Heavyweight Ford aims to shake up market with pricing

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Woman rescued 17 days after tragic factory collapse

World 28

Photo contest looks to Myanmar for inspiration

The Pulse 41

Heartbeat of the nation

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Issue 677 | May 13 - 19, 2013

Japan loans, assistance to hit US$1 billion in 2013-14

Japan plans to increase its aid to Myanmar by about 50 percent this year, a Japan International Cooperation Agency official said ahead of a visit by the country's prime minister this month. NEWS 3

Army rejects Thingyan fight reporting

The Tatmadaw has given its version of the circumstances surrounding a brawl in Shan State during water festival that left at least seven people injured, saying government soldiers were provoked.
NEWS 8

U Soe Thein replaced as investment commission boss

MPs last week insisted they were not involved in the president's decision to reshuffle the MIC and appoint Minister for Finance and Revenue U Win Shein chairman in place of U Soe Thein.
Minister for the President's Office U Soe Thein delivers a speech in Tokyo on May 25, 2012.

04
photo by AFP

PAGE

Government suspends 12 labour firms

Complaints land job placement agencies in hot water as government bans them from sending migrants to Thailand pending an investigation. Migrant rights groups, however, are already questioning the government's commitment to enforcing the ban.
NEWS 5 NEWS 17

Parents protest tuition fee rises at ISM

International school in Yangon to press on with plan to raise fees for 201314 academic year and parents are not happy.

2 THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Page 2
The local lowdown & Best of the Web
Number crunch
The median age of a fast food worker in the US is 28, according to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tabasco sauce takes up to three years to make due to the fermentation process. During mating season, snow leopards get frisky 12 - 36 times a day. No, its a Skywhale Australias capital has marked 100 years by commissioning a project by renowned artist and former Canberra resident Patricia Piccinini. Her contribution is a hot-air balloon best described as a whale-bird hybrid, called the Skywhale. The Skywhale is a 34m long, 23m high hot-air balloon sculpture. It is at least twice as big as a standard hot-air balloon, weighs half a tonne and used more than 3.5km of fabric. It took 16 people seven months to design and make. The project has proved controversial, due in no small part to the fact it cost approximately over US$150,000.

With Kayleigh long kayleighelong@gmail.com

THE INSIDER

Its a bird! Its a plane!

A Cobra bites and a star is born

Theres a word for that

@#*&! A grawlix is a sequence of typographical symbols used to represent a nonspecific profane word or phrase. The term was apparently coined by American cartoonist Mort Walker circa 1964.

Bad Reading

Major gaffe for TV medium US celebrity psychic Sylvia Browne has borne the brunt of criticism over a reading she gave on The Montel Williams Show ten years ago, where she told kidnapped Ohio girl Amanda Berrys mother that her daughter was dead. Brown issued an official apology after Berry and three other kidnapping victims were found in Cleveland last week. She defended the accuracy of her readings, but conceded Only God is right all the time. Ms Browne has claimed in the past her level of accuracy is around 87-90 percent a claim disputed by Skeptical Inquirer magazine, whose analysis of 115 predictions Ms Browne made on television found the percentage to be significantly lower (around 0%).

Record sales for Apple

iPhone sales surpass birth rate According to first-quarter sales figures, Apple sold more iPhones each day of the 98-day fiscal quarter than there were babies born during the same period. The sale of 37.04 million units (approximately 377,900 per day, globally) can be attributed to the post-Christmas market conditions. The number of babies born worldwide in the same period came in at around 371,000. "We thought we were setting bold bets, said Tim Cook, Apple CEO, about demand for the iPhone, but it turns out we didnt bet high enough.

For the calendar

May 15 is the beginning of Tourette Syndrome awareness month. It ends on June 15. I will never vote for Daw Suu's party's candidates since I am sure they can do little for the isolated areas where we minorities reside. And I do commend Roger Mitton, who is a brilliant writer and adds a fresh perspective to Myanmar affairs. But, with regrets, I would like to point out certain things he is not aware of hence his taking Daw Suu's quotes out of context. His article is a brilliant piece of satire, kudos to him but, unfortunately, of a national leader who is willing to sacrifice for the wellbeing of her country and people. This I don't doubt looking at the sacrifices she has made, treading in the political minefields laid by the pseudocivilian rulers. She did not hold back from doing what is good for the people. When she said, "It's genuine I'm fond of the army," she was just striking

Model and actress Khin Myint Zu Khing was born on November 6, 1989, in Yangon. She is a Buddhist, and graduated from the University of East Yangon in 2010 with a degree in philosophy. She began modelling Statement in 2005 and was named Miss Now How, an award for the most popular model, in 2006. Now, in 2013, she has six film credits to her name. She married celebrated Myanmar vocalist Cobra when she was 19. Ei Ei Thu, Photo: Ko Taik If you'd like to be involved in a NOW! Magazine photoshoot email us at editorial@now.com.mm

Style

Letter to the editor

Dear editor, First, let me assure you that I am no supporter of Daw Suu or NLD. I belong to an ethnic minority and we do not believe in the empty promises of politicians. Things happened in the past which have led us not to trust any smooth-talker with empty promises. Daw Suu has yet to fulfill her election promises of the past. But I find it difficult to agree with Roger Mitton's ill-informed article ("Oh Daw Suu, Where art thou?", April 29May 5, 2013).

a conciliatory note with the despised institution without whose compromise things cannot happen here. And she is just using her unique position as the daughter of the founder of the army. In saying this, she was trying to reach out to hitherto unreachable ranks and files of the army. If Roger takes this to be contradictory to what Daw Suu has been, then he sees very superficially. I do regret his lack of awareness of the variables here or the historical background. Roger Mitton also said that "Daw Suu endorsed the Letpadaung copper mine, co-owned by a Chinese military conglomerate" and that "she backed the mine and she chastised the peasants for demonstrating against without permits", it is another case of Mitton's lack of insight. The Myitsone dam has been closed

down unilaterally by U Thein Sein without discussion with the Chinese counterpart, without looking for ways to lessen the impact on the local people nor long-term economic prospects of the nation. For doing that, people start backing the party in power, guaranteeing votes for 2015. Daw Suu was handed this thankless task of being the chairperson of the Letpadaung Investigating Committee which is believed by many to be a political suicide seat. She took it up anyway and tried to give an unbiased report to give fair compensation to landowners, to take environmental impact into consideration and to consider long-term economic prospects of Myanmar.If every time companies come to Myanmar, people demonstrate and companies have to pull up stakes and leave, just

imagine what kind of future this nation would have. Roger was thinking the way poor, impassioned peasants of Letpadaung think, albeit without knowledge of their suffering or the situations on the ground. I have a healthy respect for Roger Milton for being outspoken and adding his fresh perspectives to the otherwise bleak landscape of ASEAN politics. But, I do request him to think twice before he says anything mindless about an extremely delicate situation a life or death situation for a majority of Myanmar people. Daw Suu is the only hope for this nation and she is up against so many odds. Please don't make it more difficult for her. U Sein Minn

www.mmtimes.com

News editor: Thomas Kean | tdkean@gmail.com

News 3

Japanese aid to surge 50 percent this year

Loans and grants will rise from about $700 million to more than $1 billion in 2013-14

Aye Thidar Kyaw

ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com

A girl stands in a dry lake in Dala township on the outskirts of Yangon last week. Photo: AFP

Millions facing water shortages: govt

Aung Shin koshumgtha@gmail.com THE monsoon rains cannot come fast enough for tens of millions of people in Myanmar, with a government official revealing last week that more than 23,000 villages face recurring water shortages. Union Minister for the Presidents Office U Thein Nyunt said 23,225 of Myanmars approximately 60,000 villages more than onethird regularly run out of water, including 8042 villages in the Central Dry Zone regions of Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing. He cited statistics from a survey by the Department of Rural Development conducted in 1999 but never publicly released. He made the comments at a donation ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw on May 3, at which 37 Myanmar donors, mostly well-known businessmen, gave K711 million for water development projects in the Central Dry Zone. With regular monsoon rain still possibly weeks away, many villages are suffering from water shortages in both upper and lower Myanmar. Local authorities have been distributing water with trucks to the worstaffected areas, with Mandalay City Development Committee distributing 400,000 gallons in six townships in Mandalay between February 8 and May 7, an official said. Yangon City Development Committee, meanwhile, had provided more than six million gallons to households in Dala, Seikyikhanaungto and Kyeemyindaing townships to the end of April. But conditions in parts of the rural dry zone are more severe. Our village has water problems every year. Most of the nearby villages also face the same problems. It is common in the dry zone. We cannot get good quality water from a tube well even if we dig down 300 or 400 feet so we mostly rely on dams, said Ko Aye Ko, from Tegyi village in Magwe Regions Myaing township. We have to travel further to get water if the dams dry up because of the late monsoon. This year is worse than before. Dr Tun Lwin, a retired director general from the Department of Metrology and Hydrology, said the monsoon rains will likely be late this year, and are not expected to arrive in central Myanmar until the end of May. Meanwhile, 15 Myanmar companies will implement well- and dambuilding projects at a cost of K6.458 billion this financial year, an official from the Department of Rural Development said in the last week of April.

JAPAN will increase its loans and grants to Myanmar to more than US$1 billion in 2013-14, a 50 percent rise on the fiscal year that ended in March, the head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Myanmar said on May 6. The exact figure will be announced during a visit to Myanmar by Japanese President Shinzo Abe, Tanaka Masahiko told The Myanmar Times. The visit is expected at the end of this month, with The Japan Times reporting it would take place on May 25-26. Japan provided about $700 million in 2012-13 and Mr Tanaka said that assistance to Myanmar was likely to remain sizeable for 10 years. He said it was time for Myanmars other development partners to suspend their disbelief in the reform process and invest more heavily for what he called a big push policy. Myanmar can benefit from what he called a the latecomers effect, which could see its economy accomplish in 10 years what Vietnam and Thailand took up to 20 and 40 years respectively to do. Within 10 years, Myanmars per-capita GDP will be equivalent to Vietnams and nearing that of Thailands, he said. Some Japanese-owned factories based in Thailands eastern seaboard are already planning to shift to Myanmar due to its strategic access to the Indian Ocean, he added.

However, to date the benefits of economic reforms have lagged behind those of political reforms, Mr Tanaka said. We can see the success of the political reform process easily, but it takes time to see the effects of economic reforms, especially for the average person. Mr Tanaka also said that Myanmars economic development faced two bottlenecks: a lack of physical infrastructure and regulatory hurdles, including a lack of transparency in the privatisation of state assets. He also said the government should take a more cautious approach to privatisation. Japan is the largest provider of overseas development assistance to Myanmar. For the fiscal year ending in March it provided about $500 million in low-interest loans and more that $200 million in grants and technical assistance. U Aung Naing Oo, director general of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, said the government is expecting a surge in official development assistance (ODA) from Japan. He also said that Myanmar did not have to try as hard as other developing countries to attract ODA. While other developing countries are competing for ODA, we are getting so much, he said. Along with the upsurge in ODA from Western governments since the political reform process began two years ago, Western embassies have also expanded their commercial affairs departments to help companies gain access to Myanmars market and resources, including its large, talented and inexpensive workforce. Additional reporting by Vincent MacIsaac Read more: The Big Push, Business, Page 24

4 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief (MTE) Ross Dunkley | rsdunkley@gmail.com Chief Executive Officer & Editor-in-Chief (MTM) Dr. Tin Tun Oo drtto@myanmartimes.com.mm Chief Operating Officer Wendy Madrigal madrigalmcm@gmail.com EDITORIAL newsroom@myanmartimes.com.mm Editor MTE Thomas Kean tdkean@gmail.com Editor MTM U Zaw Myint editormtm@myanmartimes.com.mm Chief of Staff Zaw Win Than Editor Special Publications U Myo Lwin myolwin@myanmartimes.com.mm Jessica Mudditt - jess.mudditt@gmail.com Deputy Editor MTM U Sann Oo Business Editor MTE Stuart Deed stuart.deed@gmail.com Business Editor MTM U Tin Moe Aung Property Editor MTM Htar Htar Khin property@myanmartimes.com.mm World Editor MTE Geoffrey Goddard geoffrey@myanmartimes.com.mm Timeout and Travel Editor MTE Douglas Long editors@myanmartimes.com.mm Timeout Editor MTM Moh Moh Thaw mohthaw@gmail.com Online Editor Kayleigh Long Deputy News Editor Kyaw Hsu Mon Chief Political Reporter U Soe Than Lynn Contributing Editor Ma Thanegi ma.thanegi19@gmail.com Head of Translation Dept U Ko Ko Head of Photographics Kaung Htet Photographers Boothee, Aung Htay Hlaing, Thiri Book Publishing Consultant Editor Col Hla Moe(Retd) Editor: U Win Tun Nay Pyi Taw Bureau Chief U Soe Than Lynn soethanlynn@gmail.com PRODUCTION production@myanmartimes.com.mm Head of Production & Press Scrutiny Liaison U Aung Kyaw Oo (1) Head of Graphic Design U Tin Zaw Htway MCM PRINTING printing@myanmartimes.com.mm Head of Department U Htay Maung Warehouse Manager U Ye Linn Htay Factory Administrator U Aung Kyaw Oo (3) Factory Foreman U Tin Win ADVERTISING advertising@myanmartimes.com.mm National Sales Director Daw Khin Thandar Htay sales-director@myanmartimes.com.mm Account Director U Nyi Nyi Tun Classifieds Manager Daw Khin Mon Mon Yi classified@myanmartimes.com.mm ADMIN & FINANCE Finance Manager Daw Mon Mon Tha Saing finance@myanmartimes.com.mm HR Manager Daw Nang Maisy administration@myanmartimes.com.mm Publisher Dr Tin Tun Oo, Permit No: 04143 Systems Manager U Khin Maung Thaw webmaster@myanmartimes.com.mm DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Circulation & Distribution Director Jesse Gage distmgr@myanmartimes.com.mm circulation@myanmartimes.com.mm ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Telephone: (01) 253 642, 392 928 Facsimile: (01) 254 158 administration@myanmartimes.com.mm The Myanmar Times is owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd and printed by MCM Commercial Printing (licence provided by Swesone Media (08102) with approval from MCM Ltd and by Shwe Zin Press (0368) with approval from MCM Ltd). The title The Myanmar Times, in either English or Myanmar languages, its associated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the Managing Director of Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd.

Garment sector leads the way for new foreign investment

Figures show 15 of 33 approved investments in first four months of 2013 are in the garment manufacturing sector
Sandar Lwin newsroom@myanmartimes.com.mm ALMOST half of all foreign investments approved by the Myanmar Investment Commission in the first four months of 2013 were in garment manufacturing, figures from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) show. The commission approved 33 proposed foreign investments totalling US$815 million from January 1 through to the end of April, said Daw San San Myint, a director at DICA, which processes commission decisions. Of the 33 investments, 15 were in the garment sector, while three were energy-related and three were in the car manufacturing sector, including a Suzuki plant. The other approved investments were in the IT, food, medicine, value-added wood products and hotel sectors. In the 2012-13 fiscal year investment totalled $1.4 billion from 94 businesses. Daw San San Myint said that while the figures since the start of the 2012 financial year were low compared to 2011-12, when approved investments reached $4.6 billion, they were more focused on job-creating industries. The investments approved by the commission during last fiscal year and this April include many in the manufacturing and services sectors. While the capital is much less than the $4.6 billion in 2011-12 when a hydropower project was approved, job creation is better, she said. Another DICA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there are still many foreign investment proposals that have not yet been processed. I cant say the exact number because the applications are processed separately by different bodies, the official said. However, the investment figures appear small relative to the massive interest foreign companies have shown in investing in Myanmar since the country embarked on reforms in early 2011. Many potential investors cite the countrys lack of infrastructure as a major impediment to new businesses, particularly in the manufacturing sector. U Tin Maung Than, an economist from the Myanmar Development and Research Institute, said the government and other actors needed to address the factors that were hindering investment. We have to face it. We cant just moan about the amount [of investment]. There are various limitations in the investment environment of our country and the Special Economic Zones are not yet ready, he said. We need to seriously focus on improving the investment environment of the country including shortfalls in infrastructure. The new investment in 2012-13 meant that from 1988 to the end of April Myanmar had approved 563 foreign investment proposals totalling $42.118 billion.

The total amount of new foreign investment approved in the first four months of 2013

815

million US$

Hluttaw not responsible for investment commission reshuffle, says representative

Aye Thidar Kyaw
ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com

Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd. www.mmtimes.com Head Office: 379/383 Bo Aung Kyaw Street, Kyauktada Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Telephone: (01) 253 642, 392 928 Facsimile: (01) 392 706 Mandalay Bureau: No.178, 74th Street, (Bet. 31st & 32nd streets) Chan Aye Thar San Township, Mandalay. Tel: (02) 24450, 24460, 65391, 65392 Fax: (02) 24460 Email: mdybranch@myanmartimes.com.mm Nay Pyi Taw Bureau: No. 10/72 Bo Tauk Htein St, Yan Aung (1) Quarter, Nay Pyi Taw-Pyinmana. Tel: (067) 23064, 23065 Email: capitalbureau@myanmartimes.com.mm

A PROMINENT parliamentarian has rejected reports that Minister for the Presidents Office U Soe Thein was removed as Myanmar Investment Commission chairman because of criticism from MPs, as other sources also sought to downplay accusations that the reshuffle was ordered because of concerns over transparency President U Thein Sein reshuffled the commission on May 3 for the first time since 2011, with the changes formally announced on May 7. Chairman U Soe Thein, a former minister for industry, was replaced by Minister for Finance and Revenue U Win Shein. Pyithu Hluttaw representative U Aye Mauk, who is also secretary of the Pyithu Hluttaw Planning and Financial Development Committee, said there had been no official discussion about the commissions activities in the hluttaw. I told Eleven Media about the [lack of transparency of the] government budget for the Hledan flyover project. [Talking about] that issue does not concern the MIC composition or the changing of the chairman, the Union Solidarity and Development Party member said. However, U Aye Mauk said he believed U Win Shein was more suited to the chairman position because his ministerial portfolio covers national planning. I dont mean U Soe Thein is not appropriate for the position but he has to do national reconciliation affairs. He is a senior political figure and I think he has effectively been promoted, he said, pointing out that U Soe Thein still holds important positions on several committees, including the body overseeing the release of political prisoners. One new investment commission member, economist Dr Aung Htun Thet, said the reshuffle meant the

Minister for the Presidents Office U Soe Thein gestures as he delivers a speech in Tokyo on May 25, 2012. U Soe Thein was replaced as Myanmar Investment Commission chairman on May 3. Photo: AFP

body featured more members from outside the government. When the commission was reconstituted in 2011, most of its members were government ministers, he said. I think the reforming of MIC will give it more transparency and act as a mutual check on government policies, he said. The reshuffle came following extensive criticism of U Soe Thein on blogs and Facebook posts, with the authors of the posts accusing semiindependent organisations like the investment commission and Myan-

mar Peace Centre, of which U Soe Thein is also a leading figure, of being corrupt and lacking transparency. Economist Dr Maung Maung Lay, who is also vice president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), said the criticism was to be expected in a democracy. Everybody has the right to freedom of expression in a democracy they can comment whatever they think, he said. But I dont want to pass judge-

ment because I dont know the details. In my opinion, the president wanted to ensure the right people were in the right place. U Soe Thein cant manage everything, particularly at a time when the future development [of the country] is becoming more confusing and complicated. Meanwhile, Financial Times reported on May 8 that U Soe Thein had asked President U Thein Sein to take him off the commission. It was his choice he requested the president appoint a new chairman so he could more effectively perform other important duties, said U Kyaw Ying Hlaing, an adviser to U Soe Thein. But he will continue overseeing economic affairs as well as the MICs activities in his ministerial role he remains as vibrant and influential as before. The Myanmar Times contacted U Soe Theins personal staff officer, U Aung Nay Myo, but he declined to comment. The minister refused to answer questions from reporters at a UMFCCI seminar on May 10. Myanmar Investment Commission was formed in 1944 and is a government-appointed body under the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development. It is tasked with evaluating foreign and domestic investments proposals. The secretary of the new-look committee is Minister for National Planning and Economic Development Dr Kan Zaw, while other members include Minister for Railways U Zayar Aung and Attorney General Dr Tun Shin. Investment commission deputy director general U Aung Naing Oo said U Soe Thein had almost served out his three-year term as commission chairman and had left to increase his involvement in other important political activities. He said the reshuffle had not prompted any change in investment commission policy or rules. Myanmar Egress vice president U Hla Maung Shwe said the reshuffle did not mean that U Soe Theins influence was on the wane. Ministers U Soe Thein and U Aung Min have to perform more important political duties, he said.

www.mmtimes.com

News 5

Govt suspends 12 labour firms over complaints

Bill OToole
botoole12@gmail.com

THE Ministry of Labour has suspended 12 of the largest employment agencies in Myanmar for alleged corruption and exploitation of workers. A notice sent to the 12 agencies on April 25 and obtained by The Myanmar Times last week states that the companies will be unable to send migrant workers to Thailand until an investigation is completed into their business practices. However, migrant rights groups say they remain sceptical that the ban will

Ultimately the ministry needs to have a vigorous and effective regulatory scheme.
Phil Robertson Asia director, Human Rights Watch

be properly enforced and will lead to substantial change in the sector, which they say is riddled with corruption. The extent of the investigation is also unclear. Ma Khin Way, an office manager for Danar Trading Co Ltd, one of the suspended agencies, said no investigation had been conducted into her company and that she was confident its licence would be restored very soon. She said that the Ministry of Labour had only asked Danar Trading to provide a short letter outlining its contract with one migrant worker who claimed he had been exploited. None of the other suspended agencies could be reached for comment. Similarly, the Ministry of Labour did not respond to requests for an interview. U Tun Min Soe, a carpenter from Yangon, was one of the migrants whose complaints precipitated the suspensions. He told The Myanmar Times by phone last week that he paid K150,000 to Dare Dragon Co Ltd for a job placement as a mason or carpenter in Bangkok. He expected to start work immediately but spent four months living in migrant worker camps on both sides of the Thai-Myanmar border, near

Migrants from Myanmar work in a shrimp factory in Mahachai on the outskirts of Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Myawaddy and Mae Sot, while border officials and brokers sorted out his visa. During this time, he said, he had no work and spent most of his savings. Once he arrived in Bangkok, U Tin Min Soe found that his new job was as a general labourer on construction sites, mostly hauling materials. He alleges that he was paid below the minimum wage, had no medical coverage and was denied overtime pay all of which Dare Dragon promised he would receive, he said. He said his situation was identical to that of many thousands of migrants trying to work legally in Thailand, but most are too afraid to complain. He said he hoped his complaint would lead to Dare Dragon being shut down. The Yangon office of Dare Dragon declined to comment.

The system for migrant workers to legally enter Thailand, known as national verification, has long been beset by allegations of corruption on both sides of the border. In an open letter to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Migrant Worker Rights Network called the system extortionate in practice, both for the high fees migrants must pay to enter Thailand and the gruelling work conditions they are forced to endure after they arrive. Human Rights Watch Asia director Phil Robertson said he was surprised by the suspensions but cautioned that the government needed to do more. Its a positive step that the Myanmar Ministry of Labour is taking this action, but ultimately they need to have a vigorous and effective regulatory scheme that ensures manpower agen-

cies do not charge usurious fees to send workers to Thailand, Mr Robertson said in an email. Jackie Pollack, director of Thailandbased migrants rights group MAP Foundation, said she hoped the government investigation will lead to a system in which Myanmar broker agencies take responsibility for the well-being of workers they send abroad. However, given that she and her foundation were completely unaware the suspensions had occurred, she is not optimistic. The situation illustrates the backroom dealings and lack of transparency that have come to define the national verification process, she said. If nobody knows whats going on, the migrants wont know either and they will continue to be exploited in their work.

6 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Activists slam reshuffle of prisoner body

Naw Say Phaw Waa nawsayphawwaa@gmail.com A POLITICAL stunt that is how opposition groups have described the reformation of a committee to oversee the release of remaining political prisoners. Opposition groups involved in the committee say three new members were added to deflect attention from the return to prison of activist U Nay Myo Zin earlier this month. The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper announced on May 9 that the committee, formed in February to assess remaining prisoners and identify who should be released and chaired by U Soe Thein, had been expanded to include three new members: Dr Win Naing from the National Democratic Force, U Thein Nyunt from the New National Democracy Party and U Kaung Myint Htut from the Myanmar National Congress Party. But committee members U Tun Kyi from the Former Political Prisoners Association and U Min Zayya from the 88 Generation told The Myanmar Times that the changes were just a show for the international community to improve Myanmars image. They suggested it was related to the case of U Nay Myo Zin, a former Tatmadaw captain and political prisoner who was released in an amnesty in January 2012 but then sentenced to three months in jail in early May for publicly accusing police in Pantanaw of corruption. U Nay Myo Zin will have to serve an additional six years because the section under which he was amnestied states that those who are released and later found guilty of another crime have to serve the remainder of their original sentence. Committee member and Shan Nationalities League for Democracy member U Sai Laik said the terms of the amnesty were unacceptable. It is good that the government is using the term political prisoners officially and also forming the committee to liberate the remaining political prisoners. But its absolutely not right that they released political prisoners under this section; it means they are effectively in debt from their previous sentence if they are charged again, he said. It seems like the government is intentionally restricting political prisoners by using this act to release them. He said the government had not informed the SNLD about its plans to add more members to the committee. We didnt know anything about the changes to the committee. The government didnt attempt to speak to us about it in advance."

A beggar begs for money near Mandalay Central Railway Station on May 4. Photo: Phyo Wai Kyaw.

Beggars, vagrants stump Mandalay municipal officials

Phyo Wai Kyaw pwkyaw@gmail.com Hlaing Kyaw Soe hlaingkyawsoe85@gmail.com MANDALAY City Development Committee officials say they face difficulties in removing beggars and vagrants from the citys streets because of a lack of cooperation from other government departments. U Soe Tint Aung, the deputy head of the committees cleaning department, said on May 3 that MCDC could do little other than arrest and fine beggars on the citys streets. There are people controlling the child beggars but we cant take action against them, he said. We can only catch and arrest beggars and vagrants. If we catch a beggar under 16, we take them to the youth rehabilitation centre under the Department of Social Welfare. However, parents only have to sign to take back their children. He called for a coordinated program to tackle homelessness, begging and mental illness in Mandalay. It is also hard to take [people with mental illness] to the appropriate place and officials always ask us who will take responsibility for those people. I think the government should make a proper program for them and other relevant departments like the police force need to cooperate and work with us, U Soe Tint Aung said. You can find many vagrants along Mandalays main creeks Shwetachaung and Ngwetachaung and also along on 79th Street. We often fine them but they just go straight back there. I think that it should not just be our responsibility to resolve these issues, he said. In 2012, MCDC allowed 47 people arrested for begging and vagrancy to work at the committees animal husbandry and agriculture project in Patheingyi township. However, they asked to be paid K5000 a day the amount they said they could earn on the streets and when the committee refused they absconded. A senior officer from the Mandalay Region Police Force said on May 8 that police had not taken any action to control begging or vagrancy, describing it as quite a complicated issue, particularly when children are involved. However, on April 28 officials from Mandalay Central Railway Station evicted vagrants from the station compound following fires on two train carriages parked at the station. In an article published on May 5, state-run daily Mandalay said the vagrants moved to 79th Street behind the railway station and nearby residents are concerned about the potential for an increase in criminal incidents in the area.

U Nay Myo Zin to appeal

FORMER military officer U Nay Myo Zin will submit an appeal against his prison sentence later this month, his lawyer said last week. While U Nay Myo Zin received a sentence of three months, he was also ordered to serve six years from an earlier jail term. Under the terms of his January 2012 amnesty, if U Nay Myo Zin was found guilty of another crime he would have to serve the remainder of his original sentence. On May 2 he was found guilty of defamation after accusing Pantanaw police of corruption in January. Following the verdict, Minister for Home Affairs General Ko Ko ordered U Nay Myo Zin serve six years of his earlier sentence. Were going to appeal in Maubin court at end of this month, said his lawyer, U Robert San Aung. U Thein Sein is trying to achieve national reconciliation and wants all political prisoners to work for the countrys development. However, what has happened here is quite different from what the president wants, so we have questions about this process. He is the first prisoner released in a presidential amnesty to be charged again by the minister. It raises the question, are the rest of us safe? Robert San Aung said. Kyaw Hsu Mon

There are people controlling the child beggars but we can't take action against them.
U Soe Tint Aung Mandalay City Development Committee

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News 7

Inle Lake fund established

Aye Sapay Phyu
ayephyu2006@gmail.com

Cyclone forming, says department

Aye Sapay Phyu A LOW pressure area in the southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression and could potentially make landfall near Myanmar this week, with some meteorological bodies forecasting a category two cyclone. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said on May 11 that the storm would develop into a cyclone within 12 hours and was moving in a north-northwest direction, about 530 miles southwest of Kawthoung. An official said on May 10 that while the storm is not heading towards Myanmar the department is monitoring its development. We have contacted the relevant departments, such as the relief department, and are providing timely forecasts so they are prepared, deputy director U Chit Kyaw said. However, other meteorological bodies have forecast that the depression will make landfall near Myanmar this week. The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre of the United States Navy and Air Force in Hawaii forecast it would cross the Bangladesh coast, close to the border with Myanmar, early on May 15. United Kingdom-based Tropical Storm Risk forecast on May 10 that the storm was expected to develop into a severe, or category two, cyclone, with wind speeds of 154-177 kilometres an hour. A category two cyclone would likely bring a storm surge of 1.8-2.4 metres and damage to roofing, doors and windows, Tropical Storm Risk said.

