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DAILY EDITION

ISSUE 78 | FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015

NEWS 3

Military MPs oppose

amendments on judiciary
Tatmadaw members of parliament
yesterday spoke out against proposed
constitutional amendments on the
selection process for senior judges,
arguing they would put too much
power in the hands of legislators.
NEWS 4

Tatmadaw, DKBA trade

fire over highway tolls
The Democratic Karen Benevolent
Army has come under fire from the
Tatmadaw over the past two days
after refusing to pull back from the
Kawkareik-Myawaddy highway, where
its troops collects tolls from motorists.
BUSINESS 10

Daewoo works to
complete compensation
Farmers are to receive the last of
their compensation for damaged
soil in Rakhine State from Daewoo
International. Farmers are pushing for
more payments, but the company says
claims exceed affected land.
BUSINESS 12

U Myint discusses the kyat

Presidential chief economic advisor
U Myint writes that Myanmar is now
engaging the rest of the world in the
economic arena, and its approach to
foreign exchange should reflect this
reality.

A brickie works in Yangons booming construction sector, a central plank of the economy which is showing signs of overheating. Photo: Kaung Htet

Overheating economy
risks perfect storm
IMF gives a bleak assessment of the inflationary dangers facing the economy in closed-door
briefings to officials, expressing concern over Central Bank response to kyat crisis. BUSINESS 10

BUSINESS 12-13

Two Singaporean banks

launch branches
UOB and OCBC hold their official
launch ceremonies. The two banks are
keen to bring their existing clients into
the Myanmar market, and say they are
being strategic about the sectors where
they will facilitate investment.

2 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

Labour unions, employers to

fight minimum wage proposal
NYAN LYNN
AUNG
29.nyanlynnaung@gmail.com

IN a strictly temporary marriage of

convenience, both labour and some
employer representatives are criticising the governments announcement
last week that the minimum wage
should be K3600 (about US$3.20) for
an eight-hour day.
Labour says it is not enough.
Management says its too much.
The Myanmar Trade Unions Federation (MTUF) has been compiling
letters of complaint ever since the
governments June 29 announcement of the minimum wage, which
was set following a two-day meeting
in Yangon between stakeholders.
Two months of consultation over
the figure will be held before the issue goes to parliament for a final
decision.
We will submit complaints from
all over the country in time for the
deadline, said U Tun Wai, vice chair
of the MTUF.
Labour sources said within three
days of the announcement more
than 200 complaints were collected
from workers saying the daily minimum should be set at K4000.
Even K4000 would not be

An employee works at a garment factory in Yangon. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

enough, said U Tun Wai, adding that

the minimum should be based on
civil-service pay rates.
Ma Nwe Yin Aye, a worker at the
Tai Yi footwear factory in Yangons
Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone, said
she would register her objection and
that of her union.
We are planning to complain
right now and the workers from my
factory are planning to complain as
well. The amount is not enough, she
said.

Debate over the minimum raged

most fiercely in the garment sector,
with employers calling for a daily
wage as low as K2500, while workers
demanded K4000.
Daw Htay Htay Aye, managing
director of Thiri Sandar garment
and general trading company and
a senior member of the Myanmar
Garment Manufacturers Association, said she could not afford to pay
the proposed rate. She said she had
hoped the government would set the

rate at K2500, as the association had

proposed.
We are also planning to complain, because we cannot pay at this
rate due to our lack of access to [international] markets, she said.
Some garment factory owners are
reportedly planning to amend their
overtime rates if parliament adopts
the proposed minimum wage, with
payment for off-day working reduced
from double pay to time-and-a-half.
Other reactions were more accommodating. Ma Sander, a member
of the Federation of Trade UnionsMyanmar, said she agreed with the
proposal but believed it might cause
problems at first for employers and
workers.
Ma Win Theingi, a worker at
Yes One garment factory, said she
was willing to take the deal, despite
reservations.
The figure is national, but complaints mostly appear to have emanated from Yangon.
U Khin Kyuu, owner of Zabudate
rubber plantation in Hpa-an, said
that Kayin State rubber plantations
were paying workers at least K4000
and up to K7000 a day. Owners who
paid less were having trouble finding
workers, he said.
The K3600 figure was agreed by
the National Committee on the Minimum Wage, which includes ministries, employers and labour organisations, after months of negotiations.

IN BRIEF
Myanmar asks Thailand to
capture Kokang leader

Myanmar has called on Thailand to

help capture Pheung Kya-shin, the
octogenarian leader of Kokang insurgents who is believed to be running a
cross-border business in Mae Sai to
raise funds for his armed group.
U Zaw Htay, director of the Presidents Office, told The Myanmar Times
yesterday that the Tatmadaw had
learned of the whereabouts of the
ethnic Chinese leader of the Myanmar
National Democratic Alliance Army
(MNDAA), which has been fighting government forces in the Kokang border
region of Shan State since February.
This location comes from the military. We already know Pheung Kya-shin
could live in China but, according to the
military, he lives in Thailand. Thailand
will help capture him, he said.
Mae Sai, the northernmost point
of Chiang Rai province, lies on the
border opposite the town of Tachileik in
eastern Shan State. According to a Thai
news agency The Manager, Myanmars
request was conveyed by the military
on July 1 at a joint border committee
meeting in Tachileik.
The Democratic Voice of Burma
quoted a Thai border official as saying
that Pheung Kya-shin, also known by
his Chinese name of Peng Jiasheng,
and his partners were running an
illegal business in Chiang Rai province
to fund their war.
A source close to the MNDAA
yesterday denied the group had illegal
operations in Thailand. The source
said he could not confirm that Pheung
Kya-shin was in Thailand. The Thai
embassy in Yangon did not respond to
requests for comment yesterday.
Ye Mon

www.mmtimes.com

NEWS EDITOR: Thomas Kean | tdkean@gmail.com

News 3

Charges loom
for directors
of futures
trading firm
According to one report, the brokerage company
may have defrauded clients of US$1.48 million

IN PICTURES
PHOTO: AFP

Karen National Union (KNU) leader Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung delivers
an address during a pre-conference ahead of the Karen Unity and Peace
Committee (KUPC) conference in Yangon on July 2. Karen ethnic leaders
are attending the three-day conference which runs from July 2 to 4.

Military MPs oppose changes to

judicial provisions in constitution
HTOO THANT
thanhtoo.npt@gmail.com
PROPOSED changes to the constitution
that some have warned could weaken
judicial independence appear likely to
be vetoed by the military, whose representatives yesterday spoke out against
the amendments.
The changes would give parliament
rather than the president the right to
select the chief justice and vice justices
of the Union Supreme Court, replace
guaranteed tenure for Supreme Court
and High Court judges with five-year
terms, and give parliament a greater
role in selecting the head of the Constitutional Tribunal.
The changes were included in an
amendment bill submitted to parliament by the Union Solidarity and Development Party on June 10.
Arguing in favour of the proposed
changes, Thura U Aung Ko of the USDP
said yesterday that they would help to
address the public accusation that the
executive is influencing the judiciary.
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is elected
by the people. So if it has the power to
assign the chief justice of the Union,
deputy chief justice and judges, I dont
think it will create a situation where
the legislature influences the judiciary,
he said.
USDP representative U Soe Moe
Aung made a similar argument during
debate on July 1, telling parliament that
he believed the changes were urgently
needed to repair the judiciary so that
it can stand straight and proper, and
deliver fair judgements for the people.

The heads of judicial bodies, including the chief justice of the Union,
should be assigned by those representing the Union government, Pyithu
Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw rather
than just the head of the executive, he
said.
But military MP Brigadier General
Thet Tun Aung said yesterday that,
according to this logic, the proposed
changes would just substitute executive
control over the judiciary for legislative
control.
If we believe that the judiciary is
influenced by the executive when the
president assigns the chief justice of
the Union, we can say that the legislature influence the judiciary when the
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw assigns the chief
justice. In fact, the president assigning
the chief justice is only an example of
reciprocal controls checks and balances among the three estates, not
influence, he argued.
Similarly, Lieutenant Colonel Ye
Naing Oo opposed the proposal to remove tenure for Supreme Court and
High Court judges and replace it with
five-year terms. If the tenure of judges
is simply the same as the tenure of the
hluttaw, they might become benefactors of the ruling government, he said.
He also opposed the proposal to
change a clause on the selection of the
Constitutional Tribunal chair to give
the parliament greater say.
The system practised in our country is a system headed by the president.
In other words, it is a multi-party democracy headed by the president.
U Khin Maung Win from the

National League for Democracy said

the Constitutional Tribunal should be
abolished altogether and its duties taken over by the Supreme Court. He said
the tribunal was a financial burden for
the state but it had few tasks.
Twenty-one MPs debated the constitution bill yesterday, the third day
of discussion. Twenty-one also debated
it on July 1, while 10 took the floor on
June 30. Another 10 are scheduled to
debate the bill on July 7. It will then
be put to a vote but Speaker Thura U
Shwe Mann has not yet revealed when
that will take place.
As with the first amendment bill,
which was put to a vote on June 25,
military MPs are expected to veto most
of the changes.
Andrew McLeod, a research fellow
in law at Oxford University who provided support to the parliamentary
committees that developed the amendments, said the short period for debate,
particularly given the large number of
changes proposed in the second bill,
will make it hard for the Hluttaw to
have the sort of debate and discussion
that produces constructive change.
It is concerning that the proposals
to remove judicial tenure have not been
more controversial, he added. It is
somewhat ironic that it is the military
bloc that has spoken out most consistently against the changes that would
undermine judicial independence. If
this suggests that elected MPs broadly
support these measures, the chances
of building a strong culture of constitutionalism have been dealt a serious
blow. Translation by Thiri Min Htun

KYAW
PHONE
KYAW
k.phonekyaw@gmail.com

POLICE are on the trail of the senior officials of an online futures

exchange brokerage accused of
cheating its clients.
According to some estimates,
the company, known as Global
Growth or Golden Global, may
have defrauded its clients of nearly
US$1.5 million.
Though allegations of cheating
have been widespread for some
weeks, at this point only one client,
who has requested anonymity, has
complained to the police.
Police in Kyauktada township,
Yangon, have opened a case file under section 420 of the criminal code,
dealing with fraud. They are seeking
to interview the managing director
and two other high-level officials
of the company. They say the complainant lost about K20 million.
A reporter from The Myanmar
Times found the companys opulent offices in Sakura Tower, downtown Yangon, closed yesterday. The
company had been operating for
about a year.
This case is about greed, said
a police officer at Kyauktada station, adding that there may be as
many as 300 victims.
Most of them are waiting and
watching to see how this develops.
If our case succeeds, more victims
may come forward, he said.
However, it is understood that
about 50 former clients of the brokerage company wrote to the Bureau of Special Investigations an
economic crime-fighting taskforce
and the Ministry of Home Affairs
on June 30, one of the signatories
said yesterday. He added that he
lost K15 million, and some of his
colleagues lost K60 million.
The letter makes allegations about the local partner, the
managing director and other
directors. They offered jobs and
investment opportunities to their
employees and to customers, he
said.

The persons sought by the police are both foreigners and Myanmar citizens.
But a former customer told The
Myanmar Times that there might
be guilty parties other than those
the police are seeking.
In view of the scale of the losses, the police said the case could be
handled by the BSI.
The company charged clients a
minimum $5000 deposit for investments in global commodity markets, say police.
The company said it was a branch
of Standard Bullion, a member company of the Chinese Gold and Silver
Exchange Society (CGSE). Customers were charged a $50 commission
fee for each $1000 investment, according to a former customer.

This case is about

greed ... If our case
succeeds, more
victims may come
forward.
Kyauktada township
police officer

The local newspaper 7 Day

Daily reported on June 14 that the
brokerage company had allegedly defrauded its clients of $1.48
million.
There are six or seven online
futures exchange brokerage companies in Myanmar, most of which
were established in mid-2014.
Deputy Minister for Finance
U Maung Maung Thein said last
April that the government would
warn these companies to cease
operations, as futures trading was
illegal in Myanmar. However, it is
not clear what action, if any, the
government took.
The 2013 Securities Exchange
Law stipulates that stock trading companies must receive permission from the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or face a
prison sentence of up to two years.

4 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

Chief Executive Officer

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Vehicles ply the Myawaddy

highway. Photo: Kaung Htet

DKBA, Tatmadaw fight

over illegal highway tolls
WA LONE
walone14@gmail.com

A DISPUTE over taxation on the

highway to the Thai border prompted the Tatmadaw and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) to
exchange fire in recent days, according to sources.
The fighting occurred on a stretch
of Asian Highway 1 between the
towns of Myawaddy, on the Thai border opposite Mae Sot, and Kawkareik, in Kayin State, closing transport on the road.
The first clashes were reported on
the night of July 1, with the DKBAs
907 battalion and the Tatmadaws
28, 230, 231 and 546 infantry battalions, and was continuing yesterday
evening.
In addition to ground-level clashes, the DKBA said the Tatmadaw had
fired more than 30 artillery shells at
their camps near the highway on the

night of July 1 and morning of July

2, leaving one DKBA soldier injured.
The Kayin armed group also said
five government soldiers had been
injured in the fighting, but the Tatmadaw could not be reached for
comment.
Colonel Saw Maung Lay of the
DKBA said yesterday that the Tatmadaw had warned the DKBA to
move its troops away from the highway because the commander of
South Eastern Region Command,
based in Mawlamyine, Mon State,
was due to pass along the road.
The Tatmadaw launched the attacks after the DKBA refused to

We will not attack

the Tatmadaw first,
but we will defend
ourselves.
Colonel Saw Maung Lay
Democratic Karen Benevolent Army

move.
We will not attack the Tatmadaw
first, but we will defend ourselves,
he said.
While the highway is the main
artery between Myanmar and Thailand, the section between Kawkareik
and Myawaddy that crosses the Kayin State mountains is in poor condition. Traffic is one-way, alternating
each day.
A number of Kayin ethnic armed
groups, including the Karen National
Union, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council and the DKBA, as well as government-controlled Border Guard Forces, collect illegal tolls along the road.
Tension on the highway is far
from a new development. On April
25, the DKBA detained the Kayin
State chief minister, U Zaw Min,
for several hours due to a dispute
over permission to pass a DKBA
checkpoint.
U Hla Maung Shwe, a senior adviser at the Myanmar Peace Center,
said the government had already
announced that it will not allow
[armed groups] to collect taxes along
the road and the fighting occurred

because the DKBA refused to follow

the instruction.
He said the group was facing
problems because both its leader,
Saw Lah Pwe, and deputy leader are
abroad, and lower ranks are weak in
leadership.
Saw Thaye Ni, a DKBA officer in
the groups Kawkareik liaison office,
agreed that the group was having
difficulties due to its leaders being
abroad.
We are just watching the situation and responding based on the
circumstances because our leaders
are not here at the moment, he said.
Members of the KNU and the
DKBA were expected to meet in
Myawaddy last night or today to
discuss the dispute over tolls on the
highway, said Colonel Zorro, a KNU
liaison officer based in Myawaddy.
They will then seek to negotiate
with the government and the Tatmadaw over the issue.
I am concerned that these problems will continue unless there are
discussions between the government
and groups on the Asian Highway,
said Col Zorro.

Tensions rise in jade-rich Hpakant

LUN MIN MANG
lunmin.lm@gmail.com
THE Tatmadaw is reported to have
increased its presence in jade-rich
Hpakant to beef up security for mostly China-Myanmar joint venture companies following a series of clashes in
the isolated area of Kachin State.
Local authorities have blamed the
Kachin Independence Army (KIA) for
a clash on the road between Hpakant
and Moekaung on June 30 and an explosion at a Hpakant joint venture jade
company on July 1. Civilian casualties
were also reported in fighting on July 1.

But Major Teng Seng, a KIA officer

based in Hpakant, denied his organisation was involved.
We are not responsible for that.
It may be due to some residents who
are not satisfied with the companys
actions in the mining business, he
said of the attack on the company in
Hmaw Sisa village.
But he also admitted that lower-ranked KIA officers might have
launched surprise attacks on the Tatmadaw and that the news could be
late in reaching him.
Hpakant lies at the heart of a
multi-billion-dollar jade mining

industry, with most of the gems

and rocks finding their way across
the border into Chinas voracious
market. Fighting in 2013 disrupted
production but government control
since late that year has resulted in a
large increase in output.
The KIA official said the government had increased its troop numbers
in recent months to enhance protection of joint venture companies, some
of which are run by the military.
There are about 40 to 50 joint
ventures companies of China and
Myanmar. We regularly take tax from
them. We have a good relationship.

But in the last few months the government has increased its troops in
the area, he said.
KIA forces withdrew last month
from a base at Aung Bar Lay village
after fighting, but are only 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) from Tatmadaw forces,
Maj Teng Seng said.
Despite the tension in rural areas, residents said the town of Hpakant was quite stable. We heard that
there were some battles near villages
in Hpakant. But up to now Hpakant
is stable. People live normally. There
are no signs of an emergency situation, said U La Ja, an area resident.

6 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

Monk decries corruption and

abuse of power in Sangha

IN BRIEF
Restaurants face fines for
tax infractions

Mandalay restaurants that fail to

attach a tax sticker to customer
receipts may be fined up to K1
million starting this week, Mandalay Regions finance minister has
announced. U Myint Kyu said the
scheme had been introduced in May
covering 300 restaurants, but now
the learning period was over.
Restaurants that fail to append a
commercial tax sticker to receipts,
showing that they have paid the 5
percent tax, will face a K200,000 fine
for the first offence. Fines mount
to K1 million in the event of four or
more infractions.
Every restaurant in the region
is now liable to spot checks by tax
officials, said the minister, who
added that any customer reporting a
restaurant that failed to comply with
the law will also be awarded 10pc of
the fine. Khin Su Wai

AUNG
KYAW
MIN
aungkyawmin.mcm@gmail.com

AN outspoken monk has launched a

fierce attack on corruption and abuse
of authority in the clergy. Shwe Nya
Wah Sayadaw U Pinnyasiha, who has
already defied a ban on preaching
imposed by the State Sangha Maha
Nayaka Committee, said monks who
defy the orders of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, also
known as Ma Ha Na, are being forced
into submission by military-era laws,
particularly the 1990 Law Relating to
the Sangha Organisation.
Religion was moulded under
military rule, and laws enacted by
the military regime are still being
used to control monks who refuse
to do everything Ma Ha Na wants.
Monks are being led by the nose, he
said at a press conference in north
Yangon on June 26.
U Pinnyasiha cited recent cases
where the law has apparently been
used to punish dissident monks,
including the dispute over Mahasantisukha Monastery in Tarmwe
township, Yangon, which was raided
by police in June last year. He said
monks were also targeted in the violent crackdown on demonstrators at
the Letpadaung copper mine in 2012.
Calling senior clerics privileged
persons above the law, he said lower-ranking monks had no right to file

Literature association
to discuss preservation

The Association for Myanmar

Literature Development will host a
seminar on preserving the countrys cultural heritage on July 4,
according to the secretary of the
association.
U San Win said the event would
be held at Da Nu Hall in Kyartawya
Street, Bahan township, at 9am, and
everyone interested was welcome to
participate.
Myanmar culture is a blend of
literature, music, songs and art. We
need to promote and preserve it for
the benefit of future generations,
he said.
The association, established in
1958, has published magazines and
journals, held literary talks and put
on radio plays. Cherry Thein

U Pinnyasiha speaks in Yangon in December 2011. Photo: Kaung Htet

complaints against them.

There are many stories of dishonesty and partiality inside every Sangha organisation, said U Pinnyasiha,
which he said was disgusting.
Myanmar has been denounced
throughout the world for its corruption. What a shame, he said, adding
that some monks were not content
with the four things Buddha had
prescribed for them a monastery,
a robe, food and medicine, but hungered for more than they need.
He called on laypeople to speak
out about clerical corruption.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Myanmar Resident Mission (MYRM)

Yangon Office: Union Business Center, 3rd Floor, Room 0310

Nat Mauk Road, Bo Cho Quarter, Bahan Township, Yangon
Tel. No. +95 1 860 3433/3434; Fax No. +95 1 860 3439

INVITATION TO BID
1. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), a multilateral development finance institution with its Headquarters
at #6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, Philippines wishes to receive bids for Design-Build Services for
the fit-out works of ADBs Myanmar Resident Mission (MYRM) Yangon Office.
2. The Contractors shall provide ADB with the most reliable and efficient services with professional expertise
related to the architectural and engineering design matters, deployment of fully trained personnel,
transportation, equipment and supervision in accordance with the policies, standards and procedures
established by the ADB. The ADB will evaluate the performance of the Contractors in carrying out these
services against the standards set forth in the Work Performance Statement, which will be provided to
the Bidders.
3. To be eligible, the Contractor must:
a) be from an eligible member country of ADB (http://www.adb.org/About/membership);
b) have an independent legal existence as a valid registered company, or a joint venture partnership
(under joint and several liability), for approximately five years;
c) have a minimum of five (5) years experience related to the above-mentioned specialization;
d) have a total of existing/past contracts of at least US$50,000 over the past three (3) years from 2012
to 2014;
e) have at least one (1) similar project as described above to showcase companys expertise/capability
in providing the above mentioned services; and
f) not be under a declaration or record of ineligibility for corrupt and/or fraudulent practices issued or
kept by ADB.
4. Bid Documents will be available to interested contractors at the ADB MYRM Yangon Office at the address
above from Monday, 6 July 2015. A pre-bid meeting will be held on Thursday, 9 July 2015 in ADB
MYRM Yangon Office at the address indicated above, subject to Bidders confirmation of attendance to
ADB. Bids should reach ADB not later than 2:00 pm of Friday, 17 July 2015.
5. For inquiries, you may contact Ms. Lin Nandar Thwin at lthwin@adb.org, telephone no. 01 860 3433, or
Ms. Htet Myat Ko at htetmyatko@adb.org, telephone no. 67 810 8066.
6. ADB reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all bids at
any time prior to award of Contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders
or any obligation to inform the affected Bidder or Bidders of the grounds for ADBs action.
7. This advertisement does not entail any commitment on the part of ADB, either financial or otherwise. Any
cost of preparation of bids shall be borne solely by the Bidder.

The influence of religion is too

strong. A layperson who points out
wrongdoing will be condemned by
the majority. When Buddha was alive,
monks would apologise in public if
people pointed out their mistakes. Today, monks themselves are trying to
destroy the religion. They know they
are being exploited by the government for political interest, he said.
Ma Ha Na imposed the preaching
ban on U Pinnyasiha last March, allegedly for speaking out of line with
Buddhist doctrine and disobeying
his superiors. U Pinnyasiha says it

was because of his preaching about

Bogyoke Aung San in advance of the
independence heros centenary celebration.
Im not a politician. But I want
people to speak out and not be afraid.
Almost every outspoken person is in
jail now, including the students who
demanded education reforms. If we
dont speak out, who will? he said.
Despite the ban, U Pinnyasiha
has continued to speak, reportedly
to large audiences, both in Myanmar
and overseas, including Japan, Thailand and Singapore.
U Sein Maw, head of Yangon Regions Department of Religious Affairs, told The Myanmar Times yesterday, Ma Ha Nas members are
highly educated and highly respected. They dont accept offerings such
as valuable things and motorcars
because they are afraid of breaking
the vinaya rules passed down from
Buddha to his disciples.
London Sayadaw U Ottara, who is
on trial on charges relating to the raid
on Mahasantisukha Monastery, has
also told reporters outside the court,
Dont we have the right to sue Ma Ha
Na for what they have done wrong?
U Pinnyashiha has courted controversy before and is known for
his criticism of the anti-Muslim 969
movement, which is backed by nationalist Buddhist monks. In 2013
he acted to calm communal violence
between Buddhists and Muslims that
exploded in the central city of Meiktila, and has also spoken out in defence of political prisoners.
Translation by Zar Zar Soe

NAY PYI TAW

Classifications for
disabilities proposed
PYAE THET PHYO
pyaethetphyo87@gmail.com
SCHOOLS and workplaces should
make special arrangements to accommodate people with physical
and mental disabilities, a workshop
heard this week.
The event, organised by the Department of Social Welfare and
UNICEF, discussed the registration
of disabled persons and the classification of disability levels. It took
place at Nay Pyi Taws Zabuthiri Hotel on June 30 and July 1.
Representatives of disabled peoples organisations in Yangon and
Mandalay, practitioners from the
Ministry of Health, members of the
Social Security Board dealing with
disabled people, and local NGOs
discussed the possibility of incorporating the classification of physical,
visual, memory and mental forms of
disability into law in order to protect
the rights of disabled people.
The key intention is to register
them to ensure they get their rights.
If they have an identity card or document showing they are disabled, they
should be registered. We also need to
classify the types of disability. This
workshop is the first step toward the
development of a systematic method
to protect their rights, said Daw Yu
Yu Swe, deputy director of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and
Resettlement.
Schools and workplaces should
provide a suitable environment for
students in wheelchairs, including
seating, toilets and ramps, she said.
We will hold more workshops.
This is the first time there has
been any discussion of criteria for

A child does exercises at a school for

children with disabilities in Yangons
East Dagon township. Photo: Kaung Htet

disablement. We will look further

into a registration process based on
the outcome of this workshop.
Ko Nay Lin Soe of Myanmar Independent Living Initiative Group
added, Today, we can set a framework but we cant make decisions.
We will continue to work toward
establishing a national framework
that everyone can accept. That will
help protect the rights of people with
disabilities.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun

News 7

www.mmtimes.com
KUALA LUMPUR

ASEAN
launches
trafficking
victim fund

Farmers collect paddy seedlings from flooded fields in Ayeyarwady Region. Photo: AFP

Consultations wrap up on
drafting land-use policy
Discussions focused on the participation of ethnic community groups and rights groups in decision-making

SANDAR
LWIN
sdlsandar@gmail.com

THE government has promised to

secure ethnic rights and the rights of
original landowners in setting a new
national land use policy.
A national forum to discuss a
draft national land use policy, which
will create a framework for a new
national land law, was held on June
29 and 30 in Nay Pyi Taw. Discussion
was dominated by the question of
the rights of ethnic community organisations and other rights groups.
The Land Use Scrutiny and Allocation Central Committee (LUSAC),
a government body led by Vice President U Nyan Tun which is steering
the policy-formulation process,
promised to update the draft in keeping with the decisions taken by the
forum.
We will respectfully insert the
decisions of this forum into the
draft, said committee secretary U
Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, who is also a deputy minister in the Presidents Office.
The forum decided to include
representatives of farmers organisations in the National Land Use Council. The latest draft, the sixth, says the
council should be chaired by the vice

president and should include the relevant Union ministers and state and
region chief ministers.
The draft would re-categorise ethnic ancestral land in accordance with
the new land law and stop granting
concessions on existing categories
such as forest, farm or fallow land before completing the re-categorisation.
It would also use traditional disputes settlement practices and allow the participation of ethnic representatives in dispute-settlement
procedures.
The ethnic CSOs demanded the
inclusion of ethnic representatives at
the decision-making level.
Government officials said the
new dispute settlement mechanism
should not contradict the existing judiciary system.
The traditional dispute settlement mechanism is recognised at
the community level, but when the
dispute is referred to the court, the
mechanism should not contradict
the existing judicial system. The decision will be made by the judge, said
U Tint Swe, the director of the Forest
Administration Department of the
Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, the focal ministry for formulating new land policy.
The participation of ethnic representatives in decision-making
could obstruct justice in inter-ethnic
disputes, as the larger ethnic groups
could dominate the decisions.

The forum decided to send the

demands of ethnic CSOs to the central committee as an attachment to
with the draft. We have seen improvements in respect for ethnic
rights. But there are still limitations
to what we want. Maybe it is because
the officials have misinterpreted eth-

When the dispute

is referred to
the court, the
mechanism should
not contradict the
existing judicial
system.
U Tint Swe
Forestry Administration Department

nic rights or lack a thorough understanding of ethnic traditions, said U

Zaw Win Phyo, the chair of Resource
Rights for Indigenous Peoples.
A representative of the Union of
Myanmar Federation of Chambers
of Commerce and Industry said the
draft should ensure the rights of
companies to own land and the security of workplaces.

We businessmen have to carry

out projects at the governments request. But we face many difficulties
in applying for land ownership. Besides, some companies dont even
dare to go to the project site, said U
Win Kyaing, secretary of the Myanmar Fishery Federation.
The revised draft will now be sent
to Land Use Scrutiny and Allocation
Central Committee for approval.
The process of writing the policy
got under way in 2012 and a draft
was released to the public in October 2014. Although consultations
were initially scheduled over just two
months, public outcry prompted the
committee to extend the process. It
has since held 17 public meetings
and two expert meetings to discuss
the policy. This weeks forum was the
final discussion meeting.
Non-government
participants
praised the expanded consultation
process, and the frank discussions
that took place this week. This is the
first time Ive ever seen [civil society]
participating in formulating a national policy. Im happy and pleased
to get a chance to give my opinions,
said U Thein Win, a member of the
township assistance committee in
Pyawbwe, Mandalay Region.
We held this forum to help us
arrive at a consensus. Now, we have
it, said a Ministry of Environmental
Conservation and Forestry official involved in the process.

SOUTHEAST Asian countries yesterday launched a fund to share the cost

of hosting human trafficking victims,
after a regional migrant crisis saw victims ping-ponged between countries
reluctant to accept them.
In May a Thai crackdown on the lucrative smuggling industry prompted
the traffickers to abandon their human
cargo at sea, sparking a crisis that saw
more than 3500 Bangladeshi economic
migrants and stateless Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar land in Malaysia
and Indonesia.
Malaysias Home Minister Zahid
Hamidi told reporters after a day-long
meeting that all 10 members of ASEAN
and some international organisations
will contribute to the fund, which will
be managed by the Jakarta-based ASEAN secretariat.
The meeting supports the establishment of a trust fund ... to support
the humanitarian and relief efforts
involved in dealing with challenges
resulting from irregular movement of
persons in Southeast Asia, the grouping said in a statement.
Representatives of the US State Department and the UN Refugee Agency
also participated in the closed door
meeting.
Malaysia has proposed that each
ASEAN member country make an initial US$100,000 contribution towards
the fund, the minister said, adding that
Singapore has pledged $200,000.
As the migrant crisis unfolded in
Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Malaysia were initially reluctant to allow the
boat people to land on their shores,
but relented under heavy international
pressure. They have now taken in the
majority of the victims, many of whom
had spent months a drift in cramped
and barely seaworthy boats.
Mr Zahid singled out Myanmar,
which previously snubbed invitations
to attend regional meetings to address
the migrants issue, saying the country
had given assurances that it would
work with other ASEAN countries to
fight human trafficking syndicates.
The regional bloc also agreed to
beef up intelligence-sharing among law
enforcement agencies in an attempt to
track down the traffickers, he said.
Richard Towle, the UN Refugee
Agencys representative in Malaysia,
hailed the measures by the Southeast
Asian nations and urged coordinated
regional response to combat the traffickers.
We believe Malaysia is bearing a
burden of looking after a lot of people
but it shouldnt bear it on its own, he
told reporters.
We know that unless these [measures to fight traffickers] are dealt with
soon, the smugglers and the traffickers will be back in business, as creative
as they always are, so steps need to be
taken. AFP

8 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

MANDALAY

Donors promise $105m in

loans for infrastructure
French ambassador to Myanmar
Thierry Mathou speaks at a
meeting in Mandalay on July 1.
Photo: Si Thu Lwin

STUART
ALAN
BECKER
guydinmore@yahoo.co.uk

LOANS of US$45 million from French

development agency AFD and $60
million from the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) are expected to receive
parliamentary approval in the coming
weeks to improve Mandalays water
supply, garbage disposal systems and
transportation systems.
A $1.3 million grant provided by
Fonds dtude et daide au secteur
priv (FASEP), an infrastructure fund
administered by the French governments Ministry of Finance, kicked off
the project in July 2014.
Following a year of French engineers working with local engineers
from Mandalay City Development
Council (MCDC), the FASEP grant
had its final meeting at Mandalay Hill
Resort Hotel on July 1, as engineers
explained the details of the Mandalay
Urban Services Improvement Project.
French ambassador to Myanmar
Thierry Mathou joined Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Ye Myint in a
ceremony to mark the completion of
the study.
Now we are ready to develop Mandalays infrastructure with the help of
French companies, U Ye Myint said.
Our priorities are to improve water
services, solid waste disposal and urban transportation.
Approval for the loans from the
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw in Nay Pyi Taw
is expected in the coming weeks, participants said yesterday. The Mandalay
regional government will be the executive agency, with MCDC in charge of
implementation, and the ADB and
AFD as the funding agencies.
Mr Mathou said the French govern-

IN BRIEF
Mandalay to get new
hluttaw building

Work will start this month

on a new K278.4 million
(US$248,000) hluttaw building
for Mandalay Region, it was
announced yesterday. Deputy
Speaker U Aung Htay Kyaw
said the existing building was
too small.
We have put out a tender
for the construction of new
premises, he said.
The new hluttaw building
will go up on a 5-acre former
racecourse near Yadanarpon
Zoo in Oo Pote Taw Ward, Aung
Myay Thar San township.
Aung Kaung Kyaw Construction won the tender to build the
two-storey hluttaw building,
while Mann Myint Mo Hein
won the tender for the related
housing buildings.
It is expected that parliamentarians elected later this
year will occupy the new
buildings. Mg Zaw, translation by Emoon

Govt to spend K3 billion

repairing riverbanks

ment would create a water institute

in Mandalay and greatly expand the
French cultural centre here. France
represents high technology especially
in water treatment, he said. We are
one of the world leaders in the sector.
Mr Mathou said France had a long
history in Mandalay, including French
engineers working on the royal palace
during the 19th century. After being
involved in the ancient Mandalay, now
we want to be part of the new green
Mandalay of the future, he said.
Also on hand was the ADBs national consultant U Khin Maung Soe
of the Mandalay Urban Services Improvement Project, who said the event
marked a milestone opportunity in
Mandalays history to upgrade the
citys infrastructure.
This collaboration with French en-

gineers has helped MCDC people develop their skills, U Khin Maung Soe
said. Previously they never had such
an opportunity to work with international people.
The Mandalay Region chief minister and Mandalay regional government have already approved the
project, and now it only awaits parliamentary approval.
The works will include more water wells and expanded water treatment and piping systems, containers
for rubbish collection, and urban
mobility to address the growth in
automobile traffic with public transportation including the possibility of
trains and buses. Also included is a
clean energy strategy to address the
citys population growth from the
current 1.4 million to an estimated

2.3 million by 2040.

Christian Monset, team leader for
Suez Environment Consulting, said
planners have proposed a Bus with
High Level Service, or BHLS, line,
but he cautioned that it must be attractive to commuters. To change
peoples behaviour you need a comfortable, safe, reliable system, which
doesnt exist in Mandalay today, he
said.
The most urgent priority is water
supply, and water is completely linked
with human health. Water quality is
very important and the development
of the system is very important. The
second priority is a new sanitary landfill and the existing sites only have two
years left. If we continue to pollute,
of course, it will be a big issue in the
future.

Water authorities will spend

nearly K3 billion this year
to reduce erosion along the
Ayeyarwady River. The deputy
head of the Directorate of
Water Resources and Improvement of River systems (DWIR)
in Mandalay Region said the
work would begin during the
low-water period of November
or December.
We have put out a tender for
the process and we will release
the name of the tender-winner
company soon, he said.
The work will be carried out
in 22 villages in Singu, Madaya,
Ngazun, Myingyan, Naung Oo,
Kyaukpadaung, Patheingyi,
Amarapura and Singaing
townships.
We will build stone walls
and dams, as well as a maintenance plant, he added.
Last year, the DWIR spent
K2.851 billion in 28 villages on
erosion prevention. Translation by Thae Thae Htwe

OPINION

No easy answers on Myanmars constitutional challenges

NEHGINPAO
KIPGEN
newsroom@mmtimes.com

IN what some thought could be a

game-changer to Myanmars political landscape, several constitutional
amendments were voted down in the
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, or Union parliament, on June 25.
It was a crucial vote for the prodemocracy forces, especially the National League for Democracy (NLD),
which hopes to see its leader, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, become the countrys next president.
On June 23, the hluttaw began
debating some controversial clauses
in the 2008 constitution, most notably one that grants the military the
opportunity to veto constitutional
changes through its 25 percent bloc
in parliament.
Articles 436(a) and (b) require
more than 75pc of lawmakers to vote
in favour of charter changes for the
proposed amendments to be approved. The amendment rejected
on June 25 proposed lowering the
threshold to 70pc, which would check
or limit military power. However, the

military used its veto to reject the

change.
The NLD boycotted the 2010 election partly because it felt that the
2008 constitution was undemocratic.
However, after the release of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest,
the party decided to participate in the
2012 by-elections, promising to implement constitutional reform from
within the system.
The NLD launched a petition campaign across the country to garner
peoples support for constitutional
change. The party submitted the collected signatures to the parliament
as evidence of public support to their
campaign.
After the vote on June 25, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi said she was unsurprised by the result. She argued
that the militarys unwillingness to
support constitutional amendments
could ultimately benefit the NLD.
People are now crystal clear about
who they have to support, she said.
The unelected military lawmakers said that while they are not opposed to changing the constitution
in the future, they think that doing
so now risks instability. We are
making the countrys situation stable
by putting 25pc military MPs in the
parliament, said Brigadier General
Tin San Hlaing.

