35 12:55
8M 231 Daily 12:45 17:10 MI 518 Daily 14:20 15:45
MI 533 4,6 13:45 20:50 TR 2826 Daily 17:05 18:25
MI 517 Daily 16:40 21:15 Y5 234 Daily 15:35 17:05
TR 2827 Daily 19:05 23:40 8M 232 Daily 18:15 19:40
YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR TO YANGON
8M 501 1,5 7:50 11:50 AK 504 Daily 6:55 8:00
AK 505 Daily 8:30 12:50 MH 740 Daily 10:05 11:15
MH 741 Daily 12:15 16:30 8M 9505 Daily 10:05 11:15
8M 9506 Daily 12:15 16:30 8M 502 1,5 12:50 13:50
8M 9508 Daily 15:45 20:05 8M 9507 Daily 13:30 14:40
MH 743 Daily 15:45 20:05 MH 742 Daily 13:30 14:40
AK 503 4,6 19:30 23:45 AK 502 Daily 17:50 19:00
YANGON TO BEIJING BEIJING TO YANGON
CA 716 1,3,5,7 23:50 0550+1 CA 715 1,3,5,7 19:30 22:50
YANGON TO GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
8M 711 2,4,7 8:40 13:15 CZ 3055 3,6 8:40 10:25
CZ 3056 3,6 11:25 16:15 CZ 3055 1,5 14:40 16:30
CZ 3056 1,5 17:30 22:15 8M 712 2,4,7 14:15 15:50
YANGON TO TAIPEI TAIPEI TO YANGON
CI 7916 Daily 10:50 16:15 CI 7915 Daily 7:00 9:55
YANGON TO KUNMING KUNMING TO YANGON
CA 906 Daily 12:15 15:55 MU 2011 3 8:25 11:40
MU 2012 3 12:20 18:25 CA 905 Daily 10:45 11:15
MU 2032 1,2,4,5,6,7 14:50 18:20 MU 2031 1,2,4,5,6,7 13:30 14:00
YANGON TO HANOI HANOI TO YANGON
VN 956 1,3,5,6,7 19:10 21:30 VN 957 1,3,5,6,7 16:50 18:10
YANGON TO HO CHI MINH CITY HO CHI MINH CITY TO YANGON
VN 942 2,4,7 14:25 17:15 VN 943 2,4,7 11:50 13:25
YANGON TO DOHA DOHA TO YANGON
QR 919 1,4,6 8:00 11:10 QR 918 3,5,7 20:20 6:25+1
YANGON TO PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH TO YANGON
8M 9006 1,3,6 16:00 17:30
YANGON TO SEOUL SEOUL TO YANGON
0Z 770 4,7 0:35 9:10 KE 471 Daily 18:45 22:35
KE 472 Daily 23:35 7:50 0Z 769 3,6 19:50 23:25
YANGON TO HONG KONG HONG KONG TO YANGON
KA 251 Daily 01:10 05:45 KA 250 Daily 21:45 23:30
YANGON TO TOKYO TOKYO TO YANGON
NH 914 Daily 21:45 06:50+1 NH 913 Daily 11:00 15:40
YANGON TO GAYA GAYA TO YANGON
8M 601 3,5,6 7:00 8:20 8M 602 3,5,6 9:20 12:30
YANGON TO DHAKA DHAKA TO YANGON
BG 061 4 19:45 21:00 BG 060 4 16:30 18:45
BG 061 1 21:45 23:00 BG 060 1 18:30 20:45
YANGON TO INCHEON INCHEON TO YANGON
8M 7702 Daily 23:35 8:05 8M 7701 Daily 18:45 22:35
8M7502 4,7 0:35 9:10 8M 7501 3,6 19:50 23:25
MANDALAY TO BANGKOK BANGKOK TO MANDALAY
PG 710 Daily 14:05 16:30 PG 709 Daily 12:00 13:20
MANDALAY TO SINGAPORE SINGAPORE TO MANDALAY
MI 533 4,6 15:55 20:50 MI 533 4,6 11:35 15:00
Y5 233 Daily 8:05 14:40 Y5 234 Daily 15:35 18:55
MANDALAY TO DON MUEANG DON MUEANG TO MANDALAY
FD 245 1,2,4,6 12:45 15:00 FD 244 1,2,4,6 10:50 12:15
MANDALAY TO KUNMING KUNMING TO MANDALAY
MU 2030 Daily 14:40 17:30 MU 2029 Daily 13:55 13:50
MU 7524 1,3,5 18:20 21:00
MANDALAY TO GAYA GAYA TO MANDALAY
8M 603 4 11:10 12:15 8M 604 4 13:15 16:20
NAY PYI TAW TO BANGKOK BANGKOK TO NAY PYI TAW
PG 722 1,2,3,4,5 19:30 22:30 PG 721 1,2,3,4,5 17:00 19:00
62 the pulse tea break THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
ACROSS
1 Hold on a ___!
4 Young seal
9 Like an eyebrow
14 Ex-heavyweight
champ
15 Otherworldly
16 Native New
Zealander
17 Theyre bringing up
baby
20 Ireland,
formerly
21 Pennsylvania
state bird
22 Alp feature
26 Possess
27 Boozehound
30 Big ___ Conference
31 Husk relative
33 Bacon units
35 Head cases?
37 Eye part
38 Shocked
42 Popular brews
43 A name of God
44 Restore,
as walls
47 Nobody doesnt like
___ Lee
48 Took a load off
51 Butter unit
52 Big galoot
54 Nerve impulse
locale
56 Department store
Neiman ___
59 Mussolini,
aka il ___
60 Courageous
males
65 La ___ (Albert
Camus novel)
66 Peanuts blanket-
carrier
67 Annes twins?
68 Some singing
voices
69 Hunks of marble
70 Pigs digs
DOWN
1 Least
dangerous
2 Seinfeld gal
3 Fruit resembling a
lemon
4 Diminutive
5 ... and sat down
beside ___
6 Historical time
period
7 When doubled, a
celebrated panda
8 Californias San ___
Bay
9 Become (with to)
10 Informers,
in slang
11 Unified
12 Before, of yore
13 Board member
(Abbr.)
18 Make cutting blows
19 Makes blades
shorter?
23 Marathoners gorge,
briefly
24 Kuwaiti, e.g.
25 Like a forest
of firs
28 Kind of column
29 Bag-inspecting org.
32 Bygone coins
34 Babe or Baby
follower
35 Familia home
36 Turkish generals
(Var.)
38 Dog biter
39 More liberal than all
others
40 Wrong,
as plans
41 Penn name?
42 Dada founder
45 Conqueror of
Mexico
46 A head
48 Collection of minute
bubbles
49 Trip to the top
50 Very small
53 Gasoline,
kerosene, etc.
55 Go on to say
57 Ferrari, for one
58 Catamaran
feature
60 Fitness facility
61 ___ Aviv
62 Biochemistry abbr.
63 Butter holder
64 Suffix with lion
Universal Crossword
Edited by Timothy E. Parker
DIET TIME By Peterson Lemon
SUDOKU PACIFIC
PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
DILBERT BY SCOTT ADAMS
PEANUTS BY CHARLES SCHULZ
CALVIN AND HOBBES BY BILL WATTERSON
Avenue 64 Hotel
No. 64 (G), Kyitewine
Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon. Tel : 09-8631392,
01 656913-9
ASIA PLAZA HOTEL
YANGON
No. 277, Bogyoke Aung
San Road, Corner of
38
th
Street, Kyauktada
Township, Yangon,
Myanmar.
Tel : (951) 391070, 391071.
Reservation@391070
(Ext) 1910, 106.
Fax : (951) 391375. Email :
hotelasiaplaza@gmail.com
General Listing
Chatrium Hotel
40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe.
tel: 544500. fax: 544400.
The Essentials
Emergency Numbers
For more information about these listings, Please Contact - classied.mcm@gmail.com
Ambulance tel: 295133.
Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022.
Police emergency tel: 199.
Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764.
Red Cross tel:682600, 682368
Trafc Control Branch tel:298651
Department of Post & Telecommunication tel: 591384,
591387.
Immigration tel: 286434.
Ministry of Education tel:545500m 562390
Ministry of Sports tel: 370604, 370605
Ministry of Communications tel: 067-407037.
Myanma Post & Telecommunication (MPT) tel: 067-
407007.
Myanma Post & Tele-communication (Accountant Dept)
tel: 254563, 370768.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs tel: 067-412009, 067-412344.
Ministry of Health tel: 067-411358-9.
Yangon City Development Committee tel: 248112.
HOSPITALS
Central Womens Hospital tel: 221013, 222811.
Children Hospital tel: 221421, 222807
Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital tel: 543888.
Naypyitaw Hospital (emergency) tel: 420096.
Workers Hospital tel: 554444, 554455, 554811.
Yangon Children Hospital tel: 222807, 222808, 222809.
Yangon General Hospital (East) tel: 292835, 292836, 292837.
Yangon General Hospital (New) tel: 384493, 384494,
384495, 379109.
Yangon General Hospital (West) tel: 222860, 222861,
220416.
Yangon General Hospital (YGH) tel: 256112, 256123,
281443, 256131.
ELECTRICITY
Power Station tel:414235
POST OFFICE
General Post Ofce
39, Bo Aung Kyaw St. (near British Council Library). tel:
285499.
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Yangon International Airport tel: 662811.
YANGON PORT
Shipping (Coastal vessels) tel: 382722
RAILWAYS
Railways information
tel: 274027, 202175-8.
UNITED NATIONS
ILO Liaison 1-A, Kanbae
(Thitsar Rd), Yankin Tsp,
Tel : 01-566538, 566539
IOM 318 (A) Ahlone Rd, Dagon
Tsp, Yangon.Tel 01-210588,
09 73236679, 0973236680,
Email- iomyangon@iom.int
UNAIDS 137/1, Thaw Wun Rd,
Kamayut Tsp.
Tel : 534498, 504832
UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St,
Mayangone tsp.
Tel: 666903, 664539.
UNDP 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan
tel: 542910-19. fax: 292739.
UNFPA 6, Natmauk Rd,
Bahan tsp. tel: 546029.
UNHCR 287, Pyay Rd,
Sanchaung tsp.
Tel: 524022, 524024.
UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl,
Traders Hotel.
Tel: 254852, 254853.
UNIC 6, Natmauk St., Bahan,
tel: 52910~19
UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders
Hotel. P.O. Box 1435,
Kyauktada. Tel: 375527~32,
unicef.yangon@unicef. org,
UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward
7, Mayangone. tel: 01-9666903,
9660556, 9660538, 9660398.
email: fo.myanmar@unodc.org
UNOPS 120/0, Pyi Thu Lane,
7 Miles, Mayangone Tsp.
Tel: 951-657281~7.
Fax: 657279.
UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O.
Box 650, TMWE Tel: 542911~19,
292637 (Resident Coordinator),
WFP 5 Kan Baw Za St, Shwe
Taung Kyar, (Golden Valley),
Bahan Tsp. Tel : 2305971~6
WHO No. 2, Pyay Rd, 7 Mile,
Mayangone Tsp, Tel : 650405-
6, 650416, 654386-90.
ASEAN Coordinating Of. for
the ASEAN Humanitarian
Task Force, 79, Taw Win st,
Dagon Tsp. Tel: 225258.
FAO Myanma Agriculture
Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel:
641672, 641673.
EMBASSIES
Australia 88, Strand Road,
Yangon. Tel : 251810,
251797, 251798.
Bangladesh 11-B, Than
Lwin Road, Yangon.
Tel: 515275, 526144, email:
bdootygn@mptmail.net.mm
Brazil 56, Pyay Road,
6
th
mile, Hlaing Tsp,
Yangon. Tel: 507225,
507251. email: Administ.
yangon@itamaraty.gov.br.
Brunei 17, Kanbawza
Avenue, Golden Velly (1),
Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel:
566985, 503978.
email: bruneiemb@
bruneiemb.com.mm
Cambodia 25 (3B/4B),
New University Avenue
Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 549609, 540964.
email: RECYANGON @
mptmail.net.mm
Canada
9
th
Floor, Centerpoint
Towers, 65 Sule Pagoda
Road, Yangon, Tel :
01-384805 , Fax :01
384806, Email : yngon@
international.gc.ca
China 1, Pyidaungsu
Yeiktha Road, Yangon. Tel:
221280, 221281.
Denmark, No.7, Pyi Thu
St, Pyay Rd, 7 Miles,
Mayangone Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 01 9669520 - 17.
Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu
222886, 222887,
Egyptembassy86@gmail.
com
France 102, Pyidaungsu
212178, 212520, email:
ambaf rance. rangoun@
diplomatie.fr
Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung
San Museum Road, Bahan
Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 548951, 548952, email:
info@rangun. diplo.de
India 545-547, Merchant
St, Yangon. Tel: 391219,
388412,
email:indiaembassy
@mptmail.net.mm
Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu
Yeiktha Rd, Yangon. Tel:
254465, 254469, email:
kukygn @indonesia.com.
mm
Israel 15, Khabaung
Street, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 515115, fax: 515116,
email: info@yangon.mfa.
gov.il
Italy 3, Inya Myaing Road,
Golden Valley, Yangon.
Tel: 527100, 527101, fax:
514565, email: ambyang.
mail@ esteri.it
Japan 100, Natmauk Rd,
Yangon. Tel: 549644-8,
540399, 540400, 540411,
545988, fax: 549643
Kuwait
62-B, Shwe Taung Kyar St,
Bahan Tsp.
Tel : 01-230-9542, 230-
9543. Fax : 01-230-5836.
Laos A-1, Diplomatic
Quarters, Tawwin Road,
Dagon Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 222482, Fax: 227446,
email: Laoembcab@
mptmail. net.mm
Malaysia 82, Pyidaungsu
220248, 220249,
email: mwkyangon@
mptmail.net.mm
Nepal 16, Natmauk
Yeiktha, Yangon. Tel:
545880, 557168, fax:
549803, email: nepemb @
mptmail.net.mm
Norway, No.7, Pyi Thu
St, Pyay Rd, 7 Miles,
Mayangone Tsp,Yangon.
Tel: 01 9669520 - 17 Fax
01- 9669516
New Zealand No. 43/C,
Inya Myaing Rd, Bahan Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel : 01-2306046-9
Fax : 01-2305805
Netherlands No. 43/C, Inya
Myaing Rd, Bahan Tsp,
Yangon. Tel : 01-2305805
North Korea 77C, Shin
Saw Pu Rd, Sanchaung
Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 512642, 510205
Pakistan A-4, diplomatic
Quarters, Pyay Rd, Yangon.
Tel: 222881 (Chancery
Exchange)
Philippines 50, Sayasan
Rd, Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 558149-151,Email: p.e.
yangon@gmail.com
Saudi Arabia No.6/S,
Inya Yeiktha St, 10
th
Qtr,
Mayangone Tsp, Yangon,
Tel: (951) 652-344, 652-344,
Fax: (951) 657-983
Russia 38, Sagawa Rd,
Yangon.
Tel: 241955, 254161,
Serbia No. 114-A, Inya
Rd, P.O.Box No. 943,
515283, email: serbemb @
yangon.net.mm
Singapore 238, Dhamazedi
Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 559001, email:
singemb_ ygn@_sgmfa.
gov.sg
South Korea 97 University
Avenue, Bahan Tsp,
Yangon. Tel: 527142-4,
515190, fax: 513286, email:
myanmar@mofat.go.kr
Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Rd,
Switzerland
No 11, Kabaung Lane, 5
mile, Pyay Rd, Hlaing Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel: 534754, 507089.
Thailand 94 Pyay Rd,
Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel:
226721, 226728, 226824
Turkey
19AB, Kan Yeik Thar St,
Mayangone Tsp,Yangon.
Tel : 662992, Fax : 661365
United Kingdom 80 Strand
Rd, Yangon.
Tel: 370867, 380322,
371852, 371853, 256438,
United States of America
110, University Avenue,
Kamayut Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 536509, 535756, Fax:
650306
Vietnam Bldg-72, Thanlwin
Rd, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel:
511305
ACCOMMODATION-
HOTELS
No.7A, Wingabar Road,
Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : (951) 546313,
430245. 09-731-77781~4.
Fax : (01) 546313.
www.cloverhotel.asia.
info@cloverhotel.asia
Confort Inn
4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd
& U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut,
tel: 525781, 526872
No. (356/366), Kyaikkasan
Rd, Tamwe Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Ph: 542826, Fax: 545650
Email: reservation@
edenpalacehotel.com
M-22, Shwe Htee Housing,
Thamine Station St., Near
the Bayint Naung Point,
Mayangone Tsp., Yangon
Tel : 522763, 522744,
667557. Fax : (95-1) 652174
E-mail : grandpalace@
myanmar.com.mm
Clover Hotel City Center
No. 217, 32nd Street
(Upper Block), Pabedan Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 377720, Fax : 377722
www.clovercitycenter.asia
Clover Hotel City Center Plus
No. 229, 32nd Street
(Upper Block), Pabedan Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 377975, Fax : 377974
www.clovercitycenterplus.asia
No. 12, Pho Sein Road,
Tamwe Township, Yangon
Tel : (95-1) 209299, 209300,
209343 Fax : (95-1) 209344
bestwestern.com/
greenhillhotelyangon.com
No. 205, Corner of Wadan
Street & Min Ye Kyaw
Swa Road, Lanmadaw
Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar.
Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3,
229358 ~ 61,
Fax: (95-1) 212854.
info@myanmarpandahotel
.com http://www.
myanmarpandahotel.com
PARKROYAL Yangon,
Myanmar
33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd,
Dagon tsp.
tel: 250388. fax: 252478.
email: enquiry.prygn@
parkroyalhotels.com.
Royal White Elephant Hotel
No-11, Kan Street, Hlaing
Tsp. Yangon, Myanmar.
(+95-1) 500822, 503986.
www.rwehotel.com
Hotel Yangon
91/93, 8
th
Mile Junction,
Tel : 01-667708, 667688.
Inya Lake Resort Hotel
37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd.
tel: 662866. fax: 665537.
KH Hotel, Yangon
28-A, 7 Miles, Pyay Rd,
Ph: 95-1-652532, 652533
MGM Hotel No (160), Warden
Street, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon,
Myanmar. +95-1-212454~9.
www. hotel-mgm.com
ACCOMMODATION
LONG TERM
No.6, Botahtaung Jetty,
Botahtaung Township,
Yangon. Tel: (951)9010555,
9010535 Fax : (951) 9010536
info@vintageluxuryhotel.com
www.vintageluxuryhotel.com
Marina Residence
8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd,
Mayangone Tsp.
tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630.
Tel: 09-7349-4483,
09-4200-56994.
E-mail: aahappyhomes@
gmail.com, http://www.
happyhomesyangon.com
happy homes
REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT
Golden Hill Towers
24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda
Rd, Bahan Tsp.
tel: 558556. ghtower@
mptmail.net.mm.
Hotel Grand United
(Chinatown)
621, Maharbandoola Rd,
Latha Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (95-1) 372256-58
(21
st
Downtown)
66-70, 21
st
Street (Enter
from Strand Rd), Latha
Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (95-1)
378201
(Ahlone Branch)
35, Min Ye Kyaw Swar
Rd, Ahlone Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (95-1) 218061-64;
Email: grandunited.
head@gmail.com, www.
hotelgrandunited.com
No.1, Wut Kyaung St,
Yay Kyaw, Pazundaung Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Ph: 01-8610640, 01-202187,
www.mkhotelyangon.com
Savoy Hotel
129, Damazedi Rd,
Kamayut tsp.
tel: 526289, 526298,
Sedona Hotel
Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd,
Yankin. tel: 666900.
Strand Hotel
92 Strand Rd. tel: 243377.
fax: 289880.
Summit Parkview Hotel
350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon
Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966.
Sule Shangri-La Hotel
223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel:
242828. fax: 242838.
Windsor Hotel No.31, Shin
Saw Pu Street, Sanchaung.
Yangon, Myanmar.
Ph: 95-1-511216~8, www.
hotelwindsoryangon.com
Winner Inn
42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan
Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387.
email: reservation@winner
innmyanmar.com
Yuzana Hotel
130, Shwegondaing Rd,
Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600
Yuzana Garden Hotel
44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd,
Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp,
tel : 01-248944
186, Lu Nge Thitsar
Street, on Thitsar Road,
Yankin Township, Yangon,
Myanmar. Ph: +951-8550
283, +951-8550 284,
+959-2540 63632, E-mail:
enquiry@hotelyankin.com,
www.hotelyankin.com
17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd,
Yankin Tsp.
Tel: 650933. Fax: 650960.
Email : micprm@
myanmar.com.mmwww.
myanmar micasahotel.com
Sakura Residence
9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp.
tel: 525001. fax: 525002.
Crockery
No.196/198,
Ground Floor,
Shwe Bon Thar St(Middle),
Pabedan Tsp, Yangon,
Tel: 253214, 0973098782,
09420049459
DELIVERY SERVICE
CROCKERY
Express Courier & Cargo
One Stop Logistic Solution
Ygn, Hot Line: 01-374457
FITNESS CENTRE
Balance Fitnesss
No 64 (G), Kyitewine
Pagoda Road, Mayangone
Township. Yangon
01-656916, 09 8631392
Email - info@
balancetnessyangon.com
Life Fitness
Bldg A1, Rm No. 001,
Shwekabar Housing,
Mindhamma Rd,
Mayangone Tsp. Yangon.
Ph: 01-656511,
Fax: 01-656522,
Hot line: 0973194684,
natraysports@gmail.com
No. 20, Ground Floor, Pearl
Street, Golden Valley Ward,
Bahan Township, Yangon.
Tel : 09-509 7057, 01-
220881, 549478 (Ext : 103)
Email : realtnessmyanmar
@gmail.com
www.realtnessmyanmar.com
FLORAL SERVICES
Floral Service & Gift
Centre 102(A), Dhamazaydi
Rd, Yangon.tel: 500142
Summit Parkview Hotel,
tel: 211888, 211966 ext. 173
fax: 535376.email: sandy@
sandymyanmar.com.mm.
ENTERTAINMENT
Learn to dance with
social dancing
94, Bogalay Zay St,
Botataung T/S,
Yangon.
Tel : 01-392526,
01-1221738
DUTY FREE
Duty Free Shops
Yangon International
Airport, Arrival/Departure
Mandalay International
Airport, Departure
Ofce: 17, 2
nd
street,
Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing,
Hlaing Township, Yangon.
Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.
FOAM SPRAY
INSULATION
Foam Spray Insulation
No-410, Ground Fl,Lower
Pazuntaung Rd, Pazun
taung Tsp, Yangon.Telefax
: 01-203743, 09-5007681.
Hot Line-09-730-30825.
GEMS & JEWELLERIES
Best Jewels
No. 44, Inya Road,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-2305811, 2305812.
Yangon : A-3, Aung San
Stadium (North East Wing),
Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp.
Tel : 245543, 09-73903736,
09-73037772.
Mandalay : No.(4) 73rd St,
Btw 30th & 31st St, Chan
Aye Thar Zan Tsp. Tel : 09-
6803505, 09-449004631.
Naypyitaw : Level (2),
Capital Hyper Mart,
Yazathingaha Street,
Outarathiri Tsp. Tel : 09-
33503202, 09-73050337
GAS COOKER &
COOKER HOODS
Worlds leader in
Kitchen Hoods & Hobs
Same as Ariston Water
Heater. Tel: 251033,
379671, 256622, 647813
Floral Service & Gift Shop
No. 449, New University
Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN.
Tel: 541217, 559011,
09-860-2292.
Market Place By City Mart
Tel: 523840~43,
523845~46, Ext: 205.
Junction Nay Pyi Taw
Tel: 067-421617~18
422012~15, Ext: 235.
Res: 067-414813, 09-492-
09039. Email : eternal@
mptmail.net.mm
Kham Le
22, Thukha Waddy St,
Suneyan Park, Yankin, Ph:
01-8605223, 8605224.
COFFEE MACHINE
illy, Francis Francis, VBM,
Brasilia, Rossi, De Longhi
Nwe Ta Pin Trading Co., Ltd.
Shop C, Building 459 B
New University Avenue
01- 555-879, 09-4210-81705
nwetapintrading@gmail.com
COMPUTER
CONFERENCE
Your Partner in Myanmar
for Investment Advisory, JV,
Management & Engineering
Consulting and Recuitment
https://mitaservices.com.sg
isbc@mitaservices.com.sg
09420110451, 09420110666
MiTA
Myanmar
@ISBC
Since 2009
ARCHITECTS &
MODULAR BUILDINGS
contactus@greenarc.net.au
Tel : 09-730-22820
No. 52, Royal Yaw Min Gyi
Condo, Room F, Yaw Min
Gyi Rd, Dagon Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: 09-425-307-717
AUTO LEASING
Vehicle Operating Leases:
Trucks

Semi trailers

Vans and Minibuses

Tractors

Pickups
aung@yomaeet.com
www.yomaeet.com
BEAUTY & MASSAGE
Marina Residence, Yangon
Ph: 650651~4, Ext: 109
Beauty Plan, Corner of
77th St & 31st St, Mandalay
Ph: 02 72506
Lemon Day Spa
No. 96 F, Inya Road,
Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476.