A KEY step has been taken towards restoring one of the countrys premier sites, Inle Lake, with the establishment of a trust fund for its long-term conservation. U Htun Paw Oo, an environmental specialist with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), said on May 7 that the fund would be set up later this year. Were making arrangements to establish the fund. The recommendations have been sent to the Shan State government and the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry. UNDP and the state government will contribute capital funds. Then we hope for more donations from other donors once a proper management system has been set up, he said, adding that he was unsure how much would be allocated to the fund. UNDP will provide technical assistance in developing regulations for funding management and allocation, he said. Experts from the Institute for International Development (IIDMyanmar), which conducted an assessment report of Inle Lake conservation and management, said in January that good coordination and secure funding were crucial to

Boats sit in shallow water outside Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda at Inle Lake in this recent photo. Photo: Yay Aye

the long-term conservation of Inle Lake. The organisation said that at least US$6 million is needed for priority actions at the lake over the next three years. U Tin Soe, co-secretary of the Inntha Literature, Culture and Regional Development Association, said coordination among interested bodies would be more effective than individual organisations pursuing their own plans.

There is more awareness among villagers [about the need] to conserve their environment because they realise that the environmental degradation of the lake can threaten their livelihood, he said. Problems afflicting the lake, in southern Shan State, include the shrinkage of surface area, the decline of native water plants, deterioration of water quality due to poor sanitation, the silting up of boat

channels, soil erosion in the hillside and delta areas, declining production in floating gardens, health threats from disease and pesticides, and the rapid rise in visitor numbers. All require sustainable management and more community involvement, he said. Much of the lake dried up in 2010, and the fall in water levels this summer has interrupted transportation to some villages.

8 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Tatmadaw fights back over Kengtung water festival melee

The Tatmadaw has rejected accusations its soldiers harassed local women and beat up seven Shan people after they tried to intervene

Nan Tin Htwe

nantin.htwe@gmail.com

THE Tatmadaw and Shan State Army have offered wildly differing accounts of an incident in eastern Shan State during water festival that left seven people injured. The Tatmadaw provided its version of events to The Myanmar Times in response to an article in the paper's Myanmar edition on May 2. Officers said the article could hurt the image of the army and cause misunderstandings with the public, and called editors to a three-hour meeting on May 6 attended by senior police and military officers. The Shan State Army told The Myanmar Times in a statement on April 30 that five young men and two young women, all Shan, were beaten by soldiers from Battalion 293 in Kengtung townships Tong Tar village on April 15. The SSA statement said the soldiers had harassed the women at a pandal and when some Shan men asked the soldiers to stop Captain Nyi Nyi Naing ordered his soldiers to beat them. The seven injured people were taken to Hwai Ka hospital in Kengtung, the SSA said. The youngest member of the group, Sai Nom Seng, 17, received five stitches to his head, while the oldest member of the group was 26. After the incident, the deputy commander of Triangle Regional Command promised to give K50,000 to each of the injured people, while unit doctor Captain Thein Zaw said the 30 soldiers involved would be disciplined. The SSA released the information to the media because no action had been taken against the soldiers. They have not punished those soldiers who beat seven innocent young people, the SSA report said. The Myanmar Times was initially unable to contact the military for its version of events. Despite appointing a spokesperson earlier this year, the

Two of the Shan men beaten in the April 15 confrontation with members of the Tatmadaw near Kengtung. Photo: Supplied

Tatmadaw rarely cooperates with the media. However, after an article on the incident appeared in the paper's Myanmar edition on May 2, officials from the Ministry of Information as well as a Tatmadaw lieutenant colonel contacted The Myanmar Times to give the truth about the April 15 incident. The papers editors were called for a three-hour meeting on May 6 that was attended by almost 30 officials from the Ministry of Information, as well as the chief of police for Yangon Region and high-ranking officers from Yangon Region Command and Bureau of Special Operations. The secretary of the Myanmar Press

Council, U Kyaw Min Swe, also attended. The officers said reporting of the incident was incorrect and it could hurt the image of Tatmadaw. Following the meeting, a document was faxed to The Myanmar Times from the Triangle Regional Command. It said some officers and soldiers were drinking beer at Seit Tein Kya restaurant in Tong Tar when a threewheeled motorcycle stopped in front of the restaurant and four drunk people got off. One of the four, Mg Sai Naw, grabbed the arm of Ma Nwe Nwe Nyunt, the owner of the restaurant, saying he wanted to throw some

water on her. She told them not to and the situation became heated. An officer said: If you want to throw water, do it politely. The report said Mg

Editors from The Myanmar Times were called for a three-hour meeting on May 6 that was attended by almost 30 government and military officials.

Sai Naw pushed the officers chest and said: Who do you think you are? The officer politely asked them to leave and not antagonise the other soldiers beside the restaurant. A drunk woman, Ma Nang Loi Kham, got off the motorcycle and slapped the officer, the report said, after which the group left. They stopped about 100 yards away and fired a slingshot at the group. A soldier went to take the slingshot from them and a fight ensued, in which, the report said, the Shan group beat the soldiers with sticks. In eight minutes of fighting, three soldiers and six civilians were injured. Senior officers visited the injured and provided medicine and money. The incident was not reported to the administrative office but instead according to Tatmadaw rules, the report said. When The Myanmar Times asked Deputy Colonel Zaw Min Soe from Kengtung for the contact details of Seit Tein Kya restaurant he said there was no need to verify the details of the incident because the Tatmadaw had already stated what really happened. You believed what the SSA said but not what the Tatmadaw said. You can write anything that is true but this [May 2 article] is not true, he said. It remains unclear what, if any, action was taken against the soldiers involved in the incident. Lt Colonel Yawd Murng, a member of Shan State Armys Peace Committee, told The Myanmar Times the government must take responsibility for the fighting. Even though, we have signed ceasefire agreements, why does this kind of thing still happen to our citizens? he said. These kinds of incidents should have ended. They should be left in the past. U Ye Htut, a spokesperson for the president, said he was unaware of the incident but any soldiers who behave improperly to civilians would be punished harshly. Soldiers are strictly forbidden from insulting citizens both in the soldiers moral code and Tatmadaw Act, he said.

President vows to rebuild Shan State peace deals

Win Ko Ko Latt winkolatt2012@gmail.com PRESIDENT U Thein Sein vowed to rebuild a ceasefire in northern Shan State following clashes between the Tatmadaw and Shan State Army-South during a meeting with 18 political parties in Nay Pyi Taw on 5 May, politicians who attended the meeting said. I told President U Thein Sein to try to restore the ceasefire and [build] lasting peace in northern Shan State. The president vowed to do that, said U Khun Tun Oo, chairman of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. President U Thein Sein stressed that his office alone cannot create lasting peace and called on all stakeholders to participate in the process, those present at the meeting said. He also told them that the countrys internal conflicts some of which date back 60 years will be resolved by the end of his term in 2015. Union Solidarity and Development Party and National League for Democracy members were not invited to the meeting, which was meant to accommodate smaller political parties. The two big political parties, USDP and NLD, regularly meet with the administrative body concerning legislative issues. Small parties have no chance to meet [with the president] like this. Some parties do not even have a hluttaw representative. Some sent letters to the president so the president met them, spokesperson for the president U Ye Htut wrote in a Facebook post following the meeting. Media reports on May 9 said that fighting between the Tamadaw and Shan State Army had restarted at Naungma village in Shan States Namkhan township. Since late March clashes have forced more than 1000 people to flee their homes, according to reports from the region.

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News 9

Indonesian police kill seven terror suspects in raids

Police shoot dead three men suspected of involvement in alleged plot to bomb Myanmar embassy in Jakarta
JAKARTA Indonesian police shot dead seven terror suspects in raids on May 8 and 9, including several with alleged links to a plot to bomb the Myanmar embassy, officials said. Thirteen suspects were captured alive as an elite police unit swooped on houses across the countrys main island of Java, in the biggest counter-terrorism operation in Indonesia for months. As well as investigating links to the embassy plot, which has underscored growing anger in Indonesia at anti-Muslim violence in largely Buddhist Myanmar, police were targeting suspected terrorist fundraisers. In the latest raid, police shot dead three suspects at a rented house in Kebumen district in Central Java and arrested four others early on May 9 after a 15-hour firefight, said national police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar. They put up resistance and fired shots from inside, he told reporters, adding the men were suspected of being part of a network involved in robberies to fund a militant group called Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT). Pipe bombs, grenades and pistols at a house at Bandung in West Java. The killings followed a seven-hour gun battle, during which the men hurled homemade bombs at police. In a separate raid the same day, police in the central Java district of Batang shot dead a man and arrested a second suspected of robbing a jewellery store to fund terrorist activities. In total, police carried out around 10 raids across Java. The anti-terror operation came a week after police detained two men suspected of planning to bomb the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta. Myanmar has been rocked by several recent outbreaks of religious violence, which have left many minority Muslims dead and tens of thousands displaced. Indonesia has mounted a crackdown against terror networks over the past decade in the wake of several deadly attacks on Western targets, and key militant groups have been weakened. But the Mujahidin Indonesia Timur East Indonesia Holy Warriors has up till now largely evaded the crackdown, hiding out in the jungle around Poso on Sulawesi island. AFP

Security beefed up at embassy

Nan Tin Htwe SECURITY at the Myanmar embassy in the Indonesian capital Jakarta has been reinforced following a May 3 protest and bomb threat that was detected by police, a senior official said. Since [May 3], security has been increased. The Indonesian government has set up full protection for us, embassy first secretary U Aung Kyaw Thura told The Myanmar Times by phone on May 8, adding that the extra security would remain in place until the situation had stabilised. Every day 20 to 30 police are at the embassy, 24 hours a day. Before that, we had only embassy security officers. On May 3, hardliner Muslims protested in front of the embassy following the recent sectarian violence in Myanmar that has seen dozens of Muslims killed and thousands displaced. The previous night, two Muslims were arrested for allegedly plotting an attack on the embassy. U Aung Kyaw Thura said there are seven Myanmar nationals at the embassy, including the ambassador, as well as eight Myanmar working on ASEAN affairs who are also based at the embassy. The [Indonesian government is] taking care of us, U Aung Kyaw Thura said, adding that embassy employees and their families in Jakarta were calm. We are not too worried.

Indonesian police excort a suspected terrorist at a police hospital in Semarang, Central Java, on May 9. Photo: AFP

were seized from the property, said local police chief Heru Prisasono. Mr Amar said police were also investigating if they were linked to a plot uncovered earlier this month

to bomb the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta. On May 8 police shot dead three men suspected of involvement in the Myanmar plot who were holed up

May Day protest in Mandalay

THAN NAING SOE SI THU LWIN FORCING employees to toil on International Workers Day has backfired on one Mandalay factory boss, who last week agreed to eight concessions after 400 workers protested over having to work on the May 1 holiday. A Labour Department spokesperson said township officials had been called in to mediate the dispute at Aung Sein textile and dying factory in Mandalays Pyigyitagun township. They [workers] sought help from me over a disagreement concerning the order to work on May Day. After negotiations between the two sides, eight points have been agreed on, the spokesperson said. The eight points include the employer paying double time to employees who agree to work on holidays and paying expenses if workers are hurt or injured in the workplace, the official said. The employer must also ensure there is a positive working relationship between supervisors and workers and hold a monthly meeting at which employees can raise any concerns about working conditions. He added that any problems that occur outside the latest agreement will be settled according to the departments rules. Breaches of the law will be settled through legal action, he said. Workers at the factory have staged a number of protests since August 2012 to demand more rights and better wages, and to complain about the dismissal of 10 workers. Translated by Thit Lwin

10 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Cronies, conne
As blatant cronyism recedes into the past, government policy s

Dr Min Thu Maung

THE term cronyism permeates Myanmars media these days. While it is generally agreed that cronyism is objectionable, it is still important to understand its roots, consequences, the masks it wears and potential remedies. Cronyism can be equated with a corrupt government and its handpicked cronies, who are awarded favours in exchange for their loyalty or some form of payback. In modern businesses, cronyism takes on a more disguised form that is generally known as political connections. Political connections are harder to detect than cronyism, as they come in more subtle forms. A connected business could be one whose owner (a large shareholder, an executive or a board member) is a member of the parliament, an exmember of the government, a high-ranking official or a close relative of those in power. In some countries, such as Brazil, political connections mainly come through campaign donations. Corporate political connections are relatively widespread throughout the world. In 2006, Mara Facio, a finance professor at Purdue University, wrote in an article in American Economic Review that more than 20 percent of Malaysian public firms were connected through similar types of relationships: for example, these firms owners, large shareholders or executive board members were either members of parliament, former members of the government, high-ranking officials or close relatives of those in power. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads son was found to be a large shareholder or a top officer in several listed corporations. The same research indicated that in Russia similarly connected firms accounted for more than 80pc of the financial markets wealth. In cases of cronyism, one can easily trace the source. It is relatively easy to identify who the cronies are, how they are related, and who is getting what. Cronies often blatantly expropriate resources (consider,

A pedestrian walks in front of the former Police Commissioner's office on Strand Road. Photo: Ko Taik

After protests, developer outlines plan for five-star hotel

Zaw Win Than zawwinthan@gmail.com THE company behind a controversial redevelopment of the former colonial-era Police Commissioners office building on Strand Road has outlined its vision for a US$50 million five-star hotel, despite opposition from conservationists. Officials from the littleknown company behind the project, Flying Tiger Engineering, say the property, which has the working name of The State House Hotel, will have more than 240 rooms. The redevelopment is due to be completed within two years. Flying Tiger applied for the building in a tender in December 2011 and was chosen by Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) from 16 applicants. President U Thein Sein informed the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on July 8, 2012, that Flying Tiger had been awarded a 60year lease on the building for use as a hotel. Annual rent will be 7 percent of hotel revenue, along with a fee of US$14.4 million for land use and investment of K20 billion, the message said. But the building became the centre of controversy when the Myanmar Lawyers Network took to the streets last year to protest against the development project, saying the governments sale violated Myanmars national conservation laws. U Than Htike Minn, managing director of Flying Tiger Engineering, said at a press conference at Parkroyal Hotel that the redevelopment would see the building turned into a prestigious hotel that preserved its original architectural features. architectural features. In the same spirit, we will try to convert the Police Commissioners building into Myanmars most prestigious hotel. Flying Tiger director U Sai Khan Hlaing said MIC had leased the building to the company for 50 years, with the possibility of two 10-year extensions. The terms and conditions do not allow the original structure and architectural features of the buildings to be changed, he said. The project is a joint venture with an unknown partner based in Singapore. We will confirm the identity of the partner company later, U Sai Khan Hlaing said. We have a very strong team to develop this project as fast as possible. We will also use local workers as well as foreign experts, which will create about 600 job opportunities for local people. We expect to finish the whole project within two years and open the hotel in early 2015. The hotel will have 239 standard rooms and a number of larger suites and deluxe rooms, as well as restaurants, meeting rooms, a pool and other facilities. The building is a sprawling two-storey structure that takes up a square block down the street from the well-known Strand Hotel. Construction was completed in 1931. In recent years the building has served as a court complex.

The number of standard rooms in The State House Hotel, which is due for completion in 2015

239

for example, land grabs) and these are conspicuously ignored by those in power. But when it occurs through political connections, expropriation is less obvious. The incentive for corporations to become politically connected has been recognised among economists for decades. Political connections create value for those who are connected. The source of such value can take various forms, including preferential treatment by stateowned enterprises. In China, state-owned banks lend freely to other state-owned enterprises or connected firms. The same could be said of Indonesia, where it is generally believed that political connections create value for firms connected to the late President Suharto. The connected firms often receive lighter taxation, subsidies, preferential treatment in competition for government contracts and relaxed regulatory oversight. Compared to other forms of expropriation, such as land grabs, these are harder to detect but are harmful nonetheless. What common characteristic do countries with widespread political connections share? The more widespread the political connections in business, the greater the level of corruption. In its Corruption Perceptions Index of 174 countries (with a ranking of one being the best, a spot shared by Denmark and New Zealand), Transparency International ranked Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia at 118, 88 and 54 respectively in 2012. By some research measures, 22pc, 20pc, and 15pc of corporations in these respective countries have close links to members

We heard the Myanmar Lawyers Network was preparing legal action against the government and our project. But our contract requires us to preserve the original structure and architectural features of the building. I hope they can accept this, said U Than Htike Minn. The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore was once a post office building, and was listed as a part of Singapores heritage. The developers were not allowed to alter the original structure and

Political connections are harder to detect than cronyism as they come in more subtle forms.

of parliament or government ministers. In contrast, the number of firms with these kinds of political connections is close to zero in New Zealand. It is no coincidence that political connections are more prevalent in corrupt countries. In these countries, the state consists of

a large number of bureaucrats pursuing their own agendas. In the absence of a unified public policy and an effective judicial system, they act independently and are able to influence the business environment through their political power. Under this scenario, the government is unable to provide basic services, courts are unable to resolve disputes and contracts are privately enforced as in, most disputes are privately resolved with bureaucrats and those connected individuals brokering the process. A closely related concept to corruption is the efficiency of a legal system. The World Justice Project provides a Rule of Law Index for 97 countries. As of 2012, Russia, a country where political connections play a very dominant role in every aspect of business, ranks 74th and 68th in terms of government openness and regulatory enforcement. In contrast, Sweden, a country where political connections and cronyism are virtually non-existent, ranks top in both categories. The World Banks Investor Protection Index ranks

Security increased at Mahamuni

Phyo Wai Kyaw Hlaing Kyaw Soe MAHAMUNI Pagodas board of trustees has ordered staff to be more alert to security threats, after a foreign tourists bag was snatched during a visit to the Mandalay pagoda in late April. An official said that a pilgrim from Thailand had their bag taken on April 25 and the alleged culprit was apprehended two days later. We checked the CCTV and then caught a teenage girl with the bag on April 27. We have alerted our staff not to allow beggars to enter the compound, board of trustees secretary U Soe Soe said on May 4. He said the incident was unusual, with no recorded bag snatchings in 2012. He said pilgrims regularly complained to trustees about the large number of beggars who ask for money at the entrance to the pagoda, inside the compound and in the car park. We always care about security here. We have alerted all of our 45 security staff to the recent incident and told them to take their job seriously, U Soe Soe said.

Pilgrims and foreigners apply gold leaf to the Mahamuni Image in Mandalay on May 4. Photo: Phyo Wai Kyaw

www.mmtimes.com
Analysis

News 11

nections and grabbing hands

hould seek to minimise the impact of political connections in decision making and avoid the fate of countires like Russia
corruption, political connections are also present. In Italy, some well-known businesses are owned by families whose members also happen to be in the Senate. In Japan, more than 30pc of public firms are connected either to an MP or a minister. However, most advanced countries also have mechanisms in place to at least mitigate some conflicts of interest. Some countries place restrictions on ownership or directorships by members of parliament and ministers. In the US, members of the House of Representatives are not allowed to take up paid positions as an officer or a member of the board of any corporation or entity. Italy and Japan have no such restrictions. However, government officials are required to declare their assets. Russia and Malaysia have neither ownership restrictions nor mandatory requirement to declare assets. Thailand has both. In general, most of the countries that have low corruption and efficient judicial systems have some forms of restrictions. With the advent of sweeping reforms, it could be expected that the most extreme forms of abuse and expropriation would gradually recede in Myanmar. Instead, cronyism would disguise itself and slowly creep through the political and economic systems. Cronyism and political connections are detrimental only to the extent that connected firms and bureaucrats can benefit at the expense of others. In markets where conflicts of interest are minimised through mandatory disclosure, private property rights are enforced and the judicial system is efficient, cronyism and political connections bring little benefit. Creating such an environment requires more than enacting and enforcing corruption laws. Introducing the mandatory requirement that officials declare their assets would be a sensible start, followed by

The percentage of market wealth in Russia controlled by firms that are 'politically connected'

80

Land rights activists protest outside the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development in Yangon on May 3. Pic: Aung Htay Hlaing

New Zealand again the best in the world, while Russia is 117th. And the list goes on. In general, in countries where corruption is rampant and property rights protection, contract enforcement, and access to finance are poor, political connections play a significant role. Political connections help firms to either

overcome weak legal systems or take advantage of it. Political connections create wealth for those connected and for the elite group of bureaucrats who provide private protection to their cronies in exchange for some private benefits. From this the governmental grabbing hand scenario

comes into play. For politicians, the paybacks are not necessarily in cash (nor are they even considered bribes, strictly speaking). Rather, they come in different forms: one very obvious type is political donations or campaign contributions. The society as a whole experiences net loss: the loss to the society

(in terms of reduced efficiency) far outweighs the gains shared by bureaucrats and those connected to them. Political connections are not solely in the domain of corrupt and less transparent markets. One might be surprised to know that, even in more advanced economies that have minimal

preventing them from taking positions that create conflicting interests with the offices they hold. Efficient judicial and financial systems should be developed so that individuals and firms have easy access to capital and their property rights are protected. In general, Myanmar would benefit most if an environment was created whereby corporations have no need to connect and those in office are not given opportunities to profit. (Dr Min Thu Maung is an assistant professor of finance in the Department of Finance and Management Science at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He received his PhD in Finance from the University of Alberta, Canada.)

12 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Yangon free clinic fights token brokers

Cherry Thein
t.cherry6@gmail.com

Mandalay Region Government to fund river erosion prevention in 2013-14

Si Thu Lwin sithulwin.mmtimes@gmail.com THE Mandalay Region government will spend more than K1 billion (US$1.1 million) this financial year on strengthening the banks of the Ayeyarwady River to prevent erosion, an official says. Last year, hundreds of houses in nine villages had to move because the riverbank collapsed. This year we will undertake preventive measures, such as dispersing sandbanks in the river and blocking the water flow by building dams and spillways, said Mandalay Region Minister for Communications and Transport U Kyaw San. We have set aside more than K1 billion for projects in the 201314 fiscal year, he said. When the riverbank collapsed in Nyaungpinthar village in Patheingyi township in June 2012, about 80 households had to move further from the river. This hurt their livelihoods and made living conditions more difficult, residents said. We pulled apart our houses because land was collapsing but we did not get permission to put the building materials on the land. We faced many difficulties. Our family had to sleep on a boat at night, said Ko Kar Ton from Nyunpinthar village. We are glad to hear that some preventive actions are being taken. Nine villages in four Man-

THE Thukha healthcare clinic in Yangons North Dagon township is introducing new rules for patients to cut out people who are reselling appointments at the free clinic. Manager U Tun Tun Win said the current token system would be modified from May 7, with patients required to call between 9am and 11am the day before their intended appointment to make a booking. They will also need to show more proof of identity at the clinic. We made these rules to prevent people reselling tokens and cheating the truly needy patients, U Tun Tun Win said. We found some patients from outside Yangon are having to queue up the whole day for an appointment. Sometimes we are too busy to notice but they are really miserable when they meet the token brokers the people who live near the clinic that queue up and resell

their tokens. This is hurting our image. Some people dont have any respect for humanity. They have no sympathy or ethics. We shouldnt allow them to do this and will try to stamp it out through these new rules. It might be more inconvenient for patients to bring extra ID documents but on the whole it will be better for them. The clinic will accept a limited number of patient bookings depending on each specialists schedule, he said, and patients will only be allowed to make one appointment a week. They must bring their household list, identity card and a recommendation from their ward or village administrative office so the clinic can verify their identity. The clinic is named after its founder, U Thukha, a well-known film director and writer, and grew out of a maternal care clinic set up in 2003 to meet the needs of women who could not afford the cost of childbirth. In March 2006 it became the Thukha healthcare centre and now provides free medical treatment to more than 200 patients a day, with a rotating staff of 50 specialists who volunteer their time. Bookings can be made by calling 09-850-1656.

Residents of Nyaungpinthar village in Patheingyi township, Mandalay Region, watch as the bank of the Ayeyarwady River collapses in June 2012. Photo: Si Thu Lwin

dalay districts were affected by the collapsing riverbank in 2012, with hundreds of houses damaged. Along with some families in Nyaungpinthar, close to 100

households in Hnintharma village in Patheingyi township were also displaced last year, regional officials said. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Parents protest over school tuition fee rise

Michelle Schaner newsroom@myanmartimes.com.mm ONE of Yangons leading international schools is pressing on with plans to significantly increase tuition fees for the coming school year, despite protests from parents. Administrators at International School of Myanmar have told parents that fees need to increase because of rising salaries and increased housing costs for foreign teachers and administrative staff. But the increases met strong opposition from parents, with more than 50 protesting outside the school on May 7. Late last week the school announced it would reduce the planned increase by US$400-500 depending on the grade. Even with the reduction, fees for secondary students are set to rise from around $7000 a year to $11,500 in 2013-14. Parents of primary school students have now been informed fees would increase to $8400 a year, rather than the $8800 originally proposed. Ma Phyu Phyu Tin, who has two children at ISM, said she was notified of the latest price on May 10, after the Parent Teacher Association managed to negotiate a reduction to the planned increase. The schools director did not respond to multiple requests for comment last week. Parents say they have been told to pay a $600 deposit by May 15 to secure a place for their child in 2013-14. I dont think they need to increase the fees [so much], Ma Phyu Phyu Tin said. It is one of the most established and biggest schools in Yangon. Ma Phyu Phyu Tin said many parents were attracted to ISM because it was less expensive than International School of Yangon (ISY) or Yangon International School (YIS). But with more expense, I dont think it is much different now than the others. ISM always has new teachers. When those teachers finish their contract, they often go to ISY or YIS because they pay more. Sources at the school also dispute the reasoning behind the fee increase, saying that while the schools director had proposed a salary increase for teachers for 2013-14, it had been rejected by the board. Speaking on condition of anonymity,

11,500
The amount International School of Myanmar will charge secondary students in 2013-14 several sources said that the school has not increased teacher salaries since 2009. But ISM is not the only private school in Yangon planning to significantly raise tuition fees. Several schools contacted by The Myanmar Times, including ISY and YIS, said that they were facing similar challenges meeting rising costs and planned to raise fees for 2013-14. Parents with children at Horizon International School in Yangon reportedly staged a similar protest after the school increased tuition fees but did not extend the contracts of several of its most experienced foreign teachers for 2013-14, citing rising costs. One local television station captured the May 7 ISM protest, which saw more than 50 parents gather outside the school. Parents told reporters that they had tried to organise a meeting with the school board the previous day but the meeting had been cancelled. They were upset, they said, because the board did not give them enough notice and refused to include them in the decisionmaking process. One parent went so far as to demand that the government intervene and more closely regulate private schools. Parents at ISM have been actively exchanging emails on the topic since late April when rumours of a planned fee hike started to spread. In one of the emails, which were provided to The Myanmar Times by a parent, one parent said ISM has has been taking advantage and try[ing] to squeeze more and more money from the parents in the consecutive years. Weve tried to follow along with the tuition fee raises, but this year the school has gone too far, the parent said.

Dollars US

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News 13

Experts call for high blood pressure campaign

Yamon Phu Thit yamon89@gmail.com PUBLIC health experts are calling for a new education campaign focusing on high blood pressure, which the World Health Organisation says is the single most important mortality risk factor in the region. A 2008 WHO survey found Myanmar had the top rate of high blood pressure in the Southeast Asia region where, overall, one in three adults suffers from the condition with a prevalence of 44.3 percent in men and 39.8pc in women, ahead of Indonesia and Sri Lanka. However, estimates range from 21pc to 57pc of the adult population. Speaking at the Health Communication Forum at Yangons National Health Museum on May 3, Professor Nwe Nwe, head of the Cardiology Unit at Yangon General Hospital, said more education about the causes of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, are sorely needed. She said Myanmar has seen a gradual increase in high blood pressure cases in recent years, which she attributed to changing lifestyles. Development and economic progress has brought a drastic change in peoples lifestyles. The unhealthy lifestyles will lead people to a higher risk of hypertension, she said. Lifestyle factors that can contribute to high blood pressure include consumption of processed foods containing excessive salt, low levels of physical activity, excessive use of tobacco and alcohol and increasing levels of mental stress. People who suffer from diabetes or kidney disease, are obese or are pregnant are also at risk. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80, where 120 represents the systolic measurement, or peak pressure in the arteries, and 80 represents the diastolic measurement, or minimum pressure in the arteries. A blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered hypertension. Figures on the prevalence of high blood pressure in Myanmar vary considerably. A WHO survey in 2003 on non-communicable disease risk factors found that 23pc of the population in Myanmar has high blood pressure. A Ministry of Health nationwide cardiovascular disease survey in 2005 put the figure at 21pc, but a four-township survey in 2010 found a prevalence of 57pc. Professor Nwe Nwe described hypertension as a silent killer with few signs or symptoms. Many people do not realise that they have hypertension, she said. Therefore we recommend regular blood pressure checkups. High blood pressure can be prevented by consuming fresh vegetables and fruit, avoiding excessive consumption of salt and fats, reducing use of tobacco and alcohol and exercising regularly. Hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, irregular heartbeat and heart failure.