The question now is: Can the

constitution be amended without the
support of the military?
The political scenario we see in
Myanmar could be called an incomplete or illiberal democratic transition, or even a defective democracy.
One needs to understand that the
dominant role of military in politics was instituted in the seven-step
roadmap to discipline-flourishing
democracy, which was announced by
then-Prime Minister General Khin
Nyunt in August 2003.
It was later consolidated in the
2008 constitution.
U Khin Nyunt is no longer in power, but during my meeting with him
in Yangon last year he unequivocally
stated that Myanmar needs a federal
democracy that best suits the country.
That speaks volumes and I believe
that the objective of present military
leaders is more or less the same.
Any constitutional amendment
through the legislative process will be
extremely difficult without full military
support. Even if a military lawmaker
wants to support charter changes, they
are bound to obey the commanderin-chiefs directives. There is also the
possibility that the incumbent military
chief is not authorised to take a decision on major issues, such as constitutional amendment, by himself.

Against the backdrop of recent

unsuccessful attempt, there are
some people who even suggest that
attempts to amend the constitution should be waged outside of the
parliament.
If that route is to be considered,
how would it play out? Will sanctions or pressure from the international community deliver the desired
results?
On June 26, a spokesperson from
the US embassy in Yangon said,
There are provisions in Burmas constitution, such as the lack of civilian
control of the military and the militarys veto power over constitutional
amendments, that contradict fundamental democratic principles. It will
be important to the ultimate success
of Burmas democratic transformation that the constitution be amended
to make it appropriate for a democratic nation.
This statement suggests it is unlikely that the international community will pursue sanctions or
pressure over the constitution. Most
countries are now either working
to normalise or strengthen bilateral
ties with Myanmar.
Since the days of the military regime, Myanmars leaders have been
saying that they were impressed by
the way the military in Indonesia

gradually reduced its role in politics

over the years.
By now, one should be quite clear
that present and former military
leaders are concerned about the
safety and security for themselves as
well as their family members. They
obviously want to avoid the exit
experienced by leaders like Hosni
Mubarak of Egypt or Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia.
Also, with the continued armed
conflicts in some parts of the country,
some military leaders may also hold
explicitly or implicitly the opinion
that it is still too early to transfer absolute power to civilian control.
Myanmars transition is a gradual
or incremental one that will drag on
for years, if not decades. It is also one
form of consensual transition, where
the authoritarian leaders actively participate in the process of change by
controlling or limiting that change.
In this type of transition, there is a
degree of political continuity between
authoritarianism and democracy.
Nehginpao Kipgens doctoral dissertation
was titled Democratic Transition in
Myanmar: Patterns of Political Change.
His book, titled Democratization of
Myanmar, will be published by Routledge
(Taylor & Francis) in early 2016.

News 9

www.mmtimes.com

Views

In Myanmar, scant protection for women

Discriminatory legislation moves closer to approval while maternal healthcare flounders from lack of funding
In Myanmar 35pc of children
under five years of age are stunted
and suffer from chronic malnutrition.
The reasons behind these shocking
statistics are complex, but undoubtedly lack of support for mothers
contributes significantly.
The long-term impact of this on
the individuals involved and for the
country as a whole should be a matter of massive concern.
Meanwhile, another bill aimed
at restricting womens rights in the
name of protection came a step

FIONA
MACGREGOR
fionamacgregor@hotmail.co.uk

MID all the grim world

news during the past week
of terror attacks and plane
crashes, one hugely positive and inspiring story
emerged from another developing
nation on the other side of the world
from Myanmar.
On June 30, the World Health
Organization announced that Cuba
had become the first country in the
world to eliminate mother-to-child
transmission of HIV and syphilis.
This is an immense success. Indeed,
WHO director general Margaret Chan
described it as one of the greatest
public health achievements possible.
Of course Cuba has long steered
a unique path toward development.
But there is a key message here, one
which goes beyond wider political
ideologies and which should serve as
an inspiration to both developing and
developed countries across the world,
including Myanmar.
Investing in womens healthcare
now will serve to prevent generations
of disease and health problems in
years to come. That means ultimately
saving the country massive costs not
just in terms of treatment provision
but also in terms of preventing significant losses to society and the economy
as a result of people left unable to
work because of ill health.
Cubas success demonstrates that
universal access and universal health
coverage are feasible and indeed are
the key to success, even against challenges as daunting as HIV, said Carissa
Etienne, director of the Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO).

Cubas success
demonstrates that
universal access and
universal health
coverage are feasible
and indeed are the
key to success, even
against challenges
as daunting as HIV.
Ethnic Kayin women care for an ill child at the Paw Bu La Hta Clinic in Kaw Poe Kee village, Kayin State. Photo: EPA/Rungroj Yongrit

The WHO points out that health

authorities have been working in
Cuba since 2010 to ensure early
access to prenatal care, HIV and
syphilis testing for pregnant women
and their partners, treatment for
women who test positive as well as
for their babies, caesarean deliveries,
and substitution of breastfeeding.
For the Myanmar government
which has pledged to work toward
universal healthcare, yet last year
spent just 3 percent of its national
budget on health, and less than
1pc on social welfare this story
should raise serious questions

about its priorities.

Myanmar already has a high
incidence of HIV infection, a problem
particularly associated with intravenous drug use. Preventing the disease
being transmitted from mother to
infant should be a vital national
healthcare goal.
But the need for better funding
for maternal and womens healthcare
goes beyond those individuals and
communities affected by HIV.
Almost 9pc of infants in Myanmar
are born underweight, signifying they
are malnourished even before they
are born.

Experts say the damage caused

by malnutrition in the first two years
of life is largely irreversible and has
a devastating impact on the childs
future growth, even if nutrition improves later in life.
Yet a plan to provide the mothers of young children with a K15,000
monthly allowance as part of a proposal to boost nutrition for pregnant
women, young mothers and infants
was shelved indefinitely this week
after the Ministry of Social Welfare
said its request for funds to back the
project had not been approved by the
government.

Carissa Etienne
Pan American Health Organization

closer to becoming law this week

the controversial marriage law
aimed at restricting Buddhist women
from marrying non-Buddhist men.
If politicians were genuinely concerned about protecting Myanmars
women and its future generations,
they would be better served spending
time and resources on the practical benefits of supporting maternal
healthcare projects, rather than promoting discriminatory legislation.

10 THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

BUSINESS EDITOR: Jeremy Mullins | jeremymullins7@gmail.com

Business

Exchange Rates (July 2 close)

Currency
Euro
Malaysia Ringitt
Singapore Dollar
Thai Baht
US Dollar

Buying
K1227
K295
K821
K33
K1126

Selling
K1247
K307
K835
K37
K1129

Myanmar risks perfect storm from

overheating economy, IMF warns
GUY DINMORE
guydinmore@gmail.com
MYANMARS economy is overheating and risks hitting a perfect
storm of a currency crisis particularly if the United States raises interest rates in the short term, the
International Monetary Fund has
warned. The bleak assessment,
delivered in private briefings this
week to senior government and
Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)
officials, stands in stark contrast to
IMF findings released last October
at the conclusion of the annual Article IV consultation process when
Myanmars economic outlook was
described as favourable.
But in the nine months since
then, the trade deficit, current account deficit and inflation have risen more than forecast, while bank
lending has soared and confidence
in the kyat has weakened along
with commodity prices.
The private IMF analysis follows
sharp gyrations in the value of the
kyat over the past month, exacerbated by interventions to defend
it by the CBM which has limited
foreign exchange reserves at its
disposal.
Sources close to the IMF said
its report reflected concerns that
the CBM has moved away from the
managed floating rate system for
the kyat which was introduced with
IMF support three years ago and
that, more broadly, Myanmars economic reforms were being blown
off course.
The Myanmar economy is overheating, the IMF staff mission said
in its closed-door briefing titled
How to stabilise the foreign exchange market.
The presentation, seen by The

Myanmar Times, says, Overheating has led to a rising trade deficit

and pressure on the kyat. Imports
are growing too fast and capital inflows are not enough to meet demand for dollars.
Under the heading Risks to the
economy if actions are not taken,
the IMF warns, A perfect storm
could hit Myanmar.
If the US raises its interest rates
soon, the US dollar will become
stronger and the kyat will be under
even greater pressure. This could
be exacerbated by declines in
world commodity prices. Without a
flexible CBM reference rate, which
likely means CBM keeps losing
reserves, this could lead to a crisis,
the analysis says.
A source close to the IMF said
the perfect storm scenario also
reflected concerns over the vulnerability of banks to a sudden cooling
in the overheated property sector.
The briefing is particularly
critical of recent measures taken
by the Central Bank and the
government to defend the kyat,
which hit a low on the informal
market of nearly K1300 to the dollar in early June, down over 25 percent since the start of the year.
Myanmar simply does not have
enough foreign reserves to resist
kyat depreciation, the IMF warns,
urging the Central Bank to allow
a steady fall in its value to help
make exports more competitive and
reduce imports.
Commenting on the IMFs findings, Sean Turnell, economist at
Australias Macquarie University,
said at the root of the problem was
a state that commands too much of
Myanmars economic resources.
This IMF [report] caps off a
series of events revealing that,

Stacks of kyat sit ready for customers. Photo: AFP

behind the veneer of liberal

economic reforms lie the old
ways, the old mindset, the old
irrationality, the old regime, he
said.
As with the response to the
falling kyat, the reflex is toward
command and control, denial, the
avoidance of the policies and choices necessary to really get Myanmar

Daewoos Kyaukpyu compensation

for damaged land nearly complete
SU PHYO WIN
suphyo1990@gmail.com
DAEWOO International has nearly
finished compensating farmers close
to Kyaukpyu for damaged land, according to a company spokesperson.
South Korean firm Daewoo is operator of the offshore Shwe Gas platform
as well as nearby onshore facilities at
Kyaukpyu in Rakhine State. The farmers receiving compensation are near
Daewoos onshore gas terminal.
The farmers say they were affected beginning in the 2011-12 fiscal
year, as large amounts of clay soil
ended up in the farmland due to the
project. The farmers subsequently
have received compensation, though
some of them say it is not enough to
cover both the loss of production and
the costs of rejuvenating the land.
Company officials counter that
they have paid adequate compensation. Last year we paid compensation for 52.52 acres of 60 farmers, but
now they want to add more acres for
compensation, said U Arkar Aung,
corporate social responsibility head

for Daewoo International in Myanmar. We are now measuring the land

[that was damaged] exactly with officials present.
U Arkar Aung said that on June 26
that after three days of measuring, the
company found that it was paying out
more compensation than there was
land that was damaged.
U Tun Lwin, coordinator of the
Kyaukpyu Social Network, a local civil
society organisation, said more than 200
acres had been affected near the terminal. Some land had also been confiscated and other land damaged as the terminal was built near Mala and Lakekamaw
villages close to the shore.
Because of the terminal, lands
have been destroyed and there is no
more topsoil. It will take years to refill
the topsoil, he said. U Tun Lwin added there had been protests to receive
compensation.
Kyaukpyu Rural Development Association president U Maung Aye said
20 farmers out of a total of 61 had
received compensation, at K1.5 million (US$1300) per acre. The holdouts
had called for K2 million per acre, to

which U Maung Aye said the farmers

had agreed.
Some farmers have not been on
their land since 2011, but when they
went to the village head for compensation, they were ignored, said U Maung
Aye. This time theyve tried to return,
but company officials think they are
trying to cheat them for three years.
U Arkar Aung from Daewoo said
the company has already paid compensation for 20 farmers. The remainder will receive K2.8 million per acre,
with K2 million for lost production
and K800,000 to rejuvenate the land.
But farmers need to fix the land.
It is not good to accept compensation every year from the company and
not cultivate and prepare the land for
farming, he said.
U Arkar Aung said this compensation round will be the last time Daewoo gives out money, and it will try to
be equal with all the farmers.
He added that farmers had initially
called for K4.5 million in compensation, but later compromised with the
firm that compensation would be K2.8
million.

on track to transformational and

sustainable growth. The IMF report
reveals not an economy about to get
into its stride, but an unsustainable
and speculative bubble, he added.
The Central Bank yesterday allowed the kyat to drop by nearly 1pc
against the dollar, moving its daily
reference rate to K1120 from K1110.
The local currency immediately
slipped on the black market where
licenced money changers, who are
supposed to trade within 0.8pc of
the reference rate, were selling the
dollar at about K1185.
The IMF said it was essential
that the government tighten monetary and fiscal policies, noting that
inflation had increased to 8pc in
May from about 6pc a year earlier
and that inflationary expectations
had been driven by a rise in the
government budget deficit to an
underlying estimated rate of 5.5pc
of gross domestic product.
Public sector salary increases,
widely seen as linked to the forthcoming general elections and funded by printing money, are seen as
contributing to the rise in inflation.
The deficit could be reduced, the
IMF said, by reducing tax incentives and improving tax collection.
In its public statement released on
July 1, the IMF mission also called
for expenditure re-prioritisation
which was seen by some analysts as
meaning less spending on the military and more on other sectors like
health and education.
The IMF privately warned that
the governments decision last
month to provide a preferential
supply of dollars to some importers, such as fuel and food oils,
could deplete CBM foreign reserves very quickly.
Controls on dollar withdrawals from banks were said to have

raised perception of dollar shortage and insufficient dollar reserves.

The IMFs private briefing, as
well as its public statement released
at the end of a two-week Article IV
consultation mission, expressed
concern over a 36pc increase in
bank lending to the private sector
over the 2014-15 fiscal year.
The IMF urged the CBM to implement and enforce new reserve
requirements on banks faster
and to prevent dollar hoarding by
banks.
U Soe Thein, a banker and former deputy director general of
Ministry of Finance, said the decline of the kyat reflected fundamental weaknesses in the economy,
driven by the trade deficit and lower-than-expected inflows of foreign
investment.
He criticised moves by the CBM
to keep the kyat artificially low,
noting that people would simply
resort to the parallel market.
Lax monetary and fiscal policy
had driven double-digit inflation
for years, forcing people to invest
in safer areas, such as property, to
protect their savings, he said.
IMF and Central Bank officials
declined to respond to questions
about the IMFs warnings.
Analysts and sources close to the
IMF, who declined to be named,
said the IMFs analysis would fuel
the policy struggle between reformists and conservatives within the
government and CBM.
U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, the Central
Bank governor appointed by President U Thein Sein two years ago, is
widely seen as an arch-conservative.
He previously ran the bank under
the former military junta from 2000
until his retirement in 2007.
Additional reporting
by Aye Thidar Kyaw

12 Business

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

OPINION

Driving toward a
referendum on left
or right
STUART DEED
newsroom@mmtimes.com

Banks officials sign an MoU as (from left to right) Central Bank governor U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, Singapore Deputy
Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Myanmar Minister for Finance U Win Shein look on. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

OCBC signs 10 MoUs

with domestic banks
JEREMY MULLINS
jeremymullins7@gmail.com
OCBC Bank signed memorandums
of understanding with 10 local banks
yesterday as it officially opened its
Myanmar branch.
The bank was one of nine foreign
institutions that won a licence in a
tender last year, and one of two Singaporean winners, along with UOB.
The MoUs were signed with three
state-owned banks Myanma Economic Bank, Myanma Foreign Trade
Bank and Myanma Investment and
Commercial Bank as well as seven
local private banks.
The MoUs focus on collaboration
in training and capability-building in
areas including cash management,
trade financing and treasury solutions. The banks aim to jointly develop and introduce new solutions
to support their corporate customers
in managing the local and foreign
currency operating and financing requirements of their investments and
projects, it said in a press release.
The event was attended by Singapore

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean,

Myanmar Minister for Finance U Win
Shein and U Kyaw Kyaw Maung, governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar.
OCBC group chief executive officer Samuel Tsien said the bank has
a long history in the country, first entering in 1923.
OCBC had branches in Yangon
and Lashio before the government
nationalised the banking industry in
1963. The bank later returned with a
representative office about two decades ago before receiving permission
in April to open a full branch office.
Its an economy that we have
been historically involved with for a
long long time, said Mr Tsien in an
interview.
The bank, like all nine foreign
banks in Myanmar, is limited to lending only to companies with a foreign
component as well as local banks. It
is also restricted to one branch in the
country.
Mr Tsien said OCBC aims to be
involved in business sectors with
foreign investment. He singled out
infrastructure, resources and certain

manufacturing enterprises as those

which will receive significant foreign
interest.
He added that it is important
there is pace to the opening-up of
the financial market, and the bank
will not ask for a lifting of all the restrictions right away. Rather, OCBC
aims to work on areas such as developing the interbank and the foreign
exchange market.
Asked about the potential for foreign loans to overheat the economy,
Mr Tsien said the Ministry of Finance
and Central Bank contain knowledgeable people who are aware that an
influx of investment into non-productive areas will cause significant asset
inflation problems.
But if those investments go into
areas which the country needs, then
it is actually increasing the productivity of the country, he said.
So from our perspective, in addition to the Central Bank observing
the investment into the country, we
will only be involved in those investments which are of national interest
to the country.

ASSUMPTION is the mother, brother

and significant other of all screw-ups.
Foolishly, I assumed that when the
government in 2011 initiated its policy
to remove older cars from the road
and replace them with newer vehicles
that it would insist, as per the existing
rules, that all vehicles have steering
wheels on the left.
Why? Because its dangerous to
have right-hand-drive cars driving
in left-hand-drive markets. Pootling
around in Yangons increasingly
clogged streets youll seldom notice
the danger. But try and turn across an
intersection or attempt to overtake on
a two-lane highway and you will be in
harms way. You will also be putting
any passengers youre carrying, the inhabitants of the slower-moving vehicle
and oncoming traffic at greater risk
because you cant clearly and quickly
see the road ahead.
The result is what we see today: a
left-hand-drive market largely populated by right-hand-drive cars. The
situation is baffling and could so easily have been avoided with one single
line in the import regulations: All cars
must be left-hand drive. Done, problem solved, chaos avoided.
Instead, we have a bizarre series
of overlapping import/sale regimes
that few people fully understand and
a seemingly unresolvable situation
concerning which side of the car the
steering wheel should be on.
Honestly, the most democratic solution here is simple: Reverse Ne Wins
1970s decision that traffic should flow
on the right-hand side of the road and
drive on the left.
However, this leaves out motorists
who have paid a premium to either
import a left-hand drive car or bought
a new vehicle from Ford, Mazda, Nissan or another of the newly-arrived
international brands selling in Myanmar. It would be cruel and unfair to
punish vehicle buyers for trying to do
the right thing.

So why are most of the cars on

the road right-hand-drive? Simple:
They came from Japan, which is
home to Toyota, the worlds bestselling car brand, as well as Nissan,
Mazda and Mitsubishi. Japan is recognised as selling the best-quality
used cars at the lowest price. For
buyers seeking a cheap and reliable
car in good condition is it hard to
go past a Japanese import, unless
safety is a key consideration.

Try and turn across

an intersection or
attempt to overtake
on a two-lane
highway and you
will be in harms
way.

But how does Myanmar look in 10

years? More importantly, how does
Yangon look? Id suggest, given the
state of the ports and used car lots in
the city, that it will take at least a decade to filter out the unsold right-handdrive cars, unless the government
throws businesspeople and importers
excuse the pun under the bus and
bans the registration of right-handdrive vehicles.
In fact, a registration ban is nearly
inevitable. Its just a question of when
and how long the government will
give existing owners to get rid of their
cars. Three years? Five?
Or a referendum could be organised, pitting the right against the left,
with one obvious outcome that wont
please new car owners and sellers.
Stuart Deed is former business editor of
The Myanmar Times.

Economist U Myint discusses

an exchange rate to meet
Myanmars current needs
JEREMY MULLINS
jeremymullins7@gmail.com
PRESIDENTIAL chief economic advisor U Myint said Myanmar is now
engaging with the rest of the world
and its economy is no longer isolated and its approach to foreign
exchange should reflect this new
reality.
He has written an article outlining his position which appears in
an insert to this newspaper.
Myanmar currently practices a
managed float exchange rate between the kyat and foreign currencies, where the Central Bank of
Myanmar sets a daily rate that in
turn is considered to be based on
the market rate.
However, this year the gap between the official and the market
rates have grown, with the Central
Bank not keeping up with depreciation in the market rate.
Yesterday, the Central Bank of
Myanmar moved its official exchange rate to K1120, up K10 from

the exchange rate of K1110 the day

previously. However, the parallel,
unofficial market rate was about
K1180.
The spread between the official and the unofficial rates has
caused headaches for businesses,
particularly traders, which have
difficulty acquiring the foreign
currency they need, and financial
institutions, which must make
tough choices to supply currency
to their clients.
U Myint said he recommended
the Central Bank of Myanmar move
away from its current policy of dissuading traders from following the
market rates.
It will amount to going back
to an old solution to resolve a new
problem and will be looked upon
as a major setback to establish an
exchange rate that is relatively stable, market-determined, and meets
ASEAN and international standards, he said.
U Myint said there are three
types of demand for dollars:

transaction demand, or the demand for dollars to buy and sell

in the world market; precautionary demand, or the demand for
dollars to store for security and to
meet unexpected events and emergencies; and speculative demand,
or acquiring dollars to speculate
on foreign exchanges, commodity,
stock and financial markets.
U Myint said authorities must
make sure they give sufficient attention to transaction demand, in
order to ensure adequate foreign
exchange for the smooth function
of the external trade sector.
Myanmar is no longer isolated
and doing its own thing without
bothering with what is going on
among its neighbours and in the
rest of the world, he said.
The re-engagement with the
outside world has far exceeded expectations and advantage should
be taken of opportunities it has
presented to us, in the reforms
under way including the exchange
rate issue.

Business 13

www.mmtimes.com

UOB signs two

new loans at
branch launch
AYE THIDAR
KYAW
ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com

UNITED Oversea Bank signed two loan

agreements with clients in the auto and
tourism industry yesterday, as they officially launched their Yangon branch at
Parkroyal Hotel.
The loan with Cycle & Carriage Automobile Myanmar Company will help
fund the construction of two more
automobile showrooms and a service
workshop in Yangon. The other loan, to
Summit Parkview Hotel, will help the
hotel to build a 200-room extension. It
also has previously announced a loan to
refurbish the Excelsior Rangoon hotel.
UOB was one of nine foreign banks
two from Singapore that won licences to open Myanmar branches last
year. UOB has also said it anticipates
facilitating US$300 million in investment from their international clients to
Myanmar over the next 12 months.

BANGKOK

Thai govt
urged to
make trade
more fair
THE Thai government has been urged
to amend the Trade Competition Act
to extend regulations to state enterprises and create a level playing field
for private-sector counterparts, says a
member of the State Enterprises Policy Commission or superboard.
Veerathai Santiprabhob, a candidate for central bank governor, said
reducing privileges granted to state
enterprises, revising procedures and
practices on government procurement
and letting private companies have
the same chance in competition with
state enterprises under a bidding system would sharpen state enterprises
competitiveness and improve their efficiency in the long run.
Listed state enterprises should be
the first group governed by the Trade
Competition Act, he said yesterday at
a seminar on state enterprise reform
hosted by the economics faculty of
Thammasat University.
State enterprise reform is high on
the military-led governments agenda to enhance efficiency, reduce the
states burden and prevent politicians
from taking improper advantage.
Mr Veerathai said state enterprises
should be required to clearly arrange
their public service obligations and
public service accounts if they receive
government subsidies and must comply with government policies.
Instead of subsidising the public
through particular state enterprises,
direct subsidies to targeted groups
are a preferable choice to open up
business opportunities for the private
sector. For instance, the government
could give coupons to elderly people
and children to use on public transport services.
The private sector should be encouraged to play a greater role in some
areas such as public transport and the
Islamic Bank, Mr Veerathai said.
Bangkok Post

UOB deputy chair and chief executive officer Wee Ee Cheong said the firm
will take a long-term commitment to
Myanmar. The bank is keen to support
sectors with far-reaching, long-term
benefits including infrastructure, manufacturing and tourism.
We are excited about Myanmars
economic prospects, as are our clients
from across continents who are actively
investing in the country, he said in a
release. Their investments are directed
toward meeting Myanmars growing urbanisation and industrialisation needs
and sustainable economic growth, Mr
Wee said.
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister
Teo Chee Hean, Myanmar Finance Minister U Win Shein and Central Bank
of Myanmar governor U Kyaw Kyaw
Maung were also in attendance.
Ian Wong, managing director for
UOBs group strategy and international
management, said UOB is also working
to choose quality projects to finance.
We believe in attracting quality investments, not investments that come
in for a short term and then leave, he
said at a briefing yesterday.

Officials ink a deal as (from left to right) UOB chief executive Wee Ee Cheong, Myanmar Finance Minister U Win Shein, Singapore
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Central Bank governor U Kyaw Kyaw Maung look on. Photo: AFP

Branch offices are barred from lending to local companies and limited
to one location. UOB said its Yangon
branch will provide corporate loans,
trade and project financing and cash
management solutions for global companies to expand locally.

Mr Wong said UOB also plans to

provide foreign currency to domestic
financial institutions in areas such as
trade finance, adding it is important
that Myanmar builds its exports for the
future.
We are working very closely with

local banks and the Central Bank to

help promote exports, he said.
Singapore is the third-largest investor in Myanmar in the period since
1988, and was the largest source of foreign direct investment to the country
last year.

14 International Business

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

ATHENS

Greek leader urges vote against bailout

PRIME Minister Alexis Tsipras
urged Greeks to vote No in a referendum on July 5 on bailout proposals after European leaders ruled out
any further debt talks until seeing
the outcome.
A defiant Mr Tsipras said in a TV
address late July 1 that a No vote
would strengthen his hand in negotiations with international creditors
after six months of tortuous talks have
failed to produce a deal.
Greeks will be asked on July 5 to accept or reject proposals made by creditors last week.
Mr Tsipras insisted voting No
would not signify a rupture with Europe despite efforts by EU leaders to
cast it as a referendum on Greeces
place in the bloc.
Come Monday, the Greek government will be at the negotiating table
after the referendum, with better
terms for the Greek people, he said.
Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis
said yesterday the government may
very well resign if the people vote
Yes.
Greece on June 30 made a lastminute proposal for a third bailout
worth nearly 30 billion euros (US$33
billion) to follow the two rescue programs worth 240 billion euros that
cash-strapped Athens has received
since 2010.
But frustrated eurozone finance
ministers agreed on July 1 to wait until after the referendum before holding
any more talks, saying there were no
grounds for further discussions.
Germany immediately rejected any
deal, with Chancellor Angela Merkel
saying that Europe should calmly
await the result.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras addressing the nation during a televised
speech from his office in Athens on July 1. Photo: AFP

Greeces plight was underlined

when on June 30 it became the first
advanced economy to default on an
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
repayment.
In Greece, chaotic scenes ensued
when nearly 1000 banks reopened on
July 1 to allow elderly people limited access to their pensions after several days
of capital controls limiting withdrawals.
I worked for 50 years on the sea
and now I am a beggar for 120 euros,
one pensioner in Athens said. I have
no money for medication for my wife,
who had an operation and is ill.
EU officials consider a No vote
as a risky step towards a possible exit
of Greece from the eurozone and the

SHANGHAI

Chinese market dive continues

CHINAS leading stock index was
down more than 5 percent yesterday
afternoon trade, despite the market
regulator relaxing margin trading
rules following heavy losses the previous day.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite
Index slumped 5.02pc, or 203.62 points,
to 3850.08. The Shenzhen Composite
Index, which tracks stocks on Chinas
second exchange, dived 5.63pc, or 132.01
points, to 2214.12.
The China Securities Regulatory
Commission removed some limits on
investors minimum deposit requirements, it said on its website late on
July 1.

Margin investors only need to deposit a small proportion of the value

of their trade, potentially generating
bigger profits but also exposing themselves to bigger losses.
When investors lose confidence
and rush to sell, these short-term measures will be hardly sufficient to stop the
rout, Chen Xingdong, Beijing-based
chief economist at BNP Paribas SA told
Bloomberg News.
In the long term, regulators
should let the market play a bigger
role. Official media have been talking
up the market and people have been
chasing hot stocks regardless of their
fundamentals. AFP

beginning of an unprecedented crisis

for the bloc.
Ahead of the referendum, an opinion
poll on July 1 showed the No camp in
the lead with 46 percent, against 37pc
for Yes and 17pc undecided.
The No vote share was down
compared to before capital controls
were introduced on June 28.
The Council of Europe, a pan-European human rights body, has criticised
the vote, saying it was being organised
too quickly and that the question was
not clear.
Greece entered uncharted waters
with its default on the 1.5-billion euro
IMF payment and expiry of its current
European bailout on June 30.

It is now without external financial assistance for the first time in five
years.
The developments prompted
Moodys to cut its credit rating for
Greece to a deep-junk Caa3 the
last of the three major ratings agencies to do so warning it was now
less likely that official creditors will
support the country, whatever happens in the referendum.
Greece has requested more time to
pay its debt, but the IMF said on July
1 that allowing a borrower to delay repayment was generally ineffective in
helping a country overcome crisis.
Voicing frustration with the ongoing debt saga, IMF chief Christine
Lagarde told CNN that talks between
Greece and its creditors would benefit
from a bit more adulthood.
Stock markets, however, rebounded on July 1 amid hopes that a deal
could still be struck to keep Greece in
the eurozone. Asian markets pushed
higher yesterday, tracking a surge in
European and US equities the previous day.
Markets were still optimistic of an
eventual deal despite German Chancellor Angela Merkel effectively ruling
out all negotiations until after July 5s
referendum.
The world is watching us. But the
future of Europe is not at stake, Ms
Merkel told Germanys Bundestag, or
lower house of parliament.
But signalling a possible rift in Europes united front, Frances President
Francois Hollande called for an immediate agreement after six months
of stalemate.
However the head of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers,

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, made clear there were no

grounds for further talks at this point
because of the Greek governments refusal to call off the referendum.
Ministers also agreed to take
note of a letter from Mr Tsipras that
emerged on July 1 telling creditors
he was ready to accept terms they offered at the weekend, as long as they
included a VAT discount for Greek islands and postponing pension reform,
he said.
The European Central Bank again
decided to keep the amount of emergency funding Greek banks can access frozen at around 89 billion euros on July 1.
It was the ECBs decision on June
28 to refuse to increase emergency
funding for Greek banks that pushed
Athens to close lenders for a week and
impose the capital controls.
The ECB stands ready to intervene if and when it is necessary, said
a Greek banking source.
Mr Varoufakis said yesterday the
restrictions could be lifted immediately once a new debt deal was agreed
and insisted Greece is, and will remain, in the euro.
Meanwhile, Argentinian President
Cristina Kirchner compared the crisis
in Greece to her own countrys debt
default in 2001, in the latest expression of solidarity from the Latin American nation.
In an interview on public television, she said what the Greeks are
living through corresponds exactly
to what we, the Argentinians, went
through in 2001: the consequences of
terrible neoliberal policies ... which
led to misery, hunger and unemployment. AFP

Three dismal economies this year:

Ukraine, Brazil, Greece
UKRAINE will finish 2015 as the biggest loser in global growth, according
to forecasts of economists surveyed by
Bloomberg.
The conflict-battered eastern European nation will see its gross domestic product contract 4 percent in the
fourth quarter from the same time in
2014, the worst of 47 economies polled
by Bloomberg in April through June.
The ill fortune will be shared by neighboring Russia, where GDP will shrink
3.5pc by year-end amid international
sanctions and depressed oil revenue.
Parts of Latin America also will be

struggling on the eve of 2016. Brazil

and Argentina, each suffering from
soaring inflation and unemployment,
will see year-over-year contractions
of 1.6pc and 1.5pc, the poll data show.
Brazil saw the biggest downgrade
among the 28 economies that were included in Bloombergs January survey.
At that time, South Americas powerhouse was expected to grow 1pc this
year.
Switzerland, still reeling from
the Swiss National Banks January
decision to scrap its franc-euro cap,
clocked in at number 5 on the unfa-

vourable GDP list, expected to eke out

growth of 0.1pc.
As its evolving financial crisis
grabs international attention, Greeces
standing at number 8 could be precarious; economists projected in April
that the country would expand 0.9pc
at the end of 2015.
Rounding out the dismal 10 were
Croatia, Serbia, Italy and Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan, whose biggest trading
partner is Russia, is now expected
to grow 1.2pc, having plunged from
the 3.6pc economists projected three
months ago. Bloomberg

JOB WATCH
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
in Myanmar is seeking for qualified applicants to fill the following position:
1) Logistics Associate, GL-6
(UNOPS Contract- Local Individual Contract Agreement, Sittwe)
2) Assistant Community Services and HIV/AIDS Officer, NOA
(UNOPS Contract- Local Individual Contract Agreement, Hpa-An)
Closing date: 17 July 2015
The detailed Terms of Reference for these positions are available on request
from UNHCR offices in Yangon, Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Sittwe, Myitkyina,
Bhamo, Mawlamyine, Hpa-An, Loikaw and Dawei.
www.unhcr.org

JJ Pun Tiostone
Sales Engineer-Construction Material
POSITION SUMMARY:
To develop sales opportunities for the Department of Construction Materials.
She/ he will be the technical interface between the company and the customers,
responsible for the development and the follow up of the sales activities with
new and existing customers
Required Qualifications & Skills
Civil Engineer, architect or equivalent in Construction Materials
At least 2 years experience. Sales related activities will be a plus
Able to handle after sales service and office paperwork
Possess good written and speaking skills in both Burmese & English
Microsoft Word and Excel (Basic Auto Cad Skill is an added bonus)
Enthusiastic, independent and dedication at work, able to work under
pressure
This position is located in Yangon.

N E W V A C A N C I E S A P P L Y N O W!

Candidates are invited to submit CV with recent passport sized photo and copy
of NRC card to:
Human Resources Manager, JJ-Pun Ltd
Building No.9, 5thFl, Myanmar Info-Tech (Phase -3)
Universitys Hlaing Campus, Hlaing Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Email: thiha_soe@ jjsea.com
Ph: + 95 1 2305135-7

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

16 THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

17

World

WORLD EDITOR: Fiona MacGregor

Engine failure blamed

for Indonesian city
plane crash

Great Barrier
Reef avoids
endangered list

WORLD 18

WORLD 23

TAIPEI

TAIPEI

Second death after waterpark disaster

Crash pilot shut down

wrong engine: report

ANOTHER young victim died yesterday after being engulfed by a fireball

that injured nearly 500 people at a
Taiwan colour party.
The second fatality from the event
came as organisers face charges after
plumes of decorative powder ignited.
Student Liu Chih-wei, 19, suffered
burns to almost his entire body in the
disaster, which saw crowds of young
revellers overtaken by flames after
being sprayed with clouds of multicoloured corn starch at the June 27
event.
Liu died this morning. More than
95 percent of his skin was burnt and
his respiratory system damaged when
he was admitted to hospital, a doctor
outside the hospital in the central city
of Taichung told reporters.
After emergency treatment his
family did not want to see him suffering any more and decided to let him
go, the doctor said.
Another victim, 20-year-old Lee
Pei-yun, who had suffered 90 percent
burns, died on June 29 the first fatality.
Media reported that Ms Lees
12-year-old brother was also hospitalised with 80 percent burns.
Around 1000 spectators had

attended the Color Play Asia event at

the Formosa Fun Coast water park,
just outside the capital Taipei.
More than 200 suffered serious injuries and are being treated across 43
hospitals.
Terrifying
amateur
footage
showed partygoers dancing by a stage
when the clouds of powder exploded
into flames which swept through the
crowd.
Some tried to douse the blaze
with fire extinguishers and to put out
burning victims who were running
screaming for their lives.
Three suspects have been released
on bail as prosecutors investigate
them on charges of offences against
public safety and negligence causing
severe injuries.
While it has yet to emerge exactly
how the blast was triggered, authorities have speculated that heat from
the stage lighting or cigarettes could
have ignited the corn starch.
The company that supplied the
corn starch to Color Play Asia said it
had warned of its flammability.
Some of those being treated for
less serious injuries shared their stories on social media.
Every step I take feels like my

skin will crack open, Leiya Gu, 19,

said on her Facebook page where she
posted a picture of her lower legs entirely wrapped in gauze.
The thing I am most afraid of is
the changing of the dressing. Every
time I shout and my tears flow, she
said.
Ms Gu said that she had been
standing near the stage and thanked
her boyfriend for helping her escape
quickly.
If you didnt immediately bring
me away, I may not only have these
burns, she said.
With fears for the fate of those who
suffered extensive burns, there was
one glimmer of hope as a 20-year-old
college student regained consciousness in what doctors described as a
miracle.
Lu Yi-ming sustained 90 percent
burns but is now conscious and
breathing unassisted, doctors at a
Taichung hospital said.
Plastic surgeon Lee Tsung-hsun
described the speed of his recovery
as a medical miracle and said that
he can wave his hand and respond
to questions, Taiwans Central News
Agency reported.
AFP

THE pilot of a passenger plane that

crashed into a river in Taiwan killing 43 people shut down the planes
only working engine after the
other failed, a new report confirmed
yesterday.
TransAsia Airways Flight GE235
plunged shortly after take-off from
Taipeis Songshan airport in February
with 53 passengers and five crew on
board. Only 15 people survived.
Seconds before the crash the pilot
said, Wow, pulled back wrong throttle, the report from Taiwans Aviation
Safety Council revealed, from words
recorded on a black box.
That led the planes one working
engine to fail after the other had already lost power, investigators said.
Dramatic car dashcam images
showed the plane hitting an elevated
road as it banked steeply away from
buildings before crashing into the
Keeling River.
Initial reports from the black boxes found the planes right engine had
flamed out about two minutes after take-off while the left engine was
then shut down manually by the crew
for unknown reasons.