E.mail: lemondayspa.2011
@gmail.com
YANGON
La Source Beauty Spa
80-A, Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp.
Tel: 512380, 511252
Beauty Bar by La Source
Room (1004), Sedona Hotel,
Tel : 666 900 Ext : 7167
MANDALAY
La Source Beauty Spa
13/13, Mya Sandar St,
bet: 26_27, bet: 62_63,
Chanaye Tharzan Tsp.
Tel : 09-4440-24496.
www.lasourcebeautyspa.com
HOME FURNISHING
22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile,
Mayangone Tsp.
tel: 660769, 664363.
No.(68), Tawwin Street,
9 Mile, Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon.
Hunt line: +95 1 9666 141,
Booking Ext : 7080, 7084.
Fax: +95 1 9666 135
Email:
info@witoriya hospital.com
www.victoriahospital
myanmar.com,
Facebook :
https://www.facebook.com/
WitoriyaGeneralHospital
24 Hrs International Clinic
Medical and Security
Assistance Service
@ Victoria Hospital
No.68, Tawwin Rd, 9 Mile,
Mayangon Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: +951 651 238
+959 495 85 955
Fax: +959 651 398
www.leomedicare.com
GENERATORS
No. 589-592, Bo Aung
Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein
highway Road. Hlaing
Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951-
645178-182, 685199, Fax:
951-645211, 545278.
e-mail: mkt-mti@
winstrategic.com.mm
24 Hours Laboratory
& X-ray, CT, MRI, USG
Mammogram, Bone DXA
@ Victoria Hospital
No. 68, Tawwin Rd, 9 Mile,
Mayangon Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: (951) 9 666141
Fax: (951) 9 666135
Japan-Myanmar
Physiotherapy Clinic.
Body Massage - 7000 Ks
Foot Massage - 6000 Ks
Body & Foot Massage -
12,000 Ks
No.285, Bo Aung Kyaw Rd,
Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon.
09:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Tel : 09-8615036
HEALTH SERVICES
GLASS
98(A), Kaba Aye Pagoda
Road, Bahan Township,
553783, 09-732-16940.
Fax: 542979
Email: asiapacic.
myanmar@gmail.com.
International
Construction
Material Co., Ltd.
No. 60, G-Fl, Sint-Oh-Dan St,
Lower Block, Latha Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-245112,
09-730-22820
Email : intconstruction
material@gmail.com
Zamil Steel
No-5, Pyay Road,
7 miles,
Tel: (95-1) 652502~04.
Fax: (95-1) 650306.
Email: zamilsteel@
zamilsteel.com.mm
CONSTRUCTION
CONSULTING
Shwe Hinthar B 307, 6 1/2
Miles, Pyay Rd., Yangon.
Tel: +95 (0)1 654 730
info@thuraswiss.com
www.thuraswiss.com
Myanmar Research | Consulting | Technology
CO WORKING SPACE
No. (6), Lane 2
Botahtaung Pagoda St,
Yangon.
01-9010003, 291897.
info@venturaofce.com,
www.venturaofce.com
Business Consulting
info@rstrangoon.com
www.rstrangoon.com
ADVERTISING & MEDIA
SAIL Marketing &
Communications
Suite 403, Danathiha Center
790, Corner of Bogyoke Rd
& Wadan Rd, Lanmadaw
Township, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: (951) 211870, 224820,
2301195. Email: admin@
advertising-myanmar.com
www.advertising-myanmar.
com
WE STARTED THE ADVERTISING
INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR SINCE 1991
MAR K E T I NG & COMMUNI CAT I ONS
A D V E R T I S I N G
The First Air conditioning
systems designed to keep
you fresh all day
Zeya & Associates Co., Ltd.
No.437 (A), Pyay Road,
Kamayut. P., O 11041
Yangon, Tel: +(95-1)
502016-18,
Mandalay- Tel: 02-60933.
Nay Pyi Taw- Tel:
067-420778, E-mail :
sales.ac@freshaircon.
com. URL: http://www.
freshaircon.com
AIR CONDITION
ACCOMMODATION-
HOTELS (NAY PYI TAW)
Reservation Ofce (Yangon)
123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd,
Dagon Township
Tel : 951- 255 819~838
Royal Kumudra Hotel,
(Nay Pyi Taw)
Tel : 067- 414 177,
067- 4141 88
E-Mail: reservation@
maxhotelsgroup.com
Royal Ayeyarwaddy
Co.,Ltd.
No.(7) , 87
th
St, Mingalar
Taung Nyunt Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : 09-254249628, 09-
254296248, 09 254249629.
(Mdy Ph: 09 73103051,
73103052) www.pqi-group.
com, www.royal-
ayeyarwaddy. com
Royal Ayeyarwaddy
Co.,Ltd.
No.(7) , 87
th
St, Mingalar
Taung Nyunt Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : 384850, 389366,
394494 , 09-421132002,
Fax : 384850 (Mdy Ph: 09-
73103051, 09-73103052)
www.viewsonic.com, www.
royal-ayeyarwaddy.com
The Natural Gems of
Myanmar & Fine Jewellery.
No. 30(A), Pyay Road,
(7 mile), Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-660397, 654398
spgems.myanmar@
gmail.com
Your Most Reliable Jeweller
Ruby & Rare Gems
of Myanamar
No. 527, New University
Ave., Bahan Tsp. Yangon.
sales@manawmaya.com.mm
www.manawmayagems.com
Tel: 549612, Fax : 545770.
CAR RENTAL
No. 56, Bo Ywe St,
Latha Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : 01-246551, 375283,
09-2132778, 09-31119195.
Gmail:nyanmyintthu1983@
gmail.com,
Car Rental Service
BOOK STORES
First Class VIP
Limousine Car Rental.
Professional English
Speaking Drivers.
Full Insurance for
your Safety and
comfortable journey
Call us Now for your
best choice
www.mmels.com
MYANMAR EXECUTIVE
LIMOUSINE SERVICE
HOT LINE:
09 - 402 510 003
01-646 330
MYANMAR BOOK CENTRE
Nandawun Compound,
No. 55, Baho Road,
Corner of Baho Road
and Ahlone Road, (near
Eugenia Restaurant),
Ahlone Township. tel:
212 409, 221 271. 214708
fax: 524580. email: info@
myanmarbook.com
BOOK STORES
150 Dhamazedi Rd.,
Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (01) 536306, 537805.
Email: mbt.marketing.
mgr@gmail.com
15(B), Departure Lounge,
Yangon Intl Airport.
# 87/2, Crn of 26
th
& 27
th

St, 77
th
St, Chan Aye Thar
Zan Tsp, Mandalay.
Tel: (02) 24880
ELT Showroom:
# 43, 165 St, Tarmwe Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel: (09) 5116687
English I Wi-Fi I Insured I
Concierge I Refreshment
Tel: 571586, 09-250188232,
www.centurionauto.com
Heaven Pizza
38/40, Bo Yar Nyunt St.
Yaw Min Gyi Quarter,
Dagon Township.
Tel: 09-855-1383
Horizon Restaurant & Bar
KH Hotel Roof top
No. (28-A), 7 Miles,
Pyay Road, Mayangone
Township, Yangon.
Ph: 95-1-652532, 652533
For House-Seekers
with Expert Services
In all kinds of Estate Fields
yomaestatemm@gmail.com
09-332 87270 (Fees Free)
09-2541 26615 (Thai Language)
MARINE
COMMUNICATION &
NAVIGATION
Top Marine Show Room
No-385, Ground Floor,
Lower Pazundaung Road,
Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon.
Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597
LANGUAGE
Master Burmese Faster!
Professional Burmese
Language Course for All
Levels
436, Top r, Thein Phyu Rd,
Mingalar Taung Nyut Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel : 09-4316 8422
www.moemyanmar.com
Email: register.mmlc@
moemyanmar.com
OFFICE FURNITURE
Home Outdoor Ofce
99 Condo, Ground Floor,
Room (A), Damazedi Rd,
Kamayut Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 09-2504-28700
info@decorum.mm.com
LIGHTING
Home Outdoor Ofce
Kamayut Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 09-2504-28700
info@decorum.mm.com
150 Brand NEW
International Standard
Rental Apartments
Hotline : 09 43 200 845
09 250 516 616
email : rental.starcity@
gmail.com
www.starcityyangon.com
HOUSING
Pun Hlaing Golf Estate
Gated Golf Community
HOUSE RENTAL
APARTMENT RENTALS
SERVICED APARTMENTS
Available Immediately
RENTAL OFFICE
OPEN DAILY 9-5
PHGE Sales & Marketing,
Hlaing Tharyar Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : 951-687 800, 684 013
phgemarketing@gmail.com
www.punhlainggolfestate.com
HOTEL SUPPLY
Premium Chef Uniform
Building B-1, Room 001,
Myittar Street, TamweLay,
TamweTsp, Yangon.
Tel: 01-556703, 09-
5408885, 09-5067816
Email:
theworkwearmyanmar@
gmail.com
INSURANCE
Fire, Motor and Life
Insurance
44, TheinPhyu Road,
Tel : 01- 8610656
Mob : 09-5055216
Email: maythet@gw-
insurance.com
www.gw-insurance.com
Home Outdoor Ofce
Kamayut Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 09-2504-28700
info@decorum.mm.com
HOME FURNITURE
Enchanting and Romantic,
a Bliss on the Lake
62 D, U Tun Nyein Road,
Mayangon Tsp, Yangon
Tel. 01 665 516, 660976
Mob. 09-730-30755
operayangon@gmail.com
www.operayangon.com
22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd,
Bahan Tsp. tel 541997.
email: leplanteur@
mptmail.net.mm.
http://leplanteur.net
G-01, City Mart
(Myay Ni Gone Center).
Tel: 01-508467-70 Ext: 106
G-05, Marketplace by
City Mart.
Tel: 01-523840 Ext: 105
Monsoon Restaurant
& Bar 85/87, Thein Byu
Road, Botahtaung Tsp.
Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653.
Delicious Hong Kong Style
Food Restaurant
G-09, City Mart (Myay Ni
Gone Center).
Tel: 01-508467-70 Ext: 114
No. 5, U Tun Nyein
Street, Mayangone T/S,
Yangon.
Tel : 01-660 612, 657928,
01-122 1014, 09 508 9441
Email : lalchimiste.
restaurant@gmail.com
UnionBarAndGrill
42 Strand Road,
Botahtaung, Yangon.
Tel: 95 9420 180 214, 95
9420 101 854
www.unionyangon.com,
info@unionyangon.com
World famous Kobe Beef
Near Thuka Kabar
Hospital on Pyay Rd,
Marlar st, Hlaing Tsp.
Tel: +95-1-535072
The Rih Lake
No. 67B, Dhama Yone St.,
near (Blazon) U Wisara Rd.,
Myaynigone, Sanchaung
Tsp. Tel: 01-502761
Matrix System
No.77, Lanthit Street,
Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 01-221944, 225374.
matrixoffice.mm@gmail.com
Tel : 01-9000712~13 Ext : 330
09-4200-77039.
direct2u@mmrds.com
Bldg-A2, G-Flr, Shwe
Gabar Housing, Mindama
Rd, Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon. email: eko-nr@
myanmar.com.mm
Ph: 652391, 09-73108896
Bld-A2, Gr-Fl, Shwe
Gabar Housing, Mindama
Rd, Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon. email: eko-nr@
myanmar.com.mm
Ph: 652391, 09-73108896
Ofce Culture Co., Ltd
Taw Win Center, 3
rd
Flr,
Rm 4031/4033, Pyay Rd,
Dagon Tsp, Yangon.
Ph: 09-2540 14097
Email: bd1@bristol.com.mm
www.bristol.com.my
Room No. 1101, 16
th
Flr,
Tower B, Maw Tin Tower,
Corner of Anawrahta Rd
& Lanthit St, Lanmadaw
Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : (95-1) 218489. 218490
218491
Fax : (95-1) 218492
Email : marketing @
kaytumadi.com, contact@
kaytumadi.com,
kaytumadi@gmail.com.
web : www.rockworth.com
European Quality
& Designs Indoor/
Outdoor Furniture, Hotel
Furniture & All kinds of
woodworks
Ofce Tel: 01-380382,
09-509-1673, Show Room:
No. 123-124, Shwe Yin Aye
(2) Street, Industrial Zone
5 (Extension), Hlaing Thar
Yar Township, Yangon,
Myanmar. E-mail: contact@
smartdesignstrading.com,
www.royalbotania.com,
www.alexander-rose.co.uk,
Please call for any enquiry.
Executive Serviced Ofces
www.hinthabusinesscentres.com
Tel : 01-4413410
SERVICE OFFICE
Capital Hyper Mart
14(E), Min Nandar Road,
Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136.
City Mart (Aung San) tel:
253022, 294765.
City Mart (47
th
St Branch)
tel: 200026, 298746.