Myanmar, neighbours pledge to step up war on illicit drugs

Shwe Ye Saw Myint poepwintphyu2011@gmail.com MYANMAR and five of its regional partners vowed on May 9 to boost cooperation in the fight against illegal drugs, which they warned posed a significant threat to the region. The pledge came at the end of a meeting of ministers or representatives from Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in Nay Pyi Taw. Consumption and production of narcotic drugs continues to grow rapidly within the region and worldwide, constituting a significant threat to the East Asian region, the countries said in a joint statement adopted at the meeting. They agreed to tighten cross-border cooperation, step up alternative development programs and share experience in drug use prevention, treatment and public awareness raising exercises. The agreement came as the government pushed back its drug elimination target by five years to 2019, following a recent rise in opium cultivation and production and concerns over the growing trade in amphetamines. Deputy police chief General Zaw Win said the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control had extended the deadline because of the threats posed by amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS)
Deputy police chief General Zaw Win speaks at a ceremony on May 6. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

and new psychoactive substances and its desire to reclaim our success in reduction of opium poppy cultivation. He said a review of activities is underway in order to develop new strategies and make necessary adjustment to cope with current drug trends. Myanmar has laid down a 15-year drug elimination plan from 1999 to 2014 and could reduce opium poppy cultivation from 108,000 hectares (266,874 acres) in 1999 to 21,000 hectares (51,892 acres) in 2006. However, cultivation has rebounded since 2007, Gen Zaw Win said. Gen Zaw Win announced the new

target at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of a drug control cooperation agreement between six nations on May 6. The agreement was initially signed by Myanmar, China, Laos and Thailand in 1993 through the coordination of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Cambodia and Vietnam signed on two years later. Gen Zaw Win said illicit drug production and trafficking in Myanmar are closely linked to instability, security and insurgency in its border areas, and these factors had created serious challenges for law enforcement agencies

trying to control the drug problem. Two new issues in the fight against drugs are the lack of treatment for ATS abuse and the growing involvement of West African and Iranian syndicates in regional drug trafficking. These have been a continuing burden for the law enforcement counter measures, he said. Police Major Win Ko Ko said that while there was no evidence these syndicates were directly involved in drug trafficking in Myanmar, officials were concerned about their potential influence. The UNODC South-East Asia Opium Survey 2012 confirmed that Myanmar is Southeast Asias largest opium poppygrowing country and the worlds second largest, after Afghanistan. About 90pc of illegal drug activities in Myanmar primarily opium poppy cultivation takes place in Shan State, the report said. In 2012, strong increases in poppy cultivation were reported in southern, eastern and northern Shan states, as well as in Kachin State. Poppy cultivation jumped 17pc to 51,000 hectares (126,023 acres), from 43,000 hectares (106,255 acres) in 2011, despite 23,717 hectares (58,606 acres) of opium poppy being eradicated more than three times the 7058 hectares (17,441 acres) the government eradicated in 2011. With AFP

14 News

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Mandalay troupe gives away winnings

Than Naing Soe thennaingsoe@gmail.com A MANDALAY chant troupe has given away K1.2 million it received for its Thingyan performances, splitting the money between a monastery and a school. Ko Tha Zaw, a member of the Tawri-Yawri troupe, said the group donated what was left over after travel and other costs. During the four days of Thingyan, the Tawri-Yawri chant troupe, made up of writers, poets, cartoonists and journalists, travelled around Mandalay, including the outskirts, to perform. [The trip] was supported by companies and businessmen. We had K1.2 million in hand after costs were deducted from the amount we received, he said. After Thingyan we decided on the places to donate with the consent of the majority [of the group]. The group gave most of the money to a school in Myintha village in northern Mandalay Regions Thabeikkyin township. The donation will help the school purchase desks and other furniture after it was damaged by an earthquake in November 2012. The remaining K200,000 was donated to the Parahita Thathana Wunsaung monastery in Mandalays Chan Myar Thasi township. Last year the troupe donated K900,000 to the same monastery, and also gave more than K100,000 to a literature and social welfare group. Translated by Thit Lwin

DKBA defies government order to leave territory

Government orders Democratic Karen Buddhist Army to leave the Myaing Gyi Ngu area of Kayin State to allow work to begin on Hat Gyi hydropower project, following skirmish with Border Guard Force troops on April 27

Noe Noe Aung

noenoeag@gmail.com

THE Democratic Karen Buddhist Army is refusing to obey a Tatmadaw order to withdraw its soldiers from Myaing Gyi Ngu in Kayin State, officials said, following a skirmish in the area in late April. A Tatmadaw official ordered the DKBA to leave so that work could begin on the 1200 megawatt Hat Gyi hydropower project. Colonel Saw San Aung from the DKBA told reporters at a press conference in the Kayin State border town of Myawaddy on May 5 that his forces would defend their territory if attacked. If the Tatmadaw tries to force us to withdraw, we will defend ourselves. We cant withdraw from where we belong, he said at the press conference, which was held in a Karen National Union office. The government, DKBA and Karen National Union had previously agreed that Myaing Gyi Ngu would be a non-conflict zone. However, a skirmish broke out between soldiers from a Border Guard Force comprising mostly ex-DKBA members and the DKBA on April 27. General Saw San Aung said the skirmish was sparked by the defection of a Border Guard Force member back

Colonel Saw Eh Kaw Htoo of the Karen National Union Peace Council speaks at a press conference on May 5. Photo: Ko Taik

to the DKBA and the soldier who fired at government troops had been disciplined following the incident. However, on May 2 Colonel Tun Tun Win of Infantry Battalion 338 phoned the DKBA and ordered them to leave Myaing Gyi Ngu because the government is planning to begin work on the long-delayed Hat Gyi project.

He gave us two days to move out. The deadline was midnight on May 4. But we dont have many other places to go from Myaing Gyi Ngu. The border with Thailand is not very far away and if we get too close to the border the Thai soldiers wont accept us, he added. We feel like this is unfair. If the

Tatmadaw tells us to leave, they should also tell the Border Guard Force to go too, Colonel Saw San Aung said. As of May 7 no fighting had been reported in the area. Colonel Saw Eh Kaw Htoo of the KNU Peace Council said that if fighting did break out, his organisation would intervene as a mediator to assist the weaker side.

The World Bank

Extended Term Temporary - Receptionist (Vacancy # 131108)
The World Bank Office in Yangon is looking for a dynamic, committed and capable individual to work as a Receptionist. This is a locally- recruited position with an initial 1- year Extended Term Temporary Contract (with the possibility of extending to 2 years). Summary of Roles and Responsibilities: Promptly, accurately, professionally and courteously receives 100% of all telephone calls and vistors. Promptly, accurately, professionally and courteously assesses 100% of received calls/inquiries and directs and/or records and relays messages. Adept at using all features of the telephone system and voice mail. When on duty, ensures the reception station is staffed 100% of the time. Signs for deliveries when necessary and notifies recipients. Maintains a thorough working knowledge of and adheres to organization/project policies, regulations and procedures. Keeps immediate supervisor well-informed of activities, results of efforts and problems identified/ potential problems; recommends corrective actions to immediate supervisor. Respects confidentiality in discussing staff, visitors and organizational matters. Performs routine office tasks necessary for the operation and presentation of a professional office as observed by the supervisor. Selection Criteria: High School Diploma; Minimum 1 year of relevant experience in Secretary/Receptionist work preferably with international organizations Knowledge of: Internet Explorer; Microsoft Excel; Lotus Notes; Microsoft Word; Windows Operating System. Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Excellent communication skills and the ability to command both written and spoken of Myanmar language and English Details (vacancy #131108) are available in the World Bank Careers website :www.worldbank.org/ careers. All applications must be submitted through this website. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. Closing date is May 23, 2013

BRIEFS
Police in Bagan are searching for a motorcyclist who snatched a backpack from a British tourist on May 7. The tourist was riding a bicycle in Nyaung Oos No 5 ward when a motorcyclist rode past and took his backpack from the bicycles front basket. The tourist told police he was returning to his hotel, New Park Hotel, after dinner at the Moon Restaurant near Ananda Pagoda when the incident occurred. The tourists bag contained a Canon camera, a spare lens, K150,000 and a British driving licence, a regional police force officer said. Nyaung Oo and Bagan police officers are investigating the case, although the British national has said he does not intend to file charges. The incident is the fourth targeting tourists in Bagan or Nyaung Oo in 2013, the police officer said. Si Thu Lwin, translated by Zar Zar Soe

Bagan Police hunt bag snatcher

The hluttaw must approve the presidents declaration and [set] the length of time [of the state of emergency] if the president did not state it, U Kyi Myint said. Win Ko Ko Latt

Hluttaw representatives will gather in Nay Pyi Taw for a special session of parliament on May 20, state media announced earlier this month. Daw Khin Mya Win, deputy director general of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, confirmed the date but said she did not know why the session had been called. Representatives had previously been told the seventh session would begin about June 25. But U Kyi Myint, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Latha in Yangon Region, said it was linked to President U Thein Sein declaring a state of emergency in Meiktila after riots erupted on March 20. The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law states that if the president declares a state of emergency the hluttaw must meet within 60 days to approve the declaration.

Nay Pyi Taw Hluttaw to meet again on 20 May: official

A rare hailstorm on May 9 broke windows and damaged roofing in Mandalay, residents said. It was windy and at about 2:20pm it started raining and then the hailstones came. Ten minutes later, it stopped. Then it started again. After a short while, the rain stopped and only hailstones fell, said U Hla Myint from Chan Aye Thaazan township. The Department of Meteorology said the hailstones were roughly the size of an eastern gooseberry about 1 inch in diameter. The department said 1.06 inches of rain fell between 1:55pm and 3pm in the city, while winds hit around 32 kilometres an hour. In our ward windowpanes were broken. Roofing was damaged. Lamp posts and trees fell down but there were no casualties, said a resident from the industrial zone in Pyigyitagun township. Than Naing Soe and Aung Ye Thwin, translated by Thit Lwin

Mandalay Hailstones fall in Mandalay

www.mmtimes.com

News 15

U Ye Htut denies Dr Seik Phwar link

Win Ko Ko Latt winkolatt2012@gmail.com DEPUTY Minister for Information U Ye Htut has rejected accusations he is Dr Seik Phwar, the controversial blogger that MPs have threatened with legal action. I am not Dr Seik Phwar and neither myself nor the ministry instructed someone to write anything under the name Dr Seik Phwar, U Ye Htut told The Myanmar Times on May 7. The hluttaw formed a commission to investigate the identity of Dr Seik Phwar after the blogger wrote an article criticising parliament for amendments to the Constitutional Tribunal Law that President U Thein Sein said were unconstitutional. Pyithu Hluttaw representative Dr Soe Yin submitted the proposal to form the commission in January and it began its work the following month. The commission recently finished its report and submitted it to Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint. Media reports, particularly those in Eleven Media, suggested that U Ye Htut, who is also a spokesperson for the president, was behind the blog posts. U Ye Htut said he had met with the commission, led by Amyotha Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Mya Nyein, as part of its enquiries but that the reports were baseless. If I was Dr Seik Phwar the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw would not need to form an investigation commission I would go and tell them that I am Dr Seik Phwar and I wrote what I believe and if you think I breached the laws, then Im ready for a lawsuit, he said. Some local media accused me of being Dr Seik Phwar but it is not true. When the truth appears I will wait and see how much responsibility they will take for what they have said about me. He did not say which publications he was specifically referring to. While some press freedom groups have expressed concern about the campaign to unmask Dr Seik Phwar, U Ye Htut said U Mya Nyein told him that the formation of the commission was not designed to control freedom of expression. U Mya Nyein said Dr Seik Phwars criticism could lead people to misunderstand the role of the hluttaw so MPs want to discredit Dr Seik Phwars comments.

Deputy Minister for Information U Ye Htut speaks at an international conference in 2012. Photo: Supplied

Commission member and Amyotha Hluttaw representative U Phone Myint Aung said that commission submitted its report to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw speaker in late March after interview-

ing about 40 government officials, IT technicians and some journalists. I think the hluttaw speaker can guess who Dr Seik Phwar is based on our report, U Phone Myint Aung said.

He said the hluttaw will file defamation charges after the bloggers identity is revealed. Dr Sake Phwar will have the legal right to defend himself, he said.

A passenger boards the Yangon-Dala ferry. Photo: Ko Taik

Ferry passengers lament fare rise

Thiha Toe thihatoe.tht@gmail.com THE price of a ferry ride between Yangon and Dala doubled last week but ferry operators threw in a free seat, hoping to appease passengers upset about the fare hike. The cost of taking the ferry between Yangon and Dala rose from K50 to K100 on April 29. Where passengers previously had the choice of paying an extra K10 for the right to have a seat, the price now includes a seat. Authorities have also added 18 additional seats to each ferry. We just finished setting up two ships on the PansodanDala ferry, said U Shein Yaw, deputy general manager of the delta region of Inland Water Transport, adding that cargo charges did not rise with passenger fares. We plan to improve services on the ships to have clean seats and make sure that customers never need to pay any cash for seats. While several passengers who regularly take the ferry told The Myanmar Times on April 29 that they were not happy about the change in fare, some were satisfied at least with the free seat. I sometimes take the ferry from Dala to Yangon, said Daw Aye Aye Mu, 50. I think that although itll be okay for someone like me, since I only sometimes take the ferry, it would not be okay for commuters who always take the ferry. Most of the people who always take the ferry are poor. It is not okay for our family to pay K100 each way per person, said Daw Sein Htay, 55. Daw Sein Htay sells fish in Yangon and travels daily from Pyawbwei Lay village in Twante, making K4500 per day for her family of six. Because she also sells her goods on the ferry, she said the free seat was not useful for her. It really is a problem for us. How do we eat daily? I think it is not fair really for a poor family like us, she said. Egg seller and regular ferry passenger U Win Maw, 40, said he was very happy about the seat policy change. Now there is no permit to rent plastic seats on the first floor of the ships, and a few new seats are already extended on the upstairs of the ship, he said. U Win Shein said the fare increases were designed to help Inland Water Transport reduce its losses. Even as salaries and the cost of fuel and oil for ships rose we did not increase the fare for passengers and cargo, he said.

16 News BRIEFS
A National League for Democracy delegation arrived in China last week at the invitation of the Communist Party of China, the first of two NLD groups expected to visit the country over the next month. A 12-member team including Pyithu Hluttaw representative Daw Phyu Phyu Thin arrived in China on May 8. The second group, including eight NLD members, will visit in June at the invitation of the All-China Youth Federation, said party spokesperson U Nyan Win. The Chinese embassy in Myanmar is always inviting us to all their activities. These trips are about cultural exchanges, dialogue and seeing the Chinese lifestyle, he said. The invitations continue the recent improvement in relations between China and the NLD, U Nyan Win said. Kyaw Hsu Mon

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

ANALYSIS

Yangon NLD delegation arrives in China

For foreign partners, Myanmar Navy represents the safest bet

Tim McLaughlin tmclaughlin@gmail.com A DAY before the fanfare of United States President Barack Obamas visit to Yangon last November, the US and Myanmar navies met quietly aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard in the Andaman Sea. The quick tour of the ships medical bay and decks marked the beginning of the Myanmar Navys emergence as the preferred avenue for international engagement with the countrys armed forces an engagement made possible by the reforms initiated by President U Thein Sein in early 2011. Since stepping aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, Myanmars naval officers have found themselves eagerly welcomed by their counterparts from other countries, including Thailand, India and Brunei. Two frigates from the Myanmar Navy docked in Phuket, Thailand on February 20 at the Third Region Navy base. It was the first interaction of its kind between the neighbouring fleets in 18 years. Rear Admiral Tulataed Chuay, head of the Thai Marine Corps, welcomed top Myanmar Navy officials shortly after on February 26. They were greeted with full military pomp by the 100-strong Thai Marine Corps Honour Guard. The following month, the Myanmar Navy brought two ships to the Indian port city of Vishakhapatnam for joint exercises the first in 50 years near the boundary between Myanmars Coco Island and Indias Landfall Island. The exercises marked a step up in naval relations between the two countries, which in the recent past have been confined to training and India providing Myanmar with equipment. On April 23, the US naval attach to Myanmar, Captain Sean Cannon, travelled to Nay Pyi Taw on April 23 to meet Vice Admiral Thura Thet Swe, the commander-in-chief of the navy. The following week, Vice Admiral Thura Thet Swe was in Brunei for a three-day trip on which he met First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Abdul Halim bin Hj Mohd Hanifah, commander of the Royal Brunei Navy. These historic interactions come as other branches of Myanmars military face continued criticism for alleged human rights abuses. In early January, the air force came under fire for its air strikes on Kachin Independence Army outposts near Laiza. In Shan State, skirmishes between government forces and the Shan State Army are putting a shaky peace agreement further at risk. The Shan Human Rights Foundation has alleged that Tatmadaw soldiers recently used civilians as human shields in Shan States Tangyang township. A damning report by Human Rights Watch in April alleged state forces, including Tatmadaw soldiers, not only failed to protect Muslims during fighting that took place during October and June of last year in Rakhine State, but were also involved in deadly violence that left at least 125,000 displaced. The Myanmar Navy has avoided such missteps though an alleged 1998 massacre carried out by the navy on Christie Island indicates the branch is not completely free from atrocities and Navy officers and officials were, and continue to be, regarded as more worldly than

A woman was killed and homes and other buildings in villages across Mandalay Region were destroyed by strong winds last week. Ma Htwe, 39, died when a tree fell on her house at 2am on May 2 in Tharzi townships Pahtama Lun Htoe village. The wind caused damage to homes in eight townships in the region Singu, Thabeikkyin, Kyaukse, Sagaing, Tharzi, Wundwin, Ngazun and Taungtha the regional police force office said. Singu was the most severely hit by the wind, with houses, schools, pagodas, monasteries and other religious buildings damaged in 12 villages. Si Thu Lwin, translated by Zar Zar Soe

Mandalay Strong winds batter upper Myanmar

Responsibility for maintaining Mandalay Palace will be transferred from the national to regional government, an official says. We will soon transfer [responsibility for] preservation work of the palace to the regional government to ensure [better results in] restoration, said an official from the Mandalay division of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library. An official from the regional government confirmed the report. This plan has been arranged for years. We aim to make more improvements so as to attract more interest from visitors, he said. Restorations at the palace began in 1989, with the majority of work completed six years later. Si Thu Lwin, translated by Zar Zar Soe

Mandalay Regional government to take over management of Mandalay Palace

Chief of Indian Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma (left) talks with then-Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Navy Vice Admiral Nyan Tun during a reception in New Delhi on February 22, 2010. Photo: AFP

Money and a laptop have been stolen from the office of a Mandalay newspaper. The office of Mya Nandar, a weekly journal that launched on January 4, 2012, was broken into around 8pm on May 7, the publications editor said. K1 million was taken from the administration room and a staff members laptop was also stolen. It seems well planned. The thief must have known that nobody would be in the office about 8pm, the editor said. He said police reviewed security tapes from a billiard hall on the floor below the journals office and are searching for three suspicious men spotted in the tapes. Si Thu Lwin, translated by Zar Zar Soe

Mandalay Journal office robbed

most of their peers in other military branches. Historically, the Myanmar Navy is a prestigious service, said Dr Maung Aung Myoe, a professor, associate dean and program director at the International University of Japan and the author of Building the Tatmadaw: Myanmar Armed Forces since 1948. Generally speaking, naval and air force personnel are better educated and exposed [internationally]. Though part of the Myanmar Navys attractiveness for nascent military engagement is the smaller reputational risk, it has also been aided by a longstanding maritime code that serves to link foreign navies. Navies are natural engagement vehicles, said Bryan McGrath, a 21year US Navy veteran and founding director of defense and national security consultancy Delex Consulting, Studies and Analysis. There is the

The bond of the sea and survival on it makes brothers out of all sailors, regardless of their political affiliations.
Dr Ronald Ratcliff US Naval College associate professor tradition of customs of life at sea and

the obligation to render assistance to vessels in distress. Seas offer a natural playing field for engagement. Dr Ronald Ratcliff, associate professor at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a former US naval attach in Malaysia, said sailors were brothers and kindred spirits regardless of their political affiliations. The wonderful part about sea power is that it is largely invisible to most observers. When navies interact, they do so far out of sight of land, unlike land and air forces. Further, the bond of the sea and survival on it makes brothers and kindred spirits out of all sailors, regardless of their political affiliations, said Dr Ratcliff. Exercises at sea can be tailored to focus on the common interests of states rather than on differences. Largely ignored from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, when the governments primary concern was its conflicts with ethnic groups in Myanmars border areas, the navy lagged behind ground forces in arms and technology. It was not until the end of the 90s, when Myanmar faced disputes on its river border with Thailand and over its maritime border with Bangladesh, that the military government felt the need to bolster maritime and riverway defence and security. By that time Bangladesh and Thailand were far more advanced than their Myanmar counterparts; their navies were equipped with frig-

ates, ships that Myanmar lacked. When the Tatmadaw decided to embark on a modernisation program in the early 1990s, the Myanmar Navy received new warships procured from China. However, only in the late 1990s did the Myanmar Navy receive serious attention from the Tatmadaw leadership, said Dr Maung Aung Myoe. Myanmars geographic location is becoming increasingly important to international actors, driven by tensions in the South China Sea that threaten to destabilise the region. Burma is crucial, as it is located along the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, two crucial sea routes into the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea, said Michael Auslin, resident scholar in Asian and security studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based think tank. Driving the naval engagement and relations with Myanmar more broadly is the rise and role of China, which has recently been flexing its own naval muscles with the commissioning of its first aircraft carrier. Experts agreed that these new sea-based interactions could fan Chinese concerns of shrinking influence in Myanmar, although they will be of much less importance to China than its disputes with Vietnam and Japan. Certainly any cooperative exercises or operations between the Burmese and the US or its allies would raise further Chinese fears of encirclement, Mr Auslin said.

www.mmtimes.com

News 17

UN rejects link between IDP camp survey and census

Ma Thida (Sanchaung), right, accepts a National Press Award on May 3. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

Kyaw Hsu Mon

kyawhsumon@gmail.com

Press awards committee reconsidering format for 2014

Nuam Bawi hknuambawi@gmail.com THE National Press Awards Committee is considering amending the format of the countrys top journalism prize next year in response to criticism that it is not inclusive enough. Six National Press Awards for news, news photos and cartoons published in 2012 were handed out at a ceremony at the National Theatre on May 3. However, some criticised the selection process, in which only publications that sent articles, photos and cartoons to the judging committees for consideration were eligible for a prize. The head of the National Press Awards Committee, U Win Nyein, said judges had a clear conscience regarding the criticism but were looking at ways to amend the format next year. He said the current selection process was put in place because judging committees did not have time to monitor all content published in the calendar year. The National Press Awards Committee has a clear conscience. The awards were chosen by committees that included some of the countrys best journalists, he said. We must monitor all journals and newspapers published from January 1 to December 31. Now that private newspapers are being published, there are newspapers coming out every day. So we must monitor them all and select the award-winners. Even the author of the winning feature article, Ma Thida (Sanchaung), said she was not satisfied with how the winners were chosen. I dont agree with the procedure of this award, she said after receiving the prize. But Im very happy that the national award committee chose the editorial that I wrote freely and Saya U Myo Myint Nyein edited freely in accordance with journalism ethics. The Voice won the most awards on the night, taking out best news story, best feature and best cartoon.

A RAKHINE State government spokesperson has insisted that recent data collection in camps for displaced Muslims is related to next years census, despite a United Nations agency saying there is no link between the two events. Immigration officers visited some camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Sittwe township on April 26 to collect data on residents. A dispute broke out at a camp near Thatkepyin village, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the state capital Sittwe, when officials tried to record the ethnicity of camp residents as Bengali. Some of the camps residents refused, saying they would only sign as Rohingya, and allegedly threw rocks at the officials. Seven alleged leaders of the violence were arrested by local authorities and last week were charged with four offences. Following reports of the in-

cident, the UN Population Fund issued a statement on May 3 in which it said that [h]ousehold data collection activities being undertaken in the camps and other sites in Sittwe, Rakhine State, involving the update of family lists by teams composed of several government departments, are unrelated to the National Population and Housing Census scheduled for April 2014. These activities are also not connected to the pilot census exercise that took place successfully from March 30 to April 10 in 20 townships around the country, including Sittwe, without any kind of incidents. Currently, the government of Myanmar, with technical support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is conducting preparatory activities like mapping of enumeration areas, publicity campaigns to inform people on the nature of the census and consultations with stakeholders on the census process. But spokesperson U Win Myaing insisted the data collection in the camps was being conducted in preparation for the census. The data collecting for Ben-

gali households in Sittwe will support the 2014 census. Immigration officers are watching the situation and will start [data collection] again soon, U Win Myaing said on May 7. U Win Myaing said more families had recently arrived at the camps from Myebon, Pauktaw and Maungdaw townships and it was important that they were registered so they could get food handouts and other support. We are trying to organise shelter for them before the rainy season and also ensure they have enough food, he said. [World Food Program] has been distributing food for them, he said. Recently many more households have come from other places so they are sharing food themselves. For example, if [food is distributed] for five people they are sharing the food between 10 people. World Food Program deputy country director Guillaume Foliot said accurate data was important for facilitating the agencys work. Its important for our purposes to have reliable data on the numbers of displaced people, which is a concern that we share with the government, he said.

Microfinance lenders reaching only 20pc: experts

Maria Danmark mariadn@mail.dmjx.dk POOR people in the countryside could have the chance to borrow money to start a small business if microfinance institutions are developed, a conference in Nay Pyi Taw was told last week. Less than 20 percent of the population in Myanmar has access to financial services, a recent assessment found. On May 8-9, the United Nations Development Program and the Microfinance Business Supervisory Committee invited experts from the government and international organisations to discuss the development of the microfinance sector in Myanmar. Participants shared experiences from Bangladesh and Indonesia, and debated how they could be applied here. Discussions will provide a great deal of enrichment from the regional experience of the experts including challenges, ways and means to overcome them and the importance of the role of donors, Deputy Minister for Finance and Revenue Dr Lin Aung told the meeting. Myanmar passed a microfinance law in 2011. Since then, 142 microfinance institutions have been licensed to operate in Myanmar, helping 574,058 clients. The new law sets a maximum interest rate of 2.5pc a month, which is well below the rate offered by moneylenders. But Dr Lin Aung stressed that many poor people are still missing out. The amount an individual can borrow also depends on which microfinance institution, if any, operates in the area where the person lives. Its believed that most people rely on informal lenders to meet their cash flow needs, who may not fully meet needs and charge up to a 20pc interest rate per month, said Li Ren, a senior

The World Bank

The World Bank Office in Yangon is looking for a dynamic, committed and capable individual to work as a Financial Management Specialist (FMS) to be part of our Financial Management unit (EAPFM). This is a locally- recruited position with a 2- year renewable term appointment. Summary of Roles and Responsibilities: The FMS should be a professional accountant (CPA, CA or equivalent) with an internationally recognized designation by the International Federation of Accountants. They should also have a Bachelor degree in accounting, business, finance, economics or related subject, and should have at least 5 years of relevant experience in financial management, preferably with expertise in the public sector. The FMS will report to the Regional Financial Management Manager (RFMM) through the Hub Leader and will be part of the Financial Management team of the East Asia & Pacific Region (EAPFM) and the Country Management Units Team. The successful applicant will work with EAPFM team in the Myanmar Country Office (CO) Team, including Financial Management Specialists (FMSs), Administrative and Client Service (ACS) staff, as well as colleagues in charge of procurement, disbursements, PREM and other sectors. The FMS will assist in all financial management aspects related to the World Banks financed operations, and will manage advisory and technical assistance tasks. This will include, but is not limited to: assessing the adequacy of project financial management arrangements, participating in implementation support missions projects financed by loans, credits and grants including Trust Funds; ensuring compliance with the Banks audit and fiduciary requirements, ensuring that the projects operations are carried out in accordance with sound financial management practices and performing analytical work on financial management and financial accountability issues in support of building client capacity. Selection Criteria: The candidate should have a Bachelor degree in accounting, business, finance, economics, or related subject and at least 5 years of relevant experience. A professional accountancy qualification (CPA, CA or equivalent) is required. In addition, the candidate should have the following qualifications: Knowledge of current issues in financial management, particularly relating to the public sector. Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and International Standards on Auditing. Knowledge of developing country issues as they relate to financial management. Experience in interpreting financial and project management reports and recommending remedial actions to be taken by the Bank or borrower. Knowledge in the application of accounting, auditing and financial reporting systems and software packages. Experience in designing and assessing internal control systems and procedures using internationally accepted control frameworks such as COCO, COSO, Cadbury. Experience in financial statement analysis, its use in comparison with industry benchmarks and application to facilitate decision making. Ability to function effectively in multi-disciplinary teams within a matrix management environment. Strong oral and written communication skills in Myanmar and English languages. Details (vacancy #131057) are available in the World Bank Careers website:www.worldbank.org/careers. All applications must be submitted through this website. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. Closing date is May 23, 2013

Financial Management Specialist

The number of registered microfinance lenders in Myanmar

142

investment officer at the International Financial Corporation. But as the sector grows officials are also wary about the potential problem of overlap between institutions. Clients could borrow from one institute to pay another and become burdened with debt, Deputy Minister for Cooperatives U Than Tun said at the conference. He said the ministrys own microfinance program, covering 304 townships and more than 768,000 clients, expects to hand out K50 billion in loans this year.