Yesterdays
report
confirmed
that one engine had failed and was
no longer delivering power to the
aircraft.
One of the three pilots in the
cockpit then pulled back the throttle
of the other engine, the report said,
causing it to also lose power.
Investigators said that with both
engines shut off the plane began a
descent and was unable to recover.
Why the pilot did this, we dont
know. Thats the main task for our
[final] analysis report, said Thomas
Wang, head of the aviation body.
The draft of that report is due out
in November with the final report expected in April 2016.
Yesterdays evidence was described as a factual report giving
more detail about the crash, but not
attributing responsibility or drawing
final conclusions about the cause.
Taiwans aviation regulator ordered TransAsia pilots to take an oral
test on basic operating and emergency procedures for the French-made
aircraft after the initial findings
pointed to pilot error.
AFP

BANGKOK

Free healthcare too costly: Prayut

PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
has branded Thailands universal
healthcare scheme a costly populist
policy which helped deposed prime
minister Thaksin Shinawatra win the
2001 election.
The health scheme benefits about
47 million people two-thirds of the
population.
Commenting on the conflict between the National Health Security
Office (NHSO) and the Public Health
Ministry, Gen Prayut said on July 1
that Thailand is not financially ready
for such a multi-billion-baht health
insurance project.
It will bankrupt a lot of hospitals
in the next few years, he said.
The universal healthcare scheme
is a populist project. Though people
are benefiting from it, is Thailand
ready for it? Why arent 190 other
countries doing it? Only a few countries have done it, Gen Prayut said.
The 30-baht (US$1) scheme was

among several populist policies that

helped Mr Thaksin and his now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party win a landslide election victory in 2001.
The NHSO was set up to oversee
the scheme with an initial payment of
1250 baht per person to fund it.
Though the per-head payment
is set at 3028 baht for the 2016 fiscal year, Gen Prayut said the amount
is not enough for hospitals to cover

Though people are

benefiting from it, is
Thailand ready for
it?
General Prayut Chan-o-cha
Thai prime minister

their costs.
He added he would not abolish
the scheme, but would seek ways of
increasing funding.
Supporters of the scheme criticised his remarks, saying the scheme
did a good job of improving access to
healthcare. The existing system is
fine, but the government cant find
the money to finance it, Sureerat
Trimakka, coordinator for the Peoples Health System Movement told
the Bangkok Post.
This government is making the
national health system a scapegoat.
Meanwhile, government sources
say Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin has 15 days to decide what
to do with suspended permanent
secretary for public health Narong
Sahametapat after a panel cleared
him of any wrongdoing in the dispute
with the NHSO over the management
of the universal healthcare scheme.
Bangkok Post

DHAKA

Al-Qaeda chief arrested in Bangladesh

POLICE in Bangadesh have arrested
12 suspected militants including the
local head of al-Qaedas branch in the
region, foiling an attack planned for
the end of the Islamic holy month of
Ramadan.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)
also seized explosives and other
bomb-making materials during raids
on July 1 on the militants hideouts
in the capital Dhaka, spokesperson
Major Maksudul Alam said yesterday.
During the raids we arrested 12
militants including Maolana Mainul
Islam who is the chief coordinator
of AQIS in Bangladesh, RABs Alam
said.
Al-Qaeda
in
the
Indian

Subcontinent (AQIS) had been planning an unspecified attack in the

Muslim-majority nation after Eidal Fitr, which celebrates the end of
Ramadan, Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, the most senior RAB
spokesperson, told reporters.
Theyve selected a madrassa in
[the northern district of ] Bogra for
training, he said, adding that the
group was financed by individuals
from Saudi Arabia and United Arab
Emirates.
AQIS has claimed responsibility for the murder of several secular
bloggers in Bangladesh this year, including the hacking to death of Bangladeshi-born US citizen Avijit Roy in

Dhaka in February.
Last September, al-Qaeda released
a video announcing the establishment of a branch on the Indian subcontinent, AQIS, saying it wanted to
revive jihadist activity.
Bangladesh, home to the worlds
fourth-largest Muslim population,
has not been hit by a major militant
attack since 2006.
Although the country has in recent years witnessed a rise in support for a hardline Islamist political
group, experts say there is little appetite for religious extremism in the
country. There are also no known cases of Bangladeshis joining the Islamic
State group. AFP

BEIJING

IN PICTURES
Photo: AFP

A survivor of a passenger ferry that capsized in rough waters cries after arriving at the pier in Ormoc City, central
Philippines, on July 2. At least 36 people were killed when the ferry with close to 200 people on board overturned in
rough waters that day, officials said.

PHNOM PENH

Khmer Rouge chiefs appeals begin

TWO former Khmer Rouge leaders
yesterday began appeal hearings
against their landmark convictions for crimes against humanity
last year which saw them handed
life sentences by Cambodias UNbacked court.
Brother Number Two Nuon
Chea, 88, and ex-head of state Khieu Samphan, 83, were the first top
leaders of a regime responsible for
the deaths of up to 2 million Cambodians to be jailed 35 years after
the fall of the Khmer Rouge.
But their lawyers quickly appealed, with Nuon Cheas team accusing the court of a string of errors
and the judges of failing to remain
impartial due to their personal experiences under the Communist regime from 1975-1979.
The pair sat in court with their
defence teams yesterday as 300 people watched the proceedings from
the public gallery.
Nuon Chea, wearing his trademark sunglasses, later left the room
to watch the proceedings remotely
from a holding cell, with his lawyers
saying he had back pain.
In the name of the United Nations and the Cambodian people the
[court] opens an appeal hearing of
the parties against the judgement
dated 7 August, Judge Kong Srim,

president of the tribunals Supreme

Court Chamber, said.
The court is set to hear from
three witnesses requested by Nuon
Cheas lawyers including at least
two former Khmer Rouge officials
during hearings scheduled over the
next two weeks.
According to a tribunal document, appeal judgements are expected during the first quarter of
2016.
Led by Brother Number One
Pol Pot, who died in 1998 without ever facing justice, the Khmer
Rouge dismantled modern society
in their quest for an agrarian utopia. Nearly one-quarter of Cambodias population was wiped out by
starvation or execution under the
regime.
The complex case against Nuon
Chea and Khieu Samphan was split
into a series of smaller trials in
2011 for reasons including their advanced age and the large number of
accusations.
Their convictions last August
followed a two-year trial focused
on the forced evacuation of around
2 million Cambodians from Phnom
Penh into rural labour camps and
murders at one execution site.
The pair are also undergoing a
second trial for genocide centred on

the killing of ethnic Vietnamese and

Muslim minorities, forced marriage
and rape.
In its historic debut trial, the
UN-backed court in 2010 sentenced
former Tuol Sleng prison chief Kaing

Guek Eav, alias Duch, to 30 years in

prison later increased on appeal
to life for overseeing the deaths of
15,000 people.
In March, the court charged
three more former Khmer Rouge

members with crimes against humanity, ignoring warnings by strongman Cambodian premier Hun Sen
a mid-ranking regime cadre before
he defected that further prosecutions risked reigniting conflict. AFP

Cambodians pick up booklets as they queue up to attend an appeal hearing for two convicted former Khmer Rouge
leaders at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in Phnom Penh on July 2. Photo: AFP

S China Sea airstrip

nears completion
A 3000-METRE (9800-foot) airstrip
Beijing is building on a reef in disputed waters in the South China Sea,
where tensions are mounting with its
neighbours, is nearly complete, a US
think tank has said.
A satellite picture taken on June
28 showed that China was paving and
marking the runway on Fiery Cross
Reef and an apron and taxiway have
been added, the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS) said
on its website.
Beijings project to build artificial islands and facilities on various
reefs and outcrops in the Spratly Islands only became publicly known
in recent months but construction
has since been rapid, raising tensions with both its neighbours and
Washington.
The US has weighed sending warships and surveillance aircraft within
12 nautical miles the normal territorial zone around natural land of the
new artificial islands.
A lake in the middle of Fiery
Cross Reef has been filled in and it
has a partially developed port with
nine temporary loading piers, CSIS
said.
Personnel could be seen walking
around and two helipads, up to 10
satellite communications antennas
and one possible radar tower were
also visible, it added.
Washington wants Beijing to halt
construction and militarisation,
which the Chinese show no indication of willingness to do, Bonnie Glaser of CSIS said.
She anticipated a short-term lull
in construction as summer is typhoon
season in the South China Sea while
Chinas President Xi Jinping is due to
visit the US in September and the

Chinese are attaching priority to having a successful summit.

But she expected activity would
pick up again later.
The island is now 2.74 square kilometres (1.06 square miles) in size,
CSIS said. China has reclaimed land
on seven different reefs totalling an
estimated 12.8 square kilometres, it
added.
At one of the sites, South Johnson
Reef, CSIS said Beijing has added
a small port with two loading stations, two helipads on the reef and
up to three satellite communications
antennas.
It also had a large multi-level
military facility with two possible
radar towers being built, along with
up to six security and surveillance
towers, and four possible weapons
installations.
Beijing claims almost the whole of
the South China Sea, including areas
close to the coasts of other littoral
states, locking it into disputes with
several neighbours, particularly the
Philippines and Vietnam.
It also has a long-running row
with Japan over islands in the East
China Sea.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on June
30 that some of the land reclamation
works in the Spratlys had been completed recently as scheduled.
In the next stage, the Chinese
side will start the building of facilities
to meet relevant functional requirements, she told reporters at a regular
briefing.
They were mainly for civilian purposes, she said, but necessary military defence requirements will also
be fulfilled.
AFP

18 World
NEW DELHI

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

MEDAN

Activists
welcome
Indias rape
justice ruling
WOMENS rights activists in India
hailed yesterday a Supreme Court ruling rejecting judge-ordered mediation
between rapists and their victims, a legal move they said was common in the
conservative country.
The Supreme Court issued the warning after a public outcry over a judges
decision to grant a convicted rapist bail
to allow him to try to negotiate with his
victim in the hope of marriage.
The Supreme Court said judges
should steer away from ordering mediation which would not only be a spectacular error but a blow to the dignity
of women.
These are offences which suffocate
the breath of life and sully the reputation of women, Justices Dipak Misra
and PC Pant said in their written judgement on July 1.
The conception of compromise, under no circumstances, can be thought
of in a case of rape or attempt to rape.
Ranjana Kumari, one of Indias leading women activists, applauded the ruling, saying judges in lower courts often
suggested mediation as a means of dispute resolution rather than meting out
justice.
Any mediation between rapists and
the survivor is illegal. We welcome [the
ruling] and hope the lower courts abide
by [it] Ms Kumari said.
Lawyer and activist Vrinda Grower
said the ruling was unambiguous and
a warning to lower courts that tried to
use mediation in future.
The Supreme Courts ruling comes
after a Madras High Court judge advised a rapist, who he gave interim bail
to, to mediate with his victim who was
15 at the time of the attack and had
given birth to a child.
Women having children out of wedlock is taboo in many parts of India
where marriages are often arranged
between families.
The Supreme Courts ruling was
made while upholding an appeal
against a different High Courts decision to set free another rapist by changing the offence to assault.
The court made the decision on
suggestions the criminal was planning
to reach a settlement with his victims
family.
Sexual violence remains a major
problem in India more than two years
after the fatal gang rape of a student in
New Delhi unleashed public outrage
about the treatment of women.
Indias notoriously slow legal system
takes years to dispense justice, even for
crimes such as rape and murder, with
many victims forced to withdraw their
cases or reach a settlement.
AFP

Relatives of soldiers and military officers who were killed in the Indonesian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft crash are buried in a public cemetery following a
military ceremony in Malang, eastern Java island, before dawn on July 2. Photo: AFP

Engine failure, not overloading,

caused Medan crash: air force
THE Indonesian military plane that
crashed into a residential neighbourhood and killed 142 people likely suffered an engine failure, the air
force said yesterday, but denied the
aircraft was overloaded after claims
civilians had paid to get on board.
The Hercules C-130 transporter
went down on Jume 30 in the city
of Medan shortly after taking off
from a nearby airbase, exploding in
a fireball and causing widespread
destruction.
Air Vice Marshal Agus Dwi
Putranto, an air force operations
commander, told reporters initial
findings indicated the 51-year-old
plane had failed to gain enough
speed after one of its four engines
malfunctioned.
Theres a likelihood that a propeller had stalled, he said. Going
at a slow speed, the plane swerved
to the right and hit an antenna
tower.
He said the pilot had asked to
turn back to base shortly after takeoff, adding, It means there was a
problem.
Witnesses have said the plane
was tilting and giving off black

smoke just before it crashed into

a massage parlour and hotel in a
newly-built residential area.
However Mr Putranto denied
the plane was overloaded after the
air force repeatedly revised up the
number of people on the flight,
sparking accusations paying civilians were on board, in violation of
military rules.
Its unlikely an overcapacity
problem, the commander said. He
added the Hercules can carry 12.5
tonnes but the passengers on the
flight would have only weighed
about 8 tonnes.
There were 122 people aboard
the plane, mostly servicemen and
women and their families, with the
rest of the fatalities thought to have
occurred on the ground.
Relatives of some civilians from
non-military families have said
they paid between 700,000 rupiah
(US$50) and 1 million rupiah to
travel on the aircraft. The military
has denied taking payments and
vowed to investigate.
The search for bodies officially
ended late on July 1, and the air
force began transporting coffins of

Soldiers search the tail wreckage at the crash site of an Indonesian Air Force
C-130 Hercules aircraft in Medan, in northern Sumatra province, on July 1.
Photo: AFP

those killed across the vast archipelago for burial.

There were scenes of horror following the crash, with buildings
severely damaged, cars reduced to
flaming wrecks and the plane almost completely destroyed, with the
tail the only part still recognisable.

It was the sixth fatal crash of an

Indonesian air force plane in the
past decade, according to the Aviation Safety Network, and prompted
President Joko Widodo to order an
overhaul of the countrys ageing
military equipment.
AFP

KABUL

Court overturns death sentences in mob killing of Afghan woman

AN Afghan appeal court has overturned death sentences given to four
men for the mob killing in March of a
woman falsely accused of blasphemy
in Kabul, a judge said yesterday.
The woman, Farkhunda, 27, was
savagely beaten and her body set
ablaze in broad daylight, triggering protests around the country and
drawing global attention to the treatment of Afghan women.
Police arrested 49 people in connection with the attack, including 19
police officers, some of whom were
shown standing by doing nothing to
stop the lynching in cellphone videos
recorded by bystanders.

In May a court sentenced four men

to death and eight others were handed 16-year jail terms after a threeday trial broadcast live on national
television.
The appeal court decided to reduce the sentence. Three of them got
20 years in prison and one 10 years,
judge Nasir Murid, the head of the Kabul appeals court, said without giving
any further details.
The appeal was heard behind
closed doors and reportedly reached
a verdict on July 1, according to local
media.
Farkhundas brother Mujibullah
said the family had not been told of

the courts decision or invited to the

session.
We just heard through media that
the appeal court in a secret session
has reversed the decision. They didnt
inform us. Whatever the decision is we
will not accept it. he said.
Eleven Afghan policemen were also
sentenced in May to one year in prison
for failing to protect Farkhunda from
the angry mob.
Farkhunda was attacked on the
banks of the Kabul River after an amulet seller, whom she had reportedly
castigated for peddling superstition,
falsely accused her of burning a copy
of the Koran.

Her case become a symbol of the

endemic violence that women face in
Afghanistan, despite reforms since the
hardline Taliban regime fell in 2001.
The backlash highlighted the angst
of a post-Taliban generation in Afghanistan where nearly two-thirds
of the population is under 25 that is
often torn between conservatism and
modernity as the country rebuilds after decades of war.
Yesterday a number of activists
reacted angrily to the courts decision.
We are planning massive protest
against the court ruling on Farkhunda. Lack of justice and transparency
is just unacceptable, activist Ramin

Anwari wrote on Twitter.

Last October five Afghan men were
hanged over a gang rape that sparked
a national outcry, though the United
Nations and human rights groups
called for President Ashraf Ghani to
stay the executions.
The trial of suspects in Farkhundas case drew praise from some for its
fast-track nature but also prompted
concern over its fairness.
Human Rights Watch said it was
very concerned over whether due
process was followed in the swift trial
in which many of the accused did not
appear to have lawyers.
AFP

World 19

www.mmtimes.com
RIYADH

Saudi prince to donate

$32.2 billion fortune
PRINCE Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi
Arabia has promised his entire US$32
billion fortune to charitable projects
in coming years, in one of the biggest
ever such pledges the world has ever
seen.
The tycoons pledge maybe ... the
first such big announcement of its
kind in the region, and is modelled
on a charity established by Microsoft founder Bill Gates in the United
States, the prince told reporters.
Prince Alwaleed said his charity will help build bridges to foster
cultural understanding, develop communities, empower women, enable
youth, provide vital disaster relief
and create a more tolerant and accepting world.
The money will be allocated
according to a well-devised plan
throughout the coming years, he
said, but stressed there was no time
limit for the donation to be spent.
Price Alwaleed said he would
head a board of trustees tasked with
spending the funds, which would still
be used after his death for humanitarian projects and initiatives.
The 60-year-old magnate belongs
to the Saudi royal family and is a
nephew of king Abdullah, who died
on January 23.
In the conservative Muslim
kingdom, Prince Alwaleed, who
holds no government rank, is unusual for his high profile and periodic

comments about economic issues.

We are clearly in very close coordination with the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation, which is already
working with the prince on a polio
eradication project, he said.
This is very much separate from
my ownership in Kingdom Holding,
and there should be no impact on the
publicly listed companys share price,
Prince Alwaleed told reporters on the
66th-floor headquarters of the firm
which he chairs.
But he said his charitable commitment would provide even more incentive for his business investments
to be profitable.

He said he announced his pledge

now, after years of preparation, to institutionalise the process so they can
continue after my lifetime.
Flanked by his son Prince Khaled
and daughter Princess Reem, he said
they will be president and vice-president of the charity after he dies.
I believe that a person should
take dramatic and drastic decisions
at his peak, Prince Alwaleed said,
proclaiming himself to be in good
shape.
Im very healthy, enough to bike
every day three hours, he said. I assure you my health is good.
AFP

Philanthropic intent

Saudi Arabias billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal gestures during a press
conference in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on July 1. Photo: AFP

MELINDA and BILL GATES: In 2000, the richest couple in the world at the time set up the Gates Foundation to raise billions of dollars to fight disease and
fund education around the world. It was based in
Seattle, Washington and donated almost $4.0 billion
in 2014.

give half their fortune to charities. Their effort went

global in early 2013. Among the more than 100
billionaires who have committed themselves are
Facebook founder MARK ZUCKERBERG, Oracle boss
LARRY ELLISON, former New York mayor MICHAEL
BLOOMBERG, Indian IT magnate AZIM PREMJI,
Malaysian businessman VINCENT TAN, British
businessman RICHARD BRANSON, German IT boss
HASSO PLATTNER, activist investor CARL ICAHN,
and film producer GEORGE LUCAS.
Forbes magazine estimates Mr Gates fortune at
$72.9 billion and that of Mr Buffet at $72.7 billion.

GATES/WARREN BUFFET: In 2010, Gates, who

founded the IT group Microsoft, and billionaire US
investor Warren Buffet launched the Giving Pledge,
a campaign to get the richest people in the US to

PATRICE MOTSEPE: The South African billionaire

was the first African to respond to the Giving Pledge.
His fortune, based in large part on the mining sector,
is currently estimated by Forbes at $1.64 billion. Mr

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talals pledge to donate

his US$32 billion fortune dwarfs most similar
examples:

Motsepe aims to help the poor, disabled and

unemployed in South Africa. In 2014, he donated a
billion dollars to fight the Ebola epidemic.
VLADIMIR POTANIN: The Russian entrepreneur, with
an estimated fortune of $14.5 billion at the time,
signed up in 2013.
VIKTOR PINCHUK: The Ukrainian industrialist,
whose fortune was then estimated at $3.7 billion,
signed on as well.
TIM COOK: The head of Apple said this year that his
entire fortune will go to charity after his death. It
is currently estimated at around $120 million, plus
stock options that have a current value of around
$665 million. AFP

World 23

www.mmtimes.com
ENVIRONMENT

SYDNEY

Great Reef avoids

endangered list
AUSTRALIA yesterday hailed a United Nations decision to keep the Great
Barrier Reef off its in danger list as
tremendous, but activists warned
more must be done to improve the
marine parks health.
The worlds biggest coral reef ecosystem, which has had World Heritage Site status since 1981, has been
under increasing threat from climate
change, farming run-off, development and the coral-eating crown-ofthorns starfish.
This is a tremendous decision,
Environment Minister Greg Hunt
told the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation from Germany, where

UNESCO made its decision late on

July 1.
What we have got now is unanimous and overwhelming support for
the reef, support for what Australias
doing.
The decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization will see the
reef a major tourist attraction off
the Queensland coast remain under surveillance but not listed as
ndangered.
Australia is required to report
back to the UN on its progress on implementing its Reef 2050 plan by
December 1, 2016. The plan outlines

An aerial view image shows the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of the
Whitsunday Islands, along the central coast of Queensland. Australia. Photo: AFP

the governments vision to improve

the health of the reef over successive
decades.
Queensland states Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, who travelled with
Mr Hunt to the UNESCO meeting in
Bonn, said she was humbled by the
international support for the biodiverse site.
We know that the real work
starts now, she said.
We have a strong suite of plans
and commitments and they all need
to be implemented to ensure that we
can come back to ... report positively.
Ms Trad praised the efforts of civil
society groups and environmental
activists in calling attention to the
reef s condition, which was described
as poor in an August 2014 Australian government report.
Conservation group WWF welcomed the UN announcement, calling it a powerful decision that places Australia on probation over the
health of the Great Barrier Reef .
The [World Heritage] Committee must continue to play this
crucial role holding the Australian
and Queensland governments to account and ensuring that promises
are translated into real action and
improvements in the health of the
reef, WWF-Australia chief executive
Dermot OGorman said.
Greenpeace warned that the reef,
which runs along Australias resources-rich northeast coast, would not
be fully protected unless the country
drops its expansion plans for coal
and port developments in the area.
Until the plans for the massive coal mine and port expansion
are dropped, its impossible to take
Australias claims that they are

The Great Barrier Reef

PAPUA NEW
GUINEA
AUSTRALIA
Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park
Length: 2,300 km
Coral
Sea
Basin

Lockhart
River

100 km

Cooktown
Port Douglas
Cairns

Townsville
Abbot Point

QUEENSLAND

Rockhampton

900

islands

2,500

1,600

coral reefs

133 varieties
of sharks and rays

fish species

30 species of whale,
dolphin, porpoise

400 kinds
of corals
215 bird
species

Source : Australian government/Greatbarrierreef.org

protecting the reef seriously, said

Greenpeace Australia Pacifics political adviser Jess Panegyres.
The governments Reef 2050 plan
... has effectively carved out a space
for massive coal mines and port expansion that will create a highway
for coal ships straight through the
reef.

Australia last year gave the green

light to a Au$16.5 billion (US$12.7
billion) mine development by Indias
Adani Group near the Great Barrier
Reef.
It also approved a major coal
port expansion for Adani at Abbot
Point on the reef s coast subject to
environmental conditions. AFP

MIAMI

PHNOM PENH

Hydro dams can cause 70% wildlife

extinction in surrounding areas

World biodiversity site

listing aids protection
hopes for rare forest

HYDROELECTRIC dams may cause

70 percent of wildlife in the nearby
area to go extinct, according to a
study on July 1 that raises new concern about what is often touted as a
green energy source.
The study in the journal PLOS
ONE focused on how animals in the
tropical rainforest were coping as a result of the Balbina Dam in the central
Amazon, in Brazil.
The dam has helped create one of
the worlds largest hydroelectric reservoirs, known as the Balbina Lake, by
flooding an area that used to be continuous forest land and making it into
3546 islands.
On all but the biggest islands, the
change in landscape has meant a
drastic loss of mammals, birds and
tortoises over the past 26 years, and
is likely to wipe out nearly three-quarters of all wildlife in the region, the
study found.
We predicted an overall local
extinction rate of more than 70pc of
the 124,110 wildlife populations of
the species we studied occurring in
all 3546 islands across the entire archipelago, said co-author Carlos Peres, a researcher at the University of
East Anglias School of Environmental
Sciences.
Just 25 of the islands the biggest
ones were estimated to still have
most of their original species.
We found that only a few islands
larger than 475 hectares [1200 acres)]

still contained a diverse community of

animal and bird species, which corresponds to only 0.7pc of all islands in
the reservoir, said lead author Maira
Benchimol, a researcher at Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Bahia,
Brazil.
Hydroelectric power uses dams to
increase the pressure of natural water sources so that more energy can
be produced. Dams can lead to widespread flooding in areas that used to
be dry land.
While it was previously known
that flooded areas would lose wildlife,
it was not well understood how the
impact of shrinking animals habitats into small islands would impact
survival.
Not only was it harder for some

Were only
beginning to realise
the staggering
extent of the
extinctions in areas
that remain above
the water.
Carlos Peres
Report co-author

species to find mates, but wildfires

also exacted a deadly toll on some
of the islands during an El Ninodriven drought in 1997 and 1998,
researchers found.
Post-burn islands retained even
fewer wildlife species than islands of
similar size that had not been affected
by wildfires, said Ms Benchimol.
Since Brazil plans to build even
more hydroelectric dams in the coming years, researchers urged the government to incorporate their findings
into future studies of environmental
impact.
Were only beginning to realise
the staggering extent of extinctions in
forest areas that remain above water
as habitat islands, said Mr Peres.
The Brazilian government is currently planning to build hundreds of
new dams in some of the worlds most
biodiverse tropical forest regions. But
the high biodiversity costs of mega
dams should be carefully weighed
against any benefits of hydropower
production.
Hydroelectric dams were once
touted as a major source of clean energy because they do not require the
burning of fossil fuels.
However, a series of research papers in recent years has shown they
can have devastating effects on fisheries and local communities.
They can also cause spikes in
methane and greenhouse gas emissions from rotting vegetation. AFP

A NEW report naming Cambodias

Prey Lang forest as one of the worlds
top 10 biodiversity hot spots, has
raised hopes it will strengthen a proposal to declare the forest a protected
area.
The assessment, which was requested by the Forestry Administration (FA) and USAID, and delivered by
NGO Conservation International (CI),
found that Prey Lang ranks as one of
the more significant areas of lowland
evergreen forest in the Indo-Burma
region.
The forest, which spans four provinces Kratie, Kampong Thom, Stung
Treng and Preah Vihear is home to
almost 1000 species of flora and fauna.
It is a main livelihood source for the
250,000 people living in adjacent areas and a watershed for the Tonle Sap
Lake, from which a significant proportion of the national economy derives.
However, a lack of effective patrolling and law enforcement, according
to the report, has led to increased illegal encroachment, settlement, logging
and hunting in the forest.
Illegal logging is evident throughout the landscape and occurring at an
alarming rate, said USAID Forests
and Biodiversity project specialist
Mengey Eng.
Meanwhile, illegal wildlife threat
is also flourishing and many species

could be found slain and for sale in

local markets.
The FA has drafted a sub-decree
requesting the government designate
the 300,000-hectare forest an official
protected area, said CI technical adviser Tracy Farrell.
Were hoping that this report will
drive the point that Prey Lang needs
a higher degree of protection and attention as protected areas usually
attract more funds for increased resources and enforcement, she said.
The FA has mobilised law enforcement on the provincial and district
levels, while grassroots groups consisting of locals like the Prey Lang
Community Network have set up community patrols to keep poachers and
illegal loggers out of the area.
But its not enough at all, Ms Farrell said. They dont really have many
facilities and they need extra ranger
stations and motorbikes, among other
resources.
According to Ms Farrell, the FA intends to send its request to ratify the
sub-decree to the Council of Ministers
before the end of the year.
The forestry body is also in discussions with NGOs and residents regarding where the forests official boundaries should lie.
FA officials declined to comment.
AFP

FREE

HOW TO GET A FREE AD

HOW TO GET MORE BUSINESS FROM

AS LITTLE AS K.5,000.

By Fax
: 01-254158
By Email : classified.mcm@gmail.com
By mail : 379/383, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Township, Yangon.

BuY SpAce ON THeSe pAGeS

Call: Khin mon mon yi - 01-392676, 392928

General
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co-working
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business service support
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email: yangon_info@
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Education
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email.
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want to be outstanding
in Math,Please contact
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09-2533-70400. Email:
kaungmyatoo251@
gmail.com
LANcASTer Educat
ion Centre, Academic
reading
&
writing
skills,
General
English (Elementary Intemediate),
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Add:26 A, 3 Flr, Nawaday
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374664, 09-730-97466.
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Teaching and study
guide for international
school students (Primary
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For
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students who want to
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contact : 09-730-41340.
SAyA Saw Aung (Ex.A.P)
Chemistry Classes for
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IGCSE, Cambridge Int'l
AS & A Level & SAT-2,
Ph: 09-500-5470.
Need
A
TuTOr?
Homework
help
&
tutoring in English,
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Physics,
Chemistry. 12 years
experience. Only Ks
150,000 per month. Ph:
39298, 09-732-55281.
cHeMiSTry Teacher
Saw : Edexcel, Cie & SAT
2 II. Ph: 09-500-5470.
HOMe TuTiON & Guide,
For Pre KG, Primary
and Secondary Level,
Special in Maths, Tr. Daw

Khin Swe Win (B.E.H.S

Thuwunna) Rtd. Ph: 09730-99679,
AN
exPerieNced
English Tutor is looking
for private students
or teaching classes
at schools (5 years
experience in teaching,
all ages and levels). I
offer fun and interactive
classes for a reasonable
price. If interested, lease
text or call:09-252394112.
Lcci Level 1 + 2 & 3,
(Home teaching & old
question prepare for
exam)
Ph:09-421134427.
PHySicS Tutor needed
for year 12 international
school student. Ph: 09502- 2834.

For Rent
cArS, (Expert use only).
Mid size wagon. Now
only350.000kyats per
month with deposit for
long term. company ID
required. Call 09 730
33776.

For Sale

Expert Services
We Service translation
& interpreting chinesemyanmar or englishmyanmar
for
your
job, factory, office and
company. Local and
abroad services are
available. Top One
Group. Mr. William Lin
: 09-4211-47821, 097958-07548. Email :
mr.williamlin009@gmail.
com
iNviSiBLe
STudiO,
Specializing in Advertis
ing graphics design and
all prints job, company
Logo and business card
design, and stylized
portrait photo shooting
indoor and outdoor. No.
559, Yay Set St, Kabar
Aye Rd, Mayangone.
Email: invisiblestudio.
info@gmail.com Ph: 094512-42154
MAKiNg & maintaining
your Furniture, House
and Apartment as you
like! We are goodmaking and maintaining
your Furniture, House
and Apartment as you
need and like. Contact
us-09-2525-87830
We Service translation
& interpreting chinesemyanmar or englishmyanmar for your job,
factory, office & company.
Local & abroad services
are available. Top One
Group, Mr. William Lin
09-4211-47821,
097958-07548
if yOu Need House
condo or apartment.
Please contact me. No
need to pay any fees.
Ph: 09-256-036644, 09799-839080.
d PLAce Consultancy
Services : Translation
of documents/ Inter
pretation (simultaneous/
consecutive) in meetings
& conferences (English Myanmar) Tel: 09-250535322 email: info@
thedplace.com www.
thedplace.com
Add:
682| Thitsar Rd| Ward
No. 6 (Ponnami Bus
Stop) South Okkalapa,
Yangon. (Upper floor of
Sakura Dental Clinic)
w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m /
thedplace

uSed MATeriALS (1).

HP Computer Server
(HP ML 350)(64 G) (2).
Panasonic PABX (ATDA
- 200 ) (3).Toyota Hi - Ace
(2003 model) 12 Seat.
(4).Wilson Generator
(275KVA), Ph:09-43192385.
Air cOMPreSSOr,
Product type: GA 907.5,
Serial number: ARP
881188, Max. final
pressure (e) .. bar 7.5
Interstage pressure (s)
(e) .. bar, Motor power:
kW....... 90 Max. speed:
..... r/min.... 1500, Year of
manufacture: .... 19 90,
Made by Atalas Copco
Airpower n.v. Wilrijk
Belgium. Ph:09-4217
-44300

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. Im
a 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 flexible schedule. I
also teaching Myanmar
language to all Foreigner.
Now started to open the
Class now.
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.
Ph: 095-9-516-2988
iTALiAN
language,
Experienced
native
Italian speaker with a
university degree in Italian
language and literature
offers private classes
of Italian language.
There can be individual

Property
tutoring or classes for
small groups, and also
lessons for all ages and
levels. Classes held in
Sanchaung, or elsewhere
(upon request). For more
information, please call
09-4211-31 083.
LANguAge Proficiency,
Effective & Scientific
way. Tutor, Translator,
Interpreter.
(Such
language
:
Hindi,
Sanskrit, Bengali, Nepali,
English & Myanmar).
R.S. Verma.B .Sc.,(Bot),
Yangon. (UFL-English),
Yangon. Email:rsverma.
myanmar@gm ail.com.
Ph:09-730-42604, 09796 572668.
eNgLiSH (home tuition)
speaking,
grammar,
issue. letter, academic
writing. SAT. TOEFL.,
IELT.GCE,
IGCSE.
GMAT four skills. local
& international school,
English for Japaneses
children & adult - home
tuition, courses are
available now. Contact
to
Saya-U-Kyi-Sin
(Mumyint Thar) Ph:094210-67-375
www.
kyisinplb.blogspot.com
WiTHiN 24 hours can
make you confidient
in Myanmar language
speaking & scripts.
Teacher Phyu Phyu
Khin, Ph: 09-4930-8926,
email : phyuporcupine@
gmail.com, Add : 56 I,
Thiri Marlar Lane, 7.5
mile, Pyay Rd, Yangon.
MyANMAr Language,
Who want to learn
Myanmar speaking for
free and have fun staying
in Myanmar? Ph: 09-364444-08
TeAcHiNg Myanmar
language for adults
Yangon area Tel: 094200-30782
TeAcHiNg English for
adults (for foreigners and
for locals) Yangon area
09-4200-30782
u MyA HAN, French,
English & Myanmar
classes. Ph: 09-73174940
ATTeNd & feel the
difference, FLAMINGO
American
English
Speaking Class (IELTS
Intensive
Speaking
class, Interview course,
Special Package for
Hotel , Showroom, Bank
& Trading Company) Ph:
09-510-4826, 01 383811
Email:johnflamingo7@
gmail.com
eNgLiSH for professional
purpose is the need of
principle of written English.
Writing ought to be easiest
of the four skill for students
of English as a Second
language, unlike listening
& reading, the student is
control with the words.
However writing class
often the opportunity to see
growth. to share important
ideas and to develop sense
of community. If you had
tried as much as you can to
follow the lesson and you
will get good experiences
and skill. Middle school

students can study in a

small class. Spanish is
also inquired. U Thant Zin,
28-3B, Thati Pahtan St,
Tamwe. Ph: 09-503-5350,
09-3102-1314,.

Travel
AuNg Su WAi Travels
& Car Rental Service
: Promotion Domestic
Tours or Outbound
Tours, Yangon ~ Kyone
Htaw Waterfall Trip
(Day Return) YangonBangkok ~ Yangon
Shopping Trip ( 2 Nights/
3 Days) . Hot line : 092589-22562~4,
01543189.
SMiLe
PANOrAMA
Travels & Tours Co., Ltd,
Car rental services. Ph:
09-505-3004, 09-250605665.