City Mart (Junction 8)
tel: 650778.
City Mart (FMI City Branch)
tel: 682323.
City Mart (Yankin Center
Branch) tel: 400284.
City Mart (Myaynigone)
tel: 510697.
City Mart (Zawana Branch)
tel:564532.
City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar)
tel: 294063.
City Mart (Chinatown Point)
tel: 215560~63.
City Mart (Junction Maw Tin)
tel: 218159.
SUPERMARKETS
STEEL STRUCTURE
STORAGE
Design, Fabrication,
Supply & Erection of Steel
Structures
Tel : (+95-1) 122 1673
Email : Sales@WEC-
Myanmar.com
www.WEC-Myanmar.com
English Education Centre
Nursery - Primary
(15 months - 12 years)
55 (B), Po Sein Road,
Bahan Township.
Tel : (951) 546097, 546761.
Email: imm.myn@gmail.com
I nternational
M ontessori
M yanmar
Executive Serviced
Ofce, Registered
and Virtual Ofce, Hot
Desking, Meeting Rooms
Tel: +(95) 1 387947
www.ofcehubservices,com
SCHOOLS
Horizon Intl School
235, Shukhinthar Myo Pat
Rd, Thaketa Tsp, Yangon,
Ph: 450396~7, 25, Po Sein
Rd, Bahan Tsp, Yangon,
Ph: 543926, Fax: 543926,
email: contact@
horizonmyanmar.com
TRAVEL AGENTS
Asian Trails Tour Ltd
73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp.
tel: 211212, 223262.
fax: 211670. email: res@
asiantrails.com.mm
Shan Yoma Tours Co.,Ltd
Ph: 01-9010378, 9010382,
www.exploremyanmar.com
www.exploreglobaltravel.
com
WATER TREATMENT
WEB SERVICE
WATER SOLUTION
Water Treatement Solution
Block (A), Room (G-12),
Pearl Condo, Kabar Aye
Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp.
Hot Line : 09-4500-59000
Aekar
Company Limited
Web Services
All the way from Australia
world-class websites/
web apps for desktop,
smartphone & tablets,
online shopping with
real-time transaction,
news/magazine site,
forum, email campaign
and all essential online
services. Domain
registration & cloud
hosting. Talk to us: (01)
430-897, (0) 942-000-4554.
www.medialane.com.au
WATER HEATERS
The Global leader in
Water Heaters
A/1, Aung San Stadium
East Wing, Upper
Pansodan Road.
Tel: 01-256705, 399464,
394409, 647812.
Wat er Heat er
Made in Japan
Same as Rinnai Gas Cooker
and Cooker Hood
Showroom Address
WATER PROOFING
International
Construction
Material Co., Ltd.
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-245112,
09-730-22820
material@gmail.com
Water & Wastewater
Treatment (Since 1997)
Amd Supply Package
Fiberglass Wastewater
System for Ofces,
Condominiums & Hotels
Project. Can Design for
YCDC Permit Application.
39-B, Thazin Lane, Ahlone.
09-5161431, 09-43126571,
01-218437~8
REAL ESTATE
Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd.
Islands Safari in the Mergui
Archipelago
No.89-91, Rm No.2, Gr Fr,
32
nd
St (between Maha
Bandoola Rd and Merchant
Rd), Pabedan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel / Fax: 01-380382
E-mail: info@islandsafari
mergui.com. Website: www.
islandsafarimergui.com
PLEASURE CRUISES
PAINT
Sole Distributor
For the Union of
Myanmar Since 1995
Myanmar Golden Rock
International Co.,Ltd.
#06-01, Bldg (8), Myanmar
ICT Park, University Hlaing
Campus, Hlaing Tsp,
Yangon. Tel: 654810~17.
Worlds No.1 Paints &
Coatings Company
TOP MARINE PAINT
No-410, Ground Floor,
Lower Pazundaung Road,
Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon.
Ph: 09-851-5202
International
Construction
Material Co., Ltd.
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-245112,
09-730-22820
material@gmail.com
Residence rooms for
rent. Fully furnished,
(long term). Convenient,
pleasant environment to
stay.
No.12/B 43, Shwe Kainnayi
Housing Complex, Nanataw
Street, Kamayut Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel: (959) 731 46086, (959)
5040247,
E-mail: chitsu.win@gmail.
com
Real Estate Service
Selling, Buying, Renting,
Tel: 09 2500 08127, 09 2541
46420, 09 2541 46421.
Re a l Es t a t e Age nt
No Fees for Cl i ent s,
Contact Us : 09 2050107,
robin@prontorealtor.com
Legendary Myanmar Intl
Shipping & Logistics Co.,
Ltd.
No-9, Rm (A-4), 3
rd
Flr,
Kyaung St, Myaynigone,
Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 516827, 523653,
516795.
Mobile. 09-512-3049.
Email: legandarymyr@
mptmail.net .mm
www.LMSL-shipping.com
Schenker (Thai) Ltd.
Yangon 59 A, U Lun
Maung Street. 7 Mile
Pyay Road, MYGN. tel:
667686, 666646.fax:
651250. email: sche
nker@mptmail.net.mm.
a drink from paradise...
available on Earth
@Yangon International
Hotel, No.330, Ahlone Rd,
Dagon Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 09-421040512
Quality Chinese Dishes
with Resonable Price
@Marketplace by City Mart.
Tel: 01-523840 Ext.109
Good taste & resonable
price
@Thamada Hotel
Tel: 01-243047, 243639-41
Ext: 32
RESTAURANTS
Bo Sun Pat Tower, Bldg
608, Rm 6(B), Cor of
Merchant Rd & Bo Sun
Pat St, PBDN Tsp. Tel:
377263, 250582, 250032,
09-511-7876, 09-862-4563.
Crown Worldwide
Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702,
7
th
Flr Danathiha Centre,
Bogyoke Aung San Rd,
Lanmadaw. Tel: 223288,
210 670, 227650. ext: 702.
Fax: 229212. email: crown
worldwide@mptmail.net.mm
REMOVALISTS
Relocation Specialist
Rm 504, M.M.G Tower,
#44/56, Kannar Rd,
Botahtaung Tsp.
Tel: 250290, 252313.
Mail : info@asiantigers-
myanmar.com
Coffee & Snack Bar
Shop: No.150, Dhamazedi
Road, Bahan Township,
Yangon, Myanmar,
09-3621-4523, gustocafe.
yangon@gmail.com
SC STORAGE YANGON
Monthly storage available
Transportation of goods
provided,
Mobile: 09-253 559 848,
Email: YangonStorage@
gmail.com
SC STORAGE YANGON
Republic of Fritz Hansen
Store Myanmar
No.99, Ground Floor,
Room (A), Damazedi
Rd, Kamayut Township,
Yangon, Myanmar,
Tel: 09 250423700,
info@decorum-mm.net
City Mart (Marketplace)
tel: 523840~43.
City Mart
(78
th
Brahch-Mandalay)
tel: 02-71467~9.
Property General
HOW TO GET A FREE AD
BY FAX : 01-254158
BY EMAIL : classied.mcm@gmail.com
BY MAIL : 379/383, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Township, Yangon.
HOW TO GET MORE BUSINESS FROM
AS LITTLE AS K.5,000.
BUY SPACE ON THESE PAGES
CALL: Khin Mon Mon Yi - 01-392676, 392928
FREE
Housing for Rent
PEARL Condominium,
building-C, Kabaaye
Pagoda Rd, 1MB, 2B,
3AC, 1250 Sqft, Fully
Furnished, nice view.
1800 US$. Available on
20
th
November. Contact:
09-42011-2828, 09-
42115-1862.
CONDO: Dagon Tsp,
Near Parkroyal Hotel,
2050 Sqft, 3 bed room
with Toilet, bath tub, hot
water available, 5AC,
Lift, Fuly furnishied (2250
USD) per month, Please
contact: 09-2500-26350.
M A Y N I G O N E ,
Sanchaung, Min St, First
Flr, all furniture, one bed
room, one kitchen, one
bathroom, (The balony)
1RC, 1(month) 600US,
Shan Shan Ph: 09-731-
92603, Moe Hein Ph:
09-4250-18442
OFFICE SPACE TO LET
3100 sqmavailable over
5 foors in a 12-storey
building with car park,
restaurant, multi function
hall and apartments.
Please contact -
Ph : 09-431-34381.
Email : offce-mm@
uniteammarine.com,
web : www .facebook.
com/offcespaceyangon
KAMARYUT, Bayint
Naung Tower, 1500 sqft,
1 MBR & 2 SBR. Fully
furnished. 12 lakhs.
Negotiable. Contact:
phyuphyu.077@gmail.
com Ph: 09-503-2952,
09-730-75900.
BAHAN, Near Chatrium
Hotel, Po Sein Rd,
2RC, house, 3 Rooms
with Toilet, 3Ac, 2
Cable Phones, wide car
parking, (USD 2500) per
month, Ph: 09-2500-
26350.
DAGON, Near Parkroyal
Hotel, 1250 Sqft, One
bed room with Toilet,
one single bed roomwith
balcony, 3AC, 1 cable
phone, Lift, internet,
Fully Furnished, (1200
USD) per month, Ph:
09-2500-26350.
( 1 ) . P A N S O D A N
TOWER, 1800sqft, 2
Rooms, 2 bathrooms,
2 lifts (2). Mingalardon
industry zone, 2-Acre,
100'x100', 2 story,
80'x80', Store Ph: 09-
731-54071, 01-530756.
YANKIN, Thit Sar St,
Ground Flr, 25'x50',
included Garden, Higher
prepair fnished, Ph: 09-
2510-27176.
(1).PANSODAN Condo,
1800sqft, 2 Rooms, 2
Hall, with 2lifts, 2 bath
rooms (2). 2RC, Near
the Diamond, Kamaryut
(3).Mingalardon industry
zone, factory 2RC,
100'x100', 80'x80'. Ph:
09-731-54071, 01-530-
756.
BAHAN, Inya Rd House,
2 RC, Area 3008 sqft,
3MBR, 2SR, 1 living,
1 dinning, 1 praying,1
kitchen, 1 common
toilet, 1 car garage, 2
store room, 1 ph line,
AC 6, water heater 5,
Internet line, All bedroom
are bathroomattached.
Price 3000 U$, quite and
power save place. Near
by Inya hotel. Ph:09-512-
6285, 09-731-74306.
BAHAN, University Rd,
University Yeik Mon
Condo, Condo(B), 3BR,
1 living room,1 kitchen
room, ph line. 20 lakhs.
Ph:09-512-6285, 09-
731-74306.
HLAING, Shwehinthar
condo, (1)Tower C1,
2200sqft, 2MBR, 2SR,
6AC, 2 lift, basement
car park, generator,
fully furnished, USD
5000/month. (2)Tower
B, 2200sqft, 1MBR, 2SR,
5AC, 2lift, basement car
park, generator, fully
furnished, USD 5000/
month (3)Tower C2,
2220sqft, 2MBR, 2SR,
6AC, 2lift, basement car
park, generator, fully
furnished, USD 6000/
month. Ph: 09-4210-
21621, 09-2540-01189.
OFFICE SUITES for
Lease, Pearl Centre,
Bahan Township, Kabar
Aye Pagoda Road, 500-
10,000 sq-ft available
at affordable rates.
Contact: 09 430 30 288
slee888@gmail.com
HLAING THAR YAR,
(Ware huse & Factory)
(1)11000 sqft, 315 KVA
(2)12000 sqft, 315 KVA
on land 2 Acre. Ph: 09-
4237-55335.
ON PYAY ROAD, 7 mile,
single house, land (60 x
90), teak wood ceiling
& flooring, 2MBR,
3AC, near Norwegian
Embassy & UNOPS,
quiet residential area,
suitable for expats, USD
2,500. No agent. Ph: 09-
515-6769.
THANGAN GYUN, Mya
Yamon Water Front
Villa, 3 Storey with fully
furniture, swimming
pool, steamroom, water
fall. For foreiner only. Ph:
320334, 09-510-3207,
BAHAN, Near Chatrium
Hotel, Po Sein Road,
Quiet Surrounding, Small
two-storeys house, 3
rooms, with toilet, AC,
teak parquet fooring,
with cable phone., with
wide carparking, with
mate room. USD 2500
per month, No brokers
sees, Contact: 09-430-
24808, 09-2500-26350.
DAGON, Near Parkroyal
Hotel, Condo with lift,
1250 sqft, 3 AC, fully
furnished, with cable
phone, 1MBR, 1 SR
with balcony, Contact:
09-430-24808.
(1)PANSODAN Tower
1800 sqft, 2 Rooms,
2-lifts, New building (2).
Hledan, Near Diamond
Condo, 2RC (3).