18 News
OPINION

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Time to stamp out the racism

Nyi Nyi Ohn Myint Okkar Kyaw IT is said that there is nothing more dangerous or deceitful in this world than when darkness comes in the form of light. Imagine a gun, however big or small; this is a symbol of darkness, as guns are designed to kill. Now picture a monk: a holy and respected man is a symbol of light, as monks practice mindfulness and compassion. Finally, imagine a monk in his robes, standing upright with his hands clasped in the form of prayer, symbolising his commitment to Buddhism. Now try to envision his right hand slowly reaching into his robe, and then slowly stretching out toward you with his index finger clutching the small trigger of a handgun. Immediately, your whole perception of the monk changes. But its too late for you to react because by the time your brain attempts to process what to do in this situation, the coldblooded killer has already put a bullet into your head. Its a simple and cunning way to kill someone but would monks really do this? On September 25, 1959, Talduwe Somarama, a Buddhist monk, stepped into the home of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Solomon Bandaranaike, who was commencing one of his regular meetings with the public. As the prime minister started kneeling down to pay his respects in the traditional Buddhist way, Talduwe Somarama pulled out a revolver and opened fire at point-blank range. A Buddhist monk had assassinated the prime minister of Sri Lanka. And for what? Talduwe Somarama claimed he did it for the greater good of his country, race and religion. This is a letter of concern from us and a few of our fellow students. To our ignorant Buddhist brothers, we beg of you: please stop this madness. The purgabe considered by the government. What has the approach of denying them citizenship brought us? The ethnic violence that occurred hinders economic development and democratisation. When there is conflict, there is no trust, and without trust, how can we rebuild our country? If we are unable to come together, look past our differences, and find common ground, then how will we be able to address the pressing issues that hinder better living standards for all people? If this violence continues, we are only inviting the return of military rule. We are justifying the military regimes of the previous five decades, which used ethnic violence as an excuse to claim and cling to power. To the citizens of Myanmar, we ask you to believe in a democratic Myanmar, a country where democracy is not used as an excuse to take what you want or act as you like. For the first time in decades we have a chance at freedom so let us seize this opportunity and not allow all those years of bloodshed and hard work go to waste. Instead of having to spend money feeding displaced people in relief camps and rebuilding homes, let us move past the violence and instead rebuild our economy through investments in education and healthcare. The world is watching us as we finally transition from a dictatorship to a democracy. Let us eradicate the racism of the past and work together toward a new beginning. The sooner we resolve this issue, the sooner we can work toward building a better future for all. The bar is set high; lets jump together. (Nyi Nyi Ohn Myint, 17, from the International School of Yangon, and Okkar Kyaw, 20, from Grinnell College, are brothers with completely different personalities who want to work together for a greater cause.)

A Muslim man stands inside a damaged mosque near Okkan on May 1, a day after one person was killed and nine injured in religious violence. Photo: AFP

tion of the Rohingya people must come to an end. Bloodshed is not a solution; it is a sin. We say to the imposters, the Buddhist monks who preach for a pure Buddhist state, that there is no purity in the slaughtering of Rohingya, or any other group. By spreading your lies into the ears of young men and women, you instill racism and hatred into their hearts. You disgrace the meaning of Buddhism with your violence and views. This is not the Buddhist

Myanmar we know and grew up in. To the leaders of our nation, we respectfully request you engage in peaceful negotiations with the Rohingya. It is important that the government takes an unbiased approach and recognises this as an internal conflict. However, President U Thein Sein has said that Myanmar will take responsibility for its ethnic nationalities but it is not at all possible to recognise the illegal border-crossing Ro-

We say to the imposters, the monks who preach for a pure Buddhist state ... you disgrace Buddhism with your violence and views.

hingyas who are not an ethnic group in Burma. This implies that he does not think we should be held accountable for this issue. But we cannot simply hand over members of this group to any third country that is willing to take them. People should not be passed around like a commodity; whether you call them Rohingya or Bengalis, they, like all of us, have their rights. Furthermore, pathways toward granting citizenship must

Trade Mark Caution

Our client, ITO EN, Ltd., situated at 47-10, Honmachi 3-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8550, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark:

Trade Mark Caution

Sunsauce Foods Industrial Corp. Ltd. a company incorporated under the law of Thailand, and having its principal place of business at 104 Moo 4, Tambon Nong-Ya-Pong, Amphur Nong-Ya-Pong, Phetchaburi, 76160 Thailand, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following Trademark:-

Cafe
(Reg: No.IV/3791/2013) The above mark is used in respect of Retail services or wholesale services for food & beverages; Providing food & beverages; Rental of towels; Rental of wet wipes [International Classes 35 & 43]. Any imitation, any deceptive-similar trademark or any fraudulent action shall be dealt with the existing laws of Myanmar. TMI Associates Services Co., Ltd. On behalf of ITO En.Ltd Tel : 255047 Date: 13th May, 2013

Travel security force expands into Mon, Kayin states

Shwegu Thitsar khaingsabainyein@gmail.com THE government will soon expand its tourism security police force to Mon and Kayin states to accommodate the growing number of foreign tourists, officials said last week. The announcement comes after offices were opened in the tourist areas of Mandalay, Bagan, Nyaung Oo and Nyaungshwe, as well as the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. Police Sergeant U Than Myint Zaw of the tourism security police force said more security and police services were needed to meet the needs of foreign visitors. Officers are even learning English to improve their communication skills on the job. Tourism police say there have already been situations where they have been able to help tourists. For example, last month a Thai tourist became lost at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, while a Chinese tourist was assisted when he had problems at the airport after officials contacted the Chinese embassy. A German tourist who lost her purse in Nyaungshwe near Inle Lake was able to report the loss to officers in the town. However, the force has not had to deal with any serious crimes since the first offices opened in April, U Than Myint Zaw said. Our aim is provide convenience for tourists as much as possible, he said. We would like to solve their problems when they are in Myanmar. When they face any problems, particularly if they are of a criminal nature, they have a chance to open a case at a police station.

Reg. No. 4/2036/2013 in respect of Class 30: Suki sauce, Chicken sauce, Chili sauce, Barbecue sauce, Seafood sauce, Springroll sauce, Oyster sauce, Sauces [condiments], Seasonings, Flavouring, other than essential oils. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Trademark will be dealt with according to law. U Nyunt Tin Associates International Limited Intellectual Property Division Tel: 959 4500 59 247-8, 951 375754, Fax: 951 254321 Email: info@untlw.com For Sunsauce Foods Industrial Corp. Ltd. Dated: 13th May, 2013.

www.mmtimes.com

News 19

Democracy in retreat? Not around our region

Roger mitton
roger.mitton@gmail.com

THEY always say you wait an hour for a bus and then two come along at the same time. After recently focusing on OB Markers: My Straits Times Story by Cheong Yip Seng, the former chief editor of Singapores flagship newspaper, another hefty tome has come along that is equally thought-provoking and equally irritating. Called Democracy in Retreat, it was penned by Joshua Kurlantzick, a selfproclaimed Southeast Asian expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington DC. He writes: Many of the countries that are regressing from democracy are regional powers, including Thailand, the Philippines and others. The reason, he says, is that democratic traditions in such countries are being adversely affected by things like the rise of China, the lack of solid economic growth and the impact of Western financial crises. Because his proposition flies in the

face of everything we see around us in this region, it instinctively makes us wonder if perhaps hes spotted something we missed. Wikipedia, however, notes Kurlantzick has frequently been taken to task for alleged inaccuracies in his reporting, especially his preferred mode of first-hand accounts where the only support for his claims is in his notes. That makes it easier to put the boot in, for really his book is utter nonsense. As HL Mencken would say: It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash. In reality, the countries he names, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as others in this region, have witnessed an astonishing flowering of democracy over the past three or four decades. Thirty years ago, the Philippines

The countries he names have witnessed an astonishing flowering of democracy over the past four decades.

suffered under the despotic Ferdinand Marcos; Thailand was ruled by General Prem Tinsulanonda; and Cambodia was under the yolk of a communistic regime imposed by Vietnam. Myanmar, or Burma as it then was, slid increasingly into decrepitude under U Ne Win, while Laos and Vietnam were both helmed by brutal totalitarian regimes. General Suhartos military dictatorship still held sway over the regions powerhouse, Indonesia, and tiny Brunei had an absolute monarchy that brooked no dissent. Only Malaysia and Singapore held regular elections, but they practised a form of disciplined democracy, which meant that any oppositionist who showed signs of garnering substantial support was crushed. Indeed, crushed is putting it mildly when one recalls how Devan Nair, Francis Seow and JB Jeyaretnam were treated in Singapore. Even Marcos and Ne Win never strangulated opponents so ruthlessly. So, let us now jump forward to today. All these countries are progressive multiparty democracies with largely successful, if not booming, economies. The only real exceptions are Laos and Vietnam and even they have progressed to the point where their inept and venal one-party regimes know

A Malaysian voter shows her inked finger during the country's 13th general elections in Kuala Lumpur on May 5. Photo: AFP

they are living on borrowed time. So Kurlantzicks claim is hogwash. Indeed, while the speeches of most bureaucrats would put killer bees to sleep, one given last month in the United States Senate put the kibosh on this retreat from democracy nonsense. Reviewing the current situation in this region, Joseph Yun, Washingtons point man for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, noted Indonesias democratic transformation and also highlighted how, after decades of oppressive rule, Myanmars military is now becoming a modern force subordinate to civilian rule that respects human rights and is held accountable for its actions. He then revealed that President

Barack Obama will visit Brunei for the East Asia Summit in October and will go on to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kuala Lumpur. It will be the first visit to Malaysia by a sitting US president since Lyndon Johnson in 1966. And Obama will be going not long after the May 5 elections, the 13th since Malaysia became independent. So how is democracy in retreat in Malaysia? Or in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines? No, Mr Kurlantzick, the fact is that this region is a beacon to the world when it comes to democratic progress. Put that in your notes and eat them.

Myanma Railways invites tender interest

Thiha Toe thihatoe.tht@gmail.com AFTER years of neglect, the rickety railroad tracks of Yangon and a few stations in upper Myanmar are about to get a mini-makeover. The Ministry of Rail Transportation and state-run Myanma Railways have invited bids for a tender to upgrade 13 level crossings along Yangons circular railway line, and to spruce up the Mandalay and Bagan stations. The department is also planning to build a new passenger building at the station in Ayeyarwady Regions Nyaungdon. The main purpose of the tender for the crossings is to improve safety, said a spokesperson from the supply department at Myanma Railways. The new building at Nyaungdon railway station is for the comfort of passengers waiting for the train to Pathein, the spokesperson said. Authorities have also decided to improve cleaning at Mandalay and Bagan railway stations and invited companies to bid for the contracts. Bidders can get the tender documents at the supply department of Myanma Railways on the corner of Theinbyu and Merchant streets in Yangons Botahtaung township. The deadline for proposals is midday on May 14.

BUSINESS editor: Stuart Deed stuart.deed@gmail.com

21

Yangon's swift expansion

page 26

Lens on the gem trade

page 22

Exchange Rates
Currency Euro Malay Ringitt SG Dollar Thai Baht (100) US Dollar Buying K 1166 K 290 K 724 K 30.5 K 905 Selling K 1170 K 300 K 736 K 31 K 910

Cutting red tape spurs growth

Myat may zin
myatmayzin@gmail.com

CUTTING red tape will free trade, accelerate growth in the region and reduce poverty, speakers told a seminar sponsored by a United Nations agency and the national business association in Yangon on May 7. Reducing red tape is the best way to facilitate trade, said U Aung Khin Myint, secretary general of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Exporters face unnecessary problems obtaining documents, he added. Mr Khan Salehin, an associate economic affairs officer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, said the agency had been working in Myanmar with the federation since

September to identify bottlenecks in trade. The seminar was held to update businesspeople, government officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations about the project, which is known as SATNET. The project aims to identify bottlenecks in regional trade and identify ways to remove them and to reduce hunger in South and Southeast Asia by encouraging the sharing of knowledge about sustainable agriculture. U Aung Khin Myint said a goal of the federation is the establishment of an online trade process. He added that businesses would be able to save time and money if there was better coordination among government departments and a clear understanding of which documents are necessary and which ones are not. He also recommended that officials compare their trade-facilitation system with those of other countries, adding that the government is working towards a more coherent and cohesive strategy.

Officials and businesses are preparing for a surge in trade as sanctions continue to be eased. Ports, like the one above, are expanding terminals and logistics services. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

Bank changes name, aims to double capital Officials eye new markets
Aye thida kyaw ayethidarkyaw@gmail.com THE Myanmar Livestock and Fisheries Development Bank public company last week announced a plan to double its capital and change its name, an official said. The bank will submit an application to the Central Bank of Myanmar to gradually double its capital to K70 billion, said U Kyaw Lwin, its director. The bank will change its name to Treasure Bank, it announced in staterun New Light of Myanmar newspaper on May 7, following a decision made by the banks board of directors on May 5. We dont have any court cases that are forcing us to change the name but we want to do so because the name can lead to misunderstandings, U Kyaw Lwin said. Some people think that only livestock and fisheries businesses can work with us, but we would like to extend our client base, he said. An official name-changing ceremony will be held at Yuzana Hotel on May 12 and U Kyaw Lwin said further details of the banks plans would be announced then. He said the decision to boost the banks capital was made to open more branches, since Central Bank requires that each branch must have a certain level of paid-up capital, and to offer further foreign banking services. The bank has 60 branches nationally, and has offered money remittances into Myanmar through Western Union since January, along with six other banks. As soon as we raise our capital, we plan to sell shares, but we have not decided how many shares to sell, U Kyaw Lwin said. Most of the banks shareholders are individual businesspeople, he said. The bank formed in 1996, but control of the operation was transferred to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries from the Ministry of Trade in 1999. Last fiscal year, the banks deposits totalled K367 billion, up from K2.3 billion 12 years ago, it said. Pyayt Thet Phy pyaethetphyo87@gmail.com The removal of trade sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States is opening huge opportunities for the country, an export workshop was told on May 2. Vice President U Nyan Tun briefed participants on the governments five-year export strategy, saying it would take one year to design and four years to implement. U Nyan Tun said the plan would indentify which markets were suitable for specific products. International and local trade experts will help draft the plan, he added. Minister of Commerce and Industry U Win Myint said an exports of value-added goods should be the priority. In the near future, Myanmar will be free of US sanctions, so we can expand our trade from Asia to the whole globe, he said U Win Myint. Detailed work plans and trade policies are needed for formulating an export strategy, Mr. Darius Kurek of the international trade centre said. Trade expert Mr Paul Baker drew attention to two pitfalls in Myanmar: inaccessible trade data and a lack of accountability. Translated by Thit Lwin

22 Business

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Gems trade eyes move up-market

Local jewelers connect with cutting-edge technology at Myanmar's first gems expo
Su Phyo Win newsroom@myanmartimes.com.mm FOREIGN sellers of high-tech machinery are not expecting quick sales in Myanmar yet, but a few have opened offices here and more are looking for connections in an emerging industry they say is a natural fit for a country with some of the worlds most sought after gems. The darkest, richest blues come from Myanmar, said Charles Bermak, managing director of Bermark Design, referring to sapphires. An international jewelry market can emerge here and Myanmars economic opening is occurring as manufacturers are shifting production from China to Southeast Asia to cut costs, he said. Thailand did not have one 30 years ago, he added. Christian Weiner, managing director of Cad Cast, a 3D printing design firm, agreed that Myanmar has a great chance to make a grab for market share. To be competitive it needs to make a transition from handmade to computer designed and manufactured jewelry, he said. U Kyaw Htay, secretary of Myanmar Gems Enterprises, said that one positive effect of a more robust jewelery industry here would be a reduction in the smuggling of precious stones to China and Thailand. The size of the illegal trade is unknown, but trad-

The owner of a Yangon jewelry shops tests the latest plating technology during last week's expo. Photo: Boothee

The darkest, richest blues come from Myanmar.

Charles Bermak managing director of Bermark Design

ers from the area in Mandalay called Ruby Land said smuggling was commonplace. They take gems to Yangon where another set of agents smuggle them out, they told The Myanmar Times. Others said it was easy just to walk across the border to Thailand and deliver them to agents in Mae Sot. International sanctions had failed to curb the global sale of Myanmars precious stones, gem traders said. U Kyaw Htay said the development of a domestic market would help curb smuggling. He said Myanmar-based

jewellers were aiming at opening highend stores in Nay Pyi Taw as well as Yangon. The rise in tourists could also expand the market here, he added. A seller at Diamond Sea gold and jewelry shop at Junction Square in Kamaryut township said raw stones were being bought here cheaply, sent abroad and returning as expensive jewelry. If we had the technology we could make it in our country and gain more profit, she said. Ma Kathy Khine, senior sales executive from Forever Gems, said domes-

tic sales were good, but the company was finding it difficult to sell internationally because it lacked the technical expertise of global rivals. We are seeing our stones sent to Thailand then imported back in jewelry. It really upsets me, she said on the first day of the exhibit. It was held from May 9 to 12 at Myanmar Convention Centre. More than 20 international sellers of hightech equipment participated. A second expo is planned early next year for international buyers.

Market research booms

NUMBERS were all over the map at the first conference of the newly formed Myanmar Marketing Services Association on May 9, where the countrys population rose from 55 million to 60 million in 15 minutes, after the managing director of one association member replaced another at the podium. Those who packed the ballroom of the Chatrium Hotel, however, did not seem to mind. As U Htun Htun Oo, managing director of Decision Support Services, noted, Myanmar has not had a census in 30 years. Until the next one is completed sometime next year market research firms will be competing fiercely to fill the void. The association is off to a neat start. Some of its members data may be contradictory, but its been power-pointed and enough tantalising figures were dangled at the conference to keep the more than 200 attendees rapt during almost every session. Do you know what the internet penetration rate is in urban areas? executives from Myanmar Survey Research asked the audience. They had a survey from January of this year, though their definition of urban excluded every city in the country except Yangon and Mandalay. The answer was a surprising 21 percent. Myanmar people, now referred to as consumers, are linking to cyberspace through smart phones and internet cafes. Penetration could surpass 80pct in a few years if the price of SIM cards continues to fall and telecom infrastructure expands, said Ms. Marita Shimpl, who leads qualitative research at the firm. Shes been with Myanmar Survey Research for a year and before the conference, said that a business that had no room for her before the sanction started easing, is now booming. Humanitarian groups are scrambling for baseline surveys and rapid rural assessments, while corporations are desperate for up-todate research to enter a sizable market that has become a global darling in just two years, market researchers say. Members of the newly formed association, who describe themselves as a group of visionaries deliver both, as well as a cagey spin. Ms. Shimpls boss, U Kyaw Hlaing, began his presentation on the lifestyles of Myanmar consumers with a plug for locally-run research firms. We are under 24 and advertising spending has been rising at a rate of 46pc since 2008. Shampoo and skincareproducts sellers are the biggest spenders, but beer and alcohol sellers are gaining ground, according to the latest data. They are skirting the ban on advertising alcohol by producing bottled water using the same logos and names as the beer and alcohol brands they sell. Despite the deluge of data at the conference, handy figures and a few patterns emerged: 30pct of the population spends 75pct of their money on food and there is a chasm between rural and urban areas. Villagers are unlikely to be interested in fashion, but a significant segment of the youth market in Yangon wants the K-Pop look, so openings for skin-whitening products and hair-gel abound. Television penetration has increased massively in recent years and this is changing ideals of beauty and brand awareness, Ms. Shimpl said, adding that the lifting of censorship transformed print advertising, which in turn triggered a change in the whole notion of beauty. Looking sexy is considered modern. Females want to be thin, she said. Women are becoming more and more obsessed with beauty and young men are wearing low-waist jeans to show off their underwear. Myanmar is becoming like everywhere else, she said. Vincent MacIsaac

Do you know what the internet penetration rate is in urban areas?

Ms. Marita Shimpl Head of Qualitative Research Myanmar Survey Research

the ones who understand Myanmar culture, lifestyle, traditions and values, he said. U Moe Kyaw, the marketing pioneer who whipped together the conference in a week, says local companies are refusing to let international firms grab the market. Were not going to be their water boys, he says. The managing director of Myanmar Marketing Research Development has 24 offices across the country and a cluster of sub-companies that offer everything from media monitoring to mystery customer surveys. MMRD is conducting Myanmars first nation-wide consumer survey this year, which may spark great interest among firms eager to tap a market where nearly 50pc of the population is

21%
Estimated internet penetration rate in Yangon and Mandalay

www.mmtimes.com

Business 23

Accessories craze hits mobile market

Aung Kyaw Nyunt aungkyawnyunt28@gmail.com SALES of handset accessories and decorations are surging in Yangon as mobile-phone users, particularly youths, are bonding deeply with the devices and increasingly using them for more than just making calls, mobile-phone vendors say. Cartoon covers, speakers, SD memory cards and screen protectors are among the top sellers. Vendors near high schools and universities say some accessories are selling out daily and that they are having a hard time predicting demand. The youth segment of the market is becoming fussier and more erratic as trends are transmitted v i a text messaging a n d photo sharing. Twenty-yearold Thein Htoo Aung says she keeps changing phone covers and decorations because she gets bored with them very quickly. She is quick to admit she is very crazy about decorating her phone, and says her habit is shared by most of her friends. Lately, shes had a preference for cute, fuzzy objects that can be clipped onto her mobile, she says. Ko Kyaw Win, 23, said he buys mobile phone covers mainly to protect his phone. There are plenty of designs, but the important thing is that the cover keeps my phone from getting scratched, he said. He also has an SD card to store his favourite photos and songs and said most of his friends have one too. Teenager Ma Amy said a cover had to be cute to catch her eye. Lately, I prefer covers depicting cartoons, but I change them all the time, she said, adding that shes also started adding crystal stickers. Vendors divide accessories into two types: decorative and functional. Among the latter, SD memory cards and speakers are the most popular for both sexes, they say. There is, however, an aesthetic divide between the sexes when selecting decorations. Female consumers shy away from sportsthemed covers, while teenage boys explain their choices in utilitarian terms. A manager at a Mobile King outlet said cartoon covers have been selling the swiftest this year. Angry Birds covers are going fast, he said. Ma Pa Pa, a salesperson at KKA Mobile and Digital, said Samsung and Huawei brand accessories were hot. Some days we sell them out, she said. Mobile King staff said customers are also moving up the memory chain. SD cards with two gigabytes are no longer sufficient, they said, adding that demand rises with the number of gigabytes, despite the higher prices. Teens want at least 4GB, but 8GB cards are preferred even though they can cost as much as K20,000 each. Vendors also said there was a spike in sales of accessories after cheap CDMA SIM cards were released last month, but sales had been surging before then. They are up 50 to 70 percent over the past year, and this is just the beginning, they say.

Trade Mark Caution

Notice is hereby given that our client, Primark Holdings, incorporated under the laws of Ireland, having a principle office at 47 Mary Street, Dublin 1, Ireland, is the owner and sole proprietor of the following trademarks consist of the word(s) and/or device(s) of:Reg. No. 4/3066

DENIM CO

CEDARWOOD STATE
Reg. No. 4/3067 Reg. No. 4/3068 Reg. No. 4/3069 Reg. No. 4/3070

BUTLER & WEBB EARLY DAYS REBEL

LITTLE REBEL
Reg. No. 4/3071 Reg. No. 4/3072 Reg. No. 4/3073 Reg. No. 4/3074 Reg. No. 4/3075 Reg. No. 4/3076 Reg. No. 4/3077

SECRET POSSESSIONS LOVE TO LOUNGE NO SECRET OCEAN CLUB YOUNG DIMENSION ATMOSPHERE
To be used in connection with Clothing; footwear, headgear, swimwear, protective clothing for swimming, bikinis, swimming costumes, swimming shorts, swimming suits, swimming trunks, swimming caps, beachwear, beach caps, beach hats, beach dresses, beach robes, beach shorts, beach wraps, sarongs, kaftans, beach shoes, sandals, flip-flops in International Class 25. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or infringement whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. Soe Win, Advocate # 0502/5 Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/ 255407 For Primark Holdings, Dublin, Ireland. Dated: 13th May, 2013

MAI 25 x 4

24 Business

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Job watch

analysis

A Big Push can accelerate Myanmars reform

It is time for development partners to suspend their disbelief and invest heavily in Myanmars future
Masahiko Tanaka In January 2013, Myanmars arrears to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) were cleared. This has reopened the way for Myanmar to access large volumes of highly concessional financing from these development agencies, along with full-scale technical advice and capacity building support. Behind all this was an extraordinary effort by Japan, such as arranging short-term loans to clear Myanmars overdue payments not just to JICA but also ADB and the World Bank, as well as forgiving a large portion of the total debt of about 500 billion yen (over US$5 billion) owed to Japan. Since then, Japan has committed an equivalent of over $700 million (or about 1.3 percent of Myanmars GDP) in new assistance in the last fiscal year alone. Of that amount, about $500 million was concessional loans (at a mere 0.01 percent interest per year) that will support muchneeded infrastructure investment in electricity generation, regional infrastructure, and the development of the Thilawa industrial zone. Another $200 million, in grant aid and technical assistance will support health, disaster prevention, and agriculture, among others. More is being planned for the new fiscal year, which started in April, and beyond. Some observers have wondered why Japan is in such a rush. Is it to establish special commercial advantages for Japanese companies in Myanmar? Is it to secure access to some of Myanmars natural resources? Others have cautioned that very generous aid could actually weaken the incentives for the government of Myanmar to stay with its reform process. All bilateral aid programs are influenced by domestic political considerations. Japans assistance program in Myanmar is no exception. But it would be wrong to assume that such considerations are the main drivers of the JICA program. At its core, JICA is concerned with what is best for the people of Myanmar. That is why JICA has maintained its engagement with Myanmar since 1954, including the government-to-gov-

Major turning points in a countrys history are rare.

Mr. Tanaka Masahiko Chief Representative Japan International Cooperation Agency

Tanaka Masahiko, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Myanmar. Photo: Thiri Marler Lu

ernment assistance, through the difficult times after 1988 when the other bilateral donors all suspended such support. Even when Myanmar governments policy priorities seemed to be elsewhere, JICA believed that it was important to continue working with government institutions to help enhance or protect the institutional capacity for development. Patiently, but eagerly, Japan waited for the day when the government of Myanmar would show strong commitment to reform and development. When the change came, it was only natural that Japan reacted with much enthusiasm. Major turning points in a countrys history are rare. There is no doubt that we are witnessing such a moment in Myanmar. After 60 years of experiments with autocratic political systems, a planned/socialist economy, an inward-looking economic regime, and only partial and distorted attempts at economic opening, the country has embraced much more open political and economic systems as its guiding principles. Even for an outsider like me, the strong popular support for the new direction is unmistakable. In a situation like this, international development partners have a modest but important role to play. Sustaining broad support for far-reaching reforms will depend on popular confidence in the benefits of change. The positive impact of political opening is easy to see, for political opening is a reward in itself. Fruits of economic reforms, however, are often more difficult to see. Myanmar is starting from a position of

huge infrastructure and human resource gaps, deficiencies in social and other public services, and weaknesses in public institutions. It will take some time before the economy starts to generate many new jobs, quality of education and healthcare are noticeably higher, and life in general becomes better. The government is trying hard to address these issues with a sense of urgency, but its fiscal and institutional resources are severely limited. This is where a big infusion of aid can be part of the solution. It can boost infrastructure investment significantly, and help with a more rapid build-up of capacity in both the public and private sectors. A more cautious, gradual approach by donors runs the risk of turning out to be too little, too late. But the success of a Big Push depends critically on the ability of the government to use the increased aid resources well (and indeed all public resources at its disposal). It needs to be able to prioritise its spending in line with the national priorities, spend the funds effectively to deliver good public services and create quality infrastructure, and do all this in a transparent and accountable manner to inspire its citizens confidence in the state as an institution. When this happens in tandem with large increases in development assistance, I have no doubt that Myanmar will see a rapid transformation of the kind it has not seen in its modern history. Has Myanmars reform process reached the point where a Big Push will be effective? It is a difficult judgment to make. But, at some point in the process of reform, development partners must be prepared to say, We now believe that this is for real. We suspend our disbelief. And we give the fullest support we can to the reform process, for the success of reform is what will sustain reform. In our view, such time has come in Myanmar. That is why JICA feels there is no time to lose. Mr. Tanaka Masahiko is JICAs chief representative in Myanmar.