Training
SAyA KyAW, AGTI
(MECH),
Autocad
teacher 2D, 3D. Ph:
09-31551456.
Only
downtown.
MANdALAy Computer:
Computer for Kids,
Basic Accounting for Job
I-Office , Advanced Excel
Course, DTP Course
MYOB Software, Peach
Tree Software, Window
Shortcut Course, Email
& Internet Course Mp3,
Mp4, Video Editing,
Multimedia
Course.
P h : 0 9 - 4 4 4 0 - 11 2 7 9
(MDY)
ArT BASic, Perspective,
Interior Design, Exterior
Design & Colour Theory.
Learn Art 5 months to be
a professional architect.
Only 2 months for Special
classes. Home tuition
also available. New
Vision Art Gallery and
Center, No 132 lift no: 4
Bagaya Rd, Sanchaung,
Shann Lann Bus top, Ph:
09-2542-57911

Public Notics
THe rOyAL Embassy of
Saudi Arabia is pleased
to invite pre-qualified
companies to tender for
Armed Security Guarding
Services. All interested
Tenders are required in
advance to purchase
the Documents for
specification and General
Contractual terms, which
will be obtained from:
The Royal Embassy of
Saudi Arabia: No.6S,
Inya Yeiktha St, Ward 10,
Mayangone Township,
Yangon, Myanmar. Tel :
(01) 652-343 (01) 652344
PHySicS TuTOr needed
for Year 12 International
School student. Ph: 09502-2834
cOMMuNiTy Partners
International, Yangon
office relocated to the
following address- No.
(12/B), Hnin Si Lane,
Parami Rd, Chaw dwin
gone, Yankin, Yangon,
Myanmar. Ph: + 95 1
657909

Sell / Rent
BAHAN, Near Chatrium
Hotel, Po Sein Rd, 2
RC house, 3 Rooms
with toilet, 3 AC, 2
Cable phones, wide car
parking. US$ 2300 per
month, Ph: 09-250026350, 09-9726-70813.
THiNgANgyuN,
Khayaymyaing
Rd,
4800sqft, 2 storey, 3
rooms, for rent 18 lakhs,
for sale 13000 lakhs,
negotiable. Ph: 09-260332121.
KAMAyuT, Pyay Rd,
Diamond condo, 1650
sqft, unfurn or f f, nice
& newly apt. US$ 2500
pr IS$ 3000. Sale 4200
Lakhs. Call Maureen :
09-518-8320.
THiNgANgyuN,
Thuwunna.
60'x80'
land. 2 storey house,
corner garden. 3 rooms
with bathroom attached.
4 aircons. 20 Lakhs per
month for rent/13.000
Lakh for sale. Negotiable.
Ph:09-2603-321212
KAMAyuT,
Diamond
Condo, Pyay Rd, 1600
sqft, 1MBR, 2BR, 3A/C,
f.f, 4300 Lakhs & 35 lakhs,
Call owner: 09-518-8320

Housing for Rent

OrcHid
cONdO
(Leasing) Brand New
Furnished apartments
for lease. Great views,
Central location, Over
sized, 2,750 sqft-3200
sq-ft. US $ 4,300. Ph: 094303-0 288, 09-30166888, 09-2506-65 669
PArAMi cONdO 3600
to 7200sqft 3mb \ fully
finished \wifi 20lakhs.
Can pay monthly only
0.45usd psf office or stay.
Alone 2400sqft 4b\fully
finished 20lakhs. Hotel\
office for rent at 2usd
psf. Ph:09-4304-9495,
09-514-2868.
MyAy Ni gONe, Newly
decorated
apartment
(Air-conditioned,
big
build in wardrobe with
dressing table, standard
bath room with water
heater, and exhaust fan
in Kitchen) with good
lighting and ventilation
high floor, clear view to
Shwe Dagon Pagoda at
quiet location, between
Bagayar and U Wisara
Road is available to rent.
Walking distance to Myay
Ni Gone City Mart, Dagon
Centre, Rental fee: $800/
month - Negotiable for
fully furnish : Feel free
to view the room.Mobile:
09-4306-7111, 09-794473631
(1)Apartment
hostel
dorm avail. for corporate
booking 4/8/18 beds
dorm. Behind Sakura
Tower, St 34 (Upper) (2)
Master Bedroom 168sqft
fully furnished @ Seik
Kan Thar St (Upper)
next to Asia Plaza Hotel
(Downtown city), to
share unit with others.
Living room equipped
with office tables, can
be use for office usage.
(3)Standard Bedroom
108sqft, fully furnished
@ Seik Kan Thar St
(Upper) next to Asia Plaza
Hotel (Downtown city), to
share unit with others.
Living room equipped
with office tables, can be
use for office usage. Tel:
09250076812 (In English)
PeArL
ceNTer,
Commercial Spaces to
lease. Affordable Price,
Flexible lease terms,
Ample Car Parking. Ph:
09 430 30 288,09 301 66
888, 09 250 665 669
grAde A Office Suite,
Well designed office

suite at UFC, suitable

for finance, insurance
sector. 24 hour security,
Fiber Optic internet,
Underground
Car
parking. Ph: 09-4303-0
288, 09-3016-6888, 092506-65669
SANcHAuNg, Corner
of Baho Rd, 1400 sqft,
2nd Flr, 1SR, 1MBR,
2Bathrooms, Partially
Furnished, Renovated,
10 Lakhs (Negotiable).
Ph - 09 431 57 571
MAyANgONe, Mindham
ma Rd, Shwe Kabar
Housing, 1800 sqft, 3SR,
1MBR, 2Bathrooms, 3AC,
Fully furnished, Car park,
17 Lakhs (Negotiable).
Ph: 09-500-62 67
MAyANgONe, Kabaraye
Villa, Kabaraye Pagoda
Rd, 2200 sqft, Renovated,
2SR, 1MBR, 30 Lakhs.
Ph:09-4315-7 572
MAyANgONe, Shwe Hnin
Si St, 2RC, Land area
2500 sqft, House area :
2400sqft, Fully furnished,
6 AC, 1SR, 3MBR, 4
Bathrooms, Car Park,
25 Lakhs, (Negotiable).
Ph:01 701062\
BAHAN, Than Lwin Rd,
1.5 RC, Land area :
2948 sqft, Fully facilities
& Furniture, Renovated,
3AC, 1SR, 2MBR, 3500
$ (Negotiable). Ph:094315-7 573
KAMAryuT, 4th Flr,
Mya Kanthar Avenue,
Mya Kanthar Housing,
Room Type, 2 Bed
Rooms, 25x35 Ft, Fully
furnished. Decoration can
be discussed. Foreigner
Only. Ph : 09-2581- 44770
PeArL cONdO (D), 15th
Flr, 1410ft2, Corner Room
Fully furnished, 4 Air-con,
2BR, 1MBR, 2'000 US$
per month. contact no:
Burmese: 09-511-1032;
English: 09-515-2532
MyiNT MOu THidA
General Services Co.,
Ltd. Service Apartment
Available Units @ Chan
Thar Condo , Tamwe
Tsp., (a)1650sqft, 1
MBR, 2SR (3 Units)
(b)1750 sqft, 2MBR, 2SR
(2 Units). G.M.P Condo,
Kabaraye Pagoda Rd,
(a)1650 sqft, 1MBR, 2SR
(2 Units) (b)3500sqft,
3MBR, 2SR (3 Units).
Muditar
(a)650sqft,
1MBR, 1SR (2 Units)
We can provide service
apartment
for
you
according to your budget
& area. Ph:09-501-9648
HeriTAge
Office
space for rent, Fully
renovated office for
rent, based in a heritage
building in downtown
Yangon on Bogalay Zay
street. Total about 200
m2 (including mezzanine
and balcony) on the
first floor. High ceilings,
kitchen and 2 toilets. Ideal
for small organization
(10-12 staff) looking for
a representative and
tasteful office space
with character. 2500 Usd
/ month - 5 year contract
and monthly payment
possible.
Available
immediately. Contact:
edwinbriels@gmail.com
or 09-7319 9668
(1)MiNdAMA cONdO,
2000sqft, 2MBR, 1SR,
fully furniture, USD 4000.
(2)Thein Phyu Rd, new
condo, 1500sqft, inside
2 stories, 2MBR, 1SR,
semi furniture USD
3500. (3) Po Sein condo,
1500 sqft, fully furniture,
1MBR, 2SR, USD 3000.
(4)Shine condo, near
Aung San Stadium,
1500sqft, 1MBR, 2SR,
USD 2500. (5)Beside
Dagon center , 1500
Sqft, 1 MBR, 2SR, semi
furniture , USD 3000. (6)

San chaung, 1200 Sqft, 2

SR, semi furniture. 1500
USD. (7) Near Aung San
stadium, G flr, 1000 Sqft,
3SR, 1 MBR, 1500 USD.
(8)Universtity Avenue
Rd, 1650sqft, 1MBR,
2SR, USD 3500. (9)
Yankin center , 1500
sqft, 1MBR, 2SR, semi
furniture , USD 3500.
Ph:09-2527-0 3331.
8th MiLe, Kaba Aye Villa,
3 bed/3 bath flat in quiet,
exclusive residential
compound. 2360 sqft. To
rent unfurnished for long
term. Except furniture,
the flat has parquet
flooring, kitchen unit, hot
water system, curtains
and four a/c. 30 lakhs
per month (negotiable).
Available from 1 July
2015. No brokers. Ph
09-503-1380.
MAyANgONe
(1)0.8
acre land, Built on the
lake, deck with lake
view, Single storey nice
house with big lawn,
wooden flr, 3MBR, USD
10000 per month. (3)7
Mile, Pyay Rd. 0.7 acre
land, huge garden. 2
storey renovated house.
3 MBR, generator. USD
5000 per month. (4)
Parami Rd, 0.4 acre, 2
storey office building, 8
rooms, big car park. USD
10000 per month, Nego:
Ph: 09-97018-1144
BAHAN (1)Golden valley,
Single storey nice house
with 2 bedrooms, fully
furnished, lawn. USD
3000 per month. (2)Near
Kandawgyi Rd, 0.3 acre
land. 2 storey, 3MBR,
2SR, ph, furnished,
Generator, nice beautiful
garden. maid rooms. USD
6000 per month. Nego:
Ph:09-9701-81144

Housing for Sale

STAr ciTy (Thanlyin
Tsp), is relatively matured
condominium sitting on
a vasst piece of land
with full condominium
facilities. The unit is
about (905) square feet
big. Will be completed
rougly within next three
months. Please contact
the owner for futhur
informations.
Ph:097999-77699
SHWe Pyi THA, 21
quarter, Lein Kone
north side of the river
Boaungkyaw St, 40x60
ft, 28 lands (one big
blog together). Want to
sell. Contact number09-517-9645, 09-421043939, 09-4201-81730.
BAgO, Myo Shout Rd, 3
acre land , 30 year grant,
with iron fence around,
three way Rd, for sale
15000 lakh, negotiable,
Ph:09-2603-32121

Want to Hire
WANTed
Factory
building, Dimension:
Length: 140 meters
x Width: 45 meters x
Height: 8 9 meters
Use: Immediate / Heavy
Industry With Electricity
Power of 500 Kva (11Kv)
minimum & water supply
Area: Yangon / Bago area
Preferable from direct
owner. Please contact
: mtrajahkl@gmail.com,
tinhlaing2167@gmail.
com, chohlaingnyein@
gmail.com Tel: 09 -421135261, 09-507-8834, 094250-15876
exPAT
working
in
Yangon looking for
accommodation to share
with other Expats. If you
want to rent a bedroom in
your house or flat please
contact me through my
email at biscay.world@
gmail.com

FREE

THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 3, 2015

Employment
UN Positions
THE UNITED Nations
World Food Programme,
is seeking Reports
&
Communications
Officer NO-A, Yangon
(COB 6 July 2015)
For more information,
please visit to http://
w w w. t h e m i m u . i n f o /
jobs-for-myanmarnationals.Please Email
the applications with UN
P-11 to wfpmyanmar.
vacancy@wfp.org.

Ingo Positions
INT'L Rescue Committee is
seeking (1)AEI Manager
(Health Governance), 1
post in Loikaw, Kayah
State:
Bachelor
of
Develop ment Studies or
health related science,
with post graduate
degree in Development
Studies/ Social Science/
Public Administration/
Public Health or other
related
community
development science. 3
~ 5 years experience.
Fluent in Myanmar &
English.(2)
Project
Manager (MCH) 1 post
in Paletwa, Chin State :
M.B., B.S/ B.CommH or
other degree related to
health disciplines. 3 years'
experience. Skilled in
Microsoft office package.
Good command of
English & Myanmar. (3)
Field Manager 1 post
in Myebon, Rakhine
State
:
University
degree in Management,
Community
Develop
ment or equivalent
field. 5 years of senior
management experience
and/or
community
development. Computer
skills in Microsoft Office;
Excel & Strong Computer
skill. (4)Project Officer
Agriculture 1 post in
Myebon, Rakhine State:
Bachelor's degree in
related field. 2 years
experience. Skilled in
Excel, Word sortware.
Very good command of
English and Myanmar.
Please submit a Cover
letter and CV to the
HR Department 8 July,
2015. Applications will
be accepted by email at:
WaiMar.Naing@rescue.
org
MYANMAR Red Cross
Society
is
seeking
Program Coordinator
(PC) 1 post in Yangon/
Munaung
(Rakhine):
Bachelor's degree and
Diploma related to
the position. 3 years
experience in community
based
Disaster
Management Program.
Effective both Myanmar
& English language
skills. Effective computer
knowledge. Red Cross
volunteers are preferable.
Please send application
letter, CV & related
documents to; Myanmar
Red Cross Society Head
Office, Yazathingaha Rd,
Dekkhinathiri,NayPyiTaw.
Or mrcshrrecruitment@
gmail.com, Closing date:
12-7-2015
PROGRAM Coordinator
1 Post. Please send
your application letter,CV
and related documents
to Myanmar Red Cross
Society (Head Office)
Yazatingaha
Rd,
Dekkhinathiri,NayPyiTaw.
Or mrcshrrecruitment@
gmail.com
www.
myanmarredcross
society.org
DM OFFICER - 1 Post.
Please send application
letter, CV & related
documents to Myanmar
Red Cross Society (Head
Office) Yazatingaha Rd,
Dekkhinathiri,NayPyiTaw.
Or mrcshrrecruitment@
gmail.com
www.
myanmarredcross
society.org
(1)LOGISTICS OFFICER
- 1 Post (2)Clerk-1 - 1 Post
(3)First Aider - 2 Posts.
Please send application
letter, CV
related
documents to Myanmar
Red Cross Society (Head
Office) Yazatingaha Rd,
Dekkhinathiri,NayPyiTaw.
Or mrcshrrecruitment@
gmail.com
www.
myanmarredcross
society.org.

MEDECINS
Sans
Frontieres - Switzerland
(MSF-CH) is seeking
Nurse 2 posts in Wa
Special Region 2, Shan
State : Nurse degree/
diploma a recognised
by National Authorities.
Valid license required.
Experience - Non is
required. Myanmar, Wa or
Shan speaking required.
Chinese speaking is
an asset. Basic English
would be advantage.
Please submit application
(motivation letter and
updated CV) to: msfchrangoon-web@geneva.
msf.org with the following
code "2015 15 Nurse".
MEDECINS
Sans
Frontieres - Switzerland
(MSF-CH) is seeking
(1)Deputy
Field
Coordinator 1 post in
Pang Kham/ Ling Haw/
Pang Yan, Wa Special
Region 2 Preferably a
medical or paramedical
qualification or univer sitylevel studies. Success ful
experience in the field
of humanitarian aid,
preferably with MSF,
or other organisations.
Experience in manage
ment of health project is an
assest. Fluent in English.
Chinese/ Wa speaking is
an strong asset. (2)HR &
Administrative Officer 1
post in Dawei, Tanintharyi
Region : Diploma or
certificate in human
resources management &
business administration. 2
years experienced. Fluent
in English. Computer
literate.
(3)Deputy
Medical Coordinator
1 post in Yangon
Coordination Office :
REcognized & registered
(SAMA) medical doctor.
Master in Public Health
is an asset. Fluent in
English.
Computer
skills.
(4)Laboratory
technician 2 post in
Dawei,
Thanintharyi
Region : A Laboratory
Technician
diploma/
degree recognized by
the state. Able to work in a
generic/ basic laboratory;
no experience is required
but it is an asset, 1 year
experience.
Please
submit appilcation (moti
vation letter & updated
CV as soon as possible
to email: msfch-rangoonweb@geneva.msf.org
MEDECINS
Sans
Frontieres - Switzerland
(MSF-CH) is seeking
Medical Doctor 2 post
in Wa Special Region 2,
Shan State : Recognized
medical doctor degree
(plus inscription to the
national register of the
country of the mission, if
there is one). Valid SAMA
licence required. (the
experience coming from
the long months of "stage"
during medical studies is
already considered as
a practical experience).
Myanmar, Wa or Shan
speaking
required.
Chinese speaking is
an asset. Basic English
would be advantage.
Please submit applicat
ion (motivation letter &
updated CV) to: msfchrangoon-web@geneva.
msf.org
AgenceFranaise
de
Dveloppement (AFD)
is seeking Project
Officer. The principal
duties & responsibilities
include: Support to AFD
operational activities in
Myanmar within AFD and
with local stakeholders
& authorities at every
phase of AFD decision
process for a financing
(identification, evaluation,
approval) as well as
during project negotiation,
formalization,
imple
mentation & portfolio
management: contribu
tion to due diligence,
internal
reviews
&
reporting, organization &
participation to missions
from experts from AFD
headquarters, meetings
with local stakeholders,
support. Relations with
Myanmar interlocutors,
especially central & local
government authorities,
public companiesand
civil society organizations
in relation with the
identification, evaluation,

Local Positions

steel or construction
materials sales activity,
Fluent in English, Good
communication skills (2)
Chief Financial Officer
- 5 years experience,
Excellent writing skills,
(3)Assistant Tendering
Engineer : BE(Electrical
Power), 3 to 5 years
experience, English 4
skills, (4)Sales Executive
- Construction Materials:
English required, Sales
representative
skills,
Provide
excellent
customer service by
addressing & resolving
customer queries/issues
in a timely manner.
Pls send CV to info@
thihagroup.com
or
recruiting@thihagroup.
com Ph:546464
DVBMultimediaGroupCo.,
Ltd is seeking Marketing
Manager : Passion
for the DVBs mission.
Bachelors
Degree
in
Communications,
Marketing, or Business
Administration. Graduate
degree a plus. Experience
in executing marketing
plans on digital platforms
including social media,
with an open eye/mind
to continually evaluate
new
cutting-edge
online vehicles & tools.
Experience managing
new product commer

Yangon. Please apply to

42/A, Pantra St, Dagon
Tsp, Yangon, Bet : 9 am to
5 pm. Ph: 09-4210-21654.
CITY STAR HOTEL is
seeking (1).Front Office
Department - M/F (2).
Waiter/ Waitress - M/F
(3).Security - M (4).
Sale & Marketing M/F
(5).Reservation
Department - M/F (6).
Kitchen Department
- M (7).Bell Service
Department - M (8).
Accountant - M/F (9).
HR Department - M/F
(10).Admin Staff - M/F
(11).M&E DepartmentM.
Please
submit
with CV, photo with
necessary documents
to our hotel by directly
or by Email. 169/171,
Mahabandoola Garden
St, Kyauktada, Yangon.
Email:
citystarhotel.
yangon@gmail.com Ph:
01-370920~924
WE are seeking Assistant
Coffee Shop Manager -1
Post : F&B Shop / Coffee
Shop Management : 1
year, Good interpersonal
skills, Highly motivated
and can lead the team,
Must be able to work
on weekends and public
holiday. To apply : send
your CV with photo to
wai.strategypartner@
gmail.com

VALUE
Added
Consultancy (VAC) is
seeking Top Recruiter.
Please contact Email:
vacjobsearch@gmail.
com,
vacrecruit@
myanmar.com.mm
CONSTRUCTION
Project Manager (Full
Time Post) : B.E Civil with
15 to 20 year experience
in construction filed.
Minimum 5 year of
experience as Project
Manager . Knowledge
of project management.
Proficiency in the use
of computers. Must have
experience with large
projects, high rise building
& hotel construction.
Communicate Effectively
Speak ,Listen and Write
in a clear through and
timely manner using
appropriate. Able to have
knowledge in Interior
finishing skill. Interested
applicant please send
cv with expected salary
togardencity03@gmail.
com Location-Thakayta,
Yangon, Myanmar
URGENTLY
required,
Lakorn Thai Co.,Ltd is
seeking Marketing - M/F
1 post : Bachelor degree
or higher in Marketing
field. At least 1-2 years
in Marketing field. Good
command of English
and Thai. Chinese skill
would be advantage.
Good personality &
hard working. Interested
candidate, please send
your resume in English
along with your recent
photo and expected
salary to us by E-mail
to myabizcenter@gmail.
com.
Tel:+959-971057389.
LAFARGE Readymix in
Starcity, Thanlyin are
looking for - Experienced
Plant
Mechanic,
Preferably with Concrete
BatchPlantexperiencebut
a mechanical background
is essential. We offer an
Immediate start , Good
salary , Accommodation
if required & On site
food. Please send CV
to Phil Hughes, No.16A,
Thukhawadi St, Yankin,
Yangon or email : phil.
hughes@lafarge.com
URGENTLY Required for
Executive Secretary
We're travel company
based in Thailand. We will
open the office in Yangon
soon. We're seeking for
Executive
Secretary.
Female,Age 25-30. With 3
years experiences. Good
Command of English,
Good personality. Salary
range 200,000 - 250,000.
Please send your Resume
include recent photo not
later than July 10' 2015
to email : dusadee.h@
renaissancehotels.com
<mailto:dusadee.h@
renaissancehotels.com>
THIHA GROUP is seeking
(1)Steel Sale Manager :
5 years experience in

cialization in any industry

a
plus.
High-level
knowledge of B2B sales
processes & techniques
in any industry a plus.
Excellent written and
spoken communication
skills. Fluency in either
Myanmar or English;
with a good command
of English. Eligibility to
work in Burma. DVB
has
a
competitive
compensation package.
Please submit an applicat
ion letter detailing why
they are interested in the
position and an updated
CV including contact
phone number, education
qualifications & contact
details to: Email: admin@
dvb.no; chris@dvb.no
GLOMED Pharmaceu
tical Co., INC. is seeking
(1)Sales Manager - M/F
in Yangon. Excellent in
English. Knowledge &
experience of pharma
ceutical market. Deter
mines sales plans by
implementing marketing
strategies;
analyzing
trends
&
results.
(2)Medical
Sales
Representative (MSR):
M/F 4 posts in Yangon,
2 in Mandalay, 1 in each
other States in Myanmar.
Approaching & making
good relationship with
customers.
Recom
mending
&
selling
products to customers
in
pharmacies/clinics
in appointed area. (3)
Office Executive - F 1
post in Yangon. English
speaking. Coordinates
administrative activities
& supports the offices
daily operations to ensure
efficiently office admin
function. For all posts :
Salary negotiation. Please
sent CV by email to Email:
giang.glomedvn@gmail.
com; C/c to: truonggiang.
nguyen@glomedvn.com
HP: +95 92 5200 2759
Mr. Giang (English
speaking) Add.: 35th str.,
1st flr, middle, Kyauktada,
Yangon. www.glomedvn.
vn
MM INTERPLASE Co.,
Ltd is seeking Driver
1 post : Basic English
communication skills,
Good area knowledge of

WE ARE seeking (1).

Office Secretary 1
Post
(2).Assistant
Supervisor 1 Post (3).
Driver 3 Posts (4).
Admin/HR Manager 1
Post (5).Counter Girl
2 Posts (6).Showroom
Staff 1 Post (7).Cashier
1 Post. 01-245925/01246304 Ext-13. Email:
h r. m y a n m a r k o w a @
gmail.com
LOLC
Myanmar
Microfinance Co Ltd
(LMM) is seeking IT
Officer in Yangon: Degree
in IT or equal qualification.
Strong
Knowledge
in Operating System
platforms/ SQL Server/
Software & Hardware.
exposure to Networking/
PABX & troubleshooting
is advantageous. Pls
submit a Cover letter &
CV to Email at: Carrers@
lolcmyanmar.com or by
delivery to the LOLC office
: 163, Shwe Hnin Si Kan
St, (5) ward, Mayangone,
Yangon.
URGENTLY REQUIRED
for Sales Promoter:
Microsoft
Office
Essential,
Email
&
Internet
knowledge,
Smart personality, honest
& willing to hard working.
Any graduate. Good
commend of English &
able to write in English.
Please send CVs to
jobs@myanmars.net,
admin@myanmars.net
or Contact to Myanmars
NET 3/1, Myanmar ICT
Park, 11052, Yangon. Ph:
652250, 652323,

approval process and

implementation of AFD
projects in Myanmar.
Relations with other
donors based in Myanmar
and participation to aid
coordination meetings
on topics covered by
AFD. Contribute to the
elaboration of background
or strategic notes about
AFD activities in Myanmar,
Contribute to the commu
nication plan of AFD in
Myanmar. Qualifications
&
requirements:
Advanced
university
degree in business,
finance or engineering,
Financial & credit skills,
Project preparation &
management, Notion in
procurement, 5 years
relevant
professional
experience, Ability to
work in multi-cultural
organization & to interact &
negotiate with colleagues,
clients & public bodies,
Strong commitment to
development & environ
mental goals, Fluent
in Myanmar language
&
English,
French
notions would be aplus.
Expected start: as soon
as possible. Contact:
Ms Julia de Pierrepont,
depierrepontj@afd.fr Ph:
95 01 2302167

C H RY S A N T H E M U M
WEALTH is seeking (1)
Production Assistant
Manager - M 1 post (2)
Machining Supervisor M 1 post (3)Maintenance
& Safety Engineer - M 1
post (4)Lath Machine
Operator - M 2 posts (5)
Machanic - M 6 posts (6)
Components Washing &
Sand Blasting - M 2 posts
(7)Machanic Helper - M 1
post (8)Welder - M 1 post
(9)Painter - M 1 post (10)
Helper - M 2 posts (11)
Traning Manager - M 1
post (12)Trainer - M 2
posts (13)QA Machanic
- M 4 posts (14)QAAdmin
- F 1 post (15)Salesman M 2 posts (16)Inventory
Assistant - M 1 post (17)
Warehouse Assistant M 1 post (18)Driver - M
1 post (19)Tools Keeper
- M 1 post. Please submit
CV, photo with necessary
documents to 898,
Thudamar 4/6,Anawrahta
Industrail Zone, Yangon
Pathein Highway Rd,
Ph: 09-799-502621, 01645410. Emai : raman-hrrec@winstrategic.com.
mm, reman-admhd@
winstrategic.com.mm
LAWYER : Bachelors
degree in law (or Masters
degree in law is a plus),
1-3 years experience
in related filed, Good
command of both written
& spoken English, Able
to work independently
and as part of a team.
Responsibilities
:
Conducting trade mark
search & advising client
on registrability of trade
marks, Preparing & filing
trade mark application
up to grant, Advising
clients on examiners
office actions, Advising
clients on contentious
matters including filing
cancellation
action,
sending cease & desist
letter & negotiating in
relation to conflict, etc.
Advising clients on
registration of trade marks
inforeigncountries.Please
send full resume with all
details of qualifications &
experience, educational
certificate,
expected
retainer fee and recent
photo to chadarat@
rouse.com. www.rouse.
com Ph : 01 1222352, 01
371385
AUNG CHAN THAR
Trading Co., Ltd is seeking
(1)Sales Executive - M
5 posts: Any graduate,
Preferable BE or B
Tech(Mechanical) 3 year
experience, Age 20 ~ 30,
(2)Sales Executive - M
5 posts : Any graduate,
Preferable BE or B Tech
(Mechanical) Age 20 ~ 30,
(3)Sales Engineer - M
10 posts : Any graduate,
Preferable AGTI or B
Tech, Age 20 ~ 25, (4)
Engineer Trainee - M 15
posts : Any graduate, BE,
More preferable AGTI or
B Tech, Age 20 ~ 25, (5)
Senior Engineer - M
10 posts: Any graduate,
Preferable BE or B
Tech(Mechanical),
3
year experience, Age
25 ~ 35, (6)PSSR - M
5 posts : Any graduate,
Preferable BE or B Tech
(Mechanical) Age 25 ~
30, (7)Local Purchaser
- M 3 posts : Any
graduate, Perferable BE
or B Tech(Mechanical),
3 years experience, Age
25 ~ 30. (8)Machanic
Helper/Tool
RoomStore - M 5 posts : Age
25 ~ 30, (9)Cashier/
Accountant - F 3 posts :
Any graduate, Preferable
B Com or LCCI level 3, 3

years experience, Age 25

~ 30, (10)Office Driver
- M 5 posts : 5 years
experience, Kha valid
driving license, Age 30
~ 40. Please submit CV,
photo with necessary
documents
to
HR
Manager : 54 A, Kabaaye
Pagoda Re, Mayangone.
Ph: 657066, 657067.
THE HOTEL@Tharabar
Gate, Old Bagan is
seeking (1)Food &
Beverage
Manager
- M/F 1 post: Hotel
Management graduate
with 3 years experience.
(2)Sous Chef - M/F 1 post
: 3 years experience, will
be responsible to oversea
the culinary production
and stewarding, Have
practical
creativity,
knowledge of current
trends to best serve
clients. Both positions are
based in Bagan, Please
send application form
with 1 recent photo, labor
registration card, relevant
certificates & testimonies
to Rm 2H, No 22/24, Sa
Mon St, Natwartat Condo,
Dagon tsp. or email
to gm@tharabargate.
com
or
bodsec@
hoteltharabarbagan.
com.mm
SKYLARK Co., Ltd
is seeking Business
Development Execu
tive - M/F 3 to 5
posts: Any graduate
(Good IT knowledge),
Age 23 to 28, English
communication, Public
Relation, Presentation
skill, Self-Management,
team work, Problem
solving skill, Able to
work under pressure,
Market
knowledge,
Competitor analysis.
2 years experience in
IT & Business related
experience. Pay Range:
300 USD to 700 USD
(Will negotiate upon
skill & experience).
Please submit CV,
photo with necessary
documents to email:hr@
skylarkmyanmar.com,
www.skylarkmyanmar.
com
Ph:01-652947,
652948
URGENTLY REQUIRED
(1)IT Engineer (Network
ing) - M/F 2 Posts : B.C.Sc
(Computer) & related
network
certificates,
Age 25 ~ 35, 3 years
& above experience,
Good command of
English. Salary range:
250,000~300,000 (2)
Senior Programmer
- M/F 2 Posts : Age 25
~ 35, 3 years & above
experience,
B.C.Sc
(Computer) & related
network
certificates,
B.A.Sc.
(computer),
Related Certification,
3 ~ 5 years, 250000
& 300000. Encodes
project requirements
by converting work
flow. Written programs
by entering coded.
Confirms
programs
operation by conducting
tests. (3)Programmer :
General programming

skills, Analyzing project,

Problem
solving,
Software performance
tuning. More should
familiar with VB, VB
Net, MS SQL, Oracle
platform. Salary range:
250,000 ~ 300,000
Contact to : U John @
U Kyaw Win Sein : 092500-88750.
WE ARE seeking (1)
Architect - M/F 2 posts
: B.Arch degree holder,
5 years experience or
M.Arch Degree holder, 3
years experience in the
architectural environment,
Proficiency in using Auto
CAD, Sketch Up and
also have rendering
skill, Excellent sense of
design and solid technical
abilities,
(2)Senior
Architectural Drafter
- M/F 1 Post: B.Arch or
B.E (Civil) degree holder,
3 years experience,
Able to use Auto CAD,
Sketch Up and photo
shop software.(3)Senior
Interior Designer - M 1
post : Bachelor or Diploma
in Interior Architecture or
Interior Design, 2 years
experience, Proficiency
in using Auto CAD,
Sketch Up and also
have rendering skill, (4)
Marketing
Manager
- M/F 1 post : Have
to understand project
sales, retail marketing
& other marketing tools
& technique. 4 years
experience. (5)Project
Coordinator (Interior
Decoration) - M/F 1
post : Able to set project
timelines & coordinate
different parties. Well
knowledge in modern
furniture & furniture
installation & production.
3 years experience. (6)
Project Manager - M/F
1 post : Need to hold a
degree of B.E (Civil). 5
years experience. Well
experience in high-rise
construction, (7)Safety
Engineer - M 1 Post :
A.G.T.I (Civil). 2 years
experience.
(8)Site
Engineer - M/F 1 Post : B.E
(Civil), 2 year experience,
Well experience in highrise construction, (9)
Assistant HR Manager
- M /F 1 post : MBA, Any
graduate Diploma holder
(or) any diploma related in
HR Management. 5 years
experience. Computer
skills. (10)Cashier - M/F
1 post: Any graduate (or)
Distance Student, 1 year
experience, (12)Driver M 1 post : Age over 40, 4
years experience.
(13)Store Keeper - M /F
2 posts : Age under 40,
Warehouse (or) Store
experience 1 year (14)
General Helper M 1
post. Please submit with
CV, photo with necessary
documents to Zware
Group (De Arch, Live
Life & Builder Group) :
440, Waizayandar Rd &
Thitsar Rd, S Okkalr. Ph:
01-565911, 01-8551294.
Email:recruitment@
zwaregroup.com

26 Sport

THE MYANMAR TIMES July 3, 2015

CYClING

A Tour for everyone

N recent years a lot of the focus

on cycling, and in particular the
Tour de France, has been about
how things have changed in a
new, cleaner era.
While no one believes performance-enhancing doping has been
completely eradicated, to a large
extent it has at least been reduced,
and what remains is perhaps less
effective.
The worry now is about hardto-detect micro-doping rather than
the game-changing blood-doping
brought on in the 1990s by EPO and
blood transfusions.
The effect on the peloton has
not gone unnoticed, with the winning gaps particularly on the highmountain stages greatly reduced.
This has changed the way riders
race, but there are also other reasons including the way some race
courses are set.
These past few years, Tour de
France organisers Amaury Sports
Organisation (ASO) and Tour director Christian Prudhomme have gone
to great efforts to create exciting, unpredictable stages.
Gone are the days when the Tour
would amble through the first 10
days to two weeks of carbon-copy flat
stages, with a breakaway followed by
a chase and usually a bunch sprint
finish.
Back then, it was only about halfway through the three-week race that
the competition would really begin,
when the riders faced a series of mountain stages in which a powerful team
would ride at a leg-burning tempo
until their leader attacked on the final
climb, decimating the competition.
But this year Prudhomme has created a Tour route in which no two
days are alike and therefore no two
challenges equal although there are
still appetising titbits for both sprinters and climbers.
Right from the start on July 4,
there will be a complete examination
of a riders cycling capabilities, and
indeed his intelligence.
The race begins with a short individual time trial before a team race
against the clock on Stage 9, but a
relatively short one at 28 kilometres
(17 miles) no rider should lose the
Tour because his team is weak at
time trialling.
Stage 2 is flat and ideal for a
sprint finish, but there is the possibility of crosswinds coming off the
North Sea and causing splits in the
peloton, meaning everyone will be
fighting for a place near the front,
driving up the pace, increasing the
tension and provoking the possibility
of crashes.

Stage 3 ends on the short, brutal

climb called the Mur du Huy, which
is also the finish of the Fleche Wallonne, one of three Ardennes Classics
run in April each year. The punchers those who specialise in rolling
terrain will be out in force on that
day, as well as stages 6 to Le Havre
and 8 to the Mur de Bretagne, which
have similar short, sharp climbs to
the finish.
Before then, riders tackle Stage
4 with its seven cobbled sections totalling 13.4km (8.3 miles), making
it a mini version of the Paris-Roubaix spring classic, which should
catch the attention of the cobblestone specialists.
By the time the peloton reaches
the first mountains on Stage 10, there
will have already been several opportunities not only for the favourites to
put time into each other, but also for
other riders to perhaps stoke interest
in the race by also being involved in
the business end.
Stage 10 finishes with an hors categorie (beyond classification) climb
at the end of a lumpy but relatively
gentle stage.
Its followed by a far more brutal
mountain stage with six categorised
climbs but a long descent off the hors
categorie Col du Tourmalet before a
short third category climb to the finish, favouring either a breakaway or
a specialist descender.
The variety continues the next
day with a category two climb, two
first category mountains and then an
hors categorie to the finish at Plateau
de Beille perfect for a specialist
climber in a breakaway but also sure
to set the fireworks going amongst
the contenders.
The first three mountain stages
provide very different challenges,
and the theme continues with the
lumpy finish to an otherwise flat
Stage 14 and then the long descent
and short climb to the finish of 17.
Stages 16 and 18 are far from flat
but could favour a polyvalent sprinter determined to stick with the pace
on the climbs.
Then Stage 19 has a regular feel
to it, with four categorised climbs including the first category finish at La
Toussuire.
But stage 20 then throws a little
surprise at an unusually short and
punchy 110.5km but with two punishing hors categorie climbs, including the finish on the mythical Alpe
dHuez.
The organisers have done everything to provide drama, spectacle,
challenge and uncertainty to the
route. Now it is up to the riders to
live up to it and put on a show. AFP

Christian Prudhomme, general director of the Tour de France, poses in the

centre of Utrecht, The Netherlands, on July 1 prior to the start of the Tour de
France on July 4. Photo: AFP/Robin Van Lonkhuijsen

olYMPICS

IOC hails
Tokyos
frugal
budget
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 1 sought to deflect
attention from a row over Tokyos
planned National Stadium by praising organisers for keeping the 2020
Games budget in check.
John Coates, chair of the IOCs Tokyo 2020 coordination commission,
told reporters that Tokyo had made
outstanding progress since their
last visit a year ago, pointing to cuts
of US$1.7 billion to projected venue
costs and the recent appointment of
an Olympics minister.
We are very pleased with the progress thats been made over the last
year, he said after a two-day visit to
Olympic sites. The local organising
committee has met all the key milestones. We have also witnessed strong
support from both the national and
Tokyo municipal governments.
This support was underlined by
the appointment of Minister Toshiaki
Endo. He will have a key role to play
in furthering cooperation between national and regional governments.
Tokyos budget compared favourably, Coates insisted, with previous
Olympics.
At the [2000] Sydney Olympics the
cost of the new venues was $3.5 billion, he said. By the time we went to
Athens the cost was $14 billion and in
London [in 2012] the cost was $18 billion.
The figure were talking about
here in terms of new venues after
the $1.7 billion thats been saved is
$2.8 billion. Even with the increased
construction costs in this country,
because of earthquake regulations
et cetera, this is a remarkable figure. The progress to date has been
outstanding.
Coates avoided wading into the
public row between Tokyos administration and the central government
over funding for the new National
Stadium, the centrepiece for the 2020
Olympics and the 2019 rugby World
Cup, to be hosted by Japan.
The governments insistence that
Tokyo pay 50 billion yen toward the
cost of the 250 billion yen ($2 billion)
stadium triggered an angry response
from Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe, who has accused Sports Minister
Hakubun Shimomura of strong-arm
tactics.
Tokyo, which hosted Asias first
Olympics in 1964, beat Madrid and
Istanbul in the race to stage the 2020
Games. AFP

Football

Chinas Guangzhou Evergrande football

club seeks stock exchange listing
CHINAS most glamorous football
club Guangzhou Evergrande plans
to list on a minor stock exchange in
a bid to attract strategic investors
and boost its brand, a statement said
yesterday.
The Chinese champions, jointly
owned by top property developer Evergrande and e-commerce giant Alibaba, have applied to list on Chinas
small-cap National Equities Exchange
and Quotations (NEEQ).
The request is subject to approval
by NEEQ, the real-estate firm said in
a statement to the Hong Kong stock
exchange, where it is listed.
The move was aimed at facilitating the introduction of strategic

investors, promotion of corporate

image and realisation of sustainable
development, it added.
Free-spending Guangzhou have
led a resurgence in Chinese football
since 2009, when they were demoted
as part of a wide-ranging corruption
crackdown.
Now coached by ex-Brazil boss Luiz
Felipe Scolari, they have lifted eight
trophies in the past five years, including the 2013 AFC Champions League.
This week, Guangzhou signed
midfielder Paulinho for 14 million
euros from Tottenham Hotspur and
were linked with fellow Brazilian star
Robinho.
Evergrande has a 60 percent stake

in the club, while Alibaba owns 40pc.