Mingalardon Industry
zone factory, 100'x100',
store 80'x80', New
building (4).7 miles,
Si Taw Gyi Condo,
3400Sqft, Hall. Ph: 09-
731-54071, 514802.
Housing for Sale
INSEIN, Sawbuagyigone,
45,000 sqft. Two storey
building with landline
phone. contact:
phyuphyu.077@gmail.
com Ph:09-503-2952,
09-730-75900.
(1)HLAING, Ywama
kyaung lane, 0.8
Acre, Land only, (2).
Mingalardon industry
zone, land only. Ph: 09-
731-54071, 01-530756.
NGAPALI BEACH Front,
Good location, Nice view
in Linthar village, Hotel
land 1.75 Acre. Contact
to 09-204-2457.
SANCHAUNG, 5th Floor,
Tha Yett Taw St, 12.5' x
50', Hall type, Other
Inclusive: Sunshade &
Iron Bars on all windows
& doors.Negotiatable
price: MMK 550 Lakhs.
Ph: 09-500- 2313
DAGON Tsp, Fatherland
condo, No 51 Boyarnyunt
St, 1200sqft, 1Toilet, Hall
Type, 3000lks. Ph: 09-
4210-21621, 09-2540-
01189.
CONDO, 650 sqft.
Star City Building 1.
Including Well furnished.
Offer price: 1250 lkhs.
Contact: 09-2506-38104
(Aung San Htun)
Education
COMPANIES who are
looking for investor or
offering OTC shares.
Please drop me an email
or contact me. Chris
Wong, Ph: +65-8120-
2496. email:YgnSing@
hotmail.com
Education
ENGLISH for international
school students who want
to practice or improve
their English including
literature and language
art (principle of written
English) for SAT . If you
had tried as much as you
can to follow the lesson
and you will get good
experiences and skill.
.This program will help
you capability and fll
your luck of knowledge..
Middle school students
can study in a small class.
U Thant Zin, 28-3B, Thati
Pahtan St, Tamwe, Ph:01-
5035350, 09-3102-1314,
09-3192-4423
TEACHING and guide,
KG to Primary 6. For Int'l
school (MIS . YIS. MISY.
ILBC. CISM. ISM. PISM.
TOTAL. Horizon.) Ph:09-
4200-87050.
LCCI Level I,II & III,
Teaching, Study guide
& Old questions. Ph: 09-
4211-34427.
ENGLISH (home tuition)
speaking, grammar, issue.
letter, academic writing.
SAT. TOEFL. IELT. GCE,
IGCSE. GMAT 4 skills.
local & international
school English. English
for J apaneses children
and adult. Home tuition,
courses are avail e
now. you can contact to
Saya U Kyi Sin (Mumyint
Thar)Ph: 09-4210-67375.
www.kyisinplb.blogspot.
com
ENGLISH teaching.
Chinatown area.
1 year teaching
Myanmar students,
20 years experience.
Conversation, listening
& IELTS training. Please
call 09-517-3255.
CHEMISTRY TUTOR
required for international
high school student. Must
speak English. Ph: 09-
502-2834
TEACHER MYO (G.C.E
O/A, U.K) (1) Grade X.XI
(All Subjects). (2) IELTS,
Interview. (3)IGCSE,
BCA (All Subjects).
No.37, 4 Flr, Yay Kyaw
St. Ph: 09-732-21317,
09-513-2373
HOME Tuition: For
students fromInt'l schools
such as Horizon, ILBC,
YIES, ISY, MIS, MISY,
PISM. All subjects for
Primary and Secondary
Classes. Tel: 09-4200-
84493.
Expert Services
FOC Rental Services of
condos, landed houses,
offces and commercial
properties. Our listings
can be checked in http://
goo.gl/tyCuoe, Email:
dr.thihathit@icloud.com,
09-430-83781.
ZCL(Y.U.F.L)Translation
Service. Ph: 09-2506-
66325. email: atar1990@
gmail.com
CORPORATE Banking,
Finance, Advisory,
Capital Raising Services
and help with foreign
investment, private
equity for Myanmar
companies; pls contact
info@frstrangoon.com
WE PROVIDE stay in
Domestic Helper to do all
your household chores.If
you need please call 09-
2506-49927
EFFICIENT Goldsmith
Software Effective for all
goldshops & goldsmiths
@ Effcient Soft. Ph: 09-
505-3762, 09-517-1061,
09-2503-54344.
BANKING service, HR
service, Local travel
service (Flight or air
plane, hotel booking,
car service on trip
etc.), Wedding planner,
Household cleaning
service, Teaching
English to Myanmar,
Guide to High School
Student, Taxi service,
General service. Formal
learning Eng to Myan is
1:30 hr only Sunday,
10 weeks per course
charges is 100$. Ph:09-
4201-64934
GOLDEN LAND Real
Estate : For sale, buy &
rent, Pls contact to Ph:
3940532, 09-730-08848,
3920853
I DO translate
English ~Myanmar &
Myanmar~English and
also teach Myanmar
language (4 skills) for
foreigners. If you want
to contact, call me,
Katherine Ph:09-516-
8697.
REGISTERED Tourist
guide in English, French
is available for immediate
appointment, please ring
09-3019-9028.
For Rent
COLD STORAGE 100
M/T capacity situated at
Hlaing Thar Yar Industrial
area at reasonable rate.
Please Contact: 682011,
685846, 09-500-8845,
09-500-8843.
For Sale
SAMSUNG Galaxy SII,
GT-I9100T (14GB, Black)
No Error +2 Cover. Price
: 110,000 Kyats. Ph: 09-
2500-80 324.
SAMSUNG GALAXY
Tablet 7.7. With phone,
3G. Similar to current
Samsung Note 8, which
costs usd 380. Two years
old. Price usd 150 or
offer. Phone 10 AM, Mr
Ansar, Rm503, Ph: 01-
246030, 242094.
H A R L E Y - R E G A
Motorcycle built in
J apan 1950 years. Rare
Motorcycle USD - 7500.
Ph:09-505-4880
HONDA FIT 2009 Model,
GE-6, 1300 CC, (White),
Auto Gear, 1H/3---
(YGN), 99 lakhs, Ph: 09-
312-87827.
CAMERA fromSingapore,
used Nikon D-7000,
Canon 60D, 600D, 550
D,450D & Fujiflm S 9100
cameras for sale. Ph:09-
512-8713
Language
AN EXPERIENCED
Chinese (Mandarin)
teacher here in Yangon,
Myanmar. I have over
6 years teaching in
Singapore. Please do
not hesitate to contact me
for an evaluation. Ima
professional teacher who
will help you improve
your speaking, reading
& writing skills. I use
Singaporean text books
& Chinese speaking/
conversation books
for teaching speaking,
reading & writing in
Mandarin. Im available
Monday-Sunday with
a fexible schedule. I
also teaching Myanmar
Language to all Foreigner.
For more details please
call the number below. If I
dont answer please send
me a SMS.
SPEAKING Burmese
for foreigners : In-home
tutoring email: burmese.
tutor2014@gmail.com
ENGLISH (home tuition)
speaking, grammar,
issue. letter, academic
writing. SAT. TOEFL.
IELT. GCE, IGCSE.
GMAT four skills. local
& international school.
English : English for
J apaneses children &
adult - home tuition :
courses are avail e now.
You can contact to Saya
U Kyi Sin (Mumyint Thar)
Ph:09-4210-67-375,
www.kyisinplb.blogspot.
com
WE CAN teach Korea
Language Basic & 4
skills for all. Ph: 09-2505-
65793, 09-4210-06072.
FRENCH, 4 skills &
spoken French, Home
visit & interisive classes.
Daw Oo Oo A Zin, B.A
(French) (Y.U.F.L), DALF
& DELF (Dip of Alliance
Francaise) Ph:01-
450775, 09-8611-813.
I AM a Professional
J apanese and English
Translator and Teacher
based in Yangon. I
am Certifed with B.A
(J AP)MUFL with J LPT
Level 2 and IELTS
with Band 7. I have 4
years of experience in
Freelance J apanese
translation, interpretation
& teaching. Please do not
hesitate to contact me
for an evaluation. I have
many foreign students
such as J apanese and
Indians and I use all the
reference that is base
on language learning.
For more information,
please contact me to 09-
4283-50386 and email
me to jasmine5842@
gmail.com.
IM AN experienced
Chinese (Mandarin)
teacher here in Yangon,
Myanmar. I have over
6 years teaching in
Singapore. Please do
not hesitate to contact me
for an evaluation. Ima
professional teacher who
will help you improve
your speaking, reading
and writing skills. I use
Singaporean text books
and Chinese speaking/
conversation books
for teaching speaking,
reading and writing in
Mandarin. Im available
Monday-Sunday with
a fexible schedule. I
also teaching Myanmar
language to all Foreigner.
For more details please
call the number below.
If I dont answer please
send me a SMS and I will
get back to you as soon
as possible. May: 095-9-
516-2988.
PROFESSIONAL English
Teacher (MBA, UK), MA
(English), BA (English),
Dip: ELT 09-254214864.
Only Evening and
Weekend class available.
I AM available to teach
English to any and all
ages. I have experience
with students in primary,
secondary school and
Asian adults wanting
to enter the global
workforce. I can also do
SAT prep for secondary
students who are trying
to build their international
college resume. I
am able to design a
curriculumbased on your
particular needs. Email:
steffanilorraine@gmail.
com
TEACHING Myanmar
language for foreigners
Near Myay Ni Gone City
Mart, Sanchaung. Ph: 09-
4200-30 782.
TEACHING English for
adults Near Myay Ni Gone
City Mart, Sanchaung.
Ph:09- 4200-30782
Training
MYANMAR Access
International provides
the following services.
ISO Implementation
Programme. Human
Resource Development
Programme. Hospitality
Management Program
me. Project Management
Programme. English
Training Programme.
If you are interested,
please contact us at
09-731-18749, 09-
732-40764 or email :
zinminpon@gmail.com,
kaungsanthu1994@
gmail.com
ROYAL JOURNEYS,
Learn English for life :
How to make English
part of your lifestyle,
English communication
skills, Business
English, Hospitality &
tourism Management,
Management leadership
& superior training. 61, 1A
Flr, 13 St, Bet : Anawrahta
Rd & Mahabandoola Rd,
Landmadaw tsp. Ph: 09-
4316-6443.
Travel
CENTURION AUTO :
Corporate Car Rental
offers transfer / daily /
monthly / feets throughout
Myanmar. Vehicle
amenities include English-
speaking drivers, Wi-Fi
Internet, full international
insurance and full time
concierge. Contact us
anytime for further info.
(p)+95.1.571.586*info@
centurionauto.com*www.
centurionauto.com.
TESUAN Travel & Tour,
Travel Agent License:
Kha-2375, Tour programs
- Yangon &Environs 1 Day
Tour. Yangon & Pyu city
Package Tour. Yangon-
Golden Rock Optional
Tour. BuddhistPilgrimage
Tour, Adventure & Eco
Tour, Hotel & Air ticket
reservation, Car rental &
Travel Insurance, Offce:
3/B, Ground Flr, Hledan
1
st
St, 3
rd
Qtr, Kamayut,
Yangon, Tel: 511298,
09-302-85183, 09-732-
38306, Email: tesuantour.
co.mm@gmail.com, www.
tesuanmyanmar.com
SWAN SAUNG YEE
Travel & Tours Co., Ltd.
Bldg (D/B), Rm (002),
Thitsar Residence, South
Okkalapa, Yangon. Kyaik
Hti Yoe (1N/2D)-80,000/-
ks per pax. Chaung Tha
(2N/3D)-93,000/-ks
per pax. Bagan-Popa
(3N/4D)-138,900/-ks
per pax. Mandalay-Sa
gaing-Innwa-(3N/4D)-
156,000/-ks per pax. Ph:
01-562917, 09-8611-864
TAXI, Service Near,
Parkroyal Hotel, Air
Conditioner Car, English
Speaking Driver, One
hour 5000 kyats, 09-317-
75734.
Public Notics
AMDA Myanmar Country
Offce moved to a new
location on 7
th
October,
2014. The new offce
address : (1) New Offce
Address: AMDA Myanmar
Country Offce : 73/A (1),
University Avenue Road,
Golden valley (1), Bahan
Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar.
Ph : 513224.
TRAINED Domestic
Helper available.
Knowledge of all
household works,
including infants and
elderly people care. Tel :
09-315-75765, 09-2506-
49927.
We provide the following
Training, CISCO, CCNA,
CCNP, MICROSOFT,
MCSA, MCSE, LAB,
EC-COUNCIL CEH,
SECURITY ADMIN.
www.facebook.com/
imcscompany, 09-4500-
16040.