Myanmar rice set to return to Japan

Myat May Zin myatmayzin@gmail.com MYANMAR will export rice to Japan next month for the first time in 45 years, officials said last week. Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation will ship 5000 tonnes of 5-percent broken grain rice at US$490 a tonne. The shipment will be the first to Japan since 1968, Mr Takeharu Imashiro, a director-general at Japans Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said on May 4 at a signing ceremony deal. The shipment is a one-off deal Myanmar won an import tender from the Japanese government in February but more shipments could follow. If Myanmar can compete on price and quality with Thailand then theres no reason why we would not accept more rice in future, Mr Takeharu said. Dr Soe Tun, chairman of the Myanmar Farmers Association, said rice quality needed to be improved to increase exports. We should try to get a regular quota from countries like Japan, which is what Thailand has been able to do, he said, adding that besides quality logistics also had to be upgraded. Commerce Minister U Win Myint said agriculture exports lagged those of neighbouring countries and that 80 percent of Myanmars rice exports are low-quality 25pc broken grain stock. Even though we are increasing export volumes year by year we cant increase export earnings, he said. To boost earnings we need to upgrade the supply chain and encourage businesses to export high-quality rice, he said, adding that import taxes on agricultural machinery had been reduced to improve quality levels.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Myanmar is inviting qualified candidates to apply for the following positions: Sr. Title and level 2. Security Guard (LICA 1A) (3) positions 4. Admin Associate (LICA4) Duty Station Position International National National National Yangon Yangon Deadline 13-May-2013 16-May-2013 16-May-2013 23-May-2013

1. Political analysis/Translator/Interpreter (IICA2) Yangon 3. Finance Associate (AR/AP/Payroll Unit) (LICA4) Yangon

For details please visit UNOPS website https://gprs.unops.org/pages/ viewvacancy/VAListing.aspx and click on the post you are interested in applying for. All applications must be made through UNOPS E-recruitment system. For title No. 2, applicants are kindly requested to submit by manual application (paper) to HR Unit, UNOPS Myanmar at 3rd Floor, Inya Lake Hotel, Yangon.

www.mmtimes.com

Business 25

Ford aims to shock with pricing

Stuart Deed
stuart.deed@gmail.com

K22 MILLION thats how much a new Ford Ranger will cost buyers when the vehicles go on sale at Capital Automotives showroom in Hlaing township on July 1. For buyers, this represents the first real opportunity to buy a new car from a showroom in decades, the shortlived sale of Chinese- or Myan-

13%
Import tax Capital Auto will pay on single-cab Rangers

mar-made Cherry/Mini Wagon notwithstanding. The pricing is likely to have a significant impact on the market, where mid-1990s model Toyota Hilux pick-ups are still selling for more than K20 million. Capital Automotive, which will be managed through Automotive Services Ltd, a 50-50 joint venture between RMA Group of Thailand and Capital Diamond Star Co, will sell Thai-made single-cab (with two doors and a long cargo tray) vehicle for slightly less than K22 million (US$24,400). For that, buyers will get an 88-kilowatt diesel engine, a five-speed manual, four-wheel drive, air conditioning and a three-year warranty. For an extra K2 million, buyers can opt for a more powerful 110kW engine, which is coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox. Capital Auto is paying a total of 13 percent import tax on the single-cab Ranger. Later, the company will roll out a wider range of vehicles, which will include double-cab

Rangers, the Taurus sedan, Escape and Everest SUVs and smaller passenger cars, said the new ventures principal dealer, Mr Martyn Dawson. Mr Dawson is jointly heading the venture with U Khin Tun, one of Capital Autos two principal shareholders in Myanmar, the other being U Ko Ko Gyi of Diamond Star, which distributes Pepsi in Myanmar. Mr Dawson said that when the showroom opens on July 1 the workshop will have nine Myanmar trainee technicians and two foreign technicians to oversee it. That will allow us to have them in the workshop to lead the teams and service the vehicles that were going to be selling, he said. Its paramount to get that done because our development programme with those young men is four years. With our working timetable the Ford showroom and the workshop have to be finished together because we cant begin to deliver new vehicles without a workshop, he

added. The company is basing its entry strategy into Myanmar around the Ford Ranger pickup because it is well suited to developing countries, Mr Dawson said. The Ranger, as a light commercial pickup in two configurations, single-cab and doublecab, will be an immediate fit

into the community because of its durability and versatility, he added. The rest of the Ford range of vehicles will follow, with Land Rovers fleet of cars and SUVs not far behind. We will be offering the full Land Rover range, and well have the first units that weve ordered in country in October. Mr Dawson said all of the

new cars sold through Capital Automotive would be lefthand drive vehicles, unlike the vast majority of cars on the road, almost all of which were imported from Japan. As a requirement from the Myanmar government for us to be able to operate here, everything must be left-hand drive, he added.

Ford sales consultant Nay Thu inside the new Ranger, which will debut on July 1. Photo: Stuart Deed

opinion

Australia to play key role in mining law reform

Regulations that allow taxes to be arranged on a case-by-case basis may be in the best interest of the government and mining companies
by Nigel Finch THE worlds media has certainly not overlooked the monumental reversal in Myanmars international standing and there is clear evidence that the countrys economy is also set for a rapid turnaround. Myanmars government is delivering on promised political reforms, including peace with its opponents, and its efforts to reform the economy will likely pay enormous dividends for the nation and foreign investors. In the space of a few short years, Myanmar has embraced foreign investment laws that allow 100 percent ownership of assets by foreigners with provision for these assets to be freely traded. Laws such as this remove the veil of protectionism and nationalism in which many emerging nations feel compelled to cloak their foreign investment regulations. Myanmars reforms also send a clear signal to investors about the countrys accessibility and the ease of doing business there. The industry that holds the key to Myanmars economic future is mining. As China one of the countrys few foreign friends during the dark days of military rule was all too aware, Myanmar is a potential treasure trove of gold, copper, iron, tin and tungsten. Minister for Mines Dr Myint Aung is serious about undertaking much-needed mining law reform. Recently, Dr Myint Aung canvassed the views of a number of experienced Australian mining sector advisers in an effort to get the participation formula right. This development is significant as proposed new mining laws must encourage foreign investment in the sector. Regulations define how a country will generate direct economic benefit from mining, and there are many ways in which governments attempt to capture value in this sector. One way is for government to impose royalties and taxes that seek to generate national income from revenues and profits of a mining company. One criticism of this model is that a standard royalty or sales tax regime levies the same rate on each mining operator, regardless of the underlying efficiency and profitability of the actual mine. This limits economic activity by only attracting investment in low-cost ventures with access to infrastructure. At the other end of the spectrum, mining laws can allow for equity participation or production sharing with the government. Under this model, the government takes a share of profit from the mining operation, but exposes the investor to many other challenges. Mining projects require large amounts of capital and in the case of emerging nations like Myanmar, the government is typically unable to provide capital to fund their share of the equity. This free carry means the foreign investor funds all the risk capital, but ends up generating a lower return because of the dilution in its ownership. To create a win-win for both the economy and miners, Myanmar is expected to adopt regulations that allow taxation arrangements to be tailored on a case-by-case basis to individual investment proposals. Australia will play a lead role in assisting Myanmar establish a world-class platform of laws and regulations to attract foreign investment into its mining sector, and this assistance will be accelerated with the Australian governments recent announcement of a further US$20 million aid package to provide extra support for trade and investment in Myanmar.

Myanmar is a potential treasure trove of gold, copper, iron, tin and tungsten.
Dr Nigel Finch Associate Professor University of Sydney

(Dr Nigel Finch is an associate professor at the University of Sydney Business School and a member of the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre.)

26 Business Property

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Asias rising star seeks balance

Yangons rapid development requires more low-cost housing, preservation of heritage buildings and a transport upgrade

Htar htar khin

htar29@gmail.com

YANGON will need up to 30,000 new apartment units a year to accommodate its expanding population, the director of Dagon International Company told the Urban Development Conference 2013 held at Traders Hotel on May 6. U Thurane Aung, who described Yangon as Asias next rising star, also said the need for affordable housing would remain urgent for decades as the citys population rises from about 6 million now to 10 million by 2040. Most people cannot afford to buy an apartment so they become squatters, he added. His company, one of the largest construction firms in Myanmar, is building two 18-storey apartment buildings at the Ayeyarwun and Yadanar housing projects in Dagon Seikkan township. People will be able to buy [apartments] there because they can pay by instalment over 25 to 30 years, U Thurane Aung said, adding that 24 companies are collaborating on the projects. In total 48 buildings with 20,000 units will be built on 220 acres. The sites will include

playgrounds, schools, parks and bus terminals when they are completed in two years. New special economic zones in Yangon Region, particularly the massive Thilawa economic zone on the outskirts of the city, are also expected to drive demand for housing. Tanaka Masahiko, the head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Myanmar, told The Myanmar Times on May 6 that 20,000 jobs would be created in the zone. The first phase of the joint venture between a Japanese consortium and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry is expected to open in 2015. It will spread over 400 hectares. U Thurane Aung warned that if affordable housing was not built for Thilawas workers the number of squatters in the region will rise. The two-day conference also included calls for protection of heritage sites. Yangon Heritage Trust director Daw Moe Moe Lwin said 1580 buildings have been demolished

The annual number of new apartment units needed for Yangons growth

30,000

since 1994, adding that new buildings had been built on about 80 percent of the sites. We face a number of issues and challenges in the conservation of heritage buildings. One is development pressure since the country is entering a new period of construction and there is pressure on the conservation of older properties, she said. Daw Moe Moe Lwin said heritage buildings are tourism assets and stressed that they should be renovated rather than torn down. The city and its residents will benefit from a balance between development and preservation, she said, adding that developers should consider the effect a new building will have on the character of the street it is built on. About 200 delegates from 12 countries attended the conference, some of whom were seeking information about investing in Yangons infrastructure. U Han Soe, deputy managing director of planning at the public works department, also invited attendees to consider road, tunnel and bridge projects. A massive expansion and rehabilitation of transportation infrastructure is underway. It requires new financing and technology. The Ministry of Construction will use the build, operate and transfer system, as well as partnerships with private firms, to upgrade the citys transportation network, U Han Soe said.

Modern apartment buildings like this one are springing up all over Yangon, but the city faces a shortage of affordable housing. Photo: Supplied

High-end mall opens in Yangon

htar htar khin htar29@gmail.com THE former FMI Center, a downtown Yangon landmark, will debut its new face this week as the first internationally-invested shopping centre in Myanmar. The four-floor Parkson FMI International department store will sell top-of-the-line cosmetics, fragrances and fashions when it opens on May 11. Brands will include Lancome, Este Lauder, Clinique, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Lacoste, Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger, Parkson executives said on May 3. The opening of the Parkson mall a Singapore-based Asia-wide chain is the first step towards a US$350 million transformation of the property now occupied by the FMI Centre and the Grand Mee Ya Hta Hotel on Bogyoke Aung San Road. Parkson FMI managing director Mr Tham Tuck Choy said the companydecided to invest in Myanmar in light of the governments reforms and rapid economic development. Demand for branded items is high here, he said. A larger department store on the Grand Mee Ya Hta compound will open within the next two years, Mr Tham Tuck Choy said, adding that it would be 10 times bigger than the one opening this week, which cost US$3 million to build.

New complex going up in Dagon

htar htar khin htar29@gmail.com A 358-ROOM hotel will be the first building in a new complex that will spread over a 22-acre site in Yangons Dagon township, an executive from Htoo Construction Development Group said on May 10. The seven-storey hotel will cost US$50 million to build, a Htoo Construction consultant said at a signing ceremony between his firm and Siam Steel International, which will help develop and manage the Aurem complex. The entire project which will include a five-storey shopping mall, eight-storey office tower and serviced apartments will cost $300 million to construct, executives said. The project is being built under the build, operate and transfer system and the land lease signed with the Myanmar Investment Commission is for 70 years. The complex will be a city landmark when it is completed in two years, Htoo executives said, adding that it will have a total of 150,000 square metres of floor space. Construction of the hotel will be completed in 10 months, they said.

www.mmtimes.com
WASHINGTON

Technology 27

Mars, the ultimate challenge

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration of the United States says capturing an asteroid will be one of its crucial objectives before it can realise human destiny and send astronauts to Mars
Setting foot on Mars by the 2030s is human destiny and a US priority and every dollar available must be spent on bridging gaps in knowledge on how to get there, NASAs chief said last week. Addressing a conference of space experts at George Washington University on May 6, NASA administrator Charles Bolden said that despite hard economic times the United States is committed to breaking new boundaries in space exploration. A human mission to Mars is today the ultimate destination in our solar system for humanity, and it is a priority for NASA. Our entire exploration program is aligned to support this goal, Bolden said. President Barack Obama has proposed a US$17.7 billion dollar budget for NASA in 2014, and he supports a vibrant and coordinated strategy for Mars exploration, Bolden said. Among the first steps to sending astronauts to Mars are NASAs plans to capture and relocate an asteroid by 2025, a process that should inform future efforts to send humans into deep space, the former astronaut said. Also, US astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have volunteered to spend one year at the International Space Station beginning in 2015 to allow doctors to assess how longduration zero gravity exposure affects bone density, muscle mass and vision. Currently, a rotating cast of global astronauts each spend a maximum of six months aboard the orbiting outpost. But despite a newly diverse space race that involves many more countries than old Cold War foes the United States and Russia, there is plenty that experts do not know

NASAs Mars landings Xxx

Previous unmanned landing sites for rovers and landers
Sizes not to scale

Manned mission to Mars could be achievable over the next 20 years, the US space agency says

We cant wait until the technology is available before we go and explore.

Charles Bolden NASA administrator

Phoenix Landed: May 2008 Viking 2 Jul/Aug 1976 Viking 1 Jul/Aug 1976 Pathfinder* Sept 1997 Opportunity Jan 2004 Curiosity Aug 6, 2012 Spirit Jan 2004

Curiosity mission: Study Gale Crater (154 km diameter) for signs that life may once have existed Look for clues about past and present habitable environments
about how to reach Mars. For instance, there is no existing space vehicle to carry people on the seven-month or longer journey there and no plan for how to return people to Earth. Medical experts are unsure what the physical ramifications would be for people who attempt to travel in high-radiation environments for such extended periods.

Launched: Nov. 26, 2011 Weight: 899 kg Cost: $2.5 billion Designed to function for 2 years
And just how people would survive, breathe, eat and drink on the dry, red planet are significant obstacles that have yet to be overcome. The US has demonstrated that we know how to get to the Moon, Bolden said. What we have not demonstrated and what I think everyone in this room well most people in this room will concede, is that there are techno*Deployed Sojourner rover
Source: NASA

logical gaps to sending humans to an asteroid and to Mars, he added. And so every single moment of our time and every single dollar of our assets must be dedicated to developing those technologies that allow us to go beyond low Earth orbit, beyond the Moon. The United States is the only nation that has successfully sent robotic explorers to land on Mars, the most

recent being Curiosity, a nearly onetonne vehicle which touched down in August 2012. Many experts believe that the size of the package needed to maintain a human habitat on Mars would weigh more like 40 tonnes. We need a factor of 40 improvement over what we can do today, said Bret Drake, who leads future mission planning and analysis activities for NASA. There also needs to be a type of fuel potent enough to get the spaceship there quickly. Options for aborting the mission would be sharply limited, he said. Once the crew is on their way, they are committed to be self-reliant, said Drake. Perhaps a precursor to a human landing on Mars would be another rover that would land at an established site, drill down and hopefully find fresh water, said John Grunsfeld, NASA associate administrator for the science mission directorate. That would also be the beacon that allows subsequent missions to navigate to a very precise landing, said Grunsfeld. We cant wait until the technology is available before we go and explore, Bolden said. We now stand on the precipice of a second opportunity to press forward to what I think is mans destiny, and that is to go to another planet. AFP

NEW YORK

PARIS

Microsoft plans update for Windows 8

Microsoft said last week it will make changes to Windows 8 later this year after a lukewarm reception for the dominant PC operating system released late last year. Windows chief marketing officer Tami Reller said the company has sold more than 100 million licences for Windows 8 but that Microsoft was planning an update called Windows Blue after listening to customers. Windows Blue is a code name for an update that will be available later this year, building on the bold vision set forward with Windows 8 to deliver the next generation of tablets and PCs, she said in a blog post on May 7. It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem. She added that Windows Blue is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that weve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT. Some analysts say Microsoft was forced to act because of slow adoption of Windows 8, which made some radical changes to the design of the desktop. Blue is designed to address the

It was too innovative, too quickly and customers pushed back.

Jeff Kagan Independent analyst

reasons behind slow Windows 8 adoption in business and motivate the lagging Windows XP users to update before a massive successful cyber-attack or other disaster impacts that aging base, said analyst Rob Enderle at the Enderle Group. Blue will likely be the most important service release that Microsoft has ever made as a result. With Windows 8, Microsoft was trying to create a system that could be used on mobile touchscreen devices while also serving the users of traditional PCs. It was too innovative, too quickly and customers pushed back, said independent analyst Jeff Kagan. This is Microsofts new Diet Coke story. Companies who want to innovate must do so more slowly to be successful... I dont think Microsoft fully understands yet all the changes they need to make. I have

several suggestions. Then again so do many others. Stephen Baker at NPD group said Microsoft is correctly moving to a more frequent update cycle, which is needed in the fast-paced sector. Theyve come around to what is now kind of best practice around operating systems, an significant update and upgrade every year, like what competitors like Google and Apple do, Baker told AFP. Creating operating systems and not doing significant management for years probably doesnt work in todays environment. Carolina Milanesi, analyst at Gartner, said the Windows 8 sales number is not a great figure and that by offering the same system for touch and non-touch devices confused consumers. They need more efforts on the ecosystem lower prices and more devices so that consumers really have a choice, she said. While some PC users lamented the loss of the start button on Windows 8, Milanesi said it would be a mistake for Microsoft to turn the clock back: It would be a failure if the start button returned, she said. Commenting on the lukewarm response to Windows 8, Reller said the new operating system is a big, ambitious change.

100m
Number of licences Microsoft says it has sold for Windows 8.

Satellite to map forests

A SATELLITE that will map the worlds forests has been chosen for the seventh mission in Europes Earth Explorer project, the European Space Agency said on May 7. Dubbed Biomass, the satellite will use radar technology to map and monitor living matter plants and animals as well as inorganic carbon contained in forests, one of the worlds most precious resources. This information, which is poorly known in the tropics, is essential to our understanding of the role of forests in Earths carbon cycle and in climate change, ESA said in a statement. It will also allow scientists to map the elevation of inaccessible parts of the planet covered by dense vegetation and provide data on sub-surface geology and ice-sheet cover. ESA said Biomass was chosen from among three proposed missions and is due to be launched in 2020. Earth Explorer missions already in orbit are providing data on the cryosphere those parts of Earths surface where water is frozen as well as on gravity, soil moisture and ocean salinity. Future missions that have already been approved will study the Earth's magnetic field, wind and radiation. AFP

While we realise that change takes time, we feel good about the progress since launch, including what weve been able to accomplish with the ecosystem and customer reaction to the new PCs and tablets that are available now or will soon come to market, she added. Microsoft launched Windows 8 last October, revamping its flagship system in an effort to make inroads in the fast-growing mobile segment. At the same time, it launched its Surface tablet computer. Windows, the first version of which was launched in the 1990s, remains the dominant PC platform with some 90 percent of the world market. But in the mobile world, it is struggling against Apples iOS and Googles Android system. The company sold a modest 900,000 of its Surface tablets in the first quarter, said research firm IDC. AFP

28 THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

World
CLEVELAND
Ten years after watching Amanda Berry leave her restaurant job for the last time, Darrell Ford stood transfixed behind a US police barricade imagining the horrors she must have endured. For 10 years what was he doing to her? Ford asked on May 7 as FBI forensic experts scoured the house in Cleveland, Ohio where Berry and two other women were held captive for a decade until Berrys dramatic escape on May 6. Its just crazy, he told AFP. Like Berry, Ford was just a teenager when they worked together at a Burger King restaurant in a working class neighbourhood. He was working the night she disappeared: April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday. She was supposed to get a ride home, the slight young man said as his three-year-old son played with their dog at his side. We thought she was dead the whole time. While hes grateful Berry is alive, Ford said hes worried she will have a hard time recovering from her ordeal. Police have released few details about how Berry and fellow captives Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were treated during what must have been long and terrible years. They have confirmed that Berry, now 27, has a six-yearold daughter, apparently born while she was in captivity. DeJesus was just 14 when she vanished on her way home from school on April 2, 2004. Knight, who was 20 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen at a cousins house on August 23, 2002, reported the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They were found in the home of Ariel Castro, 52, a former school bus driver. Castro was charged over the abductions on May 8. The house is shockingly ordinary. American and Puerto Rican flags hang from the porch of the modest two and a half storey white house with a red roof. At least one window is boarded up, but that is not particularly unusual on a lowincome street with several abandoned homes and problems with crime. What stands out is the twisted metal where the bottom of the front door was yanked by neighbour Charles Ramsey after he heard Berrys cries for help. I heard screaming...And I see this girl going nuts trying to get outside of the house,

World editor: Geoffrey Goddard | geoffrey@myanmartimes.com.mm

We thought she was dead the whole

and had no idea that the man who would sometimes grill food in his yard and share it with neighbours could have had such a grim secret locked away. Its like having a snake in the street, said Joe Torres, 32, a stocky and heavily-tattooed cook. No one heard anything, anything, he said as he stood by his parents home, the front lawn strewn with childrens toys. I dont know where he had those girls. Maybe he kept them quiet? Meanwhile, ecstatic friends and relatives poured in and out of the family home of Gina DeJesus where two huge signs tied declared Welcome home Gina! Police cordoned off the home to give them privacy, but they could be seen hugging and sitting in the yard behind a wall of balloons that were tied to the fence. Its just a miracle. Were really glad theyre all safe, said Jan Zagorski, 62, who drove over from a nearby suburb. She deserves this, she deserves to be remembered, her friend Kevin Doyle said, his voice overcome with emotion. This story has been a part of all of us for 10 years. It was quieter outside Berrys sister house, where the porch was filled with stuffed animals and signs declaring Welcome home Amanda and we never lost hope, Mandy, but it didnt look like anyone was inside. Amandas missing poster was still tied to a tree with a yellow ribbon out front. Lissa Ruiz, 13, brought a little brown bear to add to the pile outside. She went to school with Berrys niece, who had talked about how hard the disappearance was on the whole family. The story made her worry about her own safety even in this middle class neighbour-

'Im Amanda Berry. Ive been kidnapped. Ive been missing for 10 years. Im free. Im here now.'

Amanda Berry Abducted April 21,2003

Charles Ramsey, told the local ABC news affiliate. I go on the porch, and she said Help me get out. Ive been here a long time. Ramsey, a bystander now hailed as a hero, said he tried to get her out through the door but could not pull it open, so he kicked out the bottom and she crawled through carrying a little girl. Berry went into a neighbouring home and called police, begging them to come as soon as they could, before he gets back. Im Amanda Berry. Ive been kidnapped. Ive been missing for 10 years. Im free. Im here now, a frantic Berry says in the recording of her call to 911. Residents at the scene told AFP that they were shocked

Tears flow at the joyous reunion of Amanda Berry (right) and her sister, Beth Berry Serrano, in Cleveland on disappeared on April 21, 2003, the day before her 17th birthday. Photo: AFP/WOIO TV

hood and understand why her mother tried to keep her close. Ruiz said she was overwhelmed when she heard Berry had been found alive after all this time. I started crying and was really happy for them because nothing better could happen, because most of these stories dont have a happy ending, she told AFP. There were more tears on May 8 when Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus returned to their family homes. But there was no family homecoming for Michelle Knight, 32, who remained in hospital. AFP

Suspect may face death

A US prosecutor said on May 9 he would seek to press charges that carry the death penalty against a man accused of kidnapping three women, raping them and forcibly ending their pregnancies. Ariel Castro, 52, an unemployed bus driver, was on May 9 charged with kidnapping and raping the women over the course of a decade in his home in Cleveland and ordered held on a US$8 million bond. But Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty said he intended to seek charges for each and every alleged crime committed by Castro during the womens ordeal, including "all his attempted murders and each act of aggravated murder he committed by terminating pregnancies. McGinty said Ohio imposes the death penalty in cases of aggravated murder in the course of a kidnapping and said his office was in a formal process in which we evaluate to seek charges eligible for the death penalty. AFP

SAVAR, Bangladesh

Miracle survivor pulled from rubble as factory toll exceed

BANGLADESHI rescuers pulled a woman alive from the ruins of a collapsed garment factory building on May 10 after she spent 17 days trapped in a basement under the rubble. Hours after officials had announced the death toll had surged past 1000, recovery teams who had long given up any hope of finding more survivors were stunned to hear the voice of a woman calling for help. They managed to extract her from the ruins in an operation broadcast live on television and watched by crowds at the scene who were asked by clerics to pray for her rescue. Cries of Allahu Akbar God is great rang out from the crowd as the woman, identified as Reshma, 18, was pulled out of the rubble. I called but nobody heard me. I heard noises, but nobody listened to me, she told Somoy TV later in an interview. Rescuers said she appeared to have lost a lot of weight but there were no other signs of injury. Her family, from a remote northern village, was elated at her survival. It was a miracle. We lost all hopes of finding her alive. We visited every hospital in Dhaka and Savar. We visited the mortuaries and checked every dead body they pulled out, Reshmas brother, Zahidul Islam, told AFP. He said Reshma had been a fighter all her life. Born in a remote village in the border district of Dinajpur, known for its lush paddy fields, she was the youngest of an impoverished family of five children. She was married to a villager at 16 but he left her, he said. Two years later she came to Dhaka on her own, finding a job at a garment factory. We asked her to marry again. She said she wanted to support our family. Islam, who is a street vendor and his brother a rickshaw-puller, said Reshma earned about US$50-$60 a month, a little more than the average $40 a Bangladeshi garment worker earns. She would do over-time almost every day so that she could send part of her income to us every month, said Islam. A doctor at the Savar Combined Military Hospital said that Reshma appeared to be in good health despite her ordeal.

It was a miracle. We lost all hopes of finding her alive.