Evergrande said there were no
plans for the club to issue new shares
as part of the listing, nor would it sell
any of its own holding.
NEEQ is a platform for private
placings by small- and medium-sized
enterprises and trades in existing
shares, Evergrande added.
Guangzhou registered losses of 576
million yuan (US$93 million) and 482
million yuan in 2013 and 2014, state
news agency Xinhua said.
The listing was announced despite
share-market volatility in China with
heavy losses on the two major stock
exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen
in recent weeks. AFP

Sport 27

www.mmtimes.com
FOOTBALL

Japan aims to improve against US

APAN coach Norio Sasaki

admitted his side struggled
to control England before
a dramatic own-goal sealed
a 2-1 win at the Womens
World Cup and set up a title rematch
with the United States.
Defender Laura Bassett turned the
ball into her own net deep into injury
time to send a heartbroken England
home from their first semi-final, while
Japan went through to their second
straight final in Vancouver on July 5.

We didnt play as
well as Id hoped,
but when you
qualify, it means
youve achieved your
objective.
Norio Sasaki
Japan coach

The opening two goals came from

penalties from Japan captain Aya
Miyama and Fara Williams as a gritty
English side matched the reigning
champions.
Japans Nadeshiko had been unable to dictate play the way they had in
their five previous games, which were
also won by a one-goal margin.
Today we had a tough game. I

thought we could play the way we

wanted to and we could stick to our
plan, but they were playing in a very
simple manner and they were also
powerful, said Sasaki.
England were more mobile than
I was expecting, and we struggled to
cause them problems. We didnt play as
well as Id hoped, but when you qualify,
it means youve achieved your objective.
The Japan coach saw the own-goal
more as the result of his players pressing for the win than a mistake from
the devastated Bassett.
As for the own-goal, I feel sorry for
the player, but Yuki Ogimi was right
behind her ready to pounce, so I dont
think it would have made a difference
either way, he explained.
We still created the goal-scoring
opportunity ourselves for me, its
more a goal made by Nahomi Kawasumi and Ogimi than an own-goal.
Sasakis players had been motivated to do well for teammate Kozue
Ando, who broke her ankle in the
opening game of the tournament and
returned to Japan for surgery.
In the dressing room, Kozue Ando
told the players over the phone that
she would be at the final in Vancouver to support them, the coach said.
I think that provided them with the
motivation to qualify.
Both penalties awarded were not
clear ones and Sasaki said he told his
players at half-time it was as if the
score was 0-0.
The former FIFA world coach of
the year also told his players to take
more risks.

Goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori of Japan saves a shot on goal against England during the 2015 FIFA Womens World Cup semifinal match in Edmonton, Canada, on July 1. Photo: AFP/Kevin C Cox

The style England played, they

were taking initiatives. I told my players not to be afraid of making mistakes, otherwise we wouldnt be able
to take chances, he said.
The defenders were in a bit of a
tough situation but the biggest threat
was set pieces we gave them. In the
end we were able to obtain such a dramatic goal.
The July 5 championship match

will be a third clash for a major title

between Japan and the United States.
In the 2011 final in Frankfurt, Japan
won on penalities, but the Americans
went on to take Olympic gold in 2012
by beating Japan in the final.
A team that is very powerful and
which has a simple tactic, we may not
be as good playing against them, reflected Sasaki.
In the final against the USA I think

we can go in with a fresh perspective.

Its a final and there is nothing beyond
that. We must not be afraid to make
mistakes. This is what I will tell the
players.
In 2011 both teams had a wonderful game in the final, and for womens
football in the world we hope to have
another one like that. But Japan needs
to build up our power and that is what
I take away from this game. AFP

Sport
28 THE MYANMAR TIMES July 3, 2015

SPORT EDITOR: Matt Roebuck | matt.d.roebuck@gmail.com

Tour de France promises drama,

spectacle and excitement
SPORT 26

FOOTBALL

WEIGHTLIFTING

US seeks extradition of seven

FIFA officials in Switzerland

Myanmar
nabs silver
in Thailand

AGNS PEdRERO

KyAW ZIN HLAING

kyawzinhlaing.mcm@gmail.com

HE United States has demanded the extradition

of seven FIFA officials detained in May, setting off
what could become a prolonged legal battle over the handling
of the major corruption case.
Swiss authorities said yesterday
that the US embassy in Bern had sent
an extradition request on July 1.
The seven were detained in a
dawn raid on a Zurich hotel on May
27 as a FIFA congress was about to
start. FIFA leader Sepp Blatter was
reelected to a new term at the congress, but amid a storm of controversy over parallel US and Swiss investigations he announced four days later
that he would stand down.
Blatter has not been accused by
either inquiry and again strongly denied involvement in corruption in a
German media interview released on
July 1.
The US legal authorities had until
July 3 to make their request, and a
Swiss federal justice office statement
said the embassy action was within
the timeframe set down in the bilateral extradition treaty between the
two countries.
The seven officials all from
South and North America have all
indicated they will fight extradition.
The seven held include Jeffrey
Webb of the Cayman Islands and
Eugenio Figueredo from Uruguay,
both of whom are former FIFA vice
presidents.
Costa Rican Eduardo Li was supposed to join the FIFA executive
committee in May.
There was also Brazilian Football
Federation chief Jose Maria Marin;
Nicaraguan Julio Rocha; Costas Takkas, a Briton who worked for the
Cayman Islands federation; and Rafael Esquivel, president of the Venezuelan Football Federation.
All are accused by US authorities

MYANMARS
weightlifting
team
earned one silver and three bronze
medals at the 1st Southeast Asian
Weightlifting Championship in Ayutthaya, Thailand, from June 26 to 28.
Participating in the competition were
59 athletes from eight ASEAN nations,
including four men and three women
from Myanmar.
Among the Myanmar athletes, Mai
Zin Pwint Phyu won the silver medal in
the womens 48-kilogram (106-pound)
weight class, while bronze medals
were secured by Kyaw Moe Win (mens
77kg), Win Naing Tun (mens 94kg) and
Moe Thu Zar (womens 69kg).
There were no weightlifting events
at the SEA Games in Singapore, so
the Asian weightlifting Federation arranged this tournament for the first
time for weightlifters from ASEAN
countries, said U Myint Swe, general
secretary of the Myanmar Weightlifting
Federation.
I hope they hold it again in the future, during years when there are no
weightlifting events in the SEA Games.
He said Myanmar sent national-level athletes to the tournament.
Even though there were no weightlifting events in the SEA Games, we
kept training. So we were ready for this
competition, he said.
Host Thailand took top spot in the
overall standings with nine gold, two
silver and one bronze, followed by Vietnam with three gold, seven silver and
one bronze. Myanmar finished fifth in
the rankings.
After the tournament, the Myanmar
weightlifting team will continue training for the Asian Weightlifting Championship in Thailand in September.
We would also like to compete
in the Rio Olympic qualifications in
Uzbekistan, but this has not been
confirmed, said U Myint Swe. Our
athletes are ready for all international
competitions, but first we need the approval of our sports ministry.

Employees enter FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on June 3. Photo: AFP/Michael Buholzer

Anyone who
accuses me of being
corrupt must first of
all prove it to me.
Sepp Blatter
Former FIFA president

of involvement in more than US$150

million in bribes given for marketing deals for football tournaments in
North and South America.
The seven are among 14 people
officials and sports marketing company executives that US authorities have charged. Four others have
already made deals with US prosecutors.
Zurich police will now question
the seven officials again, and they
will have 14 days to respond to the

extradition request, the federal justice office said.

Experts said the battle over their
extradition could take more than a
year with hearings running alongside the election for a new FIFA
president.
FIFA declined to comment on the
extradition request. This is a matter
for the relevant authorities, said a
spokesperson.
Blatter said on June 2 that a new
presidential election would be held
and he would hand over power to a
successor. Indications that he could
stand again have been strongly opposed by other FIFA leaders.
The FIFA executive is to meet in
Zurich on July 20 to decide a date for
the election, expected between this
December and March 2016.
The 79-year-old Blatter has defended his own record, insisting in
an interview with German magazine
Bunte that no one could accuse him
of corruption.

I will answer, Do you understand this word at all which you use?
Anyone who accuses me of being corrupt must first of all prove it to me,
he insisted in the interview released
on July 1.
No one can do that, because I am
not corrupt.
The accusations against FIFA
are unlikely to ease in the coming
months, however.
Alongside the arrest of the FIFA
seven, Swiss police are investigating
the attribution of the 2018 and 2022
World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
Both have already been the target
of a FIFA investigation. Footballs
world body said nothing had been
found that merited a new vote on the
tournaments.
But it has so far not released the
full report made by former US federal prosecutor Michael Garcia, who
resigned from his role as a FIFA
watchdog in protest. AFP

wEEKEND
THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

Geek squad

Meet the geocachers,

gamers and cosplayers
who go against the grain

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

Discarded litter is pictured at the end of the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, southwest England, on June 29. The Glastonbury festival drew to a
close on June 28 with US crooner Lionel Richie stealing the show with a hit performance that drew tens of thousands. Photo: AFP/Oli Scarff

contents

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

FEATURE

ot
h
ps
To

South African lawyer and

part-time fashion model
Thando Hopa (right),
an albino, tries on an
evening dress by South
African fashion designer
Gert-Johan Coetzee
(left) during a mock-up
fitting session at his
workshop on June 13 in
Johannesburg.
Photo: AFP/Gianluigi
Guercia

12-13

Stranger than fiction

Myanmar cosplayers get
dressed up

FEATURE

14-15

Game of drones
Drone fanatics fly
outside the lines

TRAVEL

16-17

Exploring the sights

and lights of Singapore
Why now is a good
time to visit

4
6
8
9
10
11
18
19
21
25
26

Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd.

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arts & entertainment

Cache exchange: The hidden world of GPS treasure hunting
FOOD & DRINK
Alexs Restaurant reviewed

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How to swap games consoles for books and get kids
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Tiny houses still have room for what matters
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Domestic and international flight times
FICTION
A Scent of Scandal
PUZZLERS
Comics, crosswords and predictions
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Fabulous photos from the biggest bashes around town
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Your weekly guide to events in Yangon

Chief Executive Officer

Tony Child
tonychild.mcm@gmail.com
Editorial Director U Thiha Saw
editorial.director.mcm@gmail.com
Deputy Chief Operating Officer Tin Moe Aung
tinmoeaung.mcm@gmail.com
WEEKEND
Editor-at-Large Douglas Long
dlong125@gmail.com
Pulse Editor Charlotte Rose
charlottelola.rose@gmail.com
Editor Special Publications Wade Guyitt
wadeguyitt@gmail.com
Art Director Tin Zaw Htway
kohtway.mcm@gmail.com
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COPYRIGHT MCM
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THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | ARTS&entertainment

Wade Guyitt

wEEKEND | ARTS&entertainment

Cache exchange: The hidden

world of GPS treasure hunting

Newsflash! Get set

for Embrace Your
Geekness Day
O less an august authority on matters
calendrical and celebratory than the
website daysoftheweek.com lists July 13 as
Planet Earths official Embrace Your Geekness
Day. (No, not Embrace Your Geek Day but
feel free to give your Significant Geek a squeeze
on that day too.)
In an age of social media, mobile technology
and gaming consoles, the website astutely
observes, its impossible to avoid being just a
little bit geeky. Dont fight it show the world
how intelligent, technically savvy and clever you
really are!
Social media, of course, has taken up the cause
as only social media can: No fewer than seven
excited Facebook comments are linked to on the
page, ranging from For all my geeky friends
you know who you are. Go crazy today! to I am
only a kid though so ok C:.
But old media (yes, us too) enjoy covering
news like this as well. And it seems the origins
of Embrace Your Geekness Day go back to
something charmingly paper-based: a guidebook
to yearly events, a tear-out suggestions card and
someone just geeky enough to use it.
Thomas and Ruth Roy, of Lebanon,
Pennsylvania, have, in addition to their mailorder herb business, built a reputation for
inventing and naming wacky holidays, for a
world that needs more of them.
Alongside presidential proclamations and
other need-to-know data like the dates of the
Kentucky State Barbeque Championships, the
couples creations are all compiled within the
esteemed US almanac Chases Calendar of Events,
a single reference source for calendar dates,
and for authoritative and current information
about various observances throughout the year
published annually since 1957 and today running
over 750 pages.
Just why July 13 is the right day to celebrate
geekness is a mystery perhaps to all but Thomas
and Ruth. (Another of their holidays, Sneak some
Zucchini onto your Neighbours Porch Night,
on August 8, makes more sense when you realise
everyone in Pennsylvania probably has a fair bit of
zucchini to unload around that time of year).
In spite of, or perhaps because of, its humble
origins, we at The Myanmar Times salute
Geekness Day for the greater good of geeks
everywhere, from Thomas and Ruth Roy to
Myanmars own cosplayers, drone flyers and
geocache treasure-hunters and, really, anyone
who chases their passions wholeheartedly,
regardless of whats trendy or not.

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

BY DOUGLAS LONG

Geek Girls learn how to code at a workshop organised by Phandeeyar. Photo: Facebook

Geek is the new chic for

Myanmar women
BY CHIT SU

EEK is good, women are

being told. And, while were
at it, tech is chic.
Woman in Tech of the Month
is a program promoting women
who are successful in technological
careers. Geek Girls Myanmar,
an organisation of scientifically
capable women, will select the
candidate, who will appear on their
website and on Facebook.
The Geek Girls group, whose
motto is Geek is the new chic,
celebrates women in science and
technology in Myanmar.
We want to showcase skilful
women working in technology.
Wherever they work, women
are just as good as men as far as
strength and skills are concerned.
We will select one woman each
month and post her profile and
portfolio on our website. We hope
to promote an inspirational female
leader in the technological field
for Geek Girls Myanmar, said
organiser Sandi Sein Thein, cofounder of Digital Kaway Company.
We invite every woman who
is working in a field related to
technology to participate. GG is a
community that includes people
from every level, from students to
entrepreneurs, she said.
GGs aim is also to get more
women to playing important roles
in technology. Ma Sandi Sein Thein
said some women cannot work
as they would like because of the

culture, which frowns on women

who stay late at the office, and tends
to exclude women from tech fields.
GG was founded last September
as a social media group for
advancing female role models in
technology and providing women
with job opportunities.
I want to promote women in
the tech sector, which is currently
dominated by men. Within a week
of its establishment, the number of
members increased to 50, she said,
adding that the group now has more
than 300 members and is going
strong.
GG was officially launched at the
Connected Womens Conference in
October 2014. It was supported by
Ideabox Myanmar.
Most members have
technological skills, but not
necessarily experience in leadership
and management. We held
workshops and forums to develop
the skills they need, she said.
GG member Khin Sandar
Win said she had developed
more networks and gained
more knowledge thanks to the
organisation.
In other countries, there are
many groups such as GG. Honestly,
we are coming to this a little late.
As members, we can get more
knowledge from sharing with each
other, and get more information
through workshops and forums,
she said.
We will promote skilful women
and support women in leadership
roles, said Ma Sandi Sein Thein.

Geocaching: Not just for nerds

Douglas Long, our Editor at
Large, loves it too.
Photo: Thiri Lu

HE familiar,
mundane geography
of topographical
features, roadways and
shopping malls is overlaid
with countless maps
invisible to those who
lack the tools, faculties or
knowledge to interpret
the signs: Gang territory
demarcations, the
scavenging routes of urban
wildlife and sacred zones
governed by local nats all
exist in domains subliminal
to our own.
Nestled among these
hidden maps is the obscure
world of geocaching, a hobby
that was invented 15 years
ago after the US Department
of Defense allowed public
access to the signals emitted
by the 24 global positioning
satellites orbiting the earth.
The GPS transmissions
were unfettered on May 2,
2000, and suddenly anyone
with a GPS receiver was able
to pinpoint precisely where
on earth they stood. They
could also determine the
exact distance and direction
they needed to travel to
reach any point whose
coordinates they had entered
into their receiver.
Creative, fun-loving
nerds were quick to take
advantage. The day after
the signals were unblocked,
a computer consultant
named Dave Ulmer bought
a plastic bucket, filled it
with inexpensive objects
including videos, books,
software and a slingshot
and hid it in the forest
outside Portland, Oregon.
He then published the
coordinates of the hiding
place on the internet,

inviting others to use their

GPS receivers to locate
the spot and exchange
something in the container
for something they had
brought along for future
treasure seekers. Within
three days two people had
found the bucket, and
by the following week a
website dedicated to GPS
stash hunting had been
established.
Thus was born
geocaching as it was
later renamed to avoid the

negative connotations
of the word stash a
perfect storm of geekiness
and outdoor activity that
combines technology,
walking and treasure
hunting.
There are now more
than 2.6 million geocaches
around the world, the
locations of which can
be found by logging onto
geocaching.com and
downloading the sites app
onto a smart phone. After
that, all users need to do is

pick a cache to hunt, lace

up their walking shoes
and set off in the direction
indicated.
Caches are rated from
one to five stars for difficulty
and terrain. Depending on
its location, finding one can
involve anything from an
easy stroll on city streets to a
long, vigorous hike through
the mountains. Caches
can adhere to the original
take something, leave
something ethos, but some
include log books to sign,
while others merely require
that a photo be taken at
the location and uploaded
onto the website. These
days, most containers are
substantially smaller and
easier to hide than Ulmers
bucket.
The app will generally
get users within 10 to 20
feet of the cache, and then
its up to them to actually
find it, whether its hidden
in a cranny between two
rocks, tucked beneath a
shrub or resting on a branch
high up in a tree. Coded but
easily decipherable clues
are usually available on the
website to help those who
come to a dead end in their
search.
In the past few years
geocaching has come to
Myanmar, with a handful of
locations set by participants
in Yangon, around Bagan
and even along the Nay Pyi
Taw highway. Most have
been given one-star ratings,
so theyre appropriate for
kids and lethargic adults.
Downloading the app
took me about 30 seconds,
and upon consultation I
found that the nearest cache
was a mere 1.29 miles east
of my downtown Yangon
apartment. This prompted

an exploratory stroll
through Chinatown and
beyond on a gloriously fresh
early-monsoon morning.
As I closed in on my
goal, the app counted
down the distance and
the map zoomed in and
became more detailed. I
eventually found myself
within 10 feet of the cache
but, anticlimactically, the
precise spot lay within an
area that had been cordoned
off by a Yangon City
Development Committee
maintenance crew.
Also, there were just
too many people milling
about the vicinity to allow
a proper search. As a rule,
GPS treasure hunters want
to avoid being observed by
non-geocaching passersby
as they remove a plastic
container from its hiding
place. Its a testament to the
hobbys lofty nerd quotient
(NQ) that such unwanted
observers, or any other
squares who arent hip to
the geocaching craze, are
referred to on the website
by the term muggles, lifted
from Harry Potter.
So, with the plastic
container beyond reach, or
perhaps even discovered
and discarded by perplexed
YCDC muggles, I used my
phone to snap a photo of
the location. I wasnt too
disappointed at not having
found this particular
treasure I had enjoyed
a pleasant walk through
downtown Yangon on
streets that were not on my
regular scavenging route,
including breakfast at an
unfamiliar teashop. And
besides, there were millions
more caches out there, and a
whole world to travel to find
them.

THE WEEK IN GEEK

Facebooks Zuckerberg
wants to figure out
social equation

ACEBOOK co-founder Mark

Zuckerberg figures there could be a
formula that explains how people think.
During a wide-ranging online
question-and-answer session on his
Facebook page on June 30, Zuckerberg
told famed physicist Stephen Hawking
he would like to find that equation.
Im most interested in questions
about people, Zuckerberg said in
a written chat forum response to
Hawking asking what big questions
in science he would like to know the
answers to.
Zuckerberg responded with a list
that included how the brain works and
immortality.
Im also curious about whether
there is a fundamental mathematical
law underlying human social
relationships that governs the balance
of who and what we all care about,
Zuckerberg added. I bet there is.
The session drew so many visitors
it went offline for a few minutes due to
what Facebook diagnosed as an overload
of likes.
While sharing thoughts on the
future of Facebook, Zuckerberg said
that immersive experiences such as
virtual reality will become mainstream
and that people will eventually able to
share what they are sensing or feeling.
One day, I believe well be able to
send full rich thoughts to each other
directly using technology. AFP

Fans dressed as Stormtroopers from the movie Star Wars pose for
a photo during Florida SuperCon on June 25, at the Miami Beach
Convention Center in Florida. Florida Supercon ran from June 24-28
and featured Comic Book, Anime, Animation, Video Game, Fantasy,
Sci-Fi and Pop Culture themes. Photo: AFP/Rhona Wise

Back to the Future hoverboard comes to life

HE future is here already or at least the

one imagined for Marty McFly with a
carmaker unveiling a real, working hoverboard,
like that used in the Back To The Future films.
Toyotas luxury car brand Lexus says it has
created a prototype that glides frictionlessly
just above the ground with technology similar to
that used in so-called maglev trains.
A teaser video posted online appears to show
the hoverboard floating, although ends before a
skateboarder actually begins to ride it.
While the hoverboard Michael J Foxs
character rides in Back To The Future II floats
above anything except water the Lexus

model requires magnets to be embedded in the

ground, limiting its range to special tracks.
The project is the perfect example of the
amazing things that can be achieved when you
combine technology, design and imagination,
said Mark Templin, executive vice president at
Lexus International.
A US team last year unveiled what they called
a working hoverboard, funded via Kickstarter.
Lexus says it will reveal more details about
its hoverboard on October 21, 2015 the day
Doc, Marty and girlfriend Jennifer plug into
their DeLorean time machine and go back to the
future. AFP

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9,, 2015

wEEKEND | FOOD&DRINK
RECIPE

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Unions
Scotch
eggs

Alexs
Restaurant
BY CHARLOTTE ROSE

Photo: Aung Khant

HIS month we welcome

Union Bars Reuben Gould
as our guest chef. As the man
behind popular restaurants Gekko
and Parami Pizza as well as Union,
the AA Rosetted chef originally hails
from London and is well known in
Yangon for his contemporary British
dishes. Goulds passion for cooking
has taken him around the world,
including a stint in Azerbaijan where
Photo: Zarni Phyo

HILE expats bemoan the

scourge of capitalism
and inevitable decline of
humanity that will follow the
arrival of KFC this week, they
have failed to notice a much
greater menace facing the future
of Yangons restaurant scene: the
hipsterfication of food.
These days it seems every
new restaurant opening in
the city comes with a trendy
gimmick, whether its artisan
tacos or Indo-Ethiopian fusian
throwback comfort food (with a
twist). This invasion happened
seemingly overnight: One day

he spent four years working for the

countrys president and his daughter.
He credits his grandmothers
casseroles, lamb and pickled fish
with getting him interested in
cooking, though he says it was his
uncle, a celebrated chef in New
Zealand, who gave him the final push
he needed. He told me to either join
the army or be a chef, he said.
This Scotch egg recipe is on our

Union menu and has been a major

hit, so it seemed fitting to go with
this as my first recipe, said Gould.
All of the ingredients are local and
really easy to get.
Unions Scotch eggs
Makes one
2 medium fresh chickens eggs
200ml fresh milk
Plain flour
Breadcrumbs (Japanese panko
preferred)
80g minced pork
10g fresh parsley
5g fresh sage (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Ice cubes
Fill a pan with enough water to
cover one egg, and bring to the
boil.
While the water is boiling,
chop the pork mince finely using
a sharp knife until the mince is
almost smooth. Next, finely chop
the herbs and combine with the
pork mince in a bowl. Season with
salt and pepper.
Place some ice cubes in a small
bowl and add cold water to create an
ice bath.
Carefully lower one egg into
the boiling water and cook for
2 minutes and 20 seconds only.
Remove the egg from the pan and
plunge it into the ice bath to cool.
When the egg has fully cooled
(this should take about 5 minutes),
remove it from the ice bath and peel
the shell off carefully, making sure
the egg white does not break.
Encase the chopped pork mince
evenly around the whole of the egg,
ensuring that there are no gaps.
Crack the remaining egg into a
bowl and whisk. Add the milk and
season lightly.
Place the flour on a tray or in
a bowl and do the same with the
breadcrumbs. You should now have
four containers of ingredients: Pork
egg, egg mix, flour, breadcrumbs.
Roll the pork egg in the flour so
that it is covered with a light dust.
Next, place the floured pork egg
into the beaten egg mix until it
is moist all around with egg mix.
Place it into the breadcrumbs
and roll carefully until pork egg is
completely covered (for a thicker,
crunchier coating, repeat the
process of rolling in flour, egg mix
and breadcrumbs). Chill the egg in
the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
When you are ready to cook,
gently place the egg into a deep fat
fryer at 190 and cook for around 4
minutes or until the breadcrumbs
have turned golden in colour. Drain
on kitchen paper and cut the egg in
half quickly to reveal a warm runny
egg yolk. Season lightly and serve.
Chefs tip: To check if the egg is
warm in the middle, stick the point
of a small sharp knife into the egg
until you think it has reached the
yolk and leave it in for 10 seconds
before pulling it out and placing
on your bottom lip carefully to test
the heat. If it is not hot to touch,
place the egg back into the fryer for
another minute.
At Union we serve ours with
spiced apple remoulade.

I was happily munching my

bog-standard burger, the next, it
was all chimichanga and kimchi
enchilladas and other stuff I had
to Google.
But food isnt just for hipsters
other people like it too. And
sometimes I just want somewhere
I can take my mum that wont have
vintage bicycles chained to the
walls and serve cocktails crafted
from the saliva of unicorns.
Alexs Restaurant, which
opened last week on Yaw Min Gyi
Street, is that place. Housed in
the The Loft boutique hotel, the
restaurants neo-oriental interior
may be somewhat banal, but high
ceilings and golden lighting give
the place a grand, luxurious feel
akin to a James Bond bar scene,
but without the snootyness of
other fine dining establishments.
Alexs chef, fresh off the plane
from Belgium, has created an
elegant French menu that would
not look out of place in a Parisian
restaurant. Following a delectable
amuse bouche of seared scallops
our main courses arrived. My
guests beef striploin ($34), served
rare at his request, was richly
marbled and had all the depth
of a perfect steak. And forget all
that a la mode chimichanga sauce
nonsense: This place takes things

back to basics (and the 80s) with

fresh green peppercorn sauce
the wrong side of retro, perhaps,
but one of the best Ive tasted, and
sure to be a hit with my mum.
I chose the seabass ($24),
served with with an egg white
crust and crisp, fresh vegetables.
The fish was light, flaky, and
flavourful, though Im in two
minds about whether the egg
white stuff was really necessary.
The prize-winning dish of the
night was the desert: a le partage
($9) of basil creme brulee, irish
cream, strawberry salad and rich
chocolate truffles. One thing is for
sure, I certainly wont be eating
creme brulee without basil ever
again.
The food may be excellent, but
if you do visit youll probably want
to let your mum pay at around
$90 for a meal for two with
drinks its not cheap. Having
said that, at least you wont
be disappointed, which is
more than can be said for
some recent debuts, where
youll pay more for the
mismatched furniture than
for the actual food.
Sadly, Alexs loses out to
its trendier counterparts
in the drinks department.
There are no snappily
dressed mixologists here, though
the price list suggests otherwise.
My neon- orange signature
cocktail, the Golden Teak, ($9)
was just like the one I taught
myself to make from Youtube for
my 16th birthday party sweet,
syruppy and revolting. Having
said that, they have an extensive
wine list and proper coffee and my
guest was impressed by his prefrozen beer glass.
Alexs was empty when we
visited, which is shame given
that the elegant menu and quality
service outshine a lot of similarly
priced restaurants in the city. Most
importantly, youre paying for the
food here, not the gimmicks.
Of course, if youre still not
convinced, Ive heard a great new
chicken shop just opened around
the corner.
Alexs Restaurant
The Loft Hotel, 33 Yaw Min Gyi
Street, Dagon
Restaurant Rating:
Food
Beverage
Service
Value
X-factor

9
6
9
7
7

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | FOOD&DRINK

Warning: This article

could radically alter the
way you eat

The gastrophysicists are coming to analyse your flaves,

and mealtimes will never be the same again
BY AMY FLEMING

OVE it or hate it, molecular

gastronomy the
appropriation of industrial
food science methods by top chefs
has been one of the most influential
food movements in recent times. But
as the concept has grown a little stale,
a new scientific approach complete
with novel name amalgamating
food and science has been gaining
traction: gastrophysics. The term
had been coined by the Oxford
experimental psychologist
Charles Spence, whose
work on flavour
perception has
shown in fascinating
and often amusing
detail how the
taste, aroma and our
overall enjoyment of
food are influenced by
all of the senses yup,
even hearing as well as
mood and expectations.
Spence and
his gastrophysics
contemporaries who
work in disciplines
from psychology,
neuroscience and sensory
sciences to marketing, behavioural
economics and design dont talk
about what a meal tastes of. Instead,
they say flaves of, because they
know that taste, which technically
only happens on the tongue, is a

paltry part of the overall effect.

Much of Spence and his
colleagues findings make instinctive
sense, such as that messily plated
food doesnt taste as good as if its
neatly or artistically arranged. And
much of this body of knowledge has
been appropriated by Big Food to
manipulate consumers since the
1930s, when 7-Up marketeers already
knew that the
more yellow on
the
can, the

A bowl of mixed
M&Ms will go down quicker than a bowl of
just one colour. Photo: Thiri Lu

more citrus the drink would taste.

Or that roundness (whether its the
product or the logo) tastes sweeter
while pointy is bitter. But despite
Spences influence both on massproduced and Michelin-starred food,
he seems keen to share these secrets
with consumers, too (see his book
The Perfect Meal). Here are some
gastrophysics most illuminating
facts about how we perceive taste
Expensive tastes good
The gastrophysicists love to play a
trick and have shown that if
we pay more for wine, we
think its more delicious.
Physical weight also
implies quality. If we are
given heavy cutlery, we
will enjoy food more
(for example, yoghurt
will be perceived as
creamier), think
it is of higher
quality and be
willing to part
with more
cash for it.
Even sounds
in restaurants
can up the takings:
Classical music makes
diners come over all
discerning and choose the
most expensive menu options, while
loud music increases soft drink sales.
Dont eat while watching Solaris
The king of gastrophysics diet tips

We eat 35 percent more when with one more person and 75 percent more with three others.
Photo: Naing Wynn Htoon

is Professor Brian Wansink at

the Cornell Brand and Food Lab.
Watching sad movies, his team
recently found, drastically increases
mindless eating. Solaris viewers
munched 55 percent more popcorn
than those who watched My Big Fat
Greek Wedding. Likewise, eating in
front of the TV is bad news, because
you simply do not notice your body
telling you when youre full.
Wansink et al have also looked at
the influence of plate colour on food
consumption. It turns out that red
plates are the path to reduced food
intake. They think its something
to do with there being less contrast
between the food and plate.
Eating alone will keep you trim
We eat 35pc more when with one
other person, 75pc more with three
others and twice as much when
there are seven or more diners.
Variety also encourages overeating.
A bowl of mixed M&Ms will go
down quicker than a bowl of just one
colour.
Decisive diners win
If you often feel youve chosen badly
in a restaurant, then know this: She
or he who orders first tends to enjoy
their food or drink more. Those who
follow often instinctively dismiss

what others have ordered (theres a

psychological phenomenon called
the need for uniqueness) and end
up picking something they wouldnt
ordinarily choose.
Colour trumps palate
Spence easily tricked wine experts
into reviewing a white wine with red
food colouring as a red wine. Adding
insult to injury, the 54-strong panel
had already reviewed the wine in its
original white form, using whitewine terms such as honey, lemon,
lychee and straw (whereas the red
version evoked chicory, coal, prune,
chocolate and tobacco).
Wine also tastes 50pc sweeter
when consumed under a red light.
The reason? Our eyes are our most
influential sense, with vision taking
up the most brain space, and so the
expectation implanted in our minds
by colour can overrule the taste and
aroma put together.
Who knows what sinister uses
this knowledge has been put to
over the years? But forearmed is
forewarned, right? Perhaps the
dissemination of gastrophysics
findings will fuel uprisings against
obesity-aiding food brands, rip-off
restaurant chains and pretentious
wine bores.

The Guardian

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | HEALTH&beauty

Why I walk
BY RACHNA SACHASINH

FIRST became aware of

health and fitness in my
late teens. I began running,
first 5 kilometres, and by the
time I was in college, I began to
train for marathons. I loved the
adrenaline rush, the sweat and
sheer expenditure of energy. It was
a perfect release for the stress of
university life and young adulthood,
and I was in great shape.
A car accident in my early
30s changed all that. The impact
compromised my lower back,
creating severe spasms and leaving
me bed-ridden for a month. Once I
was up and about, my doctor advised
me against high-impact exercise:
In other words, no running. I
was devastated. My daily run was
compulsory to my state of mind.
How would I possibly cope?
Try walking, my doctor

interesting, because so much of life

unfolds on the street, with vendors
and pedestrians intermingling and
jostling through the din and bustle
of commerce and transit.
In life, the first time we walk is
the only time it seems significant.
Our first steps are the hallmark of
independence. We learn to gauge
depth, maneuvre space and cover
distance. Teetering evolves into
full-fledge strides, and we become
successfully bipedal. Walking
marks our graduation from baby to
toddler. Proud parents record the
achievement in photos and, now, on
Facebook.
That is the highpoint for walking.
As children, skipping, hopping,
running and dancing are more
exciting forms of movement. From
adolescence and adulthood, we
become fixated on rapid movement
and the expenditure of energy.
Sitting at school or at work all day
leaves us feeling that we have to go

Walking in Myanmar may not always be easy, but youll never be short of things to see.
Photo: Naing Wynn Htoon

suggested.
Walking? I rolled my eyes.
Reluctantly, I laced up my
running shoes and went on a walk.
And each day thereafter, I went
on walks. I simply walked out of
my front door and set forth in any
direction and, surprisingly, I began
to enjoy it. I researched local trails
and hikes and began exploring
nearby parks and nature preserves.
A whole new world began to open
up.
l walked briskly, not too fast
and not too slow. I noticed my
surroundings, the neighbourhood,
flowers, birds, trees, other people,
how we live and what we do. In
Asia, my walks are always more

all-out to stay in shape. We extol

the virtues of jogging, swimming,
zumba and even the plank, an
exercise that require no movement.
Meanwhile, walking is
considered, well, pedestrian. As
adults we do everything to avoid
walking, whether it is simply getting
from one place to another or for
exercise. Walking is relegated to
the lowest ranks of transport and
exercise. Yet, it is the most natural
thing we can do. You could even say
we were born to do it.
There are countless studies that
tout the benefits of walking for
15, 20 or 30 minutes a day: Lower
cholesterol, reduced risk of heart
disease and fitness, to name but

a few. What health experts often

fail to mention is that walking
is also an ideal tonic for mental
health. The frantic thinking, the
waves of anxiety, the pressures
of finances, raising children and
measuring self-worth these
feelings dissipate when I walk. The
moderate pace allows me to think
clearly, and solutions and the right
decision have space and time to
take shape in my mind. I complete
my walks feeling calm.
Running, on the other hand, was
vigorous and left me amped and
charged. The adrenaline rush from
running was addictive. After my
runs, I was on a high and checked
off all my tasks. Invariably, I would
run out of steam, and I would
immediately think about my next
run as the only antidote. My life
became solely about running and,
like any addictive behaviour, I was
convinced I had to do it in order to
get through my day.
Walking, I am happy to say, has
cured me of this addiction. I have
the same health benefits, and did
not gain the extraordinary amounts
of weight that I had feared I would
without runnings aerobic pace. I
am still physically fit. My knees and
my back are relieved.
I walk almost everywhere I
can now. If it is possible to walk
to an appointment, I choose to do
so. After dinner, I take my young
children around the neighbourhood
for a stroll. We see our neighbours,
wave to the fruit and vegetable
seller, and, when we are lucky, we
see a beautiful sunset. We interact,
we talk and we relax. Walking, I
have discovered, is the best and
most economical way to move
from place to place, to process
the rigours of life, to exercise our
muscles without threat of serious
injury.
Most importantly, I am calmer.
I am not a slave to any activity. I
enjoy my life and have developed a
way to cope without feeling I have
to get out there and pound the
pavement, so to speak. Of course
part of this awareness, for lack of a
better word, is due to the maturity
and self-acceptance that comes
with getting older. Although,
honestly, I think learning to walk
as an adult helped.