Employment
FREE THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
UN Position
THE UNI TED
NATIONS World Food
Programme, is seeking
(1) Communi cati ons
& Reports Offcer
NO-B, Yangon. http://
www. themimu. info/
j obs- for- myanmar-
nationals. Please email
the applications with UN
P-11 to wfpmyanmar.
vacancy@wfp.org COB
12 November 2014.
THE UNITED NATIONS
World Food Program
me, is seeking (1)
Programme Offcer/
Head of Sub Offce
(NOB), Kachin State.
please visit to http://
www. themimu. info/
P-11 to wfpmyanmar.
vacancy@wfp.org COB
11 November 2014.
THE UNITED NATIONS
Offce on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) is
seeking for Myanmar
nationals: (1)
Programme Speci al i st
(HIV prevention & care)
- NO-D, Fixed-Term
Appointment (FTA),
UNODC Country Offce
- 1 Post - Duty Station:
Yangon : Advanced
university degree in
social sciences, public
health or any other
relevant discipline. 7
years of professional
experience at the
national level in
managing HIV/AIDS
prevention & care
programmes among
people who inject
drugs and/or in prison
settings. Technological
awareness: Experience
in the usage of
computers & offce
software packages.
Know ledge of and/or
practical experience in
the area of organisation
and delivery of training
programmes in the feld
of HIV/AIDS and drug
dependence would be an
asset. Well-developed
communication skills
to liaise, negotiate
& advocate with key
stakeholders including
with other implementing
agencies. Ability
to write reports &
reviews & conduct
presentations by clearly
formulating positions
on issues & defending
recommendati ons.
Fluency in English.
Application must include
a cover letter, current
CV, P11 form, copies
of relevant academic
qualifcation certifcates
& a recent passport
photo to UNODC, 11A,
Maylikha Rd, Ward-7,
Mayangone, Yangon,
Myanmar. (or) C/O
UNDP, POBox (650),
Yangon, Myanmar.
or by email to:
fo.myanmar@unodc.
org (or) J acqueline.
P EEGYAW@unodc.
org Closing Date: 7
November 2014.
THE UNI TED
Nations World Food
Programme,is seeking
(1)Offce Assistant/
Recepti oni st GS-3,
Yangon (2) Programme
Assistant (VAM) GS-5,
Hakha (Re-advertise).
please visit to http://
www. themimu. info/
P-11 to wfpmyanmar.
vacancy@wfp.org COB
7 November 2014.
EmbassyPosition
ROYAL EMBASSY of
Cambodia is seeking
Secretary 1 post.
Interested persons
should send an
application letter with a
current CV. 2ID photos,
r ec o mmenda t i o n
letters and educational
certifcate copies. 25
(3B/4B) New University
Avenue, Bahan, Yangon.
Ph:951-549-609, 540-
964. Email:camemb.
mmr@mfa.gov.kh
Ingo Position
WORLD CONCERN
Myanmar is seeking (1)
Finance Manager - 1
post (2)Monitoring and
Evaluation Manager - 1
post in Yangon. Reporting
to Country Director (3)
Program Area Manager
in Lashio Offce, Shan
Program. Reporting
to Senior Program
Coordinator. Interested
local candidates should
clearly indicate the post
title with an updated CV to
HR/Admin Department,
World Concern
Myanmar, No (477/479),
Aye Yeikthar 2nd Lane,
6th& 7th Floors, New
University Avenue Rd,
Bahan or send to wcm.
hr1@gmail.com, Ph.
01-401554, 01-557355.
Closing Date : 15th
November, 2014
(1) COMMUNITY Based
First Aid (CBFA)
Training Offcer -1 Post
(2)Co mmu n i c at i o n
Offcer - 1 Post(3) Admin
Assi stant (Malaria)
1 Post (4)Livelihood
Offcer - 2 Posts (5)
Logistics Offcer 1 Post
(6)Program Support
Offcer - 1 Post. Please
send application letter,
CV & related documents
to Myanmar Red Cross
Society (Head Offce)
Yazatingaha Rd,
Dekkhinathiri, Nay Pyi Taw.
Ormrcshrrecruitment@
gmail.com www.
myanmarredcros s
society.org
GIZ is seeking National
Expert in Banking
& Finance 1 post
in Yangon. Contract
Period: 1st J anuary
2015 31st December
2015 (Extendable).
Qualifications : A
University Degree in
Economics, Business
Administration, Banking
or other relevant feld; A
minimum of three to fve
years working experience
in the banking industry
(national or international)
or at another international
organization working in
a similar feld; Be able
to work independently
& goal oriented; Have
excellent commu
nication, organizational
and administration skills.
Working experience in
multi-cultural environ
ments is a plus; Fluent
in English and Myanmar
language, including
technical banking
vocabulary; Very good
computer skills. An
established network
to key stakeholders in
the banking sector is a
strong advantage. GIZ
offers a competitive salary
and a social benefts
package. Please send
application letter along
with non-returnable
recent CV and contact
detail of two referees to
Deutsche Gesellschaft
fr Int'ernationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
GmbH : 45, Inya Myaing
Rd, Golden Valley (2)
Ward, Bahan, Yangon,
OR EMail: recruit-
myanmar@giz.de Note:
Please sent in Microsoft
Word or PDF format.
(1)FINANCE OFFICER
(OPP) - 1 Post. Please
to Myanmar Red Cross
Society (Head Offce)
Yazatingaha Rd,
gmail.comwww.myanmar
redcross society.org .
(1) DEPUTY MANAGER
(Finance & Admin) - 1
Post (2)CSR Program
Offcer 1 Post (3) Admin
Assistant (Malaria) - 1
Post (4)Engineer - 2
Posts (Consultant for
Renovation Health
Facilities Assessment)(5)
Site Engineer (Sun Rural
Health Centre) - 2 Posts.
Please send application
letter, CV & related
documents to Myanmar
Red Cross Society (Head
Offce) Yazatingaha Rd,
gmail.com www.
myanmarredcros s
society.org
THE INT'L Rescue
Committee (IRC) is
seeking (1)Proj ect
Offcer 1 post in Hpa-
an, Kayin State: 3 years
professional experience.
Fluency in English. (2)
Project Coordinator
1 post in Hpa-an,
Kayin State: 5 years
professional experience
in related work,
community mobilization.
3 years of experience.
Fluency in English. (3)
Project Manager - 1
post in Hpa-an : Degree
in Law, Human Rights,
social development,
Governance or other
related feld. 3 years
professional experience.
Skilled in Excel, Word
software. (4)Liaison
Offcer - 1 post in Hpa-an,
Kayin State: University
degree. 3 or more years
experience in a similar
position. Fluency in
English. Skilled in Excel,
Word software. Please
submit a Cover letter & CV
to the HR Department by
email at: WaiMar.Naing@
rescue.org or by delivery
to the IRC offce : 33/A,
Natmauk Lane Thwe (1),
Bocho (2) Quarter, Bahan,
Yangon. Closing date : for
1 ~3: 4
th
November, for 4 :
5
th
November, 2014.
(1)M & E Offcer (Child
Protection) - 1 Post (2)
Logistics Assistant
(Mindat/Matupi) 2 Posts
(3)WASH / Watsan
Specialist 1 Post.
(4)Program Offi cer
(CBHFA) -1 Post. Please
to Myanmar Red
Cross Society (Head
Offce) Yazatingaha Rd,
gmail.com www.
myanmarredcros s
society.org
Local Positions
BELMOND Governors
Residence is looking for
(1)Boutique Manager
(Able to handle the guest
services and public
relations, ability to check
the stock , inventory
as well as daily sales
and holding a graduate
or diploma degree,
preferable in Boutique
or Sales experience)
Electrician & Technician
for Maintenance
Department (2)SPA
Therapist (3)Waiter /
Waitress. Belmond Shwe
Kyet Yet Tour is looking
for (1) Tour Desk Sales
(2)Ticketing Offcer (3)
Reservations Offcer .
Kindly contact to Human
Resources for the above
opening positions. Tel :
229860 Email : ayeaye.
linn@belmond.com
ALL ACCESS Myanmar
Co., Ltd. is seeking (1)
Profcient Japanese
Language Graduates -
M/F (2) Marketing Staff -
M. Please submit CV with
necessary documents to
Rm(GA-2), Building No.
C, Pearl Condo, Kabaaye
Pagoda Rd, Bahan. Tel :
(95) 11 222 638, (95) 9
250 893 969
GREAT GOLDEN Glory
Co., Ltd is seeking
(1)Techni cal Sal es
Representative - M/F
1 post :B.E.(Chemical)
or B.Sc (Chemistry, IC
or Microbiology), Age
25 ~35 years, Fluent in
English, Good computer
skill, Experience in Food &
beverage industries is an
advantage. (2)Assistance
Accountant F - 1 post :
BA.Eco or B.Com, LCCI
(Level 1, 2) , Age 25 ~30
years, Fluent in English,
Good computer skill, 1
year experience in related
feld is advantage. Please
submit CV with necessary
documents to 85 ~87, 3rd
Flr, 32nd St, Pabedan tsp,
Yangon. Ph: 387366,
387431, Email:3g@
ggglory.com.mm
CHATRIUM HOTEL
Royal Lake Yangon
Leading Five Star Hotel
in Yangon, Myanmar
with its headquarter in
Bangkok, is now seeking
highly energetic and
motivated candidates for
the following positions:
(1).Sales Manager - F 1
Post(2).Secretary (Sales
& Marketing) - F
1 Post (3).Sal es
Coordinator M/F 1
Post (4).Receptionist
- F 1 Post (5).Admin
Assistant - F 1 Post (6).
Telephone Operator -
M/F 1 Post (7).Bellman
M 1 Post (8).Technician
- M 1 Post (9).Steward
- M 1 Post. Interested
candidates should apply
with full CV/Resume
indicating position of
interest, qualifcations,
educational background,
employment records and
recent photo not later than
20.11.2014. Only short-
listed candidates will
be notifed by phone for
interview. Email: hr.chry@
chatrium.com Ph: 01-
544500, 01-544500 HR
Dept. Chatrium Hotel
Royal Lake Yangon,
No.40, Natmauk Rd ,
Tamwe Tsp. Yangon.
YOMA FLEET is seeking
Fl eet Mai ntenance
Cont rol l er, You
will be experienced
with : Preventative
maintenance, Panel
repairs, Warranty repairs,
Leading people. Apply
online: www.yomafeet.
comYangon
YOMA FLEET is looking
for Operations Manager
Customer Servi ce
Representative, Mobile
Truck Mechanic, Mobile
Tire Specialist, Hikers
(Drivers with a great
attitude) Apply online:
www.yomafleet.com
Yangon,Mandalay Nay
Pyi Taw
MYTCL is currently looking
for (Monywa, Minesite) (1)
Engineering Services
Superintendent (G0/
G1.) 1 post (Male
Only) (2).Maintenance
Superintendent (G0/
G1.) 1 post (Male Only)
Age: Under 50. Fluency
in the English. Overseas
experience an asset.
Experience currently
working in the Mining
industry. Tertiary Degree
required in associated
department. 10 years of
operational engineering.
Computer literate, Auto
CAD and profcient in
using spread sheets,
databases and power
point etc. Required
skills to provide effective
direction, leadership
and motivation to the
multinational work force.
(3).Senior Mechanical
Engineer (G3.) 2 posts
(Male Only) (4).Senior
Electrical Engineer
(G3.) 2 posts (Male
Only) (5).Senior Civil
Engineer (G3.) 1 post
(Male Only) Age: Under
50. Tertiary Degree
department. Experience
in the mining industry. 7
years in a position as a
qualifed and practicing
Engineer, being able to
demonstrate increasing
responsibility within his
specialty, covering all
technical and managerial
aspects of the planning,
design and management
of services and projects
implementation.Excellent
in English. Computer
literacy and Auto CAD 3D
drawings and Graphic. (6).
Mechanical Engineer
(G4.) - M/F 1 post (7).
Electrical Engineer
(G5.) - M/F 1 post : Age
under 50. Tertiary Degree
department. Experience
working in the Mining
industry. Experience
with modern mineral
processing facilities
including equipment
utilization and operating
knowledge. Excellent
communication skills.
Computer literacy and
Auto CAD 3D drawings
& Graphic. (8) English
Teacher Mine Site
(G5/G6.) M/F 1 post :
Age: under 50. Fluency in
English. A tertiary degree.
B.A. (English) preferred.
Tertiary qualifcations in
humanities or similar,
with excellent written
and verbal English
communications skills.