Zahidul Islam Survivors brother

Bangladeshs fire service chief Ahmed Ali told AFP that Reshma was found in a gap between a beam and column in the wreckage of the ninestorey building, which caved in on April 24. He said she appeared to have had access

to water. Reshmas rescue is one of the most remarkable of recent years, although it is not the longest survival on record. In Pakistan, on December 12, 2005, a 40-year-old woman was rescued from the ruins of her house in Kashmir, two months after a quake ravaged the region. A 27-yearold man spent 27 days buried under the rubble of an earthquake which flattened large parts of Haiti in 2010. News of the rescue came as recovery teams were preparing to wrap up their work at the site after discovering

29
Malaysia vote result
General election May 5

The US and South Korean presidents take a hard line against North Korea
world 31

Pankaj Mishra explores the factors behind resurgent nationalism in North Asia
SPECIAL 34

Barisan Nasional 133 seats

13-party coalition dominated by United Malays National Organisation Leader: Prime Minister Najib Razak

Pakatan Rakyat

89

Three-party opposition alliance Leader: Anwar Ibrahim

Total seats 222

Malaysias National Front coalition retains power in an election that the opposition says was tainted by irregularities
world 37

time Syria issues warning to Israel

Tensions escalate between Syria and Israel in a week that produced a breakthrough agreement between the US and Russia to push for a political solution to the Syrian conflict
SYRIA has threatened an immediate response to any new Israeli strike, as its militant ally Hezbollah said Damascus would provide game-changing weapons despite two reported attacks on military sites. Damascus also welcomed a US-Russian initiative to find a political solution to end the twoyear-old civil war, while balking at Washingtons demand that President Bashar al-Assad would need to stand down. In an exclusive interview with AFP on May 9, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad said the instruction has been made to respond immediately to any new Israeli attack without (additional) instruction from any higher leadership, and our retaliation will be strong and will be painful against Israel. Senior Israeli sources have said strikes on May 3 and 5 targeted weapons bound for Hezbollah, based in neighbouring Lebanon, but Muqdad denied that. In Beirut, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on May 9 that Syria would supply his movement with game-changing weapons and open up the front to resistance fighters against the Jewish state on the Golan Heights, seized and annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six-Day war. Israel has repeatedly warned that it will intervene to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah, with which it fought a devastating 2006 war. Meanwhile, Syrias foreign ministry welcomed the US-Russian rapprochement, under which the two countries will seek to convene an international conference to build on a sixpoint accord agreed in Geneva last year. for a further three with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. We agreed that Russia and the United States will encourage both the Syria government and opposition groups to find a political solution, Lavrov told a joint news conference. In Rome on May 9, Kerry said Assad would have to step down as part of the resolution to the conflict. That was rejected by the Syrian foreign ministry, which stressed that the decision belongs only to the Syrian people. The ministry said it was confident that the Russian position, which is based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, will not change. Russia is a top ally of the regime in Damascus and has staunchly resisted any bid to oust Assad. AFP

DAMASCUS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and his American counterpart, John Kerry, at their news conference in Moscow on May 7. Photo: AFP

The Geneva agreement aimed at finding a path towards a transitional government but made no mention of Assads departure, which the opposition says is non-negotiable. The agreement between Russia and the United States

in Moscow on May 7 came after months of sharp differences over the conflict in Syria. In talks which stretched late into the night, US Secretary of State John Kerry met first for more than two hours with President Vladimir Putin and then

BEIJING

May 6. Amanda Berry

h penalty

Indignation in China as Mao's granddaughter makes magazine rich list

THE appearance of a granddaughter of Mao Zedong, founding father of Communist China, on a list of the countrys richest citizens prompted online accusations of hypocrisy on May 9. Kong Dongmei, now in her early 40s, and husband Chen Dongsheng ranked 242th with personal wealth estimated at five billion yuan (US$815 million) on a rich list released this month by New Fortune, a Chinese financial magazine. Kong is the granddaughter of Mao and his third wife He Zizhen. In 2001 she founded a book store in Beijing selling publications about Mao and promoting Red Culture after studying at the University of Pennsylvania in the US. In 2011, Kong married Chen, who controls an insurance company, an auction house and a courier firm, after they had maintained an extramarital relationship for 15 years, according to the magazine, which cited other Chinese media reports. The couple have two daughters and a son, said New Fortune likely to be a violation of Chinas one-child policy. Kongs inclusion on the rich list triggered hot debate on Chinas Twitter-like weibos, with some accusing her of betraying her grandfathers status as the great teacher of proletariat revolution. The offspring of Chair-

Estimated personal wealth of Mao Zedongs granddaughter, Kong Dongmei and her husband, Chen Dongsheng

815
US$ million

Ariel Castro. Photo: AFP/ Cleveland Police Department

ds 1000
scores more corpses in the tangle of concrete. A spokesman for the army, which is overseeing the recovery operation, said the death toll had reached 1053, making it one of the worlds worst industrial disasters. More than 3,000 workers were on shift on the morning of April 24 when the building suddenly caved in. Police have arrested 12 people including the plazas owner and four factory bosses for forcing people to work on the day of the disaster, even though cracks appeared in the structure the day before. AFP

man Mao, who led us to eradicate private ownership, married a capitalist and violated the family planning policy to give birth to three illegal children, wrote Luo Chongmin, a government advisor in southwest China. China has implemented the one-child policy for many urban residents for more than 30 years, although there have been recent suggestions that the rules may be loosened. Did Kong Dongmei... pay any fines after being a mistress for more than 10 years and giving birth to three kids? asked another user with the online handle Virtual Liangshao. But others argued that the millions were actually her husbands, who made his fortune before they were married. Kong just married a wealthy husband. You cant attribute it to Mao, said weibo user Wang Nanfang in a posting. AFP

30 World International
MUNICH

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Nazi moll goes on trial in case that shamed Germany

A WOMAN accused of being at the heart of a neo-Nazi killer cell went on trial on May 6 in a case that has shocked and shamed Germany, as victims relatives demanded answers over the states failure to prevent the murders. The random discovery of the gang in late 2011 embarrassed authorities, exposing deep security flaws and raising uncomfortable questions about how the cell went undetected for 13 years in a country proud of owning up to its Nazi past. Hundreds of black balloons filled the sky over the courthouse and dozens of anti-racism protesters shouted slogans and held large blackand-white photos of the 10 victims as Beate Zschaepe, 38, entered the heavily-guarded Munich courtroom. She denies the charge of complicity in the murders of eight ethnic Turks, a Greek immigrant and a German policewoman between 2000 and 2007 as a founding member of the National Socialist Underground (NSU). Four men joined Zschaepe in the dock on charges of supporting the NSU at the trial which was adjourned until May 14 over a defence complaint about the judge. Dubbed the Nazi moll by media, Zschaepe is also accused of involvement in 15 armed robberies, arson and attempted murder in two bomb attacks. Germans were stunned to learn in November 2011 that foreign criminal gangs were not behind the unsolved murders, as long suspected by police and the media, but rather homegrown racist killers. The case only came to light after Zschaepes alleged accomplices, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boehnhardt, were found shot dead in an apparent murder-suicide. Zschaepe then allegedly blew up their shared home in eastern Germany and later surrendered to police. A DVD emerged with a film in the style of a Pink Panther cartoon in which the group claimed responsibility for the attacks. A probe into the handling of the case revealed oversights and missteps by police and domestic intelligence services and a realisation that the right-wing extremist threat had been grossly underestimated. The head of domestic intelligence resigned in July after staff admitted shredding files relevant to the case and a parliamentary committee has formed to investigate what went wrong. The scandal also exposed a web of contacts between the secret services and the far-right in which the state systematically exchanged cash for information, raising questions about possible collusion. Lawyers for Semiya and Kerim Simsek, whose father was the first victim, called on the countrys leaders not to pass the buck. It is to be hoped that politicians dont use the proceedings to further shirk their responsibility, they said in a statement. Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the killings a disgrace for Germany and apologised at a February 2012 memorial for suspicion having fallen on some victims relatives. When Zschaepe entered the courtroom many of the victims families had their first glimpse of the person whose photo has regularly featured in the media but who has remained silent during her 18 months in custody. She faces life in prison if convicted. AFP

Beate Zschaepe, dubbed the Nazi moll by the German media, enters the court in Munich last week at the start of her trial for complicity in the murders of 10 people. Photo: AFP

THE HAGUE

Holland orders probe on baby milk runners

THE Dutch government last week ordered an investigation into persistent shortages of certain brands of baby formula, blamed on networks of traffickers who ship milk powder to China where it is sold at premium prices. Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Sharon Dijksma ordered the Dutch Food and Consumer watchdog to probe a huge rise in demand for baby formula linked to so-called baby milk runners, who bulk-buy powder in shops before sending it to China where it is resold to young parents fearful of local products. I want to gather information... over the bulk buying and trade in the Netherlands in order to inform Chinese authorities that they are getting batches of milk powder that do not confirm to their regulations, Dijksma said in the statement on May 8. There is growing concern in the Netherlands, one of Europes leading diary exporters, about a looming national shortage of infant formula, with newspapers quoting shoppers saying at least two popular brands

WASHINGTON

Angry Obama condemns sexual violence in military

US President Barack Obama warned sharply last week there would be no tolerance for the outrage of sexual violence in the military, and said those guilty of such crimes had betrayed their uniform. Obama said he stood squarely behind victims of sexual assault in the military and called on the Pentagon to up its game, after the head of the US Air Forces rape prevention program, Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Krusinski, was charged with sexual battery. Sexual assault is an outrage. It is a crime. Thats true for society at large and if its happening inside our military, then whoever carries it out is betraying the uniform that theyre wearing, Obama said on May 7. If we find out somebodys engaging in this stuff, they have got to be held accountable, prosecuted, stripped of their positions, courtmartialed, fired, dishonorably discharged period. Its not acceptable, Obama said at a White House news conference. Krusinski was drunk on May 6 when he approached a female victim in a parking lot and grabbed her breasts and buttocks, said a police report from Arlington, Virginia, just outside the US capital.

This was strange because the number of births in the Netherlands did not go up.
Philip den Ouden Dutch Food Industry Federation

were almost impossible to find on shop shelves. Dutch consumers can still find baby formula, but its getting harder and harder, Dutch Food Industry Federation (FNLI) director Philip den Ouden told AFP. Alarm bells over infant formula went off earlier this year when retailers saw a 50 percent year-onyear spike in sales figures from the last quarter of 2012, said Den Ouden. This was strange because the number of births in the Netherlands did not go up, he said.

An initial probe showed growing demand in China, largely driven by the memories of a 2008 scandal over Chinese formula tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, which left six children dead and affected more than 300,000 others. Distrust was fortified last year when another Chinese manufacturers formula was found to be contaminated with carcinogens, despite official pledges to clean up the industry. Some Dutch citizens have turned Chinese demand into a business opportunity and are making serious money in the process, Dutch newspapers reported last week. Chinese websites charge hefty mark-ups, sometimes approaching 100pc, on the retail price. Shipping fees can double those prices again, while customs checks and import duties in China can add another 30pc, according to Chinese reports. The phenomenon has also hit elsewhere in Europe and Australia with sales being limited in Germany and Britain. AFP

3374
The number of sexual assaults involving military personnel as victims or suspects in 2012. Krusinski, 41, was charged with sexual battery and held on a US$5000 bond, it said. The Pentagon meanwhile released a report to Congress outlining a six percent rise in reported sexual assaults in the military in 2012. Sexual assault is a persistent problem that remains vastly underreported, the report warned. Incidences of sexual assaults involving troops as victims or suspects rose to 3374 in 2012, from 3192 the year before, the report said. The number of people who made an anonymous claim that they had unwanted sexual contact but never reported the attack rose dramatically, from 19,000 in 2011 to 26,000 men and women in 2012, it said. AFP

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www.mmtimes.com

International World 31
SYDNEY

No more concessions!
The presidents of the United States and South Korea say the door is open for talks with North Korea but warn that it will gain nothing from belligerent behaviour
The leaders of the United States and South Korea last week vowed no concessions to North Korea after months of high tension, saying the burden was on the communist state to end the crisis. In a choreographed show of unity on May 7, US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye pledged to bolster defence cooperation and demanded that North Korea change course on its nuclear program before any new talks. The days when North Korea could create a crisis and elicit concessions those days are over, Obama told a White House news conference with Park, who took office in February as South Koreas first woman leader. Obama said that he and Park agreed in talks that we are not going to reward provocative behaviour but kept the door open to eventual talks if North Koreas young leader Kim Jong-Un decides to embrace a peaceful path. If Pyongyang thought its recent threats would drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States or somehow garner the North international respect, today is further evidence that North Korea has failed again, Obama said. Tensions have appeared to subside since earlier this year when North Korea carried out its third atomic test and vowed to prepare for nuclear war against the United States, in remarks that were shrill even by Pyongyangs standards. A US defence official said that North Korea has shifted two medium-range Musudan missiles away from a launch site, signalling that at least for the time being the regime has no imminent plans to testfire them.

WASHINGTON

Complaints flood in to N. Korea probe team

The head of a landmark UN team set up to probe human rights violations in North Korea said on May 8 he had been inundated by people wanting to give evidence on abuses just hours after his appointment. Former Australian judge Michael Kirby was named on May 7 to steer the investigation looking into systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights in a country that refuses to cooperate with the world body, and he vowed impartiality. The teams other members are Serbian human rights campaigner Sonja Biserko, an expert on war crimes, and Marzuki Darusman, an Indonesian former attorney general who since 2010 has been monitoring North Korea for the UN Human Rights Council. The Rights Council set up the commission after Darusman presented a report accusing North Korea of a string of violations including torture, arbitrary detention and depriving the population of food. Kirby told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had no preconceptions about the North Korean government. Ill proceed as one should: with impartiality and just giving them the opportunity to have their say and to respond to testimony. Thats due process, said Kirby, who sat on Australias High Court from 1996 to 2009. But there are a lot of people who are already contacting me even overnight since this was announced in Geneva seeking to make contact with the commission of inquiry, he added. And they are often resident in countries, bordering countries, in Japan and South Korea, and in Thailand. North Korea is one of the most isolated nations on the planet and has refused to let UN rights monitors visit, leading them to rely largely on testimony from North Koreans who have fled. Kirby said the commission would like to visit North Korea, but he was not hopeful. AFP

We are not going to reward provocative behaviour.

Barack Obama US President

China, the primary supporter of North Korea, took one of its most concrete measures so far with the state-owned Bank of China closing the account of a North Korean bank accused by Washington of supporting the nuclear program. Park, while not commenting directly on the bank action, credited China and Russia with enforcing sanctions on North Korea imposed by the UN Security Council. Park insisted that North Korea would feel consequences

US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye after their news conference at the White House on May 7. Photo: AFP

for a showdown that suspended work at Kaesong a joint industrial park once an emblem of inter-Korean cooperation and repeated her warning that the military would swiftly respond to any North Korean attack. AFP

BRIEFS
Jerusalem Palestinians, US criticise West Bank homes move Guatemala City Former dictator found guilty of genocide

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ISRAEL has signed off on plans for nearly 300 new settler homes near Ramallah, angering the Palestinians who accused the Israeli government on May 9 of trying to sabotage US moves to rekindle peace talks. The announcement came days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered a freeze on tenders for new West Bank settler homes to avoid harming efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. Washington warned Israel that its plans for settlement housing were counterproductive" and chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat said the move was proof that the Israeli government wants to sabotage and ruin the US administrations efforts to revive the peace process.

FORMER Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt was found guilty of genocide and war crimes on May 10 in a landmark ruling stemming from massacres of indigenous people in his countrys long civil war. Rios Montt is the first Latin American to convicted of trying to exterminate an entire group of people, in a brief but gruesome stretch of a war that started in 1960, dragged on for 36 years and left around 200,000 people dead or missing. The 86-year-old was sentenced to 80 years in prison 50 years for genocide and 30 years for war crimes although he can appeal. Rios Montt seized power in 1982 and ruled until 1983 in what is widely considered one of the darkest periods of the countrys civil war between the military and leftist rebels.

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron pledged a fresh clampdown on immigration in the Queens Speech on May 8. Measures to restrict migrants rights to healthcare and make it easier to deport foreigners were at the heart of the solidly Conservative proposals in the speech, which sets out the governments legislative plans for the year ahead. Written by ministers from the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, it was read out by Queen Elizabeth II at the state opening of parliament. Heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla attended alongside the queen, in a sign of their increasing role as the 87-yearold monarch scales back some of her duties.

London British coalition airs plans to restrict immigration

ITALIAN prosecutors on May 9 filed charges against former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly bribing a left-wing senator 3.0 million euros (US$3.9 million) to join his party. The announcement from the prosecutors office in Naples came a day after a Milan court upheld Berlusconis conviction in a separate case of tax fraud linked to his Mediaset business empire. The May 8 ruling confirmed a sentence of four years in prison against Berlusconi and a three-year amnesty, leaving a one-year prison sentence which is suspended pending an appeal. The scandal-tainted Berlusconi, 76, is also a defendant in a trial in which he is accused of paying for sex with an underage 17-year-old prostitute while he was prime minister and for abusing the powers of his office. AFP

Rome Berlusconi charged with corruption

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34 World Special

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Nationalism, territory and timing

Inequality and extreme poverty are contributing to the nationalism generating tensions in North Asia, says Pankaj Mishra
Visiting China in 1928, when a rising Japan had begun to prey on its neighbour, the Japanese poet Akiko Yosano took a surprisingly broad-minded view of anti-Japanese passion among the Chinese: Its surely frightful from the imperialists point of view, she wrote in her travelogue, but for the Chinese people it must be celebrated in the name of humanity. Writing last year in the Asahi Shimbun, as anti-Japanese rioting erupted in China, the writer Haruki Murakami had a wholly unsympathetic take on the same phenomenon. He assailed the cheap alcohol of nationalism that makes you speak loudly and act rudely and leaves you with nothing but an awful headache the next morning. I was recently reminded of these contrasting responses, as Chinese and Korean leaders protested high-profile Japanese visits to Tokyos Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates, among others, Japanese indicted for war crimes during Japans early 20th-century invasions and occupations of China and Korea. The South Korean foreign minister cancelled his visit to Japan. Japans conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe then caused further outrage by appearing to question whether Japan had actually invaded its neighbouring countries. Abes remarks were never likely to go down well in Korea, where anti-Japanese sentiments are kept on the boil by the issue of comfort women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese in their occupation of Asia during World War II. But the reaction in China, where Abes grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was accused of employing Chinese as slave labour in the 1930s, was also predictably fierce. Undaunted, Abe threatened a robust military response by Japan to any Chinese presence on the Senkaku Islands. This dangerous diplomatic brinkmanship, which could spark war, cannot be grasped without reference to Asias tormented history in the first half of the 20th century, when Japanese imperialists sought to turn a large part of the Asian mainland into a resource for their hungry economy. But the exploration of ancient enmities can only take us part of the way in understanding the real sources and potential of conflict today. It is always worth asking about resurgent nationalisms or freshly ignited tempers over territorial disputes: Why now? When in the 1920s Akiko Yosano wrote benevolently about the nascent Chinese sense of nationality, it seemed essential to the survival of a country ravaged by civil war and threatened by Japanese imperialism. But why have anti-Japanese sentiments resurfaced in 2013 when Japan is trying to recover from two lost decades and China seems to have surpassed its old rivals economic and political power? too, may discover that in an unequal and fractious country, anti-Japanese nationalism remains the best way to orchestrate national unity. Shinzo Abe is also playing a tricky domestic game that shapes his international gambits. He has just started an ambitious program to stem years of falling prices and reinflate Japans economy. A majority of Japanese public opinion remains opposed to his historical revisionism. But a rising stock market and improving business sentiment among other initial results of Abenomics seem to have emboldened Abe, and account at least partly for his confident diplomatic manoeuvering aimed at the Chinese. But Abe still needs Chinese and Korean tolerance for the steadily devalued yen, and his growth strategy will suffer if Japans exports to China dont recover. Japan also seeks to cooperate with China in dealing with the looming threat from North Korea. If Abenomics turns out to be more sizzle than steak, as the economist and Japan watcher Richard Katz argues, economic setbacks at home will make Abe assume a more aggressive posture with his neighbours. Nationalism remains, despite decades of economic and cultural globalisation, the default escape mode for politicians in trouble; and, as the events of 1914 proved, populist amplifications of it can quickly destroy the geopolitical equilibrium achieved by deeply interdependent economies. Certainly, as the centenary of World War I approaches, some extra caution will become imperative for politicians and polemicists, who, as Murakami wrote, lavish us with this cheap alcohol and allow things to get out of control. Bloomberg News (Pankaj Mishra is the author of From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia and a Bloomberg View columnist, based in London and Mashobra, India.)

A Shinto priest leads a group of Japanese lawmakers after they offered prayers for the countrys war dead at the controversial Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 23. The visit was denounced by leaders in China and South Korea. Photo: AFP

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A plausible explanation of the fresh outbreaks of nationalism in East Asia must necessarily begin with internal politics and the vulnerability of rulers. It may seem strange today but Mao Zedong discouraged public discourse about the Japanese invasion and waived reparations. During his reign, the Rape of Nanking was far from becoming Chinese shorthand for Japanese brutality. The Peoples Republic of China sought diplomatic recognition from Japan. Furthermore, the communists in the 1950s and 1960s already had a bogey: the nationalists in Taiwan and Western imperialists worldwide. Chinas troubled history with Japan came to be reinterpreted, as the historian Rana Mitter shows in his forthcoming book on the Sino-Japanese War, in the post-Mao era. This was when communist leaders, ushering their country into a market economy, first began

to face the problems of uneven growth, which included social unrest on a huge scale. They became desperate to boost their credibility after the killings of unarmed protestors near Tiananmen Square in 1989 and images of the perfidious and vicious Japanese came in handy. The commemoration of the Sino-Japanese War is now central to the post-Cold War Chinese strategy of finding new foils internationally and fresh ideological legitimacy at home. And it can claim some success: Chinese nationalists, both virtual and real, have been a force to reckon with since NATOs accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in 1999 sparked large demonstrations. As in China, anti-Japanese nationalism in South Korea has a potentially large constituency and is a touchstone of national identity. But it coexists in uneasy symbiosis with extreme

We must be careful about politicians and polemicists who lavish us with this cheap alcohol and allow things to get out of control.
Haruki Murakami Japanese novelist

inequality and unemployment problems created by a lopsided national development that favoured state support for big conglomerates. Certainly, South Koreas new president, Park Geun-hye, faces many other challenges besides a rogue neighbor to the north and an impenitent former occupier to the east. But she,

The said Trade Mark consists of (Triangular Device + Words). The above Trade Mark is used in respect of the following description of goods, that is to say: Class 25 Clothing, footwear, and headgear in Class 25. manufactured, imported, sold by or on behalf of GAASTRA INDUSTRIAL LIMITED in the Union of Myanmar. That a Declaration of Ownership in respect of the said Trade Mark has been registered in the Office of the SubRegistrar, Yangon, on the day of 1st October, 2012 under No. 11327 for 2012. WARNING is hereby given that any fraudulent imitation, unauthorised or improper use of the said Trade Mark or other infringement of the rights of GAASTRA INDUSTRIAL LIMITED in any manner whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. Dated this 13th day of May, 2013. U Kyi Win Associates for GAASTRA INDUSTRIAL LIMITED 53-55 Maha Bandoola Garden Street P.O. Box 26, Yangon Phone 372416

Trade Mark Caution

NOTICE is hereby given that Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (doing business as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd) a company organized under the laws of Japan and having its principal office at 1-1, Higashikawasaki-Cho 3- Chome, Chuo- Ku, Kobe, Japan is the owner and sole proprietor of the following trademark:-

TOKYO

China ties never smooth, says Japans deputy PM

Japan has never in the past 1500 years had a smooth relationship with China, Japanese deputy prime minister Taro Aso was quoted as saying during a visit to India last week. India shares a land border with China, and Japan has had maritime contacts (with China), but for the past 1500 years and more there has never been a history when our relations with China went extremely smoothly, Aso said, according to the Nikkei and the Sankei Shimbun newspapers on May 5. The comments the previous day at a meeting with Indian business people in New Delhi came amid continuing tensions between Japan and China over disputed Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea. Aso, a former prime minister, made the comment in response to a suggestion that Japan and India should strengthen defence and maritime cooperation since both have territorial disputes with China, the Sankei said. India and China are in dispute over an alleged incursion by Chinese troops deep inside Indian-claimed territory. Aso also called for close defence cooperation among Japan, Australia, India, and the United States to ensure regional stability, said major media. Aso attracted media attention last month after he visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which honours 2.5 million war dead, including war criminals from World War II. The Shinto shrine is seen as a symbol of Japans militarist past by Asian nations, particularly China and South Korea. AFP

(Reg: No. IV/14818/2012) in respect of :- Personal water crafts Class: 12 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (doing business as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd) P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 13th May, 2013

36 World Asia-Pacific
BEIJING

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

China dismisses US accusation of cyberspying

Beijing on May 7 dismissed an annual Pentagon report that accused it of widespread cyberspying on the US government, rejecting it as an irresponsible attempt to drum up fear of China as a military threat. The paper came as concerns in Washington have grown over Beijings double-digit rises in defence spending and a steady hacking campaign which the Pentagon says can be traced to the Chinese government and military. China has repeatedly rejected accusations of online attacks and said it is committed to a peaceful rise while maintaining the right to defend itself. The reports were making irresponsible comments about Chinas legitimate and normal defence-building and hyping up the so-called idea of a China military threat, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing. This behaviour is not conducive to mutual trust or cooperation, she said. We express firm opposition to this and have made representations with the US. China is committed to a path of peaceful development and pursues a defensive defence policy, she added, saying that we resolutely oppose any

10.7%
Increase in Chinas annual military budget this year form of hacking attacks. The Pentagon report, delivered each year to Congress, was the most explicit statement yet from the US that it believes Chinas cyberspying is focused on the US government as well as on American corporations. The efforts were intended to support intelligence collection against the US diplomatic, economic, and defence industrial base sectors that support US national defence programs, it said. China in March revealed a 10.7 percent increase in its annual defence spending, taking the official budget to US$114 billion, although experts believe the actual figure is much higher. The Pentagon estimated Chinas total military spending for 2012 was already well above that, at between $135 billion and $215 billion. AFP

IN PICTURES

A Thai red-shirt protester participates in a demonstration outside the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on May 8 to call for the resignation of its nine judges. The protesters also called for the cancellation of Article 309 of the charter which endorses the 2006 coup, in which Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister. Photo: AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul

WASHINGTON

US Pacific fleet to grow, says Navy chief

Plans to expand the American naval presence in the Pacific with new ships and high-tech weaponry will go ahead despite steep budget cuts, the US Navy chief said before a trip to the region. Admiral Jonathan Greenert told AFP in an interview on May 6 that he will seek to reassure partners during a nine-day trip to Japan, Singapore and South Korea that mounting pressure on military spending will not derail Washingtons muchpublicised shift towards Asia. Of the Navys current fleet of 283 ships, 101 are deployed and 52 are in Pacific waters, with plans to increase the US presence in the region to 62 ships by 2020, he said. Were going to grow. Theres no question about the next seven to eight years, said the admiral, who left for his tour on May 8. Greenert said there were 47 ships under construction or under contract that would not be affected by any budget slashing. Shipyards wont go empty. Theres no plan to break the contracts. AFP

DESIGN CAUTION
DAEWON PHARM. CO. LTD., a company incorporated under the laws of Republic of Korea, and having its principal place of business at 386, Cheonhodaero, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following Design in (7) different views:-

DESIGN CAUTION
DAEWON PHARM. CO. LTD., a company incorporated under the laws of Republic of Korea, and having its principal place of business at 386, Cheonhodaero, Sungdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following Design in (7) different views:-

BRIEFS
New Delhi Cabinet ministers quit over corruption scandals Singapore Swiss man gets jail for sex with girl, 17

TWO Indian cabinet ministers quit late on May 10 over corruption scandals that have engulfed Premier Manmohan Singhs graft-tainted Congress government. Law minister Ashwani Kumar resigned after opposition outrage over government interference in a police investigation soon after railway minister Pawan Bansal quit over a separate bribe allegation controversy. The two men separately visited the prime minister at his residence and submitted their resignations. Leading news magazine India Today in its latest edition asserted Singh was fast becoming a prime embarrassment for the government for failing to stem the tide of scandals on his watch.

Reg. No. 4/2266/2013 in respect of Packaging of medicinal products. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Design will be dealt with according to law. U Nyunt Tin Associates International Limited Intellectual Property Division Tel: 959 4500 59 247-8, 951 375754, Fax: 951 254321 For DAEWON PHARM. CO. LTD. Dated: 13th May, 2013.

Reg. No. 4/2267/2013 in respect of Packaging of medicinal products. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Design will be dealt with according to law. U Nyunt Tin Associates International Limited Intellectual Property Division Tel: 959 4500 59 247-8, 951 375754, Fax: 951 254321 For DAEWON PHARM. CO. LTD. Dated: 13th May, 2013.

Cambodias strongman leader Hun Sen said on May 6 he would stay in power for at least another decade. The 60-year-old, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, responded to criticism over his tenacious hold on power by promising to step down when he is 74, a reduction from his previous vow to lead until he is 90. I became prime minister when I was 32. So I started the post when I was young and I am not yet old. It is a long time, but there is nothing wrong with a long time, Hun Sen said in a speech broadcast on national radio. I will leave power when I am 74, he added.

Phnom Penh Cambodian strongman says hell retire at 74

A Swiss man was on May 8 sentenced to more than four months in jail for having sex with an underaged Singaporean prostitute. Judge Eddy Tham denounced former banker Juerg Buergins reckless act of having intercourse with the 17-year-old woman on two occasions in 2010 and 2011. Prostitution is legal in Singapore but it is against the law to pay for the sexual services of girls under 18. The case caused an uproar last year in Singapore after Buergin, 41, and 50 other men, including business executives, a former school principal, a navy captain and a police superintendent, were accused of paying for sex with the girl.

Philippine tour guide Roel Llarena recalled on May 8 how a mountain hike turned into a nightmare when the volcano he was climbing began spewing out giant rocks, killing five of his companions. I stood there frozen. I didnt know what to do. It was like a scene from hell, he told AFP, after surviving the giant ash explosion at Mayon volcano on May 7. Llarena, 33, was one of the Filipino tour guides leading a group of foreigners up the 2460-metre (8070-foot) Mayon when the picturesque volcano suddenly shot a column of hot ash into the air. AFP

Manila Eruption survivor tells of a scene from hell

www.mmtimes.com
KABUL TOKYO

World Asia-Pacific 37

US can keep nine bases, says Karzai

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai said on May 9 that he could allow the United States to keep nine military bases in the country as part of negotiations over a long-term security pact with Washington. After more than 11 years of US-led military intervention in Afghanistan, the two countries are hammering out a deal to allow a limited US troop presence to remain when the international coalition leaves next year. We are in very serious and delicate negotiations with America, Karzai said. America has got its demands, Afghanistan too has its own demands, and its own interests.... They want nine bases across Afghanistan. Karzai said he would allow bases in Kabul, Bagram, Mazari-Sharif, Jalalabad, Gardez, Kandahar, Helmand, Shindand and Herat if Afghanistans security and economic conditions were met. Our conditions are that the US intensify efforts in the peace process, strengthen Afghanistans security forces, provide concrete support to the economy power, roads and dams and provide assistance in governance. If these are met, we are ready to sign the security pact, Karzai said in a speech at Kabul University. The White House said US troops would stay in Afghanistan after 2014 only at the invitation of the Afghan government and Washington is not seeking permanent bases there. The US has avoided revealing its plans in Afghanistan after 2014 and Karzais claim that a total of nine US bases may be kept open will intensify pressure on President Barack Obama. AFP

Japan protests after Okinawas ownership challenged in China

Japan has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over an article in a state-run publication that challenged Japans ownership of Okinawa, home to major US bases, officials said on May 9. The Peoples Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, on May 8 published a call for a review of Japans sovereignty over Okinawa, suggesting that Beijing may be the rightful owner. The call came as the two countries are already at loggerheads over islands in the East China Sea. We have protested both in Tokyo and Beijing over the commentary issued by the Peoples Daily, followed by a Chinese foreign ministry comment, a Japanese foreign ministry official in charge of Chinese affairs told AFP. We told them that if the Chinese government shares the position of casting doubt about Japans ownership of Okinawa, we would never accept it and firmly protest at it, he said. The Chinese side replied to us that the view in the commentary was solely held by researchers, he added. The lengthy article in the Peoples Daily argued that the country may have rights to the Ryukyu chain, which includes Okinawa. Okinawa is home to major US air force and marine bases as well as 1.3 million people, nearly all of whom are Japanese nationals and speak Japanese. The authors of the article,

The population in millions of the Japanese island of Okinawa.