Geek meets grunge at

Saint Laurent show
I

F you thought chunky knits were for chess players and old ladies,
think again: In Fashion Land, cardigans are cool. Last week at the
mens Spring Summer collection fashion show in Paris, Saint Laurent
gave trumped geek-chic by mixing Wheres Wally? bobble hats and knitted
jumpers with grungy denim, flannel shirts and leopard prints complete
with Kurt Cobain-esque white sunglasses.
Get the look by squeezing into your tightest skinny jeans and raiding
grandmas closet.

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wE
EEKEND | STYLE

Its not easy being cool.

Luckily, Ive been taking notes

BY SOPHIE HEAWOOD

USED to go to a nightclub
where a girl turned up most
weeks with a glitterball on
her head, worn like an enormous hat.
Everybody would stare at her, but
she never stared back. Once I found
her in the toilets having a bit of a
breather, with the disco ball in her
hands and sweat running through her
hair, because the metal had got so hot
under the lights. Being cool can be
hard work.
But for those not inclined to party
helmets, how can one become cool?
Are there any guidelines for normal
people who would love to be that
bit more ineffable? Its a tough one,
because coolness is the equation that
never shows its workings, the magic
that ceases to exist if you talk about it.
Luckily, I have spent years
observing cool people. Here is my
guide to joining them.
One: Never reply to a group invitation
on Facebook, where everybody can
see that you are coming. You must
leave people guessing. If you have
made the mistake of responding in
the affirmative to an invite before
reading this, then it is very important
you do not go. That way at least you
have still behaved mysteriously
and left people confused as to your
intentions.
Of course, if you were really cool
you wouldnt be on social media at all
you would simply appear at parties
from time to time and hand out
business cards.

Photos: AFP/Patrick Kovarik

Two: When in public and standing

alone, looking at your phone is not
cool, as it reveals that you have
emotional or professional needs.
Looking straight into the distance
will make you seem more unique: If
nobody is talking to you, you must
find a way to make it look as if it is you
who are talking to nobody.
Three: I have interviewed a number
of bands at the apex of their coolness,
trying to find the humanity beneath
their veneer of people whose parents
have spent so much money on their
education that nothing is funny
any more. Sorry, I mean, beneath
the veneer of post-rock rebels with
tortured hearts. Very occasionally,
these musicians will let you know
that you have said something funny.
They do not do this by laughing. They
do this by waiting until you have
finished, and then saying, with an
entirely straight face, That is funny.
Four: If you want to achieve this
yourself, stand in front of the mirror,
relax all your facial muscles including
the smiling ones (youll not be
needing those again), and imagine
you are 12 years old and have just been
told your dog is being put down.
If you are a model, the thousandyard, dead-dog stare is the one to use
at castings and in all major fashion
campaigns. Very occasionally, you
will see a fashion brand attempting
something more cheerful perhaps
the facial expression of someone who
has only had to put down a gerbil and
its fine because they can get a guinea
pig. These brands will go bust.

Five: There is a flirting style called

negging, which means chatting
someone up by saying mean
things and making them feel the
requisite level of insecurity to then
instinctively crave your approval.
Well, being cool is a lot like negging
the whole world. You have to convince
the world it will have to do more to
impress you. And so it does.
Six: Put your name to a political
cause, and then make sure it is based
as far away as possible, perhaps
involving Tibetan monks or pollution
in Polynesia. Do not make the
mistake of getting involved with local
campaigns as you might be expected
to do something.
Seven: Put a photo on the internet
with the caption My office for the
day!!, like freelancers do when
theyre at a sunny beach, only its
an abattoir and youre staring at the
carcass of a cow. Next, try using the
cows blood to write FML on the wall.
This stands for Fuck My Life and is
much beloved of cool people who like
to pretend that everything is terrible
and life is pain.
You didnt think this list was going to
get to number 10 did you? Amateur.

The Guardian

10

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | Family

How to swap games consoles for

books and get kids reading

Alex Scarrows son was a gamer, not a reader. Thats why Scarrow decided to use every trick he
learned as a game designer, to write books that keep readers coming back for just one more go
Y son, Jacob, is 17 now. Hes
at college and when his
increasingly hectic social life
permits, he reads novels.
When he was 11 he didnt.
Pretty much all his spare time was
devoted to playing on his Xbox.
I kind of blame myself for that.
Having worked in the computer
game industry for 10 years as a
games designer, I was the one who
had keenly introduced computer
gaming into the household. If he
was playing strategy games, I
argued that it was boosting his
ability to multi-task and problem
solve. If it was a run-n-gun
shooter, I rationalised that it was

against the profession I once

enjoyed working in, because, being
a dad, I was witnessing the end
result. Jacobs life was becoming
a dwindling bubble. He was living
inside a world where there were
only three activities: eat, sleep,
play. And play had boiled down
to a simplistic relentless, repetitive
process of trudge forward, shoot
moving things, pick up ammo clip
and health pack.
So, I decided the next book Id
write would be one with a very
specific objective; to be addictive
enough that, at the very least, it
would be a toss-up after dinner
between picking up that console

The aim of Candy Crush is basically to slide same-coloured sweets into lines.
Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

increasing his reaction times and

blink-thinking.
Basically, I was justifying the
addition of a US$470 babysitter that
sat neatly beneath our TV set and
allowed me to get on with my job,
undisturbed. What an idiot worse,
a blinkered, lazy idiot.
Now, however, I have become
the proverbial turncoat. Ive turned

controller, or picking up that

freshly printed manuscript.
That was basically my mission
statement for TimeRiders and,
rather cynically, I employed every
trick Id learned as a game designer
to keep Jake coming back for just
one more go.
Here are a few of the tricks I
snuck in.

Bite-size effort and reward

Games are designed to trickle
constant yay-you-did-it rewards
back to the player. The rewards come
in the form of points, or bonuses, or
boost-ups, or just plain ol backslapping. Its basic psychology, the
same way youll tell a puppy what
a good boy he is over and over for
pooping in the right place. You give
him a little endorphin rush.
As a game designer you do become
very quickly aware that what youre
asking the player to do is actually
quite dull and very repetitive.
(Candy Crush: slide same-coloured
sweets into lines. Call of Duty: aim
target cursor at moving things.) So,
this is how you keep them doing that
thing: the promise of constant little
rewards.
With TimeRiders, that translated
into short chapter breaks. For a
game-obsessed kid reading a book,
the chapter break effectively is like
getting to the next level. (When
I go into schools and ask lads how
far theyve got in a book, theyre
more likely to give me a chapter
number. Girls, on the other hand,
are more likely to say, I got to the bit
where). Quite often, these chapter
breaks could just as easily be marked
with an asterisk, or a double linespace denoting a cut in the scene.
But, giving them a chapter break
gives them hard data on the progress
theyve made. Its a gender thing a
guy thing, I guess.
Easter eggs
Game designers drop these in as
barely concealed things you can
discover and later brag to your
friends about finding. Quite often
these are references to pop culture:
for example, a quote or a character
name from a film. Its no mistake
that Grand Theft Autos cut scenes
bare an uncanny resemblance to
the Quentin Tarantino movie Pulp
Fiction, one of the most quotable

Author Alex Scarrow speaks about his book TimeRiders at an event in Brussels.
Photo: Facebook

films of all time.

Well, I did the same thing, adding
references and knowing nods to
films and games I know theyve seen
and played.
Me and Jake used to sit side
by side and watch the Terminator
movies, the Back to The Future
movies, the Jurassic Park movies,
and many more. For him, and me
it was fun to drop subtle nodsand-winks to these movies. Every
time he found one in my first draft
manuscripts, hed come into my
study, nudge me, grin and say, Yup,
spotted that one, dad.
Special FX
Males tend to think visually. So writing
TimeRiders, I was mindful of giving
Jake as much spectacle as possible, lots
of what film makers call big money
shots. The character turns a corner
and wham jaw-dropping visual!
And this is where books can
completely ace films and games.
With a few well chosen phrases,
you can get them filling in all the
blanks; imagining New Yorks
skyline filled with looming Nazi
airships, or a battlefield or alien

world filled with impossibly

expensive CG effects. Because
thats what every young reader
carries around in their heads:
the most expensively funded
special effects studio. Give them
the frame-work, the hooks, and
theyll lavishly fill in all the details.
That way, you make them a cocontributor to the creative process
rather than just being a passive
consumer. I guess thats why I
consider the book to be the best
portable platform in the history
of entertainment technology. It
makes the writer and the reader
equal partners in the venture.
So nothing profoundly original
there just common sense, and
the ABCs of game design applied to
novels. And it works. Jake is busy
right now, but I know he has the book
habit. When hes a bit older, has a
full-time job and a mortgage, and
more time on his hands, hell get his
kicks from novels again.
NB: the Xbox now makes a rather
fetching doorstop in the corner of
my study, alongside the dust-covered
PlayStation and the Wii.

The Guardian

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | HOME&GARDEN

Tiny houses
still have
room for what
matters
BY MEGAN BUERGER

OR most people, the choice

to live in a small space is all
about location, the chance
to live on a busy city block in the
centre of the action. But for others,
its about the freedom of living light.
Nobody understands the ethos
of small-space living better than
proponents of the tiny-house
movement, who opt to live in homes
that average around 200 square feet
(18 square metres). Their choices,
much like those who live in a studio
apartment, are often framed as
sacrifices. But Vina Lustado, an
interior designer in Ojai, California,
who lives in a 140-square-foot home
that she designed two years ago, says
that thinking is all wrong.
Theres a whole emotional side
to stuff, she says.But living with
less is not about what you lose. Its
about what you gain.
Lustado adapted her philosophy
about small-space living from Marie
Kondo, a Japanese organisation
expert who has written four books
about doing more with less. But
what makes Kondos approach
different from the scores of other
decluttering coaches is its positive
framing. Lustado explains, Rather
than saying, Throw this out, throw
that out, she teaches you to find joy
in what you own. If it doesnt bring
you joy, maybe you dont need it.
Of course, there are hurdles.
Paring down her wardrobe took
Lustado months and shes become
a very resourceful cook. And, more
than a year into living in her home,
she still returns a lot of things she

11

buys. Its worth it, she says, because

of the peace of mind she has found.
After speaking with Lustado, I
looked around my tiny apartment and
wondered whether there were items
I was hanging on to for no reason:
candles Ill never light, old laptops
that dont turn on, leaky rainboots
that certainly dont bring me joy and
take up precious closet space. Kondos
voice crept into my mind, urging me
to weigh quality over quantity.
Im building a tiny office as we
speak, says Lustado. Its 115 square
feet, solar and on wheels, and will be
the new headquarters of her firm, Sol
Haus Design. Im not looking back.
If downsizing is on your agenda,
here are a few of our favorite
multifunctional furniture pieces that
offer a lot of bang for their buck.
Sectional sofas
The biggest misconception about
sectionals? That theyre big.
Whatever your hesitations are,
get over them, says Liz Levin,
a designer based in Bethesda,
Maryland. Especially if youre in a
small space, its probably exactly the
solution youre looking for.
Room dividers
Rental contracts dont often permit
custom woodwork to add privacy to
a space, so invest in a room screen
or tall shelving unit instead. Most
pieces measure between 5 and
6 feet tall, allowing some space
between the top of the unit and the
ceiling, which lets light through.
Accent chairs
If a room were an outfit, the
accent chairs would be the

Sectional sofas are the perfect solution to small spaces. Photo: The Washington Post

jewellery, says designer Betsy

Stires. Its the spark. It pops from
the rest of the palette but also ties
it all together. Look for chairs that
fall between 25 to 32 inches wide
and have a seat depth of 20 to 22
inches.

Mirrors
Decorating small spaces is 75 percent
visual manipulation, designer
Coleman Riddell says, and mirrors
are hands-down the best way to trick
the eye. They can make it seem like
youve got way more square feet, height

and light than you paid for.

A pro tip: Go big. The smaller
the space, the bigger the mirror,
says designer Kristin Peake of
Rockville, Maryland. With mirrors,
you can never, ever, go too big.

The Washington Post

12

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | FEATURE

Stranger than fiction

BY NYEIN EI EI HTWE

S hobbyists go,
they are apt to
stand out in a
crowd more prominently
than, say, numismatists,
toxophilists, topiarists or
philatelists. Unlike, say,
train-spotters or people
who like growing huge
vegetable marrows, they
are apt to wear capes, carry
facsimiles of deadly weapons,
and have hair and eyes in
colours that no human being
would have.
Cosplay, more correctly
kosupurey,, is one of those
words that started out
as English, sort of, and
rebounded back into the
Anglosphere after a long
and evidently disorienting
time spent in Japanese
culture. It means
costume play, and it
designates young people
whose chief joy in life
is to dress up as their
favourite character
from fiction.
A certain brand of
fiction, that is. Were
not talking about Mr
Micawber or The
Count of Monte Cristo,
but the wild and wacky
worlds of manga and
anime.
The fad first
entered Myanmar in
2010. By the following
year, adherents were
attracting audiences
to the first Myanmar
Cosplay Show at
Yangons Tatmadaw Hall
(of all places).
In the audience that historic
day was Aung Pyae Sone, who
understood that now his dreams
had come true, and he could
finally dress up like his anime
heroes and act out their triumphs
and tragedies without being
thought peculiar.
Within the year he was
participating in the next cosplay
show, winning a Peoples Choice Award, which served only to
heighten his interest still further.
I love cosplaying because its a way to sneak out of the
real world and to dress and act like one of my heroes. I feel
stronger, and my mind is refreshed, said the 19-year-old.
One of his favourite characters is Captain Livi from the
anime movie Attack on Titan. Though small, the captain is
strong enough to wrestle with giants and win.
I have full accessories for about 10 characters and I use
them during cosplay events in Yangon, he said.
Though he spoke lightly, the acquisition of full
accessories is quite a feat. Attention to detail is paramount.
Eye colour, hair colour, shoe style and make-up are crucial
to cosplay. Cosplayers resort to online agents and friends in

neighbouring countries.
We need to take great care even over contact lens colour,
because sometimes the significance of the character lies in
the colour of the eyes. To make eyes look bigger, we can use
eye-liner. If we cant find the exact accessories, we get the next
closest thing, said Aung Pyae Sone.
Tattoos are integral, of course. Since cosplayers tend to like
many characters, they use stickers instead of tattoos so they
can be readily changed.
All this costs money, needless to say. Enthusiasts can spend
from K20,000 to K100,000 on basic costumes, but if they run
to handmade gowns and scientific accessories, it can cost
millions.
There are two famous designers servicing Myanmar

cosplayers that we can consult. But there

is still a risk of just going crazy, cautioned
Aung Pyae Sone.
Parents are often supportive, whatever
their private thoughts about this activity
may be, because cosplayers, like their
heroes, eschew alcohol and drugs.
Linn Aung Kyaw, 23, keeps his
costumes and accessories in the dresser
in his bedroom. He does not display,
but he has arranged six successful
cosplay events over the past four
years, as interest has surged among
practitioners and audiences alike.
Its getting hard to secure seats
at these events now because of the
crowds, he said.
His favourite character is a baby
with pink skin and pink hair named
Natsu from the anime series Fairy
Tale. He prefers not to appear
before audiences in this costume
though he totally could if he wanted
to.
Sometimes cosplay events are hosted
alongside gaming festivals and IT sales
promotions, reflecting the profound cultural
connections between these phenomena. This
takes work.
Many Myanmar people are unfamiliar
with anime, so we have to explain to
sponsors whats in it for them. Finding
a venue can be hard too, because we
wont have alcohol or tobacco on the
premises, said Linn Aung Kyaw.
But he is confident the movement
will continue to grow, because it
doesnt bother anyone and anyway
girls regard it as a fashion thing
that requires them to wear lots of
different kinds of shoes.
Khin Su Su Thwin, a 17-year-old
student, is just trembling on the
cusp of joining in.
I really want to be like them, and
wear clothes like those, but I cant
afford it, she said, citing her admiration
for cosplayers Anri Xiukoto and Shirosaki
Laycorn.
I follow this on Facebook and websites.
The meetings are all in the daytime, so its
quite safe, she said.
Financially disbarred from competing,
she is content for the moment to watch
the players on the stage and identify
the series they are acting out. She feels
they attract a higher class of audience,
with no drunks or rudeness, just mainly
young university students.
For Wint War So Phoo, who is
studying Japanese at the Yangon
University of Foreign Languages, the cosplay
event on July 5 at Sky-Bistro, Sakura Tower, will be her first
outing.
Its not easy to host a cosplay event because even most
Japanese companies dont understand the fashions, she
lamented. However, the influx of Japanese companies to
Yangon surely meant that such ignorance would soon be
dissipated.
Tickets cost K8000 for parents and adults but only K5000
for students and cosplayers, because they are poor, she said.
Including a photo session, the program will run from 10am
to 4:30pm and Sakura Hotel will present prizes for the best
costumes. Be there or weep.

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | FEATURE

13

Photos: Thiri Lu

14

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | FEATURE

GAME OF DRONES
BY CATHERINE TRAUTWEIN

HE abandoned lot in Thilawa special economic zone,

crosscut by long stretches of pavement and bordered
by a sprinkling of low houses, looks like an airfield in
miniature. A small group of men and women has converged
on this lonely, overgrown spot on the outskirts of Yangon to fly
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) an activity neither fully
allowed nor forbidden in Myanmar.
U Win Naing, leader of the Myanmar Aero Hobbyists
Association (MAHA), cuts a patriarchal figure in his flipup sunglasses and a black t-shirt bearing a drone with the
slogan Everyone can fly. A Union Day meet-up saw starkly
different UAVs hit the skies, from souped-up model airplanes
to six-legged multi-copters. At a more recent meeting at the
end of June (the 31st of its kind), racer drones buzzed like
sped-up electronic bumblebees while a scale float plane took
off from the airfields new pond, courtesy of the monsoon
season.
U Win Naing watched as one man readies to throw his
plane skyward for a test flight. It can go two ways: up or
down, he said.
But the plane defies this, going both ways steeply upward
and then, suddenly, dipping back down to earth as if on a
theme park ride.
Flights and crashes at the airfield show the limits of
certain UAVs. While aircraft for hobbyists are characterised
by relatively short ranges and other restrictions, such as
battery life, models with advanced capabilities have more
cause to spook the government, which U Win Naing said
worries about security.
Although he says legal policies have not been fully
formulated on drones, they dont exist in a lawless vacuum.
Laws relating to aircraft and spectrum would also apply to
drones, according to Lucy Wayne, managing partner of Lucy
Wayne & Associates.
Meanwhile, Pedro Jose Bernardo of legal consultancy firm
Kelvin Chia Yangon Ltd said in March, While we are not
aware of any law that specifically governs the use of drones in
Myanmar, drones will nonetheless fall under the coverage of
the Myanmar Aircraft Act.
The general regulations involve restrictions on overflight,

[namely] certain secured areas military bases, et cetera

and we are not aware of any new regulations that are
specifically targeted to drone use, he wrote in an email last
week, adding that it is difficult to provide definitive statements
on drones.
We underscore, though, that there may be such
regulations that are not publicly available, and which
may pertain to these drones ...At the same time, because
the operation of the drones will require the use of radio
frequencies ... it is possible that it will be governed by
corresponding spectrum regulations under the Myanmar
telecommunications law.
And U Win Naing said importing required accessories for
building drones is not legal, and that orders had been issued
around their flight.
What I heard is there is some instruction from Home
Affairs to police stations over here to stop or catch drone fliers
if theyre flying in public areas, or if they see it, he said.
Otherwise, UAV activities sometimes operate in a legal grey
area or with the governments blessing, as it pursues projects
that utilise drones.
Ko Kyi Thar, an owner of Myanmar Future Science which
sells drone kits to hobbyists said they have worked with the
government, including on their first survey project around a
highway near Nay Pyi Taw. However, approvals seem to have
more to do with projects than the technology completing
them.
If we use [drones] for the aerial photography, we have a
licence for the photographer. Before we use them [for survey
projects], we have a licence for the surveyor, said owner Ko
Thet San. But especially for drones, we dont have a licence in
our country.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar Aerospace Engineering
University (MAEU), under the purview of the Ministry of
Science and Technology, has conducted drone activities with
the governments knowledge, if not explicit legislative
go-ahead.
In March, associate professor and head at the MAEUs
department of UAV research U Thae Maung Maung said that
though drone application laws havent yet been adapted
in Myanmar, permissions had been sought from ministries
including the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home
Affairs for a survey project.

The departments Facebook page announced in December

that UAV technology it had researched had successfully
surveyed the route for a 500kv transmission line Myanmars
biggest-ever for the Ministry of Electrical Power, triumphing
over a crash and crosswind effects in the process. An Air Force
official helped take-off and landing the MAEU 05 UAV, the
post said.
It continued, UAV aerial surveys offer an effective and
more precise technique to traditional topographic surveys,
satellite imagery and ground reconnaissance.
More broadly, there are numerous potential applications
of drone technology for the advancement of mankind, U Thae
Maung Maung said. This ranges from search and rescue to
mapping to crop inspection and spraying.
Despite drones usage in government projects and their
potential applications across multiple sectors, the Myanmar
government has yet to officially ink a specific UAV policy, U
Win Naing said.
The main problem is security, said Ko Kyi Thar.
U Win Naing recounted the story of one drone pilot who
had permission from the Myanmar Football Federation to
take aerial footage of the national stadium as Myanmar played
Iran. He was nabbed by security, however, which held him
for about half an hour eventually releasing him but not his
drone.
The MAHA leader mentions one specific fear: that drones
can ferry explosives.
Theyre afraid there may be something like explosives that
can be installed on drones [to attack] something like a VIP
convoy, he said. But the people who are flying inside here,
they cant even fly straight to hit the specific target.
U Win Naings Myanmar Aero Hobbyists Association had
been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs in past years,
but its stamp expired in 2014. The organisation now needs an
extension and a new address.
If granted new life, MAHA will become parent organisation
to five new groups in Yangon, Mandalay, Myitkyina, Monywa
and Pathein. U Win Naing puts a shiny nametag on the table
that reads, Myanmar RC Builders & Flyers Club No colours
on our peaceful hobby.
He says forming amateur clubs doesnt require any
special permission. The distinction between hobbyists and
professionals came up with him and others when talking about

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | FEATURE

Flying UAVs may land in a legal

grey area, but that isnt enough to
deter Myanmars drone hobbyists
drones, especially when regarding equipment. In MAHAs
case, it also seemed to help forge a no harm, no foul
accord between the club and government officials.
We dont need to be afraid, U Win Naing said. Thats
over already because we have started ... Some of these
authorities have already accepted we are doing no harm
and we are just doing [our] hobbies.
U Win Naing describes his club as a training ground of
sorts for pilots and others, whose specialities he said the
government could someday call on.
We can train these young guys to get ready if the
government needs them for anything, he said. They
need skilled fliers and the people who know the technical
[aspects] how these drones are built and how these things
are flying.
Meanwhile, some drone enthusiasts seem to police
themselves. Flying downtown was on the Myanmar Future
Science guys list of donts and U Win Naing said it could
run fliers into trouble.
Flying in the public area is very dangerous, he said.
I told some of my people, if you are trying to fly drones
to take pictures, say something like in the Sule Pagoda or
City Hall, first negotiate with the security forces over there.
Otherwise, at least your drones will be confiscated.
With a lack of policies as of yet coming down to the
people U Win Naing said nobody wants the job of drafting
legislation the MAHA leader may in the future bring
policy to the government.
Still there are no policies, but there is something like
an understanding. Theyre working on the understanding
... Home Affairs, the Communication Ministry and the
Presidents Office, he said. They all know that this is the
new era of technology, that everybody should participate,
but there is still not even the draft. So I want draw the draft
for the policies for the hobbyists and advanced drones.
New technology can present challenges to old laws, and
the future could bring fresh policies on what is allowed
regarding drones or not.
I think soon there will be [a] law, something like from
the FAA from the United States, and Im happy to follow
them, said drone hobbyist John Grylls, who attended the
June 28 meet-up. Except I dont know how long it will take
to come for us, and also whether it will be legal.

Photos: Kayleigh Long

15

16

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | TRAVEL

Dazzled by the city of

BY NANDAR AUNG

INGAPORE has come a long way. As the city-state prepares to celebrate its first halfcentury of independence next month, its hard for the casual visitor to appreciate that
within living memory it was little more than an obscure port.
Many Singaporeans will tell you that it was the late Lee Kuan Yew who effected this
transformation into a wealthy global finance hub, not by buckling under to international
finance, but by fighting for womens rights and better public housing and services, including
transport.
The result is a city that is safe not just for bankers but for citizens and guests too, whether
workers or tourists like me.
Being a city-state, the only one of its kind in Asia and perhaps the world, has its builtin disadvantages. There is not much in the way of hinterland, for instance, and space is at
a premium; 85 percent of Singaporeans live in high-rise buildings. And yet, the city is not
noticeably more congested than Bangkok, not to mention Yangon. Food, water and fuel are
imported.
The population of about 5.4 million is not enough to do it all, so there are many migrant
workers, including perhaps 100,000 from Myanmar. But they also make enough money to enjoy
themselves and to spend freely.
Tourism is thriving, and there is plenty to see and enjoy. Visitor numbers are on the increase
and often exceed the size of the population, says tour guide Josephine Wee.
July-August is said to be the best time to go to Singapore. The Great Singapore Sale (GSS)
runs from May 29 to July 26, and the Golden Jubilee campaign is already under way.
In August, the city hosts Formula One, set in Marina Bay, for the first time in Asia.

Lights

If you prefer to get around on foot, there are also the Explore Singapore Tours, Chinatown
Walking Tours and Resorts World Sentosa, all at special prices.
The shopping malls and streets offer all the brands you can shake a stick at, mostly
unavailable back home: Bottega Veneta, Cartier, MiuMiu, Patek Philippe, Anne Fontaine.
Henry Cottons, Stefano Ricci, Gucci, Prada, Charles & Keith, Mango and many more you may
not have heard of. Most are within easy distance of Orchard Road, the commercial epicentre.
Hungry? Singapore is home to Indians, Malaysians, Chinese and a host of other
nationalities, who brought their cuisines with them and happily adapted them. You can get
almost any kind of food: If you miss mohinga, you can make your way to Peninsula Plaza,
known, not always affectionately, as Little Myanmar. You can get betel there too, if you must.
Oh, and the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) is returning this year with the themed A Fresh
Taste of Tradition, running from July 17 to August 2.
Tourist attractions include Marina Bay Sand, Universal Studios, Garden by the Bay, Sea
Aquarium, Alive Museum, Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, Safari Gate and
others. I enjoyed Universal Studios, particularly the blood-freezing four-and-a-half minute
ride on Cylone at Sci-Fi city. Move-themed attractions include Transformers, Puss In Boots,
Mummies of Ancient Egypt, Jurassic Park at The Lost World, and Madagascar at Universal
Studies, celebrating its own fifth anniversary.
The Flower Dome, listed in Guinness World Records as the worlds largest glass greenhouse,
replicates the Mediterranean climate and features nine different gardens from all five
continents (excepting Antarctica). There you can learn of more than 3000 species of plants and
enjoy the ever-changing floral displays.
My personal favourites were the Supertree Grove (Singaporeans call it the Avatar Tree) and
the OCBC skyway. At night, the Supertrees come to life with a spectacular light and sound show
at 7.45pm and 8.45pm nightly. It is entrancing.

Photos: Nandar Aung

wEEKEND | TRAVEL

18

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | travel schedules

DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES

YANGON TO MANDALAY
Flight

Days

Dep

MANDALAY TO YANGON
Arr

Flight

Days

YANGON TO HEHO

Dep

Arr

Y5 775

Daily

6:00

7:10

Y5 233

Daily

7:50

9:00

W9 515

6:00

7:25

W9 201

Daily

8:40

10:35

YH 917

Daily

6:10

8:30

YJ 891

1,2,3,5,6

8:40

10:35

YJ 891

1,2,3,5,6

6:20

8:25

7Y 132

2,4,6,7

8:50

10:45

7Y 131

2,4,6,7

6:30

8:35

K7 223

1,3,5

8:55

11:00

K7 222

1,3,5

6:30

8:40

YH 918

Daily

8:30

10:25

6T 805

2,4,6

6:30

7:40

6T 806

2,4,6

10:30

11:40

YJ 201

1,2,3

7:00

8:55

YJ 202

1,2,3

12:00

13:25

W9 201

Daily

7:00

8:25

YJ 761

1,2,4

13:10

17:00

W9201

7:00

8:25

YJ 212

15:00

16:25

8M 6603

9:00

10:10

YJ 212

15:00

16:55

YJ 601

11:00

12:25

YJ 602

15:40

17:35

YJ 211

5, 7

11:00

12:25

7Y 242

1,3,5

16:40

18:45

YJ 761

1,2,4

11:00

12:55

K7 225

2,4,6,7

16:50

19:00

YH 729

2,4,6

11:00

14:00

YH 728

17:00

18:25

YH 737

3,5,7

11:00

13:10

W9 152/W97152

17:05

18:30

YH 727

11:30

13:40

Y5 776

Daily

17:10

18:20

W9 251

2,5

11:30

12:55

W9 211

17:10

19:15

7Y 241

1,3,5

14:30

16:25

YH 738

3,5,7

17:10

18:35

K7 224

2,4,6,7

14:30

16:35

8M 6604

17:20

18:30

Y5 234

Daily

15:20

16:30

8M 903

1,2,4,5,7

17:20

18:30

W9 211

15:30

16:55

YH 730

2,4,6

17:45

19:10

W9 252

2,5

18:15

19:40

YANGON TO NAY PYI TAW

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

NAY PYI TAW TO YANGON

Flight

Days

Dep

Flight
YH 917
YJ 891
7Y 131
YJ 891
K7 222
7Y 131
Y5 649
YJ 751
YJ 761
YJ 751
YJ 233
YH 737
YH 727
K7 224
7Y 241
W9 129

Days
Daily
1,2,3,5,6
2,4,6,7
4,7
1,3,5
Daily
Daily
3,5
1,2,4
7
6
3,5,7
1
2,4,6,7
1,3,5
1,3,6

Dep
6:10
6:20
6:30
6:30
6:30
7:15
10:30
10:30
11:00
11:00
11:00
11:00
11:30
14:30
14:30
15:30

HEHO TO YANGON
Arr
9:15
9:10
9:20
8:45
9:30
10:05
12:45
11:40
12:10
12:10
12:10
12:25
12:55
15:45
15:40
16:40

Flight
YJ 891
YH 918
YJ 891
W9 201
7Y 132
K7 223
YJ 762
7Y 242
K7 225
YH 728
YH 738
YJ 602
YJ 752
W9 129

Arr
8:15
9:05
8:40
13:20
17:00
10:40

Flight
Y5 326
6T 706
7Y 532
K7 320
Y5 326
SO 202

YANGON TO MYEIK
Flight
Y5 325
K7 319
6T 705
7Y 531
Y5 325
SO 201

Days
1,5
1,3,5,7
2,4,6
2,4,6
2
Daily

Dep
6:45
7:00
7:30
11:15
15:30
8:20

Days

Dep

Dep
9:00
9:15
9:25
9:25
9:35
9:45
15:50
15:55
16:00
16:15
16:25
16:25
16:45
16:55

Arr
10:10
10:25
10:35
10:35
10:45
11:00
17:00
18:45
19:00
18:25
18:35
17:35
17:55
19:10

Air Bagan (W9)

Tel: 513322, 513422, 504888. Fax: 515102

Air KBZ (K7)

Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (airport), 373766
(hotline). Fax: 372983

Asian Wings (YJ)

Tel: 515261~264, 512140, 512473, 512640
Fax: 532333, 516654

Golden Myanmar Airlines (Y5)

Tel: 09400446999, 09400447999
Fax: 8604051

Tel: 656969
Fax: 656998, 651020

Days
1,5
2,4,6
2,4,6
1,3,5,7
2
Daily

Dep
8:35
8:55
15:35
11:30
17:15
13:20

Arr
10:05
10:05
17:40
13:35
18:45
15:40

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Yangon Airways (YH)

Tel: 383100, 383107, 700264
Fax: 652 533

FMI Air Charter (ND)

Tel: 240363, 240373, 09421146545

APEX Airlines (SO)

SITTWE TO YANGON
Arr

Arr

K7 422

2,4,6

8:00

9:55

K7 423

2,4,6

10:10

11:30

7Y 413

1,3,5,7

10:30

12:20

7Y 414

1,3,5,7

12:35

13:55

W9 309

1,3,6

11:30

12:55

W9 309

1,3,6

13:10

14:55

6T 611

Daily

11:45

12:55

6T 612

Daily

13:15

14:20

YJ 201

1,2,3,4

7:00

7:55

SO 101

Daily

7:00

8:00

ND 910

1,2,3,4,5

7:15

8:15

YJ 202

1,2,3,4

8:10

13:25

ND 105

1,2,3,4,5

10:45

11:40

ND 9102

1,2,3,4,5

8:35

9:35

ND 107

11:25

12:20

ND 104

1,2,3,4,5

9:20

10:15

ND 109

1,2,3,4,5

14:55

15:40

ND 106

10:00

10:55

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

2,4,6

8:00

8:55

K7 422

2,4,6

9:10

11:30

YANGON TO THANDWE

Domestic Airlines

Mann Yadanarpon Airlines (7Y)

MYEIK TO YANGON

YANGON TO SITTWE
Flight

Days
4,7
Daily
1,2,3,5,6
Daily
2,4,6,7
1,3,5
1,2,4
1,3,5
2,4,6,7
1
3,5,7
6
3,5
1,3,6

THANDWE TO YANGON

Tel:95(1) 533300 ~ 311

Fax : 95 (1) 533312

Air Mandalay (6T)

Tel: (+95-1) 501520, 525488,
Fax: (+95-1) 532275

Airline Codes
SO = APEX Airlines

ND 9109

1,2,3,4,5

17:00

18:00

ND 108

1,2,3,4,5

13:30

14:25

K7 422

ND 111

18:25

19:20

YJ 212

16:00

16:55

7Y 413

1,3,5

10:30

11:20

7Y 413

1,3,5

11:35

13:55

SO 102

Daily

18:00

19:00

ND 110

17:00

17:55

W9 309

1,3,6

11:30

13:50

7Y 413

12:05

14:20

K7 = Air KBZ

ND 9110

1,2,3,4,5

18:20

19:20

7Y 413

11:00

11:50

W9 309

1,3,6

14:05

14:55

Y5 421

1,3,4,6

15:45

16:40

Y5 422

1,3,4,6

16:55

17:50

W9 = Air Bagan

YANGON TO NYAUNG U

NYAUNG U TO YANGON

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

YH 917

Daily

6:10

7:45

YH 918

Daily

7:45

10:25

K7 222

1,3,5

6:30

7:50

7Y 132

2,4,6,7

8:05

10:45

7Y 131

2,4,6,7

6:30

7:50

K7 223

1,3,5

8:05

11:00

K7 224

2,4,6,7

14:30

17:25

K7 225

2,4,6,7

17:40

19:00

7Y 241

1,3,5

14:30

17:10

W9 129

1,3,6

17:50

19:10

W9 129

1,3,6

15:30

17:35

7Y 242

1,3,5

17:25

18:45

W9 211

15:30

17:40

W9 129

15:30

17:35

YANGON TO MYITKYINA

YANGON TO DAWEI

DAWEI TO YANGON

MYITKYINA TO YANGON

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

6T 805

2,4,6

6:30

8:55

6T 806

2,4,6

9:10

11:40

YH 826

1,3.5.7

7:00

9:40

YJ 202

1,2,3,4

10:35

13:25

YJ 201

1,2,3,4

7:00

10:20

YH 827

1,3,5,7

11:30

13:55

Days

Dep

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

K7 319

1,3,5,7

7:00

8:10

YH 634

2,4,6

12:15

13:25

YH 633

2,4,6

7:00

8:25

K7 320

1,3,5,7

12:25

13:35

SO 201

Daily

8:20

9:40

6T 708

3,5,7

14:15

15:15

6T 707

3,5,7

10:30

11:30

SO 202

Daily

14:20

15:40

7Y 531

2,4,6

11:15

12:20

7Y 532

2,4,6

16:35

17:40

YJ 233

11:00

15:10

YJ 234

15:25

W9 251

2,5

11:30

14:25

W9 252

2,5

16:45

LASHIO TO YANGON

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

Flight

Days

Dep

Arr

YJ 751

3,5

10:30

12:45

YJ 752

3,5

15:40

17:55

YH 729

2,4,6

11:00

13:00

YJ 752

16:10

17:55

YJ 751

11:00

13:15

YH 730

2,4,6

16:45

19:10

Arr

Flight

Days

YANGON TO PUTAO
Dep

PUTAO TO YANGON
Dep

Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines

YH = Yangon Airways

Flight

YANGON TO LASHIO

7Y = Mann Yadanarpon Airlines

Flight

Days

18:15

Arr

YH 826

1,3,5,7

7:00

10:35

YH 827

1,3,5,7

10:35

13:55

19:40

W9 251

2,5

11:30

15:25

W9 252

2,5

15:45

19:40

YJ = Asian Wings
6T = AirMandalay
FMI (ND) = FMI Air Charter

Subject to change
without notice
Day
1 = Monday
2 = Tuesday
3 = Wednesday
4 = Thursday
5 = Friday
6 = Saturday
7 = Sunday

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | TRAVEL
CHRONICLES OF BEI KA STREET