Computer literacy in word
processing, spreadsheet
& other essential
applications. Please
submit application with
CV, copies of relevant
certifcate for education
and one passport photo
to Myanmar Yang Tse
Copper Ltdd Site Offce
Yangon Offce : S &
K Mine Site, Salingyi
Tsp, Monywa. 70 (I)
Bo Chein St, Pyay Rd,
HR Department. Hlaing
Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 071
22226 , 071 22523 Tel
: 01 514194~7 Contact
Person : Mr. Glenn R.
Wallis, email : gwallis@
yangtse.com.mm
KH HOTEL Yangon is
currently seeking self
motivated , dedicated
and potential candidates
for the following posts ;
( 1 ) Receptionists - M/F
5 posts : Graduated
in any felds, Good
communication skills,
English language skill,
Computer literate, 1
year experience in
hospitality industry (2)
M&E Technicians - M 3
posts: Related certifcates
or a Diploma or B.Tech,
1 year experience in
hospitality industry,
Must work shift duty. (3)
Accountant - F 1 posts:
Degree holder of B.comor
ACCA with LCCI level ,
2 years experience. Good
computer literate &familiar
with accounting software.
Good management
& communication
skills, Previous hotel
experiences is preferable
but not essential. (4)
Sale Manager (or)
Executive - M/F 1 posts
: Any graduated, Good
communications skills,
English language skill,
Good sales & marketing
communication skills.
(5)Driver - M 2 posts :
10th Standard passed
(or) Degree holder, Have
valid licence, 2 years
experience, Good Driving
skill in downtown area. (6)
Bartender - M
3 posts : 1 year experience,
Good bar knowledge. (7)
Housekeeping - M 5
posts : 1 year experience,
Good communication
skills, Need honestly.
Please submit CV with
relevant documents
to hotel : 28, 7Miles,
Pyay Rd, Mayangone,
Yangon. 01-652989,01-
653358,01-653359.
STRATEGY PARTNER
is looking for (1)Cashier
cum Junior Accountant
: who love numbers &
has analytical thinking to
handle cash transactions.
Willing to learn new things
& love challenges, love to
work with team. Strategy
Partner is newly founded
as accounting frm &
providing accounting
service, HR & recruitment
service to SME and
Branch of International
company. (2)Offi ce
Secretary : For all posts
preferably 1 to 2 years of
relevant experience in
similar position. Very good
communication skills in
English & good computer
literacy. Able to work with
team, multitasking and
work under pressure with
minimum supervision.
Willing to learn new
things & love challenges.
Excellent interpersonal
skills. Offce hour - 9
amto 5 pm(Only week
days). Please send an
application including CV
with expected salary to
wai.strategypartner@
gmail.com or No.(17),
Shwe Tha Pyay Yeik
Mon(2), Nawarat St,
Tharketa, Yangon.
Closing date : 7th Nov
2014.
ANANDA TRAVEL
is seeking for Sales
Operator - 3 posts:
Fluentin Franch language
(4 skills), Computer
knowledge (word, excel,
internet & email), Can
apply this post (local or
foreigner), Must have two
years experience at least.
with attaractive salary.
Please submit CV with
necessary documents
to 106-B, Anandathuria
St, Saw Bwa Gyi Gone
Quarter, Insein. Ph:
09-431-60501, 09-425-
328182.
INLE LAKE VIEW Resort
Hotel & The LOFT Hotel
(Yangon) is seeing
(1).F&B Manager - 3
Posts : 5 ~ 8 years
experience. (2).F&B
Supervisor - 5 Posts :
3 ~5 years experience.
(3).F&B Captain - 5 Posts
: 2 ~3 years experience.
(4).Waiter /Waitress -
15 Posts : 2 ~3 years
experience. Please
submit CV, Photo with
necessary documents to
Rm 404, 4th Flr, Royal
Yaw Min Gyi Condo, No
52, Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon
tsp. Ph:01-393112,
393113. email:project.
inlelakeview@gmail.com
CHIEF ACCOUNTANT
1 post : B.Com, ACCA,
LCCI, 3 years experience.
Ph: 09-516-9526.
EVER Flow River, Group
of Companies (Public)
Limited is seeking (1)
Marine Surveyor : A
University Degree in
related feld. 2 years of
relevant experience in
the marine surveying
industry. Strong marine
background, excellent
communication &
writing skills. Ability
to communicate at all
levels, good English
writing skills in necessary.
Possess driving license
& own vehicle. (2)Loss
Adjusters (Motor &
Non-Motor): A University
Degree in Engineering
(Civil), Engineering
(Mechanical), Law or
other relevant disciplines.
Ability to communicate at
all levels, good English
writing skills is necessary.
Possess driving license
and own vehicle. Please
send updated CV with
salary expectation &
recent photo to info@
ajaxadjusters.com &
thetlinoo77@gmail.
com or Thet Lin Oo
(Administration Manager)
E.F.R Group of Companies
(Public) Limited: Rm6, 4
th

Flr, United Condo Tower
1, 39, Ahlanpya Pagoda
Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon.
GOLDEN CLOVER
Travel is looking for
(1)Tour Operati on
Manager - M 1 Post: 5
years of experience in
tourism feld. (2)Chief
Accountant - M/F 1 Post:
5 years of experience.
(3)Programmer - M/F
1 Post : 5 years of
experience in ICT feld.
For all positions: Any
graduate with certifcate.
English language (4
skills) must be fuent.
Good communication
and skills social dealing.
Computer literate (very
good knowledge of Excel
/ Power Point / Word /
Internet / Email) Please
submit an application
letter, CV with recent
photo, Copies of NRC,
Educational certifcate
and other testimonial to
Golden Clover Travel
& Tours : 48, Rm(E-3),
2nd Floor, Gyar Taw Ya
Oat Rd, Shwe Nanthar
Quarter, Bahan, Yangon,
Tel: +95-18603244/45,
0949297848. Email:
info@goldenclover.com.
mm
JOB VACANCY
As a leading global company, Daewoo International Corporation
(Myanmar E&P) is seeking an energetic, reliable and qualifed person to
fll a position for its ongoing operations of Oil & Gas Industry in Myanmar.
IT Programmer (2 post)
University Graduate with a major in information system or
computer related feld
Minimum 2 years professional experience in computer
programming or application system development
Prefer experience in Database Management like Oracle and
MS-SQL
Prefer experience in ERP system development or operation
Strong interpersonal ability and presentation skills
Custom Assistant(1 post)
University Graduate(Prefer in supply Chain Management
background)
Minimum 3 years working experience within a logistic section,
preferably in the oil and gas industry
Experience with the importing/exporting of goods between
various locations/destinations
Strong planning, organizational, communication and
interpersonal skills
A high level of accuracy and attention to detail
All the positions are required profciency in English language and
Computer MS Offce Suite.
Application closing date is 14th November 2014
Interested persons who meet the above mentioned qualifcations are
invited to submit their CV, application letter, recent photo and copies of
academic transcripts to the following address:
HR & Admin Department
Daewoo International Corporation (Myanmar E&P)
International Business Center
No. 88, Pyay Road, 6 Miles, Hlaing Township, Yangon.
Or e-mail to hr.recruitment@daewooenp.com
68 Sport THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
CANADIAN ice hockey legend Gordie
Howe sufered a serious stroke on Oc-
tober 26 that left the 86-year-old icon
partially paralysed on one side of his
body, media reported on October 28.
Howe, a former Detroit Red Wings
great known afectionately in North
America as Mr. Hockey, is also hav-
ing trouble speaking after the stroke.
He was resting at his daughters home
in Lubbock, Texas, his son Murray
Howe told the Detroit News.
Basically, sometime in the early
morning on Sunday he sufered a pret-
ty bad stroke, said Dr Murray Howe,
who heads the department of radiol-
ogy at Toledo Hospital.
The right side of his body is very,
very weak. Hes unable to stand with-
out help. Hes able to speak, but very,
very difcult to speak.
He knows who he is. He knows
the people around him. But it is very
difcult for him to get up and walk
around.
Howe played 25 seasons (1946-71)
with the Red Wings, winning four
Stanley Cups, six Hart Trophies as the
leagues most valuable Player and six
Art Ross Trophies as the NHL leading
scorer.
With Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay,
and later Alex Delvecchio and Lind-
say, Howe comprised The Produc-
tion Line, the most potent ofensive
scoring unit in the NHL from the late
1940s through the mid-1950s.
Howe is a member of the Hockey
Hall of Fame, as is his son Mark.
Messages of support to the Howe
family were plentiful on social media
last week.
Wishing my friend Gordie Howe
all the best, youre in all of our thoughts
and prayers, Canadian Prime Minis-
ter Stephen Harper said on Twitter.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman
also tweeted: The NHL family sends
prayers for strength & healing to our
revered Gordie Howe. We wish him a
speedy & full recovery.
Howe came out of retirement in
1973 to play with the Houston Aeros
of the newly-formed World Hockey
Association.
It was with the Aeros and later the
New England Whalers that he got the
chance to play on a line with Mark and
another son Marty.
In 1997, Howe signed a one-game
contract with the Detroit Vipers of
the International Hockey League at al-
most 70 years of age. In doing so he be-
came the only player in history to play
pro hockey in six diferent decades.
Howe has had a series of health
issues the past few years. He sufers
from dementia and he underwent spi-
nal surgery earlier this year. But Mur-
ray Howe said he had regained tness
and was walking as much a mile per
day before the stroke. AFP
I
N a reversal of roles, the out-
spoken Muhammad Ali won the
Rumble In The Jungle 40 years
ago last week but has become
a stricken, silent icon, while
brooding slugger George Foreman has
turned into an outgoing tycoon.
Parkinsons disease ended the
snappy banter that was Alis trade-
mark. The man who once said when
you are as great as I am it is hard to
be humble no longer speaks in public
and is rarely seen.
Foreman was an awkward, unloved
gure when he lost his title on Octo-
ber 30, 1974. But he has evolved into
a slick businessman selling barbecues
and grills and speaking out as a cham-
pion for the 50-and-over set.
It has been a cruel fate for Ali, who
had the world title taken away in 1967
for refusing to ght in the Vietnam
War.
He took his political battle to the
US Supreme Court which in 1971 up-
held his conscientious objector sta-
tus, setting the stage for the Foreman
showdown.
Ali used a rope-a-dope strategy in
Kinshasa and let Foreman, who had
not needed more than two rounds to
win or defend the crown, exhaust him-
self throwing punches. Ali attened
his rival in the eighth round.
Ali turned into a global symbol of
greatness beyond sport, his ght for
civil rights and social justice creating
a legacy that saw him light the torch at
the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Even Fore-
man who took 20 years to regain the
crown cannot deny the Ali force.
Muhammad Ali has always been
bigger than boxing, Foreman said in
an essay on his website.
I say Ali was the greatest man be-
cause there has never been a man so
young and so good at what he did, give
up so much, he added.
I say boxing is too small for Mu-
hammad Ali. He changes the very
world. No other boxer could do that.
In 1990, Ali went to Iraq to negoti-
ate the release of 14 US hostages from
Saddam Hussein. In 2005, he received
the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the highest US civilian honour.
Also in 2005, the US$60 million
Muhammad Ali Center opened in his
hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, as
a museum tribute to his career and a
base for his charity eforts, including
humanitarian awards given out most
recently in September.
Ali, now 72, has had to combat
regular reports that he is critically ill,
including this month.
Dont believe the hype. Feeling
great earlier today, Ali tweeted, along
with photos of himself at a Louisville
school and a Virginia resort.
His speaking style is lower in
tone and as the day goes on, he
doesnt speak as well as he does in
the morning, family spokesman Bob
Gunnell told the Louisville Courier-
Journal. But Muhammad is a strong
person for his age and for the disease
he has.
Foreman, 65, retired from boxing
in 1977, became an ordained minister
and opened a youth center.
A decade later, he returned to the
ring at a time when Mike Tyson was
the feared heavyweight ghter. Fore-
man took Evander Holyeld the dis-
tance before losing a 12-round deci-
sion in 1991.
But in 1994, wearing the same red
trunks in which he had lost to Ali 20
years earlier, Foreman knocked out
Michael Moorer to win the heavy-
weight crown aged 45, still the oldest
champion in heavyweight boxing.
Foreman was stripped of the titles
for not ghting mandatory foes but his
point had been made.
He cited a healthy diet as a reason
for his success, attracting the atten-
tion of a fat-reducing grill maker. One
hefty endorsement deal later, Foreman
signed a deal that is estimated to have
brought him $200 million.
Foreman backed a line of large-
sized mens clothing and most recently
has been a spokesperson for an inven-
tors group seeking people with ideas
while making appearances around his
home in Houston.
Foreman told the Daily Telegraph
he left Kinshasa trying to nd
answers.