1.3

Opposition supporters dressed in mourning black at the rally addressed by Anwar Ibrahim in a Kuala Lumpur suburb on May 8. Photo: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR

Anwar cries foul

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibraham accuses the ruling National Front coalition of using fraud to retain power
Vowing to never surrender, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called on Malaysians last week to join in a nationwide protest tour against elections he said were stolen from the countrys people. Anwar addressed a sea of supporters dressed in mourning black who filled a football stadium and spilled out into surrounding areas in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur on May 8. We will go to every corner of this country, Anwar declared, prompting roars from the crowd. We will continue to struggle and we will never surrender! The huge turnout and Anwars call for similar rallies across the country upped the ante in a campaign by the opposition to paint the elections as a fraudulent victory for the regime that has ruled Malaysia for 56 years. Anwar had already vowed a fierce campaign against the May 5 poll result and said he would soon produce evidence of fraud by what he calls an illegitimate Barisan Nasional (National Front) government headed by premier Najib Razak. Najibs government has hotly denied the allegations and urged its opponents to accept gracefully accept the result of the election, in which it won 133 seats in the 222-member parliament, despite winning only 48 percent of the popular vote. The Pakatan Rakyat alliance headed by Anwar won 89 seats and nearly 52pc of the popular vote. In the United States, a White House spokesman congratulated Razak on the win but said: We note concerns regarding reported irregularities in the conduct of the election, and believe it is important that Malaysian authorities address concerns that have been raised. Jay Carney added: We look forward to the outcome of their investigations. Among other allegations about the election, voters complained that indelible ink meant to thwart multiple voting easily washed off. Accounts of suspected foreign voters being confronted by angry citizens at polling centres also went viral online. Anwar had earlier alleged a government scheme to fly tens of thousands of dubious and possibly foreign voters to flood key constituencies. A report released on May 8 by two independent watchdogs said the polls were marred by pro-government bias and irregularities that indicate serious flaws in the electoral system. The election was only partially free and not fair, said the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs and Centre for Public Policy Studies. AFP

two scholars at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, considered to be Chinas top state-run think-tank, said the Ryukyus were a vassal state of China before Japan annexed the islands in the late 1800s. Unresolved problems relating to the Ryukyu Islands have reached the time for reconsideration, wrote Zhang Haipeng and Li Guoqiang, citing post-World War II declarations that required Japan to return Chinese territory. The article also repeated Chinese government arguments for Chinas historical claims over a set of tiny uninhabited islets known as Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese, over which the two sides are squabbling. Following the article, the Chinese foreign ministry reportedly said the history of Ryukyu and Okinawa has long called for attention in academia. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on May 8 dismissed the article as injudicious and said Japans ownership of Okinawa is a fact accepted historically and by the international community. AFP

Trade Mark Caution

SANOFI PASTEUR, a company incorporated in France, of 2 Avenue Pont Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, FRANCE, is the Owner of the following Trade Mark:-

Trade Mark Caution

edding Aktiengesellschaft, a Company incorporated in Germany, of Bookkoppel 7, D-22926 Ahrensburg, Germany, is the Owner of the following Trade Mark:-

Trade Mark Caution

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a New Jersey corporation, of One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey 08889, United States of America, is the Owner of the following Trade Marks:-

CLEARCLICK
Reg. No. 5420/1997 in respect of Writing instruments, especially felt tip markers and fibre tip pens, markers, flipchart markers, text markers (highlighters), textile markers and radiograph markers, fountain pens, ballpoint pens and ink rollerball pens, pressure lead pencils, correcting pencils; office requisites, especially stapling presses (inclusively paper-clips), cutting mats, rubber erasers (the aforementioned goods as far as included in Class 16), office requisites, namely cutter (inclusively replacement blades). (Class 16). Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for edding Aktiengesellschaft P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 13 May 2013 Reg. No. 2682/2013

REDITWIST
Reg. No. 2683/2013 Reg. No. 2684/2013 in respect of Intl Class 5: Pharmaceutical preparations supplied in pre-filled injectable devices. Intl Class 10: Injectable device for medical purposes. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Marks will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 13 May 2013

SYMTWIST

Reg. No. 5069/2009 in respect of Intl Class 05: Pharmaceutical preparations, vaccines. Intl Class 41: Education; training in the pharmaceutical and medical field, arranging and conducting of committees, conferences, conventions and seminars and colloquiums for the purpose of information and training in the field of health; publishing of magazines, books, handbooks, reports and databases in the field of medicine. Intl Class 42: Scientific services for medical purposes, including chemical research, biological research and pharmaceutical research. Intl Class 44: Medical services, including administering medicines; including vaccines; medical assistance and consultancy in the field of pharmacy and health. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for SANOFI PASTEUR P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 13 May 2013

38 THE the MYANMAR TIMES Analysis MAY 13 THE - 16, MYANMAR 2013. TIMES APRIL 22, 2013. MONDAY pulse socialite 38 World
the pulse editor: manny.maung@gmail.com

THE MYANMAR TIMES MAY 13 - 19, 2013

r fingers u o o y

ge t

it

Heavy hitters return for Riviera film fest T

By Helen Rowe

PARIS

he Coen Brothers, Roman Polanski and Steven Soderbergh return to the Cannes Film Festival from May 15, with a string of younger talents snapping at their heels in the race for the coveted Palme dOr. Baz Luhrmanns take on The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan will lay on the

glitz when it opens the 12-day fest on the evening of May 15. Gatsby is not in the quest for the Palme, but behind the razzmatazz of its European premiere, Luhrmann is under pressure to deliver F Scott Fitzgeralds Roaring 20s classic to a new generation. The Australian directors US$100 million extravaganza has been filmed in 3D and is scored by rapper Jay-Z, with tracks from Beyonc, will.i.am and Emeli Sande.

The brash formula has gone down poorly with some reviewers in the US, although others said they liked the eye candy. Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and Ryan Gosling are among the A-listers expected to tread the Riviera red carpet, while Steven Spielberg heads an equally star-studded jury that includes Nicole Kidman, Ang Lee and Christoph Waltz. In one of the most keenly awaited films in competition, Douglas plays the flamboyant entertainer Liberace, who never disclosed that he was gay during his lifetime, in Soderberghs biopic Behind the Candelabra. The film is apt in a watershed year for gay rights, with more and more states in the US granting gay people the right to marry or adopt. It could also be something of a swansong for Soderbergh, who has threatened to retire. The 50-year-old director and screenwriter, who shot to prominence after winning the Palme dOr in 1989 with Sex, Lies, and Videotape, has complained that Hollywood studios refused to fund the new feature as it was too gay. In the end, it was financed by US payTV, where it will be commercially screened. The Coen Brothers, last in competition in Cannes in 2007 with No Country for Old Men, have made the official selection this year with Inside Llewyn Davis, the story of a singersongwriter set against the 1960s New York folk scene. The film is the second appearance at Cannes this year for Mulligan. The elfin-faced 27-year-old Briton ignored early advice to forget acting and marry a banker instead. She went on to earn a best actress Oscar nomination before she was 25. Polanski, who turns 80 in August, returns with La Venus a la Fourrure (Venus in Fur), a drama starring his wife, French actress Emmanuelle Seigner. There will also be a special screening of an updated version of Weekend of a Champion, Polanski and Frank Simons 1971 film on Formula One

'In one of the most keenly awaited films in competition, Michael Douglas plays the flamboyant entertainer Liberace, who never disclosed that he was gay during his lifetime.'

racing driver Jackie Stewart as he attempted to win the Monaco Grand Prix. In another documentary special screening, Stephen Frears Muhammad Alis Greatest Fight will recount the boxers battle to refuse the draft as a conscientious objector. Meanwhile, in competition, director Nicolas Winding Refn and Drive star Ryan Gosling collaborate again in Only God Forgives, also starring Kristin Scott Thomas. Like Drive it is expected to shock for its violence, this time set in Bangkok gangland and filmed on location in Thailand. Other films to watch include Asghar Farhadis Le Passe, following his best foreign language film Oscar

www.mmtimes.com

the pulse 39

Behind the Golden Palm

Lights, camera stop! The first Cannes Film Festival opened on September 1, 1939, under the aegis of Louis Lumiere, who with his brother Auguste was the worlds earliest filmmaker. Fancy art-deco posters were commissioned, one of the Riviera resort towns casinos agreed to act as the venue, and a clutch of French and foreign films was lined up for screening, including The Wizard of Oz. But the date could not have been more fateful: World War II broke out and the festival was scrapped, with the event being relaunched in September 1946. Glamour and glitz Cannes reputation as a magnet for stars and jetsetters dates back to the mid-1950s, but in those days things were pretty relaxed. The stars would walk along the seafront mingling with the public, recalls Gilles Jacob, 82, the festivals long-time president. Today, the 12-day festival is a media whirlwind, with the stars making choreographed appearances with a police escort. New talent Cannes prides itself on showcasing emerging directors. French New Wave icon Francois Truffaut walked off with the Palme dOr (Golden Palm) at the age of just 28 for his autobiographical The 400 Blows. George Lucas, Ken Loach, Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino all showed their first features at Cannes, respectively THX1138; Family Life; Sex, Lies, and Videotape; and Reservoir Dogs. Cannes controversies: In the Cold War of the 1950s, several provocative films about colonialism or Nazi death camps were hastily pulled to keep the diplomatic peace. In 1968, a Czech-born filmmaker was unable to go home because of the Soviet invasion in Prague. That year, as student protests erupted in Paris, Jean-Luc Godard and Truffaut hung onto the curtains to stop a disputed screening, and the festival closed five days early. Fistful of palms The Palme dOr, created in 1955, has inspired many unofficial imitators. They include the Palm Dog, which rewards canine celluloid talent, and the Queer Palm, which is given to films that deal with gay, lesbian or gender issues. There has also been the Hot dOr for the best pornographic movie, organised by a French magazine. Boos make news A Cannes tradition is the medias close scrutiny of how a film is received at a festival screening. Hisses and catcalls are characteristic of the event, reflecting deep passions about filmmaking as well as partisan sentiments about favoured directors. Getting booed at Cannes may be a directors nightmare, but it does not mean a movie is doomed. Michelangelo Antonionis LAvventura (1960), Truffauts La Peau Douce (1964) and Robert Bressons LArgent (1983) are among the films that initially received a heckling but came to be regarded as masterpieces. AFP

Skateboarding lessons for the hearing impaired

ocal skateboarders held a competition at the Mary Chapman School for the hearing impaired in Yangon last week, teaching students the finer points of a sport that is becoming increasingly popular with the youth of Yangon. The competition was divided into two divisions: one for experienced skaters and one for beginners. About 30 skaters competed in events like Skateboard Racing, Line Combo and Jam Session skating. In addition to showing off their skills, competitors found a variety of ways to contribute to the day. Money for donations were collected from [experienced] skaters and some donated lunch, said Ye Wint Ko, one of the organisers. The principal also asked us if we wanted to teach the kids how to skate. We will teach them once a week for free, we wont take any profit from them, he said. Speaking before the event, the schools principal, Daw Nyut Nyut Thein said the goal of the day was to give the students a well-rounded education that included an appreciation for sportseven a sport as unconventional as skateboarding. Many people from Myanmar thought skateboarding is easy and all you do is jump on, Nyi Nyi Naing, a trainer at Speed Ring Skateboarders Training Centre in Yangon. So we want to show how much we have to practice to skateboard like this, he said. Our next goal is to hold a skate competition for our junior skaters. The competition was sponsored by Converse Company and Arkasar Padaythar, who donated equipment and prizes for the event, including new skateboards and specialty skatingsneakers. We started arranging for this competition before Thingyan. But we could not hire any place for competition, Ye Wint Ko said. When we asked the City Centre Supermarket on Anawyahtar Road [Yangon], to hold this competition, the spokesperson from City Centre said they couldnt guarantee us a secure place to skate. Thats why we finally asked Mary Chapman School to support us, he said. He went on to say that the need for a venueany venuehas been made more difficult by the absence of skate-parks in Yangon. Though the sport continues to grow in popularity, Yangon still has no designated skate parks for young acolytes of the sport. The closest such park is in Nay Pyi Taw. Lwin Mar Htun

An experienced skateboarder shows off his tricks at the Mary Chapman School for the hearing impaired. Photo: Lwin Ko Taik

for A Separation in 2012 and Jim Jarmuschs vampire romance, Only Lovers Left Alive. Japan has two films in the race for the Palme dOr, including Soshite Chichi Ni Naru (Like Father, Like Son) by Hirokazu Kore-Eda, one of his countrys leading filmmakers known for his sensitive portrayals of contemporary life. From China there will be Tian Zhu Ding (A Touch of Sin) by former underground filmmaker Jia Zhangke. US critic John Powers has predicted Jias films will still be of interest 100 years from now for his sustained effort to capture the precise moments when Chinas past is being tossed on the ash heap of history. The only woman director compet-

ing for the Palme dOr will be Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, sister of former French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, with Un Chateau en Italie. Women are better represented in the parallel new talent section, "Un Certain Regard", which will be opened by Sofia Coppolas The Bling Ring. The film is inspired by a true story of a group of adolescents who rob the homes of celebrities after becoming obsessed with the world of beautiful people. Following controversy last year, organisers tried to head off any criticism of the number of women directors nominated, saying Bruni-Tedeschis film had been selected because it was a good film not because it was made by a woman. AFP

Another local skateboarder demonstrates advanced techniques. Photo: Lwin Ko Taik

40 the pulse literature

KYOTO

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Murakami makes rare public appearance

By Harumi Ozawa BESTSELLING author Haruki Murakami said last week that writing a novel is like descending to a very dark second basement of your psyche, when you are not even sure where the corridors are. In a rare public appearance by the publicity-shy but wildly popular writer, Murakami spoke at a seminar entitled Observe soul, write soul in the ancient city of Kyoto on May 6. For novelists or musicians, if they really want to create something, they need to go downstairs and find a passage to get into the second basement, Murakami said, comparing the human mind with a building. What I want to do is to go down there, but still stay sane. About 500 Murakami fans won a ticket for the seminar at Kyoto University, the authors first public appearance in Japan for 18 years. Press coverage was strictly regulated, with reporters barred from using audio or video equipment to record his speech and no photographs allowed of the author on stage. Murakami, who wore casual salmon pink trousers and blue training shoes with a light green jacket, said he is fiercely private and hates the idea of being recognised easily on the street. Please think of me like an endangered species and just observe me quietly from far away, he said. If you try to talk to me or touch me casually, I may get intimidated and bite you. So please be careful. Murakamis last public appearances in his native Japan were at bookreadings in the wake of the 1995 earthquake that levelled much of the western city of Kobe, Japanese media said. Last weeks seminar was held to mark the establishment of a literary prize in memory of late clinical psychologist Hayao Kawai, an old friend of Murakami.

Haruki Murakami receives an award during the International Book Fair in Jerusalem in February 2009. Photo: AP

The event also came less than a month after the publication of his latest novel, Shikisai wo Motanai Tazaki Tsukuru to Kare no Junrei no Toshi (Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage). The book tells the story of a young man struggling with an ordeal in his past, who uses the support offered by a romance to get back on his feet. The author said he had experienced something similar even if not as bad as what the main character, Tsukuru Tazaki, had undergone. When you get really hurt, you would want to hide the trauma from

other peoples eyes and try to get past it, but you cannot leave it behind easily, he said. What he experienced, I think is very real. Murakami recalled the time he interviewed a young woman who lost her husband in the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. It was about half an hour later when I got on a train after the interview that tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. I could not stop crying for about an hour after that, he said. That kind of experience means a lot to me. It comes back even when I am writing a different story.

Murakamis latest novel is set to become one of the fastest selling Japanese novels in recent years, with a print run of a million copies to meet anticipated demand in the first week of sales. No definitive sales figures have yet been released. It is Murakamis first work in three years and comes after the final installment of the acclaimed 1Q84 a threepart novel containing the usual Murakami mixture of parallel universes, bizarre characters and surrealist happenings as the lives of a female murderer and a male novelist intertwine.

1Q84, which can be read as 1984 in Japanese, was a worldwide phenomenon. Murakamis novels, which have drawn international praise and been translated into around 40 languages, include Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. The author, who divides his time between the US and Japan, has a huge following. Fans praise his lyrical and surreal prose, which often takes as its subject Japanese people living on the margins of a homogenous society. AFP

Censored for 20 years, U Nyo Mya bio wins award World

Nyein Ei Ei Htwe nyeineieihtwe23@gmail.com Zon Pann Pwint zonpann08@gmail.com THE eighth Thuta Swesone Literature Awards were handed out at Chatrium Hotel in Yangon on May 5, with U Myint Kywe (Sayar Mg Myint Kywe) capturing the lifetime achievement award. The awards were given in a variety of categories for books published in 2011. Winners included Mg Than Swe (Dawei) for his book Hti Thadin Nan Thadin (News of the Throne), Mg Myat Moe for Myanma Aung San, Takkathole Sein Tin for Life and Literature of Oway U Nyo Mya, Maung Maung Tin for Patient, Nurse, Doctor and Me, Ma Kyin Htay for English-Myanmar Dictionary for Social Geography, Parsi Myo Myint for Architect, Architecture, and Professor Ye Myitn Kyaw (Dr Ye) for Tips for Child Care. Takkathole U Sein Tins award was especially sweet: In 2011 he was finally able to publish his book Life and Literature of Oway U Nyo Mya, which had been written in 1991 but was rejected by censors for 20 years. It was not easy or convenient for me to write this book, Takkathole U Sein Tin said at the awards ceremony. I stayed with Oway U Nyo Mya for 12 years and cared for him every day. I boiled hot water and made tea for him. Even though I finished writing my book about him, I had to wait 20 years to see it published, so Im very happy to get this award. U Nyo Mya, an associate of Aung San, was most famous for publishing an essay titled The Hellhound at Large in Oway magazine in the 1930s. Events surrounding its publication resulted in a student strike at Rangoon University in 1936. Meanwhile, the prestigious 2012 Pakokku U Ohn Pe Prize for lifetime achievement in literature was awarded to U Ba Than from Yangon University, at a ceremony held at Traders Hotel in Yangon on May 4. U Ba Than has written more than The Pakokku U Ohn Pe Literary Award was established in 1992 by the late entrepreneur U Ohn Pe, who at the time donated more than K7.6 million to the awards fund. U Tint Swe, chairman of the Pakokku U Ohn Pe Library, said that while he was pleased to continue conducting the awards, financial shortfalls in recent years have depleted much of the fund. The prize money for this 20th awards ceremony was not as much as in previous years because it is awarded from the bank interest originally deposited by U Ohn Pe, he said. So in some ways, I feel we cant award the winners what they really deserve. U Tint Swe added that he was grateful to the Ministry of Information for organising the awards committee and managing the logistics. Prize winners in other categories included author She (Ingyin) for her novel Buu Htae Ka Yay (Water in the Bottle). Long-form poetry awards went to Myay Lat Min Lwain, Maung Saw Tun and Tint Tun, while the short-form category was topped by Maung Cheint, Thwae Htar Nyo and Htay Zaw. Maung Maung Chit Oo and Zin Min were awarded prices for academic writing, and thesis writing prizes went to Maung Maung Nan New, U Than Tun and Maung Yin Hlaing. Awards for outstanding achievement in the 2012 matriculation exams were also presented to about 20 high school students, with two students Maung Min Thu Naing and Maung Min Oo receiving scholarships from the National University of Art and Culture in Yangon. Translated by Thiri Min Htun

Book Day
nuam bawi
hknuambawi@gmail.com

'Even though I finished writing my book about him, I had to wait 20 years to see it published, so Im very happy to get this award.'
Takkathole U Sein Tin Myanmar author

U Tint Swe (left), chairman of the Pakokku U Ohn Pe Library, accepts a donation to the Pakokku U Ohn Pe Prize fund at Traders Hotel in Yangon on May 4. Photo: Ko Taik

100 articles in both English and Myanmar languages on topics related to public administration, public service training and management. While the award is generally seen as a literary prize, U Ba Than was recognised for his contributions to academia and public service. Upon receiving the award, U Ba Than told the audience at the ceremony that he was thrilled to be acknowledged alongside some of the most esteemed writers in the country. I am very proud to be honoured in this way, he said. I promise to try and improve Myanmar literature, just as previous winners have done.

WORLD Book Day will be celebrated at the British Council Library in Yangon on May 14 with a painting competition for children, a storytelling program and a public lecture. The painting contest will start at 10am and is open to children aged five to 11. Participants will be grouped according to age, and prizes for the top five paintings in each group will also be displayed at the British Council. The storytelling program will start at 11am, with a British Council staff member reading stories to children aged five to 12. A public lecture on Diversity in Democracy by Saya U Kyaw Win and writer Atta Kyaw will start at 5pm. Anyone interested in taking part in the World Book Day program can contact the British Council by phone on 01-254-685, or by email at library. enquiries@mm.britishcouncil.org. Participation is free of charge. The British Council Library is located at 78 Strand (Kanner) Road.

www.mmtimes.com

the pulse local 41

Future spotlight on Myanmar photographers

Maria Danmark

mariadn@mail.dmjx.dk

EALTH. Peace. Freedom of expression. A picture can say more than a thousand words, which makes photography the perfect way to portray things you cant buy with money. Photographers from Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and Mali will get their chance to do just that when the seventh IMAGES festival opens in Denmark in late August. The photo project Things You Cant Buy with Money is part of this festival, which will run from August 30 to September 7 and will feature work by photographers from the countries. The organiser is the Danish Centre for Culture and Development (CKU), and on the team is Danish photographer Stephen Freiheit, who recently visited Myanmar. The energy here is so fresh and unpolished. It has been very important to get Myanmar in the project, as developments occur so quickly here. A year from now everything will look different, he said. The galleries will have moved and

there will be new artists. The kettle is boiling, so it was logical to come out here and meet the photographers. Mr Freiheit has worked as a photographer since he finished film school in Prague 17 years ago. Since then, his portfolio has been filled with portraits and reportage trips to Uganda, Pakistan and Sarajevo, among others. Nearly eight years ago, he started organising workshops for photographers in other countries, including Nepal. At the first workshop, I thought there would be about 10 to 15 people, but then almost 70 committed young people showed up. Mind you, on their free day, Mr Freiheit said. Almost half were women. Its so important to get women involved. They are part of the total energy that drives this country forward and a project takes on a different look when you have interpretations from both men and women, he said. The interpretations are very important for the project, while the organisers are searching for pictures with an edge. When most people think of things you cant buy with money, it takes five seconds and then they say love. It isnt wrong, but I would like photographers to think a little further. Interesting pictures have more thoughts and several layers just like a good work of art, he said.

A health check in Samagaun, Nepal, near the border with Tibet. Photo: Jigme Lama

All in all, 40 to 50 photographic works by various artists from the four countries will be exhibited in the project and Mr Freiheit will select the images in cooperation with CKU. For each image selected, the photographer will receive an honorarium of US$40. Its very important to me that the photographers should receive a fee. Otherwise its too easy to sit here and tell you that working as a photographer is a real job, he said. But the project itself is only a start for both Stephen and CKU, who are considering several projects in Myanmar. Things You Cant Buy with Money is a project that will help us get in touch with professionals and artists. We hope to build on these contacts when we get started with several activities, said Jacob Myschetzky, an international director in CKU. Future projects are already on the drawing board, but nothing is certain yet. CKU expects the projects to stretch over a period of six years, where the focus will be to develop the already existing cultural sector and to provide more people in Myanmar with opportunities to experience art and culture in different genres. CKU already has similar projects in other countries, including Nepal, where it has supported a workshop for photojournalists and photographic training of inexperienced Nepalese youth in collaboration with Todays Youth Asia. It is workshops and long-term projects like this that Mr Freiheit would like to get up and running when he returns to Myanmar in January 2014, but he will mainly focus on one thing. I sometimes think its hard to get people to use their imagination. Maybe its related to the practice of rote learning in school. Ive seen this in Nepal and Bangladesh, but I think education should also focus on how to develop the imagination to turn things upside down, look at them from different angles and in different light, he said. French photographer Christophe Loviny pointed out that he has had similar experiences when helping organise the Yangon Photo Festival in

A young monk concentrates on blowing a bubble at Ka-Nying Monastery in Boudha, Kathmandu, in Nepal. Photo: Stephen Freiheit

the past several years. Its not only a matter of learning how to use new photographic equipment. Its mostly about learning to structure their thoughts, Mr Loviny said when interviewed by International Media Support last February. Chief photographer of The Myanmar Times, U Kaung Htet, who is already part of the Things You Cant Buy with Money project, welcomes the new initiatives. There have been some workshops [in Yangon], but far from enough.

' When most people think of things you cant buy with money, it takes five seconds and then they say love. It isnt wrong, but I would like photographers to think a little further. Interesting pictures have more thoughts and several layers just like a good work of art.'
Stephen Freiheit Danish photographer

[Photographers] are developing, but there is clearly a need for more. Otherwise, young photographers have to learn everything on their own. I did it myself and thats a tough way to start out, he said. In his workshops, Mr Freiheit plans to draw on the more experienced photographers in Myanmar, such as U Kaung Htet. There are already some photographic stars in Myanmar, so the material is here. I think you have an obligation when you are educated and have done a good job photographically to educate the new generations and passing on experiences. Therefore Id like to have local photographers on the project, so they become kind of mentors, Mr Freiheit said. In Nepal, where Mr Freiheit held his latest workshop, photography has developed significantly in just two or three years, but he is reluctant to give an idea of when there will be an official education in Myanmar for photographers. It really depends on how its done. Private initiatives are not so crazy to start with. Very often it happens that the society sees that it works and then implements it, he said. But quality and dedication are at the core of education for photographers, and it obviously requires some help, but there is great potential here already which we hope to see in Things You Cant Buy with Money. Anyone interested in participating in Things You Cant Buy with Money can email their photographs on the theme to freiheitphotography@gmail.com (in JPG or TIFF format) by July 1. Each photographer may submit a maximum of 15 photos.

Human rights filmfest attracts foreign entries

THE First Human RightsHuman Dignity International Film Festival, scheduled to be held in Yangon from June 15 to 19, is attracting more entries from overseas than from local filmmakers, the festivals organiser said last week. Although we have received many films from local and international filmmakers, we have received more from international sources, director Min Htin Kokogyi told The Myanmar Times earlier this week. We have entries from the United States, Switzerland, France, Germany, England, the Philippines, Cambodia and other countries. Min Htin Kokogyi said he was satisfied with the high quality of the international entries, but was disappointed by the low standards of the local films. Many of the international films submitted to the competition have already won awards at other international film festivals, so Im very satisfied with those films. But to be honest, Im not happy with the local documentaries, he said. Separate awards will be given for domestic and foreign films in each of three categories: documentary, short film and animation. Min Htin Kokogyi said the festival was aimed at promoting human rights in Myanmar. Theres a need to increase awareness about human rights in Myanmar. The United Nations has made many official declarations about human rights, and I think the public needs to know about the contents of these declarations, he said. After the festival we will show the films in all states and regions throughout the country. We will not only show the films, but also have discussions to make sure the audiences understand the message we are conveying. He said the first time he heard about human rights was from Daw Aung San Su Kyi during the 1988 prodemocracy protests. For people to be able to enjoy human rights, Myanmar needs to be a democratic country. We need to move towards that goal, and Daw Aung San Su Kyi is someone who is constantly working in that direction, Min Htin Kokogyi said. With that in mind, the festivals top prize has been named the Daw Aung San Su Kyi Award. Another special prize will be called the March 13 Award, in honour of university students Ko Phone Maw and Ko Soe Naing, who died during pro-democracy protests on that date in 1988. Political people recognise March 13 as commemorating the need for human rights in Myanmar, Min Htin Kokogyi said. Judges for the domestic entries will be Min Htin Kokogyi, Daw Grace Swe Zin Htike and Min Ko Naing, while the jury for international contestants will include Ally Derks, Daw Grace Swe Zin Htike, Don Edkins, Peter Wintonick and Igor Blazevic. For more information about the Human RightsHuman Dignity International Film Festival, check online at www.hrhdiff.org. The deadline to submit films for the competition closed May 10. Nuam Bawi

42 the pulse home & garden

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

The calming art of Japanese kokedama

Decorating your home with Japanese moss balls can make stress melt away, writes Kohei Tsujisaka
Kokedama are a lovely green interior decoration that can fit in the palm of your hand. Theyre made by wrapping the roots of small plants in a ball using sand and then covering the surface with moss. This explains their name, which literally means moss ball. Enchanted by their charm, I decided to participate in a hands-on kokedama program for beginners. I visited niwa q, a kokedama specialty shop in Osaka, Japan, operated by a gardening company. Many charming kokedama are displayed in the shop, including one with little flowers and another shaped like a pineapple. We began by selecting a seedling to be the base of our kokedama. Please choose what you like, shop owner Koji Higuchi, 47, encouraged us. As I was hesitant, Higuchi recommended a long. spindly American ivy, saying, The leaves of this plant turn red in autumn and will harmonize with the season. Hiroto Tauchi, 35, has made about 10 kokedama since he first began the program with his wife about a year ago. Just looking at my kokedama makes my stress melt away, said Tauchi, who in this class planned to try using quince and spleenwort, an evergreen fern. After selecting a seedling, removing it from its pot, untangling its roots and removing sand, the next step is to mix ketotsuchi (black peat clay) with reddish-brown sand and sphagnum moss, add water and knead them together. The ketotsuchi is sandy soil thats rich in nutrients and fibre and has a high capacity for water retention. Once it becomes sticky, the mixture is applied to the roots little by little until a because I had developed an affection for my little project. The final stage is selecting a container for the kokedama. Higuchi said the overall impression a kokedama makes depends largely on the colour, shape and material of its vessel, for example a porcelain pot or a flat plate. The container can even be changed to match the season. Some newcomers worry about caring for their kokedama, but Higuchi said, If they can be mindful of the amount of sunshine and ventilation, its not so difficult. Kokedama should be watered once every few days in the winter and twice every day in the morning and evening in summer. They should be soaked in water until the air bubbles disappear. Its good to occasionally expose it to wind and rain, Wada advised. The Yomiuri Shimbun

'Just looking at my kokedama makes my stress melt away.'