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES

YANGON TO BANGKOK
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
PG 706
Daily
6:15
8:30
8M 335
Daily
7:40
9:25
TG 304
Daily
9:50
11:45
PG 702
Daily
10:30
12:25
TG 302
Daily
15:00
16:55
PG 708
Daily
15:15
17:10
8M 331
Daily
16:30
18:15
PG 704
Daily
18:20
20:15
Y5 237
Daily
19:00
20:50
TG 306
Daily
19:45
21:40
YANGON TO DON MUEANG
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
DD 4231
Daily
8:00
9:50
FD 252
Daily
8:30
10:15
FD 254
Daily
17:30
19:05
DD 4239
Daily
21:00
22:45
YANGON TO SINGAPORE
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
8M 231
Daily
8:25
12:50
Y5 2233
Daily
9:45
14:15
TR 2823
Daily
9:45
14:25
SQ 997
Daily
10:35
15:10
3K 582
Daily
11:15
15:45
MI 533
2,6
13:45
20:50
MI 519
Daily
17:30
22:05
3K 584
2,3,5
19:15
23:45
YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
8M 501
1,2,3,5,6
7:50
11:50
AK 505
Daily
8:30
12:50
MH 741
Daily
12:15
16:30
MH 743
Daily
15:45
20:05
AK 503
Daily
19:30
23:45
YANGON TO BEIJING
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CA 906
3,5,7
23:50 05:50+1
YANGON TO GUANGZHOU
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
8M 711
2,4,7
8:40
13:15
CZ 3056
3,6
11:25
16:15
CZ 3056
1,5
17:30
22:15
YANGON TO TAIPEI
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CI 7916
1,2,3,5,6
10:50
16:15
YANGON TO KUNMING
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CA 416
Daily
12:15
15:55
MU 2012
3
12:40
18:45
MU 2032
1,2,4,5,6,7 15:20
18:40
YANGON TO HANOI
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
VN 956
1,3,5,6,7
19:10
21:30
YANGON TO HO CHI MINH CITY
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
VN 942
2,4,7
14:25
17:15
YANGON TO DOHA
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
QR 919
1,4,6
8:00
11:10
YANGON TO SEOUL
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
0Z 770
4,7
0:35
9:10
KE 472
Daily
23:30 07:50+1
YANGON TO HONG KONG
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
KA 251
5
1:30
5:55
KA 251
1,2,3,4,6,7
1:10
5:45
Flights
NH 814

YANGON TO TOKYO
Days
Dep
Daily
21:45

YANGON TO DHAKA
Flights
Days
Dep
BG 061
1,6
15:35
BG 061
4
13:45
YANGON TO INCHEON
Days
Dep
4,7
14:20
1,3,5,6
13:10
YANGON TO CHIANG MAI
Flights
Days
Dep
Y5 251
2,4,6
6:15
7Y 305
1,5
11:00

Flights
W9 607
PG 724

YANGON TO GAYA
Flights
Days
Dep
8M 601
3,5,6
7:00
AI 236
2
13:10
YANGON TO DELHI
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 236
2
13:10
AI 701
1,5
14:05
YANGON TO KOLKATA
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 228
1,5
14:05
YANGON TO MUMBAI
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 773
1,5
14:05
MANDALAY TO BANGKOK
Flights
Days
Dep
PG 710
Daily
14:05

BANGKOK TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
TG 303
Daily
7:55
8:50
PG 701
Daily
8:50
9:40
Y5 238
Daily
21:30
22:20
8M 336
Daily
10:40
11:25
TG 301
Daily
13:05
14:00
PG 707
Daily
13:40
14:30
PG 703
Daily
16:45
17:35
TG 305
Daily
17:50
18:45
8M 332
Daily
19:15
20:00
PG 705
Daily
20:15
21:30
DON MUEANG TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
DD 4230
Daily
6:20
7:05
FD 251
Daily
7:15
8:00
FD 253
Daily
16:20
17:00
DD 4238
Daily
19:30
20:15
SINGAPORE TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
TR 2822
Daily
7:20
8:45
Y5 2234
Daily
7:20
8:50
SQ 998
Daily
7:55
9:20
3K 581
Daily
8:55
10:25
MI 533
2,6
11:35
12:55
8M 232
Daily
13:50
15:15
MI 518
Daily
15:15
16:40
3K 583
2,3,5
17:05
18:35
KUALA LUMPUR TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
AK 504
Daily
6:55
8:00
MH 740
Daily
10:05
11:15
8M 502
1,2,3,5,6
12:50
13:50
MH 742
Daily
13:40
14:50
AK 502
Daily
17:50
19:00
BEIJING TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CA 905
3,5,7
19:30
22:50
GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CZ 3055
3,6
8:40
10:25
CZ 3055
1,5
14:40
16:30
8M 712
2,4,7
14:15
15:50
TAIPEI TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
CI 7915
1,2,3,5,6
7:00
9:55
KUNMING TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
MU 2011
3
8:25
11:50
CA 415
Daily
10:45
11:15
MU 2031
1,2,4,5,6,7 13:55
14:30
HANOI TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
VN 957
1,3,5,6,7
16:50
18:10
HO CHI MINH CITY TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
VN 943
2,4,7
11:50
13:25
DOHA TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
QR 918
3,5,7
20:40 06:25+1
SEOUL TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
KE 471
Daily
18:45
22:25
0Z 769
3,6
19:50
23:25
HONG KONG TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
KA 252
4
22:50 00:30+1
KA 250
1,2,3,5,6,7 21:45
23:30
TOKYO TO YANGON
Days
Dep
Daily
11:00

Arr
15:40

Arr
17:00
15:10

DHAKA TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
BG 060
1,6
12:30
BG 060
4
10:40

Arr
14:55
13:05

Arr
16:10
15:05

Flights
W9 608
PG 723

Arr
06:50+1

Arr
8:05
12:50

Flights
NH 813

INCHEON TO YANGON
Days
Dep
4,7
17:20
1,3,5,6
11:05
CHIANG MAI TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
Y5 252
2,4,6
9:25
7Y 306
1,5
13:45

Arr
10:15
14:35

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, 253601. 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: 255323 (ext: 107), 09-401539206

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

Airline Codes
3K = Jet Star
8M = Myanmar Airways International

BG = Biman Bangladesh Airlines

CA = Air China
CI = China Airlines

DD = Nok Airline
FD = Air Asia
KA = Dragonair
KE = Korea Airlines

Arr
16:30
19:50
Arr
15:05

KOLKATA TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 227
1,5
10:35

Arr
13:20

Arr
22:35

MUMBAI TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 675
1,5
6:10

Arr
13:20

SQ = Singapore Airways

Arr
16:30

BANGKOK TO MANDALAY
Flights
Days
Dep
PG 709
Daily
12:00

Arr
13:20

TR = Tiger Airline

MH = Malaysia Airlines

Arr
12:20
13:20

MU = China Eastern Airlines

MANDALAY TO DON MUEANG

Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
FD 245
Daily
12:45
15:00

DON MUEANG TO MANDALAY

Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
FD 244
Daily
10:50
12:15

Arr
16:40

NAY PYI TAW TO BANGKOK

Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
PG 722
1,2,3,4,5
19:30
22:30

KUNMING TO MANDALAY
Flights
Days
Dep
MU 2029
Daily
13:00

CHAPTER 7: THE BITER BIT

Arr
12:0
12:30

SINGAPORE TO MANDALAY
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
Y5 2234
Daily
7:20
16:30
MI 533
2,6
11:35
15:00

Arr
12:50

BANGKOK TO NAY PYI TAW

Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
PG 721
1,2,3,4,5
17:00
19:00

Scandal

Tel: 255412, 413

GAYA TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 235
2
9:20
8M 602
3,5,6
9:20
DELHI TO YANGON
Flights
Days
Dep
AI 235
2
9:20
AI 401
1,5
7:00

Arr
8:20
15:05

A Scent of

All Nippon Airways (NH)

CZ = China Southern

MANDALAY TO SINGAPORE
Flights
Days
Dep
Arr
MI 533
2,6
15:55
20:50
Y5 2233
1,2,4,5,6
7:50
14:15

MANDALAY TO KUNMING
Flights
Days
Dep
MU 2030
Daily
13:50

International Airlines

AK = Air Asia

Arr
18:10
12:00

19

MI = Silk Air

NH = All Nippon Airways

PG = Bangkok Airways
QR = Qatar Airways

TG = Thai Airways

VN = Vietnam Airline
AI = Air India
Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines

Subject to change
without notice
Day
1 = Monday
2 = Tuesday
3 = Wednesday

4
5
6
7

=
=
=
=

Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

EDITED BY KO NAN DOI

HAD had my moment,

and I had muffed it. U Sha
Loks plan was ruined, and
it was all my fault. As the two of us
were walking disconsolately down
Anawrahta Street in the direction
of Bei Ka Street, U Sha Lok hailed
a passing sidecar to take us back to
the comfort of our familiar sitting
room.
On the way, he explained how
the plan should have worked.
Its all psychology, Wa Zone.
What does a person do when
they think their house is on fire?
A mother will rescue her child.
A single woman will secure
whatever is most valuable to her
money, jewellery or, in this case,
the pamphlet. I was watching
our quarry very closely, while
pretending to be unconscious.
When you, assisted by my paid
collaborators, raised the cry of
Fire!, Daw Aye Linn looked
around in some puzzlement.
That was the point at which your
Chinese firecrackers ought to have
been emitting large volumes of
smoke in her living room, causing
her to hasten to retrieve the
pamphlet to protect it from the
flames. Instead, all we could see
was you, out in the street, dancing
around rather ineffectually as the
flames consumed your longyi.
Unsurprisingly, Daw Aye Linn did
not see this as a threat to her or,
more importantly, to the pamphlet
she has secreted. Instead of giving
away its hiding-pace, therefore,
she simply shot a sharp glance in
my direction and left the room.
My plan in ruins, I slipped out
without further ado.
Needless to say, all the street
people the chinlone players, the
tea drinkers, the palmist and the
dumpling-maker had dispersed,
with their pockets full of our
clients generous largesse.
What do you mean to do now?
I asked.
Why, as you said, I shall have
to think up another plan. A more
foolproof one this time.
I accepted the reproof in
silence.
U Sha Lok asked me to stay
for dinner, a delicious vegetable
curry prepared by his landlady,
Daw Hat Sun. He had just lit one
of his pipes, and was thoughtfully
emitting clouds of blue smoke,
clearly at work devising a new
scheme. I had enjoyed a glass
or two of my favourite claret,
Chteau de Cul-crevasse du
Btisseur, which I find often helps
me think. At that moment, there
was an unexpected ring at the
doorbell. U Sha Lok looked at me
quizzically, but said nothing.
A moment later, Daw Hat Sun
announced, U Sha Lok, a visitor
to see you. It is Daw Aye Linn.
Daw Hat Sun has introduced many
strange, formidable and dangerous
characters into our lodgings
with the greatest sangfroid. But
tonight, there was wonder in her
voice.
Sha Lok, his face a picture of
consternation, leapt to his feet, as
did I. Our visitor swept into the
room, even more beautiful and
imposing at close quarters than
she was on stage or screen.
Daw Aye Linn was not tall, but
she carried herself willow-wand
straight. Though her clothes were

modest and restrained, they were

clearly of impeccable design and
expensively made. She was hatless
and carried no bag. It was not her
physical beauty so much that lent
her that indefinably commanding
character, but rather her bearing,
which was that of a great lady
wronged. Once she had entered
a room, it was scarcely possible
to pay attention to anyone or
anything else. Her face even in
maturity was striking. Though
the laughter lines were clearly in
evidence, she was not in a laughing
mood now. Her eyes seemed to
flash as, ignoring me entirely, she
directed her gaze at U Sha Lok
who, his nose still swollen and
inflamed, seemed to shrink before
her icy regard.
So. The great detective. You
tricked me. You took advantage
of my kindness to enter my home
under false pretences, in order
to spy and to steal, she said in a
quiet, level voice that yet seemed
to resonate with power. U Sha Lok
said nothing.
I know who you are, and what
you were after, and for whom
you are working, she continued.
Well, you can have it. That is, I
will give you one more chance to
come by it, honestly this time, if
you have the courage to take it.
Madam, U Sha Lok began
hoarsely, but fell silent as she
continued to speak, ignoring his
attempt to explain.
Tomorrow night I will appear
in a presidential command
performance at the Yangon
National Theatre. Here are three
tickets, she slipped a hand inside
a pocket of her jacket and held
out three slips of cardboard. The
seats are excellently placed. You
will have a perfect view of the play.
If you listen very carefully, you
will learn exactly where to find
that which you seek. You may then
do what you wish on your clients
behalf. The tickets are for you,
him, and this gentleman here,
she said, indicating me with the
merest flick of her hand, a lightly
tossed wrist of elegant disdain.
She did not deign to cast a glance
in my direction, but continued to
address her remarks to Sha Lok.
He would be well advised not to
throw any smoke-bombs, or to
set light to any of his garments,
or prance about in an absurd
fashion, or raise the alarm of
fire in the theatre. It could cause
panic, she went on as I cringed in
embarrassment.
Then, with a barely audible
swish of silk and the merest waft
of French perfume, she turned and
was gone.
For a long moment the two of us
stood immobile, not looking at one
another, until U Sha Lok let out his
breath in a long exhalation.
Well, he said, with the air of a
man recovering his amour propre.
Weve obviously got her worried.
But perhaps my disguise needed
more work. And I suppose shes
right about, you know, not setting
fire to things.
She did not look worried to
me, I said. But will you attend?
I must. And so must you,
Wa Zone. I cannot speak for our
secretive royal client, but I will
urge him most strongly to come
with us. The lady is clearly not to
be trifled with.
Next week: Theatre of Shame

20

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | PUZZLERS

SUDOKU PACIFIC

Universal Crossword
Edited by Timothy E. Parker

BE CAREFUL! By Kenneth Holt

ACROSS
1 French clerics
6 Dish with
seasoned rice
11 QBs cry
14 Long green
15 Stadium relative
16 Dont get ___
ideas
17 Moment of truth to
a thrill-seeker
19 Type of code
20 Bank negotiation
21 Very upset
23 Not deep at all
27 What many watch
on beaches
29 Felt for
30 Plump
31 Writing that features
a twist
32 Donnybrook
33 Chop (off), as
a branch
36 Gambling mecca
37 Jeans material
38 It has a leaning
tower
39 Lyrical poem of
tribute
40 Its spotted in
Westerns
41 One way to turn
42 Home or farm
attachments
44 Becomes
immersed
45 Removes by
ballot
47 Remain longer
48 Bumper sticker
word
49 Give the heave-ho
50 Debussys La ___
51 Reason to call in
the dogs?
58 The Phantom
Menace kid
59 Broadcasting
right now
60 Apportion
61 Friend
62 Silly birds
63 Saintly quality

4 Breakfast staple
5 Frankensteins
creator
6 Tree with large,
oblong leaves
7 Its pumped
8 Hawaiian
giveaway
9 Cape ___, Mass.
10 Mental weariness
11 It warns motorists
12 Become one
13 Varieties
18 Cross word
22 Bleed in the
washing machine
23 Richards first
second

24 Brought on
board
25 How risks are
taken
26 Start to type?
27 Sheet of printed
matter
28 Big-ticket ___
30 Doesnt own
32 Darns
34 Actor Milo
35 Easy mark
37 Channel selector
of old
38 Absolute worst
40 Moor feature
41 Dirty, run-down
digs

43
44
45
46
47
49
52
53
54
55
56
57

P.I., e.g.
Mulberry, for one
Chart anew
Jimmy Dorsey
classic Maria ___
Beyond the
fringe
Eastern waist ties
___ nation, under
God ...
West of My Little
Chickadee
Boola Boola
singer
A pint, maybe
Little one in the
nursery
Barnyard abode

DOWN
1 Make sense
(with up)
2 ___ constrictor
3 Quick hairstyle

DILBERT

BY SCOTT ADAMS

PEANUTS

BY CHARLES SCHULZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

BY BILL WATTERSON

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | PUZZLERS

WEEKLY PREDICTIONS

JULY 3-9, 2015

AQUARIUS
Jan 20 Feb 18
Hold your head up
high and be proud of
everything youve achieved. Yes, we all
need to do things sometimes that we
dont enjoy (yes, were looking at you,
team brainstorming meetings). Just
dont get carried away delaying your
happiness for another day. This week,
focus on you. And remember the old
adage, Be yourself. If you cant be
yourself, be Batman.

PISCES
Feb 19 March 20
Education is the most
powerful weapon which you
can use to change the world, said South
Africas spiritual leader, Nelson Mandela.
This week, reflect on the gifts education
has bestowed upon you throughout your
life and consider being an advocate for
it on a larger scale. Be like a welcome
K500 note in your back pocket: the
change you want to see.

ARIES
Mar 21 Apr 19
Cake, political reform
and antifungal creams.
These all take time, as do most
things worthwhile. This week, practise
patience. It could be an opportunity
for you to look at your career plan
and routines with fresh eyes. Perhaps
its time to re-evaluate? Have the
patience to both challenge your
beliefs and stick to them.

TAURUS
Apr 20 May 20
He who wants to learn
to fly must first learn
to stand and walk and run and
probably purchase an aeroplane.
So sort-of said Neitzsche and so
should you. Its important you fulfil
your obligations despite aiming for the
sky. There is a dignity and comfort in
focusing on the task at hand, and at its
conclusion a freedom like no other.

21

AUNG MYIN KYAW

4th Floor, 113, Thamain Bayan Road, Tarmwe township, Yangon.
Tel: 09-731-35632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com

GEMINI
May 21 June 20
Theres an adventure on the
horizon! The best of your
intentions may have gone unnoticed but
despair not there was a purpose. You
just so happened to be tending your own
garden and its beginning to blossom. The
weeds you pulled are long gone and now
the soil is more fertile than ever. Enjoy
the harvest.

CANCER
June 21 July 22
Stay rational this week
and you should be able
to make headway at work. Philosophy
has its place, but recognise when its
time for getting on with things. Youll
be rewarded richly for it. As Kipling
said, If you can keep your head when
all about you; Are losing theirs and
blaming it on you ... youll fit right into
the modern workplace.

LEO
July 23 Aug 22
Never accept less than
living life to the fullest.
This includes knowing when to hold
em, when to fold em, when to walk
away and when to run. Take it from
the man who wrote these lyrics hes
onto his fifth wife. Always trust your
own judgement. Stick to this and you
could change your mind a thousand
times it wouldnt matter. Youll
always be following your heart.

VIRGO
Aug 23 Sept 22
Shakespeare was pretty
switched on but he did got
one thing mixed up: Its the ears that
are the window to the soul. If you can
speak with compassion and conviction
youll win the ears, and hearts and
minds of those around you. And it you
dont succeed, at least you were true
to yourself. Even if it means you miss
out on a few birthday cards when the
time comes around.

LIBRA
Sept 23 Oct 22
Never contend with a
man who has nothing
to lose, especially if youre looking
to clean up in poker. Instead, try to
understand your adversarys mindset
you might even begin to empathise
with them. Perhaps this is more
frightening than conflict? This week
there may be a love affair on the
cards for you.

SCORPIO
Oct 23 Nov 21
This week try your best
to let your desire for
truth override your fear of being
wrong. If you get this right, you
may just transform a challenging
situation into an illuminating
experience. Ironically, if you can
pull this off, then youre kind of ipso
facto in the right again as you
guided yourself toward the decision
that was best for you. Horoscopeception...

SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22 Dec 21
Follow your heart and
youll discover a whole
new vista of relationships. Even if
loved ones test your patience this
week, take a deep breath and let
it slide. Do whatever it takes to
turn a new leaf. Maybe you need to
indulge in yourself a little? Go ahead.
Everything in moderation.

CAPRICORN
Dec 22 Jan 19
Trees do it, worms do it,
yogis do it. Be flexible!
The more you practise rolling with the
punches, the less youll fear them.
Vulnerability is not a weakness, its
a chance for growth. This week may
feel a bit isolating but use it as time
to reflect on what you want in life and
love. An old acquaintance may even
come knocking...

22

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | QUICK GUIDE

General Listing

The Essentials
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,
6th 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
9th 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
Yeiktha Road, Yangon. Tel:
222886, 222887,
Egyptembassy86@gmail.
com
France 102, Pyidaungsu
Yeiktha Road, Yangon. Tel:
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, 2309543. 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
Yeiktha Road, Yangon. Tel:
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 7, Gandamar
St, Yankin Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 558149-151, Email:
p.e. yangon@gmail.com
Saudi Arabia No.6/S,
Inya Yeiktha St, 10th 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,
Yangon. Tel: 515282,
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,
Yangon. Tel: 222812,
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

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 : 6504056, 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.

For more information about these listings, Please Contact - classified.mcm@gmail.com

Emergency Numbers
Ambulance tel: 295133.
Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022.
Police emergency tel: 199.
Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764.
Red Cross tel:682600, 682368
Traffic 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: 067407007.
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 Office
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.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS

Excel Treasure Hotel

Yangon

AsiA PlAzA Hotel

YANGON
No. 277, Bogyoke Aung
San Road, Corner of
38th Street, Kyauktada
Township, Yangon,
Myanmar.
Tel : (951) 391070, 391071.
Reservation@391070
(Ext) 1910, 106.
Fax : (951) 391375. Email :
hotelasiaplaza@gmail.com
Avenue 64 Hotel
No. 64 (G), Kyitewine
Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon. Tel : 09-8631392,
01 656913-9

No.520, Kaba Aye Pagoda

Road, Bahan Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: 01-559150 to 7
Fax: 01-559150

Excel River View

Hotel

No.(3) Block (1 to 4), Near

Thanlyin Bridge, Thanlyin
Township, Yangon Myanmar.
Tel: 056-22550, 09-8601892,
Fax: 056-22546,

Excel Palace Hotel

No.(25, D1), New University

Avenue Road, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel: 01-544491, 01-556601
Fax: 525028, 01-544604
excel@myanmar.com.mm
autospeed123@gmail.com
www.exceltreasurehotel.com

Novotel Yangon Max

459, Pyay Rd, Kamayut
Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel.: +95(1) 2305858
Email: bqsales1
novotelyangon@gmail.com
Parkroyal Yangon,
Myanmar
33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd,
Dagon tsp.
tel: 250388. fax: 252478.
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.

No. 12, Pho Sein Road,

Tamwe Township, Yangon
Tel : (95-1) 209299, 209300,
209343 Fax : (95-1) 209344
bestwestern.com/
greenhillhotelyangon.com
Chatrium Hotel
40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe.
tel: 544500. fax: 544400.
Confort Inn
4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd
& U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut,
tel: 525781, 526872
Clover Hotel
No.7A, Wingabar Road,
Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : (951) 546313, 430245.
09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01)
546313.
www.cloverhotel.asia.
info@cloverhotel.asia
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. (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

153/159,Bogyoke Ag San Rd,

Botataung Tsp.Yangon,
Tel: 951-298986,296209,
www.grandlaurelhotel.com
Hotel Grand United
(Chinatown)
621, Maharbandoola Rd,
Latha Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (95-1) 372256-58
(21st Downtown)
66-70, 21st 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

Winner Inn
42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan
Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387.
email: reservation@winner
innmyanmar.com

No.183, 35th St; Bet; 77th

&78th Street, Mahar Aung
Myae Tsp, Mandalay. Ph: 02
67 404, 67 405, 67 406, 67
407, 67 408, website:www.
yuanshenghotel.com,
Email: sale.yuanshenghotel
@gmail.com
Yuzana Garden Hotel
Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon
Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (NAy PyI TAw)

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

Excel Capital Hotel

Nay Pyi Taw

No.(23/24), Yarza Thingaha

Rd, Dekhina Thiri Township
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Tel: 067-8106011 to 17,
Fax: 067-8106020,
excel@myanmar.com.mm
autospeed123@gmail.com
www.exceltreasurehotel.com

No.1, Wut Kyaung St,

Yay Kyaw, Pazundaung Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Ph: 01-8610640, 01-202187,
www.mkhotelyangon.com
Panda Hotel
Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road,
Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3,
229358 ~ 61,
Inya Lake Resort Hotel
37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd.
tel: 662866. fax: 665537.

Reservation Office (Yangon)

123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd,
Dagon Township
Tel
: 951- 255 819~838
Hotel Max, (Nay Pyi Taw)
Tel
: 067- 414 177,
067- 4141 88
E-Mail: reservation@
maxhotelsgroup.com

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wEEKEND | QUICK GUIDE

23

THE MYANMAR TIMES MARCH 20 , 2015

ACCOMMODATION
LONG TERM

ADVERTISING & MEDIA

WE STARTED THE ADVERTISING
INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR SINCE 1991

California Skin Spa

NO 32.B, Inya Myaing Road,
Yangon. (Off University
Road) Tel : 01-535097,
01-501295.

CAR RENTAL

CLEANING SERVICES

CENTURION AUTO GROUP

Corporate Car Rental
Transfer | Daily | Monthly| Fleet

HAPPY HOMES
REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT

Tel: 09-7349-4483,
09-4200-56994.
E-mail: aahappyhomes@
gmail.com, http://www.
happyhomesyangon.com
Hotel Yangon
91/93, 8th Mile Junction,
Tel : 01-667708, 667688.

17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd,

Yankin Tsp.
Tel: 650933. Fax: 650960.
Email : micprm@
myanmar.com.mmwww.
myanmar micasahotel.com
Marina Residence
8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd,
Mayangone Tsp.
tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630.

Residence@26
No. 26, Myay Nu Street,
Sanchaung Township,
Yangon.Tel.: 01 230 61 78
Email: info@residence26.
com.
www.residence26.com
Sakura Residence
9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp.
tel: 525001. fax: 525002.
Sule Shangri-La Hotel
223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel:
242828. fax: 242838.

ARCHITECTS &
MODULAR BUILDINGS

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

A D V E RT I S I N G

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
Red Line Advertising Agency
Olympic Tower, Rm 505,
5 Flr, Corner of Bo Aung
Kyaw Rd & Mahabandoola
Rd, Kyauktada tsp. Tel:
01391752, 376122.

AIR CONDITION

YANGON
La Source Beauty Spa
12-E, Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp.
Tel: 512380, 526653
Beauty Bar by La Source
Shop (1004), Sedona Hotel,
Tel : 860 5377 Ext : 7167
MANDALAY
La Source Beauty Spa
13/13, Mya Sandar St,
bet: 26 x 27, bet: 62 x 63,
Chanaye Tharzan Tsp.
Tel : 09-4440-24496.
www.lasourcebeautyspa.com
Yves Rocher
147, Shwe Gone Taing Rd,
West Yay Tar Shay Ward,
Bahan, Ph: 01-8604930~31

BOOK STORES

English Speaking Driver

On-board Wi-Fi
$1-million Insurance
Concierge & Refreshment
Defensive Driver Training
Tel: 571586, 09 250188232
www.centurionauto.com

Car Rental Service

No. 56, Bo Ywe St,
Latha Tsp, Yangon.
Tel : 01-246551, 375283,
09-2132778, 09-31119195.
Gmail:nyanmyintthu1983@
gmail.com,
Moe Car Rental
Than Thu Mar Rd,
Thuwunna, Thingangyun.
Tel: 09-2540-07712, 0949570697, 09-799658370.
MYANMAR EXECUTIVE
LIMOUSINE SERVICE

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
General Aircon
83-91, Ground Flr, Bo Aung
Kyaw St, Kyauktada.
Ph: 01-706223, 373462.
Hitachi Aircon
SA 7, Aung Zaya Housing,
Ahlone Strand Rd, Corner
of Ahlone Rd & Strand Rd.
Ahlone tsp.Tel: 01-2301267, 09-431-53423.

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

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 26th & 27th
St, 77th St, Chan Aye Thar
Zan Tsp, Mandalay.
Tel: (02) 24880
ELT Showroom:
# 43, 165 St, Tarmwe Tsp,
Yangon.
Tel: (09) 5116687
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

BUSINESS SERVICE

HOT LINE:
09 - 402 510 003
01-646 330
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

Commercial Cleaning
Services and Products
Carpet, Windows,
Upholsteries, Floor,
Buildings...We Clean It All!
For FREE estimates,
Contact: 09 730 35336,
09 7321 2220 or
ppcscleaning@gmail.com

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

COLD STORAGE

Est. 1992 in Myanmar

Cold Storage Specialist,
Solar Hot Water Storage
Solutions.
Tel: 951 663656, 951
665848, Email: sales@
glovermkm.com.mm

CONSTRUCTION

contactus@greenarc.net.au
Tel : 09-730-22820

News & Business Ideas

facebook box.com.mm
http://box.com.mm

Sein Shwe Tailor, 797

(003-A), Bogyoke Aung
San Rd, MAC Tower 2,
Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon,
Ph: 01-225310, 212943~4
Ext: 146, 147, E-mail:
uthetlwin@gmail.com

FITNESS CENTRE
Balance Fitnesss
University Avenue Rd,
Bahan Tsp. Yangon.
01-656916, 09 8631392
Email - info@
balancefitnessyangon.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, 01220881, 549478 (Ext : 103)
Email : realfitnessmyanmar
@gmail.com
www.realfitnessmyanmar.com

FLORAL SERVICES

Self Drive Daily Rental

Brand New Left Hand
Drive
Comprehensive Insurance
Daily Rental (24 hours)
Unlimited Kilometres
24/7 Roadside Assistance
www.yomafleet.com
soe@yomafleet.com
+95 9 4500 35280

Zamil Steel
No-5, Pyay Road,
7 miles,
Mayangone Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: (95-1) 652502~04.
Fax: (95-1) 650306.
Email: zamilsteel@
zamilsteel.com.mm

CO WORKING SPACE

DELIVERY SERVICE
Marina Residence, Yangon
Ph: 650651~4, Ext: 109
Beauty Plan, Corner of
77th St & 31st St, Mandalay
Ph: 02 72506

FASHION & TAILOR

Express Courier & Cargo

One Stop Logistic Solution
Ygn, Hot Line: 011224270

No. (6), Lane 2

Botahtaung Pagoda St,
Yangon.
01-9010003, 291897.
info@venturaoffice.com,
www.venturaoffice.com

CONSULTING

Myanmar Research | Consulting

Capital Markets

Shwe Hinthar B 307, 6 1/2

Miles, Pyay Rd., Yangon.
Tel: +95 (0)1 654 730
info@thuraswiss.com
www.thuraswiss.com

DUTY FREE

Duty Free Shops

Yangon International
Airport, Arrival/Departure
Mandalay International
Airport, Departure
Office: 17, 2nd street,
Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing,
Hlaing Township, Yangon.
Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.

ELECTRICAL

Est. 1992 in Myanmar

Electrical & Mechanical
Contractors, Designers,
Consultants.
Tel: 951 663656, 951
665848, Email: sales@
glovermkm.com.mm

Worlds leader in
Kitchen Hoods & Hobs
Same as Ariston Water
Heater. Tel: 251033, 399491,
379671, 255795, 394409

GEMS & JEWELLERIES

Kham Le
22, Thukha Waddy St,
Suneyan Park, Yankin, Ph:
01-8605223, 8605224.

Ruby & Rare Gems

of Myanamar
No. 527, New University
Ave., Bahan Tsp. Yangon.

sales@manawmaya.com.mm
www.manawmayagems.com

Tel: 549612, Fax : 545770.

Your Most Reliable Jeweller

The Natural Gems of

Myanmar & Fine Jewellery.
No. 30(A), Pyay Road,
(7 mile), Mayangone Tsp,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 01-660397, 666052,
666053,Fax:(95)-1-664574
spgems.myanmar@
gmail.com, www.facebook.
com/pages/SP-Gems

GENERATORS
Floral Service & Gift Shop
No. 449, New University
Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN.
Tel: 559011, 541217,
09-730-55660
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 :
eternalflowers99@gmail.
com

Genarator & Forklift

Sales and Rental
589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw
St, Yangon-Pathein
highway Rd. Hlaing
Tharyar tsp.Tel:-951645334;Fax:951-645211.
e-mail:mkt-pgis@
winstrategic.com.mm.
hot line +9595057182

HEALTH 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.

GLASS

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

GAS COOKER &

COOKER HOODS

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 : 096803505, 09-449004631.
Naypyitaw : Level (2),
Capital Hyper Mart,
Yazathingaha Street,
Outarathiri Tsp. Tel : 0933503202, 09-73050337

98(A), Kaba Aye Pagoda

Road, Bahan Township,
Yangon. Tel: 542979,
553783, 09-732-16940.
Fax: 542979
Email: asiapacific.
myanmar@gmail.com.
Dent Myanmar
Condo (C), Room (001),
Tatkatho Yeikmon Housing,
New University Avenue Rd,
Bahan Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 09 8615162, 09 8615163,
542 375, (Ext 1155)

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

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

24

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | QUICK GUIDE

THE MYANMAR TIMES MARCH 20, 2015

OFFICE FURNITURE
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

NO.61, 2nd Floor, 101 Street,

Kandawlay, Mingalar
Taung Nyunt Tsp, Yangon,
Myanmar.
Ph: 01-205102, 09 2603
60932, 09 2603 60933,
09 3334 6666

Tel : 01-9000712~13 Ext : 330

09-4200-77039.
direct2u@mmrdrs.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
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

99 Condo, Ground Floor,

Room (A), Damazedi Rd,
Kamayut Township,
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 09-2504-28700
info@decorum.mm.com

HOTEL SUPPLY

Intl Quality Uniform &

Promo Gifts
for Corporate, Hotel, F&B
Tel: (959) 972 154 990,
Email: suchada@
stgroupholdings.com

Premium Chef Uniform

No. H-8, May Kha Housing,

May Kha St., Thingangyun
Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 01 855 0105, 09 506
7816, 09 254443366
Email: theworkwear
myanmar@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/
workwearmyanmar

HOUSING

Sole Distributor
For the Union of
Myanmar Since 1995
Myanmar Golden Rock
International Co.,Ltd.
79-D, Bo Chein St, Pyay Rd,
6 Mile, Hlaing Tsp,
Tel: 654810~654819
654844~654848

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

01 9000 712~3, Ext 330/332,

Email: enquiries.HM@
mmrdrs.com, www.
hermanmillerasia.com

PERFECT SOLUTIONS FOR

YOUR OFFICE SPACE!
Taw Win Center, 3rd Flr,
Rm 4031/4033, Pyay Rd,
Dagon Tsp, Yangon.
Email: bd1@bristol.com.mm
web: www.bristol.com.my
Ph: 09-2540 14097,
09-259455550

Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd.

Islands Safari in the Mergui
Archipelago
No.89-91, Rm No.2, Gr Fr,
32nd St, Pabedan Tsp, Ygn.
Tel / Fax: 01-380382
E-mail: info@islandsafari
mergui.com. Website: www.
islandsafarimergui.com

REAL ESTATE

European Quality
& Designs Indoor/
Outdoor Furniture, Hotel
Furniture & All kinds of
woodworks
Office 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.

PAINT

SUPPLIER of Quality Paints

DECORATIVE COATINGS
PROTECTIVE COATINGS
MARINE COATINGS
POWDER COATINGS
Jotun Myanmar (Services)
Co. Ltd.
G-7, May Kha Housing,
Lay Doung Kan Road,
Thingangyun Township,
Yangon-Myanmar
Tel: +95 1 566716, 566843
jotun.com

SC STORAGE YANGON

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

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

SC STORAGE YANGON
Monthly storage available
Transportation of goods
provided,
Mobile: 09-253 559 848,
Email: YangonStorage@
gmail.com

TRAVEL AGENTS
Enchanting and Romantic,
a Bliss on the Lake
Legendary Myanmar Intl
Shipping & Logistics Co.,
Ltd.
No-9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr,
Kyaung St, Myaynigone,
Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon.
Tel: 516827, 523653,
516795.
Mobile. 09-512-3049.
Email: legandarymyr@
mptmail.net .mm
www.LMSL-shipping.com

American best practices

Pabaedan Township.
09 253 559 848
info@PathwayMoving.com
www.PathwayMoving.com
Yangons premier mover

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.