There had to be more to life than
just one, two, three, youre out. And
I started looking for answers and that
ght started me on my journey of
looking for big answers. And because
of that ght I found great answers
too. AFP
Ice hockey legend Howe
resting after stroke, reports
Fate twists legacies
of Ali and Foreman
LOS ANGELES
WASHINGTON
Muhammad Ali (left) and George Foreman fight in Kinshasa on October 30, 1974.
Photo: AFP
TRADE MARK CAUTION
NOTICE is hereby given that SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
CO., LTD. a company organized under the laws of Korea and
having its principal offce at 416, Maetan-dong, Yeongtong-gu,
Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea is the owner and sole proprietor
of the following trademark:-
SYNCMASTER
(Reg: No. IV/3947/2006)
in respect of:- monitors for computers, television receivers,
computers, video tape recorders
for SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
rd
November, 2014
TRADEMARK CAUTION
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a Company incorporated and
existing under the laws of the United State of America, and having
its registered offce at One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station, New
Jersey 08889 USA, hereby declares that the Company is the Owner
and Sole Proprietor of the following Trademarks:
Reg. No. IV/13977/2014
(29 September 2014)
Reg. No. IV/13978/2014
(29 September 2014)
The above trademarks are used in respect of Pharmaceutical
preparations in International Class 5.
Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the above marks or
Daw Thit Thit Kyaw, LL.B, MBL, H.G.P
For Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.,
c/o BM Myanmar Legal Services Limited (Baker & McKenzie)
# 1203, 12
th
Floor, Sakura Tower,
339 Bogyoke Aung San Road,
Kyauktada Township, Yangon,
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
TRADEMARK CAUTION
Merck, Sharp and Dohme B.V., a Company incorporated and
existing under the laws of the Netherlands, and having its registered
offce at Waarderweg 39, 2031 BN Haarlem, the Netherlands
hereby declares that the Company is the Owner and Sole Proprietor
of the following Trademarks:
ANDRIOL
Reg. No. IV/ 1915/1996,
IV/13979/2014 (29 September 2014)
The above trademark is used in respect of Medicines and
pharmaceutical preparations for human use in Class 5:
ORGANON
Reg. No. IV/ 1914/1996,
IV/13980/2014 (29 September 2014)
The above trademark is used in respect of Chemical preparations
for scientifc purpose: biological products and preparations for
laboratories re-agents for laboratories; diagnostic preparations for
use in laboratories. Medicines and pharmaceutical preparations
for human and veterinary use; diagnostic preparations for medical
purposes; biological and serological preparations in Class 1 & 5.
Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the above marks or
Daw Thit Thit Kyaw, LL.B, MBL, H.G.P
For Merck, Sharp and Dohme B.V.,
c/o BM Myanmar Legal Services Limited (Baker & McKenzie)
# 1203, 12th Floor, Sakura Tower,
339 Bogyoke Aung San Road,
Kyauktada Township, Yangon,
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
70 Sport THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014
MALAYSIAS badminton world number
one Lee Chong Wei, who is reported to
have failed an initial doping test, will
travel to Norway on November 2 for
follow-up testing, media said on Octo-
ber 29.
Malaysian sports ofcials have con-
rmed that one of the nations shuttlers
failed a recent doping test but have de-
clined to identify the athlete pending the
test next week on a second urine sample.
But Malaysian media have widely
reported that Lee the countrys top
sporting star was found to have traces
of the banned anti-inammatory drug
dexamethasone in his system during the
world championships in Denmark in
late August.
The state-linked New Straits Times
said Lee has made plans to y to Nor-
way with a top Malaysian sports ofcial
for tests at an Oslo laboratory on a sec-
ond sample provided during the tourna-
ment.
The Star newspaper said the test was
set for November 5. It quoted Norza Za-
karia, deputy president of the Badmin-
ton Association of Malaysia.
Norza could not immediately be
reached and other ofcials declined
comment.
Malaysian authorities were informed
of the failed test on October 1 and have
said they are investigating, including
whether the drug was inadvertently
taken as part of medical treatment.
Lee, 32, has struggled with a thigh
injury, for which he received stem cell
injections in July.
Lee has dominated the world rank-
ings for years, but has notably failed to
win a world championship or Olympic
gold medal.
In Denmark he lost in the nal to
Chinas Chen Long. In the Asian Games
in South Korea in September, he was
beaten in the semis by his longtime
arch-rival Lin Dan of China.
Lee withdrew from subsequent tour-
naments, citing fatigue.
Badminton is Malaysias national
sport, but ofcials are anxious at the
lack of anyone of Lees stature to carry
the torch forward. AFP
W
ORLD football boss
Sepp Blatter on Oc-
tober 28 opposed any
boycott of the 2018
World Cup in Russia
and backed the huge preparations un-
dertaken by President Vladimir Putins
government for the mega event.
A boycott will never give any posi-
tive efect, the FIFA president told
the R-Sport news agency in comments
translated into Russian.
We trust the country, its govern-
ment, added Blatter, who was in the
Russian capital to attend the ofcial
launch of the 2018 logo.
FIFA unconditionally supports the
staging of the World Cup by Russia,
he stated.
Diplomatic sources said last month
that European nations were discuss-
ing a possible boycott of the World
Cup because of the conict in eastern
Ukraine.
Some politicians in Britain, Germa-
ny and the United States have called
on FIFA to withdraw the World Cup
from Russia.
When we receive letters from
North America [asking for the World
Cup to withdrawn], we tell them that
this is football, Blatter said.
Russia is the worlds biggest coun-
try. You know, Russia is in the eye of
the international media. Football can
not only unite Russia but show the
whole world that it is stronger than
any protest movement.
He compared the situation with
Russias hosting of the Winter Olym-
pics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi
this year, when Western leaders stayed
away.
There was the same situation
ahead of Sochi, but neither during nor
after the Games has there been a sin-
gle word against these Games.
Meanwhile, the 2018 World Cup
logo was simultaneously presented to
the public on a live Russian TV late
chat show and also as a part of a light
show projection on the facade of Rus-
sias historic Bolshoi Theatre.
The logo, which was unveiled by the
Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev in
a live broadcasting from the interna-
tional space station 400 kilometres
(250 miles) above Earth, represented
the ball surrounded by the elements
of the traditional Russian decor in the
shape of the World Cup trophy.
The TV show was also attended by
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke,
Russias sports minister Vitaly Mutko
and Italys former football great Fabio
Cannavaro.
Today is the World Cups kick-of
as we introduce the events ofcial
logo, Blatter said at the ceremony.
Im condent that the World Cup
here will be a success.
Of course I already saw the logo
and I liked it very much. This is the
symbol of the country, its heart and
soul.
Blatter said he was happy with Rus-
sias work on the 2018 World Cup. Twelve
stadiums in 11 cities are to be used.
I can say that in comparison with
Brazil, Russia is considerably ahead of
schedule with four years remaining
before the events start, Blatter said.
Blatter toured Moscows iconic
Luzhniki stadium that is undergoing
a major rehaul and met with Rus-
sian President Vladimir Putin, who
pledged to get the work done on time.
We have no doubt that Russia
can complete all the work on sched-
ule. And, of course, at the highest
level of quality, Putin told the FIFA
delegation.
The FIFA boss added that the open-
ing ceremony of the 2018 World Cup
could take place a day ahead of the
tournaments opening match.
Its possible, he said.
We tried to do that at the 2006
World Cup in Germany but it didnt
work well.
But Im condent that in 2018
the ceremony should go of earlier.
There are three stadiums in Moscow
where we can hold the events opening
ceremony.
FIFA secretary general Valcke
meanwhile said the footballs govern-
ing body was happy with an inspec-
tion tour of the Russias World Cup
venues this month.
The joint FIFA and local organ-
ising committee group went to the
construction site of the Zenit arena
in Saint Petersburg, the Kazan arena,
which is already operational, the Sochi
Olympics Fisht arena and the recon-
struction of Moscows Luzhniki sta-
dium and Spartak Moscows 42,000-
seat Otkrytie arena, which went into
service in September.
The inspection tour was very well-
organised, Valcke told reporters.
Were completely satised with
all of the facilities of the World Cup
in Russia Russia has done a great
amount of preparation work at all of
the levels. AFP
KUALA LUMPUR
MOSCOW
Lee to y to Norway for doping test
Blatter opposes boycott
FIFA head says opposition to 2018 World Cup to be held in Russia is misguided
(Left to right) Russian Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko, Moscows Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA
President Sepp Blatter look at the model of Luzhniki stadium during their inspection in Moscow on October 28. Photo: AFP
Sport
72 THE MYANMAR TIMES NOVEMBER 3 - 9, 2014 SPORT EDITOR: Tim McLaughlin | timothy.mclaughlin3@gmail.com
FIFA boss defends
2018 World Cup in Russia
SPORT 70
CRICKET Australia on October 30
reported a strong nancial position
ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in
Australia and New Zealand early next
year.
Revenue of almost Aus$300 mil-
lion (US$262 million) is expected to
grow to Aus$360 million ($315 mil-
lion) by the end of this southern sum-
mer season, CA said.
Over CAs four-year reporting cy-
cle that spans from 2013-14 to 2016-
17, revenue will climb to a projected
Aus$1.22 billion ($1.07 billion), up
from Aus$736 million in the previous
four-year period.
CA explained that cricket revenue
is recorded over four-year periods due
to the sometimes signicant annual
uctuations in income depending on
the teams touring Australia.
The organisation said it has never
been in better health and will invest
Aus$30 million into key strategic pro-
jects, including several grassroots pro-
grammes around the country.
And CA CEO James Sutherland
said cricket has never been more pop-
ular in Australia.
From a fans point of view, last
summers 5-0 Ashes whitewash [of
England], a world-record crowd
of 91,112 at the Melbourne Cricket
Ground on Boxing Day, 1.7 mil-
lion people through the turnstiles
to watch cricket over the summer
and huge average national TV audi-
ences are measures which all show
the Australian public loves cricket,
Sutherland said.
He voiced condence the ICC
World Cup from February to March
next year will further lift the prole of
cricket in Australia.
I am condent the World Cup, cul-
minating in the March 29 nal at the
MCG, will be a far bigger event than
most Australians expect, he said.
AFP
A
WORLD Series billed as
dynasty versus destiny
lived up to the hype as
the San Francisco Giants
joined classic champion-
ship clubs by spoiling a fairy-tale run
for Kansas City.
The Giants captured their third
crown in ve seasons with a 3-2 vic-
tory over the Royals in the October
30 deciding game of Major League
Baseballs best-of-seven nal, becom-
ing the rst team to win so many ti-
tles in so short a span since the New
York Yankees took four from 1996 to
2000.
San Francisco added to a trophy
haul that includes 2010 and 2012
and the only other National League
champion with so many World Series
crowns in so short a span was the St.
Louis Cardinals, who won in 1942,
1944 and 1946.
Im numb really through all of
this, Giants manager Bruce Bochy
said. You are so fortunate to get into
the World Series and to get one. It
just doesnt happen that often.
To look at this and see we won
three times, Im amazed at what
these guys did. Its not easy. But
when you have a group of warriors
like we have, they continue to amaze
you. They were relentless.
For the Royals, who had not even
reached the playofs in 29 years since
claiming their only World Series
crown in 1985, the heartache was
palpable after they started the play-
ofs with a record eight-game win
streak entering the World Series.
Its a tough pill to swallow, Roy-
als rst baseman Eric Hosmer said.
Down to their last strike, Alex
Gordon hit a single that Giants cen-
treelder Gregor Blanco misplayed
and allowed to roll to the wall, allow-
ing Gordon to reach third base. With
the tying run a tantalizing 90 feet
from home plate, Salvador Perez hit
a pop y for the nal out.
It hurts to come as close as we
came in a one-run game and as magi-
cal as our run has been to end up los-
ing the ballgame by 90 feet is tough,
Royals manager Ned Yost said.
But the hard part about this is
that you work all year to climb to the
top of the mountain and then boom,
you fall back and you have got to
start right back at the bottom again
next year.
Yet the Royals impressed every ri-
val with a young and talented squad
that deed expectations and ended
the title dreams of favoured teams
like the Los Angeles Angels and
Baltimore Orioles.
We have gained a ton of experi-
ence, Yost said. I dont think Ive
ever been as proud of anything in my
life as I have been of this team and
the way they performed this post-
season. It was just fantastic.
For them to play on the stage the
way they did this post-season was
just phenomenal. As optimistic as I
am, it was even more than I expect-
ed. They left everything on the eld
and it was an honour and a privilege
to be their manager.
And this years sorrow can be-
come next years motivation.
They are still very hungry, Yost
said. Its a very dejected group. They
didnt accomplish their goal. They
know how close it came and they are
going to want to taste it again. AFP
SYDNEY KANSAS CITY
Cricket
Australia
never
better
Giants dynasty edges
Royals team of destiny
Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after winning the World Series on
October 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: AFP

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