62 D, U Htun Nyein Road

Mayangone Tsp, Yangon
Tel 01 665 516, 01 660 975
Reserv. 09 7703 0755
(facebook) operayangon
operayangon@gmail.com
www.operayangon.com

NAY PYI TAW BRANCH

Nirvana Hotel & Resort
No. MH-3,
4, Yar Za Thin Gaha Road
Datkhina Thiri Township
Hotel Zone 1, Nay Pyi Taw
Reserv. 09 795 915 540
Tel 067 422253, 067 422256

Yangon International
School (YIS)
Grades, Pre-school Grade 12.
American Curriculum.
117, Thumingalar Housing
Thingangyun Tsp
Yangon, Myanmar.
Tel : 95 1 578171, 573149
Fax : 95 1 578604
Website :
www.yismyanmar.com

SERVICE OFFICE

Executive Serviced Offices

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 HEATERS

The Global leader in

Water Heaters
A/1, Aung San Stadium
East Wing, Upper
Pansodan Road.
Tel: 01-251033, 255795,
379671, 399491, 394409.

www.hinthabusinesscentres.com

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd,

Bahan Tsp. tel 541997.
email: leplanteur@
mptmail.net.mm.
http://leplanteur.net

G-05, Marketplace by
City Mart.
Tel: 01-523840 Ext: 105

Tel : 01-4413410

Water Heater

Made in Japan
Same as Rinnai Gas Cooker
and Cooker Hood
Showroom Address
Executive Serviced
Office, Registered
and Virtual Office, Hot
Desking, Meeting Rooms
Tel: +(95) 1 387947
www.officehubservices,com

STEEL STRUCTURE
Commercial leasing
Contact : 09 301 66 888
sales777Lux@gmail.com

Room No. 1101, 16th 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

STORAGE

WATER PROOFING

RESTAURANTS

Good taste & resonable

price
@Thamada Hotel
Tel: 01-243047, 243639-41
Ext: 32
Executive Serviced Offices
Contact : 09 301 66 888
sales777Lux@gmail.com

Real Estate Agent

N o Fe e s fo r C l i e n t s ,
Contact Us : 09 2050107,
robin@prontorealtor.com

Quality Chinese Dishes

with Resonable Price
@Marketplace by City Mart.
Tel: 01-523840 Ext.109

Coffee & Snack Bar

Shop: No.150, Dhamazedi
Road, Bahan Township,
Yangon, Myanmar,
09-3621-4523, gustocafe.
yangon@gmail.com

G-01, City Mart

(Myay Ni Gone Center).
Tel: 01-508467-70 Ext: 106

Monsoon Restaurant
& Bar 85/87, Thein Byu
Road, Botahtaung Tsp.
Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653.

with Expert Services

In all kinds of Estate Fields
yomaestatemm@gmail.com
09-332 87270 (Fees Free)
09-2541 26615, 09254392553

From Malaysia/Italy

Delicious Hong Kong Style

Food Restaurant
G-09, City Mart (Myay Ni
Gone Center).
Tel: 01-508467-70 Ext: 114

RESORT

Heaven Pizza
38/40, Bo Yar Nyunt St.
Yaw Min Gyi Quarter,
Dagon Township.
Tel: 09-855-1383

The Taj
Authentic North Indian Dining
Ph 09 97662518/09
252451353, No. 9, Aung San
Stadium North Wing,

WATER TREATMENT

No. H-8, May Kha Housing,

May Kha St., Thingangyun
Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 01 855
0105, 09 540 8885. Email:
trophystudio@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/
trophystudio.mm

Water & Wastewater

Treatment (Since 1997)
Amd Supply Package
Fiberglass Wastewater
System for Offices,
Condominiums & Hotels
Project. Can Design for
YCDC Permit Application.
39-B, Thazin Lane, Ahlone.
09-5161431, 09-43126571,
01-218437~8

WATER SOLUTION

Aekar

Company Limited

Reservation Office (Yangon)

123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd,
Dagon Township
Tel
: 951- 255 819~838
Max Resort (Chaung Tha)
Tel
: 042 42346~9
E-Mail: reservation@
maxhotelsgroup.com

SANITARY WARE
World famous Kobe Beef
Near Thuka Kabar
Hospital on Pyay Rd,
Marlar st, Hlaing Tsp.
Tel: +95-1-535072

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

SPORTS

SUPERMARKETS

REMOVALISTS

Relocation Specialist
Rm 504, M.M.G Tower,
#44/56, Kannar Rd,
Botahtaung Tsp.
Tel: 250290, 252313.
Mail : info@asiantigersmyanmar.com

Design, Fabrication,
Supply & Erection of Steel
Structures
Tel : +95 9 252399569
Email : Sales@WECMyanmar.com
www.WEC-Myanmar.com

Premium Trophies

For House-Seekers

Aye Yeik Mon

New University Avenue
Rd, Bahan Tsp.
Ph: 095188320
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 : 951-687 778, 684 013
phgemarketing@
spa-mm.com,
www.punhlainggolfestate.com

Crown Worldwide
Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702,
7th Flr Danathiha Centre,
Bogyoke Aung San Rd,
Lanmadaw. Tel: 223288,
210 670, 227650. ext: 702.
Fax: 229212. email: crown
worldwide@mptmail.net.mm

PLEASURE CRUISES

HOME FURNITURE

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile,

Mayangone Tsp.
tel: 660769, 664363.

SCHOOLS

Worlds No.1 Paints &

Coatings Company

Faucets | Showers |
Sanitarywares | Bathroom
Accessories, Ph: 379671,
255795, 399491, 251033,
394409. Address: Same
as ARISTON

Capital Hyper Mart

14(E), Min Nandar Road,
Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136.
City Mart (Aung San) tel:
253022, 294765.
Junction Square
Pyay Rd, Kamayut,
Ph: 01-527242.
Junction Zawana
Lay Daung Kan St,
Thingangyun, Ph: 573929.
Ocean (North Point)
Pyay Rd, 9 mile,
Ph: 01-652959.
Ocean (East Point)
Mahabandoola Rd,
Ph: 01-397146.
Orange Super Market
103, Thu Damar Rd,
Industrial Zone, North
Okkalar, Ph: 9690246

Water Treatement Solution

Block (A), Room (G-12),
Pearl Condo, Kabar Aye
Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp.
Hot Line : 09-4500-59000

WEB SERVICE

Web Services
All the way from Australia
world-class websites/
web apps for desktop,
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wEEKEND | SOCIALITE

Thein Thein and Chaw Su Mon

Going, going gone

Myanmar-based organisation Girl Determined held a fundraising
auction of limited edition photographs of Girl Determined members by
internationally acclaimed photographer Andrew Stanbridge on June
28. Guests enjoyed live music by Gitameit and complementary food
by 57Below at the Goethe Villa in Bahan, while raising money for the
organisations work providing girls with leadership skills to advocate
for their own rights.
Andrew Stanbridge

Clothes tell
stories
Guests got
dressed up
to attend
the National
Costume
Exhibition at the
National Theatre
on June 25.
Aya Bank

Chan Myae Aung, Kyaw Zin Tun, Zaw Min Naing and Lae Yati Aung

Daw Khin Ma Ma and Daw Baby Than Mg

Daw Khin Nyount Yi and Daw Khine Soe Moe

Zin May Lwin and Ruby Thein

25

26

THE MYANMAR TIMES ISSUE 16 I JULY 3 - 9, 2015

wEEKEND | WHATSON

Compiled by Nyein Chan May

EVENTS

FRIDAY 3
ART
Monsoon Art Break 2015 Exhibition.
Featuring more than 40 paintings and
illustrations across different mediums,
the exhibition will show paintings from
a private art collection including works
by well-known artists Shwe Daung, Myo
Kyaw and Mg Mg Ba. Gallery 65, 65 Yaw
Min Gyi Road (behind Parkroyal Hotel),
Dagon 10-6pm

Yangon Echoes photo exhibition. Archival

prints from the book Yangon Echoes by
Virginia Henderson and Tim Webster.
Myanmar Deitta, 49 (3rd floor), 44th Street,
Botahtaung 5-8pm

MUSIC
Live music by the Aaron Gallegos Trio,
featuring vocalist Tom Barton. Gekko, 535
Merchant Road 7pm
Nightly live music. Kokine Bar and
Restaurant (next to Kokine Swimming
Club) 6-11pm
Romances Violin night. Enjoy classical
violin music. B2O Bar and Bistro, 98 20th
Street, Latha 8-11pm

NIGHTLIFE
Dour Hour III with False Morality. More
rain, more humidity, more reasons to
kick it with some cocktails at the end
of another long week. Hummingbird, 76
Phone Gyi Street 8pm

MISC
Coffee class. Learn what it takes to
invest in the coffee business in Myanmar.
Successo Myanmar, Block D, Room 208,
Pearl Condo, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road,
Bahan 2-4pm
Friday Talk. Topic: The advantages of
being able to use different languages
and how to become proficient in them.
Speaker: U Sai Oo (lecturer). Myanmar
Metropolitan College, 47/48 Bahosi
Building, Bogyoke Street 10-12am

SATURDAY 4
MUSIC
Saturday Night Live. Live band and halfprice cocktails. Studio Bar, Novotel Yangon
Max, 459 Pyay Road, Kamaryut 7pm
Wine down with Mo-Town. Live music
from Soul Union. Union Bar and Grill, 42
Strand Road, Botahtaung 7-10pm
Myo Gyi: Live 90 One-Man Show. K5000
and K10,000 (standing). Tickets available at
5 Network Showroom, 4 Digital Showroom,
The Sun Music Production and 1876 Call
Center. Myanmar Event Park, Shin Saw Pu
Street, Myaynigone 8:30-10:30pm
Unplugged music night. B2O Bistro Bar, 98
20th Street, Latha 8-10pm

MISC
The Yangon Hash. A mixed, family-style
Hash runs usually take about an hour.
K4000. University Avenue (at the main
entrance to the old university) 2:45-8pm

SUNDAY 5
MISC
Yangon Cosplay Party. Purikura photo
booth plus a photographer to snap
memorable photos of you as your favorite
character. Best Cosplayer competition
with prizes from Exe.Co. Sky Bistro Bar
and Restaurant, 20th floor, Sakura Tower,

339 Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada

10-4:30pm
The Lab Sunday Tapas Fever. Promotion:
15 percent off tapas. The Lab Wine and
Tapas Bar, 70A Shwegonedaing Road,
Bahan 12:30-10pm
Sunday BBQ. Bring ID and US$. Australian
Club, 18 Shwe Taung Kyar Road 5-8pm

MONDAY 6
NIGHTLIFE
Great Stories. Cigar smoke, single malt
and blends. Buy one cigar, get buy-oneget-one on all single malts and blends
every Monday. Union Bar and Grill, 42
Strand Road, Botahtaung 7-11:45pm
Cocktails Night. Unlimited cocktails offer
(K8000). 98 20th Street, Latha 8-11:30pm

MUSIC
Japanese Food & 90s Music by DJ Baytar.
Gekko, 535 Merchant Street 7-11pm

MISC
The Fat Ox pool tournament. K5000 entry,
winner takes all! The Fat Ox, 50th Street
(middle block), Botahtaung 7-10pm
Salsa night. Learn some funky Latin
moves at Club 5, Parkroyal Hotel, 33 Alan
Pya Phaya Road, Dagon 711pm
Trivia Night. Free beer pitcher for round
winners and winning team gets a
K30,000 bar tab. 50th Street Bar, 50th Street
(lower block) 8-11pm

TUESDAY 7
MISC
Tuesday Snippets. A gathering in which
all sorts of people interested in the future
of the country enjoy conversation and
perhaps some beer until late at night.
Pansodan Gallery, Pansodan Street,
Kyauktada 7-10pm
Tuesday Movies at the Connect Institute.
Free popcorn, chips and soft drinks, fun
games and quizzes, thought-provoking
discussions and more. Connect Institute,
3A Pansodan Business Tower (corner of
Anawrahta Road and Pansodan Street)
2:30pm-4pm
Yoga Class. Stretch your limbs in the
outdoor covered studio on the lake, with
a beautiful view and gentle breezes. Oneand-a-half hours for K7000. LOpera Italian
Restaurant, 62D U Htun Nyein Street,
Mayangone 4:45pm

WEDNESDAY 8
NIGHTLIFE
Tropical Night. Enjoy a special tropical
cocktail selection for just US$3 each all
night. FAHRENHEIT, 38 corner of Bogyoke
Aung San Road and Botahtaung Pagoda
Road 5-11pm
Mojito Night. Try a selection of mojitos
(strawberry, passion fruit, creole and of
course the classic) every Wednesday!
Buy one get one free on our selection of
refreshing and flavorful mojitos. The Lab,
70A Shwegonedaing Road, Bahan 5:3010pm

MISC
American Center public speaking class.
American Center (Baldwin Library), 14 Taw
Win Road, Dagon 3-5pm

THURSDAY 9
MUSIC
Folk on Fire. Jean-Franois Rancourt will
once again set the stage on fire with his
witty folk songs, in English and in French.
Free entry. Mojo, 135 Inya Road 9:3011:30pm

MISC
Connect Public Speaking Club. Are you
scared of speaking in public? Dont be!
This club will help you stand and talk
confidently without any fear. Connect
Institute, 3A Pansodan Business Tower,
Corner of Anawrahta Road and Pansodan
Street 2:30-4pm
Yoga Class. Stretch your limbs in the
outdoor covered studio on the lake, with
a beautiful view and gentle breezes. Oneand-a-half hours for K7000. LOpera Italian
Restaurant, 62D U Htun Nyein Street,
Mayangone 4:45pm

NIGHTLIFE
80s music night. Great gastro pub food
and 80s music with DJ Bay Tar. Union
Bar and Grill, 42 Strand Road, Botahtaung
7-12pm

FILM
Start times at Mingalar (1,2), Top Royal,
Shae Saung (1,2) and Nay Pyi Taw
cinemas are 10am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm,
6:30pm and 9:30pm
Start times at Junction Square and
Junction Maw Tin are 9:30am, 12:30pm,
3:30pm and 6:30pm daily and 9:30am,
12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm 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
Mad Max: Fury Road [3D].
Directed by George Miller. Action film.
Skin Trade [2D]. Directed by Ekachai
Uekrongtham. Action-thriller.
Pitch Perfect 2 [2D]. Directed by Elizabeth
Banks. American musical comedy.
Shae Saung Cinema,
Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada
Jurassic World [3D]. Directed by Colin
Trevorrow. American science-fiction
adventure film.
Ghost Coins [2D]. Directed by Tiwa
Moeithaisong. Thai horror film.
Mingalar San Pya Cineplex, Phone Gyi
Street and Anawrahta, Lanmadaw
Jurassic World [3D].
Pitch Perfect 2 [2D]. Directed by Elizabeth
Banks. American musical comedy.
Keep Running Sir, Yes, Sir [2D]. Directed
by Thanwarin Sukhaphisit. Thai comedy
horror film.
Mingalar Cinema 2,
Dagon Center 2, Myaynigone
Jurassic World [3D].

Salsa at Salud. K5000 entry includes free

Mojito, beer or cocktail of your choice.
Salud Salsa Club, 7C Wingabar Road (next
to Clover Hotel), Bahan 8pm

Junction Square,
Kyun Taw road, near Hanthawaddy Circle
Tracers. Directed by Daniel Benmayor.
American action drama.
Robot Overlords. Directed by Jon Wright.
British independent science-fiction film.

Ladys Night. One free cocktail for ladies.

B20 Bar and Bistro, 96 20th Street, Latha
8- 11:45pm

Junction Maw Tin, corner of Anawrahta

Road and Lan Thit Street, Lanmadaw
Tracers.

FILM REVIEW

Jurassic World: Chris

Pratt runs riot in upgraded
dino-disaster movie
Executive producer Steven Spielberg
has got his dinosaur footprints all
over this thoroughly entertaining
fourth Jurassic Park instalment
F

IRST it was a Park, now it is a

World. And soon, of course,
therell come a time when that
too is not enough. The dino-attraction
meltdown franchise invented by
novelist Michael Crichton and given
an incomparable gloss by director
Steven Spielberg has been renewed
and upgraded for a fourth movie.
Once again, the prehistoric creatures
have bust their pen and theyre
running riot.
Jurassic World doesnt have an
equivalent of Samuel L Jacksons
chain-smoking employee Arnold
from the first film, or indeed anything
like its all-but-subliminal reference
to J Robert Oppenheimer. But this
is still a terrifically enjoyable and
exciting summer spectacular: savvy,
funny, ridiculous in just the right
way, with some smart imaginative
twists on the idea of how dinosaurs
could be repositioned in a consumer
marketplace where they are almost
commonplace, and how the military
might take a sinister interest in
weaponising these scary beasts.
Theres an almost Gaia-ist conception
of how dinosaurs might solve their
own crises, and in a (partial) nod to
contemporary views, we get a heroine
who can take out dinosaurs with a stun
gun and also run very fast away from
them in heels. All these dinosaurs
are female, which incidentally puts
Jurassic World in the clear as far as the
Bechdel test is concerned.
It was directed by Colin Trevorrow,
whose last feature outing was the
indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed.
But, most importantly, it was
executive-produced by Spielberg
himself, whose influence is in every
base pair of the films DNA. As
the crowds scream in panic while
pterodactyls peck their heads, theres
a ghost of the chaotic beach in Jaws;
the moaning, injured brontosauruses,
blinking and grimacing so huggably,
are like homesick ETs.
The idea is that this theme park
is nowadays quite normal and
established; whatever the chequered
safety history of Jurassic Park
and the second and third films are
effectively passed over in silence
things are now fine. Perhaps the
name change helped, like converting
Windscale to Sellafield. Anyway,
people go to the flourishing Jurassic
World in Costa Rica all the time
to see tame dinosaurs. Maybe too
tame. Something new and different
is going to be needed to provide that
unnatural and transgressive lurch
that sets the narrative in motion.
Jurassic World is managed by
Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), a
successful uptight careerwoman who
is a little bit controlling and unhappy:
she is nervous about looking after her
two nephews who have come for a visit
to the World, owned by flamboyant

Jurassic World: A world of fear and fun.

entrepreneur Masrani (Irrfan Khan).

She is also a bit nervous about the
creepy new GM mega-dinosaur they
have secretly created to boost visitor
numbers: the terrifying Indominus
Rex, created by lab supremo Dr Henry
Wu (BD Wong) and watched over
by the sinister military consultant
Hoskins (Vincent DOnofrio).
Do these people quite realise how
intelligent and aggressive their new
dinosaur is, do you suppose, and how
very unlikely it is to remain within its
paddock? To add to her personal nondinosaur issues, Claire just happens
to have some chemistry with fellow
JW employee Owen (Chris Pratt),
a rough-and-ready Indiana Jonesish raptor wrangler and dinosaur
whisperer. Needless to say, rescuing
the two boys from the upcoming dino
catastrophe is going to bring Owen
and Claire together and generally end
their emotional ice age.
Owen is an old-fashioned guy,
a rough outdoorsy sort, a mans
man, maybe kind of a well, whats
the figure of speech for an extinct
old-fashioned type? Certainly not
dinosaur: They were vigorous and
capable survivors who might yet
turn out to have been on earth longer
than humans. Chris Pratt gives a
tremendously likeable performance as
Owen: easy-going, relaxed, somewhere
on a continuum between Harrison
Ford and Tom Hanks. Bryce Dallas
Howard (who I always remember in
Lars Von Triers Manderlay and M
Night Shyamalans preposterous The
Village) is also very good: Coiffured
and groomed and composed as Claire,
this actor brings her kind of intense
presence to the part. In fact, it is she
who has the faintly raptorish presence,
especially when her retrouss nose is
seen in profile. Owen, Claire and the
horrible Indominus Rex make quite a
team. Its a world of fear and fun.

The Guardian

WWW.MMTIMES.COM

wEEKEND | WHATSON

WHATS ON PICK OF THE WEEK

From Pansodan to
Pansuriya: New gallery
opens to the public
BY NANDAR AUNG

N a characteristic blend of
old and new, U Aung Soe
Mins latest gallery presents
hundreds of photos: vintage,
modern, personal, documentary
and artistic. The space, Pansuriya,
at 100, Bogalayzay Street in Yangon,
is open to the public, but not yet
officially inaugurated.
It has been a long climb
from the creative doldrums of
the 1990s and 2000s, when a
combination of military rule and
international exclusion almost
crippled the countrys artistic life.
Movie theatres were shuttered,
newspapers and magazines ceased
publication or were closed down,
and artists were discouraged. Some
were jailed, or fled overseas.
To the extent that new
technology made its way into the
country, this was not good news
for artists. Computer graphics
and design software ate into the
illustrators trade. Nobody wanted
anything drawn on vinyl. On every
hand, art seemed to be at risk.
Magazine editor and film
director U Aung Soe Min decided
a way had to be found to help local
artists recover and flourish again.

He bought and curated as many

works, especially paintings, as he
could.
At that time, it was all about
realism painting and souvenir
painting, said the 44-year-old.
I didnt want to do things the
old way, but to find a new mode
of expression. Contemporary
paintings represent fresh minds,
fresh souls.
In 2008 he opened the Pansodan
Gallery to promote new artists and
exhibit and sell their work.
Location, he said, was allimportant.
Yangon is known for its
historical buildings, particularly
around Pansodan, where colonial
structures are cheek-by-jowl
alongside modern buildings he said.
I like the architecture of the old
buildings, their breath of history. Old
buildings are a good place to show
art, particularly new art.
The old-new mix continues
inside, with 19th-century paintings
hanging alongside more than 100
contemporary works.
Last year, he created Pansodan
Scene, which showcases archival
collections of old paintings, posters,
film advertisements, maps, poems
and other historical objects. Live
events are staged there, and a cafe

offers Wi-Fi.
Over the past few years,
international travellers and
business people have become
increasingly interested in local art.
Im not a businessman, Im just
an artist who loves to create new art
and collect historical objects. Im
just an artist who is devoted to art
and to the struggle of our talented
young people to attract attention
with their talent. I want Yangon to
be a centre of artistic excellence and
innovation in the Southeast Asian
region. But it cant stop with me. It
has to depend on all the artists in
the country, said U Aung Soe Min.
He has been publishing
Pansodan Art and Culture weekly
since 2013, but is now re-launching
it as a quarterly magazine. Its all
about building an art culture for our
future, for new generations. Its not
just about money, he said.
U Aung Soe Min is also building
arts centres in both Mandalay and
Mount Popa.

Photo: Aung Khant

27

The depreciating kyat-dollar exchange rate issue

MYANMAR has adopted a managed float exchange rate system. How does this system work?
A useful way to find out is to look at how China
has used such a system to fix the exchange rate
of its currency the renminbi (RMB) against US
currency the dollar ($). To illustrate, we begin by
considering the USs balance of trade with China
as provided in the table below.
Table 1. US Balance of trade with China,
2001 to 2010 (US$ billion)
Year

2001

2002

2003

2004

US Exports

19.2

22.1

28.4

34.7

2005
41.8

US Imports

102.3

125.2

152.4

196.7

243.5

Balance

-83.1

-103.1

-124.0

-162.0

-201.7

Year

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

US Exports

55.2

65.2

71.5

69.6

91.9

US Imports

287.8

321.5

337.8

296.4

364.9

Balance

-232.6

-256.3

-266.3

-226.8

-273.0

Source: US Department of Commerce; US International

Trade Commission (ITC).

Table (1) shows the US buys (imports) goods

and services from China more than it sells (exports) goods and services to China for 10 years
from 2001 to 2010. That is, the US has had a balance of trade deficits with China for 10 years in
a row. This affects the exchange rate between
the $ and RMB. There are two foreign exchange
markets to show how this takes place. First is the
exchange market for RMB in the US. And second
is the exchange market for dollars in China.
D(r)1

$/RMB

D(r)0

S(r)0

S(r)1

$1
$0

RMB

Figure (1): RMB Exchange Market in US

D($)1

RMB/$

D($)0

S($)0

S($)1

R0
R1

Figure (1a): $ Exchange Market in China

RMB exchange market in US is presented in

Figure (1). For illustrative purpose, start with demand and supply curves of D(r)0 and S(r)0 that
give rise to exchange rate of $0 per RMB.
Now consider what happens when US balance
of trade deficits as shown in Table (1) comes into
play. US consumers are now buying goods and services far in excess of what the US is selling to the
consumers in China. Buying more Chinese goods
and services implies an increase US demand for
RMB. As a result, the demand curve of the US for
RMB shifts upwards to D(r)1. With supply curve of
RMB remaining the same at S(r)0 the RMB dollar
exchange rate will appreciate to $1 .
US trade deficit with China will mean a trade
surplus with US from Chinas point of view. The impact of Chinas balance of trade surplus with US on
the dollar exchange rate in the exchange market in
China is presented in Figure (1a). Here again for illustrative purpose, we start with demand and supply curves D($)0 and S($)0 in the dollar exchange
market, and the $/RMB ($ per RMB) exchange rate
is R0. With such a balance of trade surplus the inflow of dollars exceed the outflows of dollars into
China and supply curve for dollars increases and
shifts to the right to S($)1. This in turn causes the $
per RMB exchange rate to decline to R1.
To summarise the presentation up to now,

two countries, USA and China, are engaging in

trade. The US came to have a large balance of
trade deficit in this engagement. The trade deficit
will cause a rise in demand for RMB in the US
and the $/RMB exchange rate will appreciate in
that country. This appreciating RMB exchange
rate will raise prices of imports from China and
reduce these imports into the US as time passes.
In the case of China, a trade surplus with
the US will increase the supply of dollars in its
economy, which leads the RMB/$ exchange rate
to depreciate, makes American goods and services cheaper for Chinese consumers, and leads
to higher demand and increasing US exports to
China.
The final outcome: as imports from China are
reduced in the US and at the same time exports
from US to China are increased, the trade imbalance between the two countries will narrow as
time passes and ultimately disappear.
But as we can see in Table (1), the trade imbalance did not narrow or disappear. On the contrary, the US balance of trade deficit with China
continued for 10 years and the size of the deficit
increased every year except in 2009 when there
was a recession in the US. The question is WHY?
The reason: the Central Bank of China did not
allow a free float of its currency against the US
dollar as mentioned in the paragraphs above. Instead, it prevented its currency from appreciating
against the dollar, and also for the dollar to depreciate against the RMB. This is done by Chinas
Central Banks managed float action that involves
buying billions of dollars worth of US treasury
(government) bonds. As can be seen in Figure (1)
such purchases by China floods the US with large
inflows of RMB, causing the supply curve S(r)0 to
rise to S(r)1. This results in the $/RMB exchange
rate falling from $1 back to its original rate $0.
Likewise, Chinas Central Bank buying billions of US treasury bonds will lead to an increase in demand for dollars in the countrys
dollar market. As shown in Figure (1a), demand
curve for dollars will rise in China from D($)0 to
D($)1. This increase in demand for dollars causes the RMB/$ exchange rate to rise back to the
original R0.
Resort to import of financial assets such as
US treasury bonds plays the crucial role in the
managed float of Chinas currency exchange rate.
On December 31, 2014, US treasury bonds held
by foreigners amounted to $6.15 trillion. Of this
China held $2.24 trillion, the largest amount
which accounted for 36 percent of the total.
Why did China from 2001 to 2010 engage
in managed float and prevent the RMB to appreciate with respect to the dollar? The simple
answer: Maintaining high exports to the US is
good for its economic performance and creating
employment for its workers.
Goods sold in the US market are produced in
China by US multinationals. Multinationals gave

technology, know-how, enterprise, capital, management and marketing skills to China to make
laptop computers, digital cameras, washing machines, out-sourcing services, etc, using cheap labour. These improved productivity, employment,
incomes and living standards in China. Purchasing
US treasury bonds in fact amounts to giving loans
to the US. Interest is earned on these bonds and
risks are low as they are backed by the US government and the dollar is a relatively stable currency.
Now, coming to the managed float exchange
rate system in Myanmar, many reasons have been
given for the present depreciation of the kyat-dollar
exchange rate over the past months. Among them,
one popular reason given is Myanmars rising balance of trade deficit. This can be seen in Table (2).
The table shows Myanmars balance of trade deficit has increased substantially over the past three
years, from $92 million in fiscal year 2012-13 to $2.6
billion in 2013-14 and to $4.1 billion in 2014-15.
Since the kyat-dollar exchange rate depreciation has occurred over the past months, Table (3)
presents the monthly balance of trade deficits
from May 2014 to April 2015. There have been
continuous deficits at the monthly level as well,
except in August 2014, when a surplus of $84
million was recorded.
Table 2. Myanmar Balance of Trade:
2012-13 to 2014-15 (US$ million)

Fiscal year

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

Exports of goods and services

8977.0

11,204.0

12,523.7

Imports of goods and services

9068.9

13,759.5

16,633.2

-91.9

-2555.5

-4109.5

Balance of trade

Source: Central Statistical Organization,

Monthly Economic Indicators, April 2015, Table 1.1, p. 11.

Table 3. Myanmar: Monthly balance of trade May

2014 April 2015 (US$ million)
Year
Month

2014
May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Exports

997.3

891.6

953.4

1437.6

Imports

1311.6

1298.6

1366.2

1353.6

Balance

-314.3

-407.0

-412.8

84.0

Month

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Exports

1182.9

1125.7

1102.9

930.0

Imports

1741.1

1343.7

1253.2

1372.8

Balance

-558.2

-218.0

-150.3

-442.8

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Year
Month

2015

Exports

960.7

928.6

1477.2

623.6

Imports

1382.6

1514.1

1519.3

957.6

Balance

-421.9

-585.5

-42.1

-334.0

Source: Central Statistical Organization, Monthly Economic

Indicators, April 2015. Table 1.3, p. 13.

Kyat/$

D($)0

D($)1

S($)0

1300
1105
1000

Figure (2): US$ Exchange Market in Myanmar

Taking account of Myanmars balance of trade

deficits with the rest of the world given in Tables
(2) and (3) above, Figure (2) sets out the US dollar exchange market in Myanmar. For illustrative
purpose, we start with D($)0 the demand curve
for dollars, and S($)0 the supply curve which results in the exchange rate of K1000 per dollar.
Now when Myanmar imports goods and services
from abroad far greater than what it is exporting, the demand for dollars to buy these imports
will increase in the dollar exchange market in
Myanmar. Suppose demand curve increases to
D($)1. Assume also that under a free float system
the exchange rate will result in K1300 per dollar.
But the authorities who are running the show in
Myanmar had reservations with such a free float
outcome. In latter half of June 2015, attempts
were made to hold the exchange rate at K1105
per dollar (+/- 0.8pc). What is the reason for this?
The reason may be provided by approaching the matter by means of a branch of study
known as behavioural economics. Behavioural
economics is defined as a study of psychological, cognitive, social and emotional factors ineconomic decision making of individuals and
institutions.1
To put it simply in looking at our situation,
the authorities who are currently taking care of
the exchange rate and monetary policy are also
those who have been performing the same tasks
under the previous regime. Under the past regime, Myanmar was inward-looking, not in the
good books of major economic powers, was isolated, and under economic sanctions for many
years. These had an impact on the behaviour and
mindset of key economic policy-makers in the
country at that time.
Due to sanctions and other discriminatory
acts, foreign exchange such as the dollar was
scarce in those days and care has to be exercised
in meeting three demands for its use. These are:
(a) Transaction demand: to meet demand for
dollars to buy and sell in the world market;
(b) Precautionary demand: to have dollars in
store for security and to meet unexpected events
and emergencies; and
(c) Speculative demand: to have dollars to

speculate in the foreign exchange, commodity, stock and financial markets.

Among the three, priority has been given
in the past to meet precautionary demand
to have sufficient foreign exchange reserves
to take care of emergencies, man-made and
natural disasters and huge economic disturbances coming from across the border due to
regional and global financial crises. Similarly, as currency speculation has been a source
of exchange rate instability in the country,
cracking down on such activities has been a
well-established measure that continues up
to now, although with limited success.
Hence, priority concerns of those in
charge of foreign exchange management in
present day Myanmar seem to be devoted to
precautionary and speculative demands. Sufficient attention does not appear to be given
to transaction demand, in order to ensure
adequate foreign exchange is allocated for
the smooth functioning of the external trade
sector.
The need for the public sector to be more
liberal with its foreign exchange earnings in
support of the private sector is also highlighted by Table (4). It shows 57pc of the countrys
receipts from exports of goods and services
are obtained by the public sector, while the
expenditure for buying 83pc of imports of
goods and services are met by the private
sector.
Figure (2) illustrates a managed float
aimed at fixing the exchange rate at K1105 per
dollar will result in a dollar shortfall amounting to ab. This shortfall will need to be further examined and analysed, and corrective
measures properly thought out, planned and
implemented. Some ideas to undertake such
a task are given below.
First, administrative measures that instruct banks and financial community to
abide by the managed float reference exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM), and issuing warnings and threats
of persecution if they fail to do so, is not a
good idea. It will amount to going back to
an old solution to resolve a new problem and
will be looked upon as a major set-back to
establish an exchange rate that is relatively
stable, market-determined and meets ASEAN
and international standards.
Table 4. Myanmar: Share of Government and
Private Sectors in Exports and Imports,
2014-15 (US$ million)
Exports
Total

Government

Private

Amount

Amount

Share (%)

Amount

Share (%)

12,523.7

7169.6

57.2%

5354.1

42.8%

Imports
Total

Government

Private

Amount

Amount

Share (%)

Amount

Share (%)

16,633.1

2754.2

16.6%

13,878.9

83.4%

Source: Central Statistical Organization, Monthly

Economic Indicators, April 2015, Table 1.3, p. 13.

Second, Myanmar is no longer isolated

and doing its own thing without bothering
with what is going on among its neighbours
and in the rest of the world. The re-engagement with the outside world has far exceeded
expectations and advantage should be taken
of opportunities it has presented to us, in the
reforms underway including the exchange
rate issue.
Third, it is not sufficient to look primarily
at the balance of trade. Other items in our
economic and financial relations with the
outside world will need to be looked into in
considering the exchange rate issue. These
include inflows of dollars such as remittance from millions of our migrants working
in foreign countries, net foreign investment
inflows, foreign aid and loans, etc. Information on these should be made available in the
current, financial and capital accounts of the
balance of payments.
Fourth, there are several types of exchange
rates. What we have been concerned with is
the nominal exchange rate. Another type
which should be of interest is the real exchange rate which is influenced by inflation
in the country. Drawing attention to inflation
leads us into the need to take account of macroeconomic policy fiscal and monetary on
the exchange rate.
Fifth, keeping the exchange rate much
below the market rate by administrative
measures will give incentive for people with
foreign currency deposits in the domestic banks to withdraw their dollars and sell
them on the free market to make handsome

profits. This is not sustainable and a stage

will be reached when just one bank runs out
of dollars, cannot meet its obligations to its
depositors, it could trigger a bank run, not
only with respect to withdrawal of dollars
but herd behaviour and withdrawal disease
infects the kyat, and ending up with a serious
banking crisis.
Sixth, there should be more reliable, timely and easily accessible statistics with respect
to our trade and economic relations with the
outside world to enable us to analyse and
make recommendations on how to move forward on the exchange rate front.
Seventh, with general elections just four
months away, this is not a good time to have
a banking crisis and our financial sector in
turmoil. Instead, this is an opportune time
for CBM to demonstrate that it is independent, it has clout, it is incharge, and is playing
the lead role in dealing with the kyat-dollar
exchange rate depreciation issue facing us
today. It should not be standing on the sideline, allowing our managed float system being turned into a mis-managed float system,
doing more harm than good. It should move
away from being overly concerned with the
precautionary and speculative demands for
dollars and instead devote attention it deserves to transaction demand to enable the
private sector to play a more positive role in
our international economic relations with
the outside world. As noted earlier, the private sector accounts for 43pc of the countrys
export earnings, but takes care of 83pc of expenditures on our imports.
Eighth, to show that CBM is taking charge,
it should set its reference dollar exchange
rate closer to the market rate, by allowing it
to have access to the 57pc of export earnings
of the public sector. Setting the reference rate
say at K1200 per dollar may be a good start to
achieve this objective.
Finally, a few thoughts on how we might
go forward with improving our foreign exchange management are given below:
(a)
First, the mandated independence
of CBM must be nurtured and respected. This

independence was won recently. As usual a

newly independent entity faces a host of difficult problems. My hope is CBM will do a
better job than what we did soon after our
country got independence in 1948.
(b)
Second, for CBM to be independent
other powerful authorities should refrain, to
the extent possible, from interfering in what
are clearly falling within the area of competence and responsibility of CBM.
(c)
Third, CBM must exercise the independence to make decisions granted to it. It
must implement measures and make decisions
based on its assessment and analysis of critical
issues in the banking and financial sector that
require response and remedial action.
(d)
Fourth, CBM to perform this task,
the person who is in charge the Governor
must be willing and able to take on such a responsibility. Union Bank of Burma Act 1952,
conferred upon CBM, the usual functions of a
central bank. Hence, CBM has a long history.
Over these years it has notable successes. It
has also faced serious challenges. CBMs governors and staff have learnt many lessons
from this experience the good and the bad,
what to do and what to avoid. Hence, we still
have in this country, dedicated banking and
financial experts and their staff who can take
on the challenges currently facing us, provided they are assured CBM will be an independent organisation and making decisions based
on their knowledge and experience.
(e)
Fifth, as we all know after years of inaction and neglect, capacity of CBM like in other institutions in the country has fallen much
below regional and international standards.
CBM governor and his staff will need support.
I propose support should come in the form of
advisory team led by a foreign expert central
banker to be attached to (or embedded in) the
CBM to impart to our officials the knowledge
and technical expertise to enable our central
bank to play as an equal partner with other
central banks in the region and beyond.
(f ) Sixth, I believe the bilateral and multilateral donors will be ready to support such
an initiative to meet the challenges facing

CBM at present. But the initiative must come

from us. The request for help and technical assistance must come from us.
(g)
Seventh, I believe our people in
CBM has the capacity to prepare a request
that gives well reasoned arguments and
clearly indicates our commitment to cooperate closely with such an expert team not only
to take care of the exchange rate problem but
to enable the CBM to become a key institution for economic reforms in the country.
Serious consideration should therefore be
given to undertake such an initiative at present.
(h)
Eighth, why should we not give serious consideration to this initiative? Our
neighbour Singapore at one time had a foreign central bank expert running the Monetary Authority of Singapore (central bank).
The Bank of England, one of the great central banks in the world began operations in
1694. It had 120 governors from that date
up to now. Among them 119 are British. The
present one, the 120th appointed in 2013 is a
Canadian. We are not mature enough to have
a foreign central bank expert to serve as governor of CBM. So the second best solution I
am suggesting is that we should appoint a
Myanmar national who is dedicated and has
technical and administrative capacity to run
CBM. Perhaps we can count such individuals with our fingers, but they are there. This
governor will be independently running the
CBM and making decisions regarding crucial issues facing our banking and financial
sector. In performing this task he will be assisted and take advice from a team led by
an expert foreign central banker. Given our
declared intent to reform the CBM, I do not
believe this is too much to ask for.
Note: U Myint is the Presidents Chief Economic
Advisor and Director, Tun Foundation Bank

Please see Sendhil Mullainnathan& Eldar

Shafir, Scarcity the true cost of not having
enough (Penguin Books: London, 2013).