Koji Higuchi Japanese gardening specialist

ball shape is achieved. Then its wrapped up with a moss called Hypnum plumaeforme Wilson. The finishing touches consisted of winding thread around the ball to lash the moss sheet and sand together, a difficult task as its easy to squash the ball by binding it too tightly. Looks like a nikuman, Higuchi joked, comparing my ball to a hemispherical steamed meat bun. But to me it looked cute, perhaps

More info
For more information about the program, visit www.niwa-q.com. Koke no Aru Seikatsu (Life with Moss), published by Nitto Shoin in 2012, explains how to make and care for kokedama and how to observe and collect moss in its natural state.

Hiroto Tauchi (left) makes kokedama with advice from Osaka store owner Koji Higuchi. Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun

Adding warmth to a room with books

By Elizabeth Mayhew I HAVE noticed over the years that every so often magazines (and now blogs) feature beautiful spreads of book-filled rooms, with headlines like Living with Books or The Pages of Our Lives. Usually the images feature these rooms transporting and inspirational but totally out of touch. A growing number of people, I think, dont have books. After all, who wants those heavy, clunky volumes when you can store a seemingly endless library on a device that weighs less than a single paperback? So this leads me to wonder: In a world without books, what happens to our bookshelves? Unfortunately, bookshelves are suffering from the same fate as the television armoire some of us just dont need them. Instead of housing our libraries, bookshelves have become the dumping ground for tchotchkes, mail, papers, picture frames, empty vases and, on occasion, an actual book. The empty cavities attract only chaos and disorder. Of course, there are things you can do to improve your shelves appearance in the absence of books: Fill them with smart-looking storage boxes, display a well-edited collection of ceramics or other objects, or use pictures, either leaning or hung over the shelf, to fill voids. Just keep in mind that unlike closets and closed cabinets, open shelves reveal everything, which means one needs to take more care in their styling. For me, a world without actual, tangible books is a sad reality. Books give a room warmth and character, not to mention the positive effect educators say just being in the presence of books has on our kids learning. When books are authentically collected, they highlight your interests and passions. (I am against decorators who buy books by the foot, with no interest whatsoever in the book itself other than the colour of its spine.) My good friend Benjamin Wallace, author of The Billionaires Vinegar, once described the books on his shelf as tombstones, each one like a postcard from a virtual literary trip that he has taken. I am on his page. I look at my books in the same way that I look at my photos each one recalls a moment in time, a story, or a place that I dont want to forget. So although I have both a Kindle and an iPad, I still buy physical books, as does my husband. We have a lot of them. They spill over our bedside tables and coffee table, fill four walls of our foyer and line walls in each of our kids bedrooms. Call us old-fashioned; they are the objects we cant live without. I recently decided to repaint our bookshelves, which meant that I had to remove every single volume. It was quite an endeavour, not only because my books were organised by category, but also because I had styled the shelves with objects just so. In order to remember where everything went, I took photos of the shelves with my phone before dismantling them. Here is how I put them back: 1. Edit: Remove everything from your shelves and sort books by size and subject matter (ie, fiction, cooking, gardening, reference). Remove and discard any ripped dust jackets. 2. Line em up: Line books up on shelves, stacking them both horizontally and vertically in a rhythmic pattern. This adds visual interest to the shelves and breaks up the monotony of rows upon rows of books. 3. Conceal: Maximise unused space with attractive boxes. Boxes allow you to neatly store anything, and their solid blocks of colour break up the rows of books. 4. Embellish: Add ceramics and other objects for visual interest. Photographs or small works of art leaning against a stack of books personalise a bookshelf and prevent it from looking too staged. The Washington Post

'For me, a world without actual, tangible books is a sad reality. Books give a room warmth and character, not to mention the positive effect educators say just being in the presence of books has on our kids learning.'
poetic, far-off places where leather volumes fill 5-metre-tall, wood-panelled shelves, or sparse rooms with gauzy curtains have stacks of books on the floor, standing like architectural columns. As a book lover, I find

Artwork nicely complements the titles on Elizabeth Mayhews bookshelves; photographs or ceramic objects can personalize a bookshelf. Pic: Anne Schlechter

www.mmtimes.com Phyos Cooking Adventure

the pulse local 43

More forays into Mexican fare

Phyo cuts through culture to reveal lifes true taste. Phyo Zar Thwin
PREPARATION Wash the chicken and drain the excess water, then cut into 3cm cubes. Chop the onions roughly. Crush the garlic and cut the spring onions and green chilli diagonally. In a non-stick frying pan, heat the oil to medium temperature. Saut the onions in the pan until they change colour. Add the garlic and fry until the aroma is released. Combine the spring onions and chilli flakes into the pan and fry for about two minutes. Add the chicken and sear it. Sprinkle the mixture of cumin, chilli powder, paprika, coriander powder, green chilli, salt and pepper, and stir well to coat the chicken. Cover the pan with the lid and turn the heat down. When the chicken is cooked through, bring the heat back to high so that the chicken is sizzling. Stir frequently so that you dont burn the spices. Once the dish sizzles, garnish with coriander leaves to serve. Serve with tortillas, rice or naan bread. Tomato salsa INGREDIENTS 4 ripe tomatoes (diced) 1 onion (diced) 1 red capsicum (diced) 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander 1 tablespoon of olive oil 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar Salt to taste PREPARATION In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Serve at room temperature. The salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight jar for 2 or 3 days. Main tips For the tomato salsa, discard the seeds from the tomatoes so the salsa is not too wet. For the hot and spicy chicken,

THIS weeks spicy and hot chicken kebab recipe is, once again, Mexican inspired. The dishs fiery tang will definitely tickle your taste buds. The basic ingredients for Mexican food are easy to find in Myanmar and are quite similar to those used in Myanmar cuisine. They use a selection of chillies, tomatoes and beans that can be found at local markets, so it is reasonably affordable to create delicious Mexican meals. As a side dish to this weeks Mexican-style spicy and hot chicken kebabs, Ive included a recipe for a refreshing tomato salsa. To make this weeks recipe, you need to be quick when handling the ingredients, so I advise you to prepare in advance. Ensuring that your pan is hot will also bring out the best flavours. But remember, prior preparation is key. Mexican-style spicy and hot chicken kebab INGREDIENTS 4 medium-sized onions (roughly chopped) 4 large spring onions 2 cloves of garlic (crushed) 2 skinless chicken breasts (500g) 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil 2 large green chillies teaspoon of chilli powder 1 tablespoon of chilli flakes (optional) 1 teaspoon of paprika 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds teaspoon of coriander powder 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of black pepper Handful of coriander to garnish

toast the cumin seeds beforehand for a better aroma. Also, use large chilli flakes you can ask at the local market for nga yoke thee a kyan mohte. For serving with rice, I recommend the tomato salsa or Burmese pan htway phyaw. If serving with naan bread, roasted or gently fried potatoes match well. Quote Its difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home-grown tomato. LewisMcDonaldGrizzard, Jr (American writer and humorist) Next week Banana blossom and prawn salad

WINE REVIEWS
Red wine Magrez En Silence SaintChinian 2010 Striking first taste but then its like being smashed in the mouth by an oak plank. More suitable for the American palate but probably needs more cellaring time. White wine William Fever Chablis 2010 Tart start with a smooth aftertaste. Zesty top notes that end in a long, dry finish. Would pair well with seafood and chicken or some creamy brie.

Ks 17,100

Score BOX

/10

Ks 24,300

Score BOX

/10

Coffee Circles: eager to please, but fails to deliver

COFFEE Circles may once have been the exciting new place to eat in Yangon, but no longer. The place attracts a sophisticated crowd of hip, young Myanmar people, as well as foreigners and professionals seeking a strong wi-fi connection and good coffee in airconditioned comfort. My friend and I have both had excellent dining experiences at Coffee Circles in the past. We both knew what we wanted to eat: He ordered a vegetable wrap and I ordered the chicken quesadilla. Maybe our expectations based on our previous experiences, were set too high. The food arrived quickly but we both looked in confusion at what was on our plates. He received what appeared to be a miniature wrap suitable for a kids meal, while my quesadilla looked like a flat, soggy pancake sandwich. The vegetable wrap was encased in wax paper and wound up tightly with a piece of string. Once it was unwrapped, the mayonnaise proved to be good but the vegetables could have been fresher. I tucked into my food, only to start feeling queasy almost immediately. The sogginess of the presentation owed itself to a good dousing of oil. The chicken didnt taste quite right but at the time I was more concerned with whether or not there was actually any cheese in the quesadilla. Lifting up a pancake segment to look at the ingredients inside, I found a scrap of cheese and a long, greasy strand of hair intertwined in it. I realised soon enough that the chicken didnt taste quite right, because it wasnt right. The immediate sense of queasiness quickly turned into nausea, which then transpired to ... oh, so much more. Im not sure whether the food tasted better going in or coming out. Neither of us could bring ourselves to finish our meals, nor did we feel a strong urge to stay longer to sample the coffee what Coffee Circles is actually reputed for. Will I try the place again? Probably not. YM Coffee Circles 107/A Dhammazedi Road, Kamaryut township, Yangon Food: 2 Drink: 7 Atmosphere: 7 Service: 5 X-factor: 5 Value for money: 5 Score: 5/10
Lime juice and chicken quesadilla at Coffee Circles, in Yangon. Photo: Bill O'Toole

44 the pulse socialite

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Mr Oliver Slow @ Nitipon Beauty Centre Launch

Htet Phone Naing @ Now How Cosmetics Lucky Draw

Khine Thazin Ngu Wah @ Samsung Galaxy S4 Promotion

Mr Jeff Sohn @ Ikon Mart Cambro Product Launch

U Aung Maw Thein @ Gold Roast Coffee Mix Lucky Draw

Chan Chan @ Gold Roast Coffee Mix Lucky Draw

Tin Moe Lwin and guests @ Colgate Teeth And Mouth Care Week

Hnin Yamone Oo @ Now How Cosmetics Lucky Draw

Ma Thuzar Tun @ Now How Cosmetics Lucky Draw

Models @ Samsung Galaxy S4 Promotion

Ms Yinadee and Ms Chisa @ Colgate Teeth And Mouth Care Week

Ma Sandar @ Nitipon Beauty Centre Launch

Soe Nandar Kyaw @ Now How Cosmetics Lucky Draw

Khine Thazin Yu Wah @ Samsung Galaxy S4 Promotion

Khin La Pyae Zaw and Nyein Su Thar @ Nitipon Beauty Centre Launch

www.mmtimes.com

the pulse socialite 45

SOCIALITE

WITH NYEIN EI EI HTWE

WITH the summer heat getting worse and worse, Socialite officially declares herself ready for some cooling rain showers. Alas, precipitation has been slow to come, but Yangons social scene remains busy as ever. She started the week on April 30 at the Cambro product launch at Ikon Mart on Pyay Road, and on the same day, the Colgate teeth and mouth care event at Junction Square put a smile on her face. On May 3 she went to the Gold Roast coffee mix lucky draw, and the next day she dropped by the Nitipon Beauty Centre opening on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S4 promotion at Sedona Hotel. Socialite ended the week in style on May 5 at the Now How Cosmetics lucky draw at Sein Gay Har Centre.

U Aung Than Htay, Daw Thin and Dr Nay Zaw Aung @ Ikon Mart Cambro Product Launch

Mr Andrew Shepard @ Colgate Teeth And Mouth Care Week

Mr Nattawin Phongsphetrarat @ Nitipon Beauty Centre Launch

Dr Than Htay @ Colgate Teeth And Mouth Care Week

Ju Juu K @ Now How Cosmetics Lucky Draw

Ma Amy and Ms Miki Ow @ Ikon Mart Cambro Product Launch

Mr Prasert Lekavanichkajorn @ Ikon Mart Cambro Product Launch

Hnin Su Khine Oo @ Gold Roast Coffee Mix Lucky Draw

46 the pulse travel

DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES
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THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Dep Arr

Days Flight

Dep Arr

Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw

MON 6T 401 UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 TUE UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 WED UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 THUR UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 FRI UB-A1 UB-B1 6T 211 UB-C1 SAT UB-A1 SUN UB-A1 MON UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 TUE UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 WED UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 THUR UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 FRI UB-A2 UB-B2 6T 212 UB-C2 SAT UB-A2 SUN UB-A2 MON YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 YJ 001 Y5 131 YJ 201 YJ 511/W9 7511 YJ 761 YH 727 K7 622 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 TUE YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 YJ 201 YJ 001 Y5 131 8M 6603 YJ 251/W9 7251 YJ 761 YH 729 K7 822 K7 622 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 WED YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 201 YJ 001 Y5 131 YJ 751/W97751 K7 622 YJ 791 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 THUR YJ 201 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 001 Y5 131 8M 6603 YJ 511/W9 7511 YJ 601 YH 729 K7 226 YJ 201 YH 731 6T 501/K7224 6:20 7:45 11:30 16:00 7:45 11:30 16:00 7:45 11:30 16:00 7:45 11:30 16:00 7:45 11:30 15:30 16:00 8:00 15:30 9:15 13:00 17:30 9:15 13:00 17:30 9:15 13:00 17:30 9:15 13:00 17:30 9:15 13:00 17:00 17:30 10:00 17:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 8:00 8:00 7:00 10:00 11:00 11:15 12:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 8:00 8:00 9:00 11:00 11:00 11:15 11:30 12:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 7:00 8:00 8:00 10:45 12:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 8:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 11:15 12:00 11:30 15:00 14:30 7:15 8:45 12:30 17:00 8:45 12:30 17:00 8:45 12:30 17:00 8:45 12:30 17:00 8:45 12:30 16:25 17:00 9:00 16:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 17:55 18:30 11:00 18:00 8:30 8:15 9:00 8:10 8:40 8:55 9:00 8:25 11:25 12:55 13:25 13:25 15:55 16:35 17:10 8:15 8:30 8:25 8:10 8:40 8:25 8:55 9:00 10:10 12:55 12:55 14:15 12:55 13:25 15:55 16:35 17:10 8:15 8:30 8:25 8:10 8:40 8:20 8:25 8:55 9:00 12:40 13:25 16:25 16:35 17:10 7:25 8:15 8:30 8:25 8:10 8:40 9:05 8:55 9:00 10:10 11:25 12:25 14:15 13:25 12:55 17:10 16:35

FRI

SAT

Nay Pyi Taw To Yangon

SUN

Yangon to Mandalay

YJ 211 YJ 891 6T 401 YJ 211 YH 909 K7 222 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 001 Y5 131 YJ 751/W97751 YH 727 K7 824 YJ 791 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 K7 244 YJ 201 YJ 001 Y5 131 YJ 601 YH 729 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 YJ 211 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 YJ143/W9 7143 YJ 001 Y5 131 8M 6603 YJ 251/W97251 YJ 751/W97751 YH 737 K7 622 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731

7:00 6:10 6:20 11:30 6:30 6:30 7:00 8:00 8:00 11:00 11:15 13:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 6:45 7:00 8:00 8:00 11:00 11:15 14:30 14:30 15:00 7:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 8:00 8:00 9:00 11:00 11:00 11:15 12:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 8:10 8:30 8:30 9:20 9:00 9:30 11:00 11:30 16:50 16:35 16:40 16:45 16:50 16:10 17:10 8:10 8:30 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:30 16:50 16:35 11:30 11:00 16:10 16:40 17:10 17:20 18:00 18:00 18:05 8:10 8:30 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:20 9:30 11:00 11:30 16:40 16:40 16:50 17:10 17:50 8:10 8:30 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:20 9:30 11:00 15:50 16:35 16:10 16:50 10:30 17:10 17:20 18:00

8:25 8:15 8:25 12:55 8:10 8:40 9:05 8:55 9:00 12:55 13:25 14:25 16:25 16:35 17:10 8:15 8:30 8:25 8:10 8:40 8:10 8:25 8:55 9:00 12:25 14:15 15:55 16:35 17:10 8:25 8:15 8:30 8:25 8:10 8:40 9:05 8:55 9:00 10:10 12:25 12:55 13:25 13:25 15:55 16:35 17:10 10:15 10:25 10:25 11:20 11:05 10:30 11:55 12:55 19:00 18:00 18:05 18:10 18:15 18:15 19:15 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 10:30 19:00 18:00 12:55 11:55 18:15 18:05 19:15 18:30 19:25 19:25 19:30 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:15 10:30 11:55 12:55 18:05 18:45 19:00 19:15 19:15 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:15 10:30 11:55 17:15 18:00 17:35 19:00 11:55 19:15 18:30 19:25

FRI

SAT

SUN

Mandalay to Yangon
MON YH 910 YJ 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 Y5 132 YJ 002 YJ 202 6T 502/K7 225 YJ 762 K7 623 YH 728 YJ 518/W97518 YJ 782 YH 732 TUE YH 910 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 Y5 132 6T 502/K7 225 YJ 762 YJ 202 YJ 002 YJ 782 K7 623 YH 732 8M 6604 YH 730 K7 823 YJ 252/W97252 WED YH 910 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 143/W97143 Y5 132 YJ 002 YJ 202 K7 623 YJ 792 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 YJ 752 THUR YH 910 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 143/W97143 Y5 132 YJ 002 K7 227 YJ 762 YJ 602 6T 502/K7 225 YJ 202 YH 732 8M 6604 YH 730

YJ 211 7:00 YH 910 8:10 YJ 892 8:30 6T 402 8:45 K7 223 9:00 YJ 143/W971431 9:20 Y5 132 9:30 YJ 002 11:00 YJ 212 12:00 6T 502/K7 225 16:50 YH 728 16:45 YH 732 17:10 K7 825 17:40 YJ 792 16:40 YJ 752/W97752 16:55 YJ 752 17:50 YH 910 8:10 YH 918 8:30 YJ 892 8:30 6T 402 8:45 K7 223 9:00 YJ 143/W97143 9:20 Y5 132 9:30 YJ 002 11:00 YJ 202 11:30 YJ 762 12:35 YJ 602 16:10 YJ 782 16:10 YH 728 16:45 6T 502/K7 225 16:50 YH 732 17:10 YH 910 8:10 YH 918 8:30 YJ 892 8:30 6T 402 8:45 K7 223 9:00 YJ 143/W97143 9:20 Y5 132 9:30 YJ 002 11:00 YJ 212 12:00 YJ 782 16:10 6T 502/K7 225 16:50 K7 623 16:40 YH 732 17:10 8M 6604 17:20 K7 823 17:20 YH 738 17:25 YJ 752 17:50 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 6:45 7:00 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 6:45 7:00 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:30 6:30 7:00 14:30 14:30 14:15 15:00

8:25 10:15 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:15 10:30 11:55 13:25 19:00 18:10 19:15 19:05 18:45 19:00 19:15 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 10:45 10:30 11:55 12:55 14:00 17:35 18:15 18:10 19:00 19:15 10:15 10:25 10:35 10:45 11:05 10:45 10:30 11:55 13:25 18:15 19:00 18:05 19:15 18:30 18:45 18:50 19:15 7:30 7:45 8:15 7:50 8:55 17:20 16:40 17:55 7:45 7:30 7:40 7:50 8:55 17:20 16:40 17:55 7:45 7:30 7:40 7:50 8:55 8:05 8:20 17:20 17:55 7:30 7:45 7:40 7:50 8:55 8:20 17:20 17:55 7:30 7:45 7:40 7:50 8:55 8:05 8:20 17:20 17:55 7:30 7:45 7:40 7:50 8:55 8:20 16:40 17:20 17:55 7:30 7:45 7:40 7:50 8:55 8:20 16:40 17:20 16:25 17:55

Nyaung U to Yangon
MON YH 918 YJ 892 6T 401 YH 910 K7 225 YJ 782 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 TUE YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YH 910 YJ 782 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 WED YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 910 K7 225 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 THUR YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 910 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 FRI YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 910 K7 225 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 SAT YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 910 K7 225 YJ 782 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 SUN YJ 892 YH 918 6T 401 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 910 YJ 782 6T 502/K7 225 YH 732 MON YJ 201 YJ 511/W9 7511 K7 622 TUE YJ 201 YJ 251/W9 7251 K7 622 WED K7 622 THUR YJ 201 YJ 511/W9 7511 FRI YJ 211 SUN YJ 211 YJ 251/W9 7251 K7 622 MON YJ 202 K7 623 TUE YJ 202 K7 623 YJ 252/W9 7252 WED K7 623 THUR YJ 202 SUN YJ 211 K7 623 YJ 252/W9 7252 MON YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 K7 828 YJ 761 YH 727 6T 501/K7 224 K7 224 YH 731 7:45 7:45 8:30 8:55 16:40 16:55 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:55 16:55 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:35 8:55 16:40 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:35 8:55 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:35 8:55 16:40 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:35 8:55 16:40 16:55 17:40 17:55 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:35 8:55 16:55 17:40 17:55 10:00 10:00 12:00 6:00 11:00 12:00 12:00 12:45 10:00 6:30 6:00 11:00 12:00 13:05 15:10 9:05 15:10 16:35 15:10 15:50 9:05 15:10 16:35 6:10 6:10 6:20 10:00 11:00 11:15 14:30 14:15 15:00 10:25 10:25 11:20 10:15 18:00 18:15 19:00 19:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:15 18:15 19:00 19:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:15 10:15 18:00 19:00 19:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:15 10:15 19:00 19:15 10:25 9:50 10:45 11:15 10:15 18:00 19:00 19:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:45 10:15 18:00 18:15 19:00 19:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:45 10:15 18:15 19:00 19:15 12:50 12:55 14:55 8:50 13:55 14:55 14:55 15:35 12:55 9:20 8:50 13:55 14:55 15:55 18:05 11:55 18:05 19:30 18:05 18:40 12:25 18:05 19:30 9:15 9:00 9:55 11:15 12:10 12:40 15:40 15:30 16:25

TUE

Yangon to Nyaung U
MON YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 6T 501/K7 224 YJ 781 YH 731 TUE YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 6T 501/K7 224 YJ 781 YH 731 WED YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 K7 242 YJ 143/W97143 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 THUR YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 YJ 143/W97143 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 FRI YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 K7 242 YJ 143/W97143 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 SAT YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 SUN YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 YH 909 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 781 6T 501/K7 224 K7 224 YH 731

Yangon to Myitkyina

YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 711 YJ 761 K7 822 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 WED YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YJ 143/W97143 YJ 751 K7 826 K7 224 YJ 791 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 YJ 792 THUR YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YJ 761 YJ 143/W97143 K7 828 YH 711 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 FRI YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 242 YJ 751 YH 727 YJ 791 6T 501/K7 224 K7 224 YH 731 YJ 792 SAT YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 224 YJ 761 K7 826 K7 224 6T 501/K7 224 YH 731 SUN YH 917 6T 401 YJ 751 YH 505 YH 737 K7 822 6T 501/K7 224 K7 224 YH 731 MON YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 761 6T 501/K7 224 YJ 762 YH 728 YH 732 K7 829 TUE YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 YH 712 6T 501/K7 224 YJ 762 YH 732 K7 823 WED YH 918 K7 243 YJ 892 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 143/W9 7143 6T 501/K7 224 YH 732 K7 827 YJ752/W9 7752

6:10 6:10 6:20 10:30 11:00 11:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 7:00 11:00 12:30 14:15 14:30 14:30 15:00 15:55 6:10 6:10 6:20 11:00 7:00 10:00 10:30 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:45 11:00 11:15 14:30 14:30 14:15 15:00 15:55 6:10 6:10 6:20 6:45 7:00 12:30 14:15 14:30 15:00 6:10 6:20 11:00 10:30 11:15 11:30 14:30 14:15 15:00 9:15 9:15 10:10 9:50 11:00 16:00 15:50 16:00 16:25 16:30 9:15 9:15 9:35 9:50 11:55 16:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 9:15 9:15 9:15 9:35 9:50 10:05 16:00 16:25 16:30 17:40

9:00 9:15 9:20 11:55 12:10 13:45 15:40 16:25 9:00 9:15 9:20 9:50 12:10 13:45 15:30 15:40 15:40 16:25 18:45 9:00 9:15 9:20 12:10 9:50 11:15 11:55 15:40 16:25 9:00 8:40 9:20 9:00 12:10 12:40 15:40 15:40 15:30 16:25 18:45 9:00 9:15 9:20 9:00 8:10 13:45 15:30 15:40 16:25 9:15 9:20 12:10 11:55 12:40 13:45 15:40 15:30 16:25 10:25 10:25 11:20 11:05 12:10 19:00 18:00 18:10 19:15 17:45 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 14:00 19:00 18:00 19:15 19:25 10:25 11:30 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:15 19:00 19:15 17:45 18:50

THUR YJ 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 712 YJ 762 YH 732 6T 501/K7 224 YJ 602/W9 7602 K7 829 FRI YH 918 YJ 892 K7 243 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 143/W9 7143 YH 732 6T 501/K7 224 YH 728 SAT YJ 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 762 YH 732 6T 501/K7 224 K7 827 SUN YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 YH 506 6T 501/K7 224 YH 732 YH 738 MON 6T 603C 6T 607 TUE K7 422 6T 603C 6T 611 WED 6T 603C 6T 611 THRU 6T 603C 6T 611 FRI 6T 603C 6T 605 SAT 6T 611 SUN K7 422 6T 611 MON 6T 604C 6T 608 TUE K7 423 6T 612 WED 6T 612 THUR 6T 612 FRI 6T 606 SAT 6T 612 SUN K7 423 6T 612

9:15 9:15 9:35 9:50 10:05 11:55 15:50 16:25 16:00 16:25 16:30 8:40 9:15 9:15 9:35 9:50 10:05 16:25 16:00 16:00 9:15 9:15 9:35 9:50 11:50 16:25 16:00 17:10 9:15 9:35 9:50 11:55 16:00 16:25 16:40 7:00 11:45 6:45 7:00 14:30 7:00 14:30 7:00 14:30 7:00 11:15 14:30 6:45 14:30 11:05 13:30 8:55 16:15 16:15 16:15 13:35 16:15 8:55 16:15

10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:15 14:00 18:00 19:15 19:00 17:35 17:45 9:50 10:25 11:30 10:45 11:05 11:15 19:15 19:00 18:10 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 14:00 19:15 19:00 18:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 14:00 19:00 19:15 18:50 9:05 13:10 8:40 9:05 15:55 9:05 15:55 9:05 15:55 9:05 13:15 15:55 8:40 15:55 12:30 15:30 10:50 17:40 17:40 17:40 15:00 17:40 10:50 17:40

Yangon to Myeik
MON K7 319 TUE K7 319 YJ 301 WED K7 319 6T 707 YJ301 THUR K7 319 FRI K7 319 SAT K7 319 6T 707 YJ301 SUN K7 319 6T 707 MON K7 320 TUE YJ 302 K7 320 WED K7 320 6T 708 THUR K7 320 FRI K7 320 SAT K7 320 YJ 302 6T 708 SUN K7 320 6T 708 MON K7 420 YH 503 6T 607 TUE K7 422 YH 711 WED YH 711 THUR K7 420 YH 711 FRI YH 503 6T 605 SAT YH 505 SUN K7 422 YH 505 MON K7 421 YH 504 6T 608 TUE K7 423 YH 712 WED YH 712 THUR K7 421 YH 712 FRI K7 243 YH 504 6T 605 SAT K7 245 YH 504 SUN K7 423 YH 506 7:00 7:00 12:15 7:00 11:15 11:30 7:00 7:00 7:00 11:15 12:45 7:00 7:30 11:30 14:40 11:30 11:30 15:40 11:30 11:30 11:30 16:40 15:40 11:30 11:55 6:45 10:30 11:15 6:45 10:30 12:00 6:45 10:30 10:30 11:15 10:30 6:45 10:30 7:55 11:35 14:35 9:55 13:10 15:30 7:55 13:10 10:35 11:35 12:25 10:35 11:35 9:55 13:10 9:05 9:05 14:25 9:05 13:15 13:40 9:05 9:05 9:05 13:15 14:55 9:05 9:30 13:35 18:50 13:35 13:35 17:40 13:35 13:35 13:35 18:50 17:40 13:35 13:55 7:40 11:35 14:20 7:40 13:10 15:30 7:40 13:10 11:35 12:10 11:35 7:40 13:10 8:50 12:25 15:30 10:50 14:00 16:20 8:50 14:00 11:30 12:25 15:00 11:30 12:25 10:50 14:00

Myeik to Yangon

Yangon to Thandwe

Yangon to Sittwe

Thandwe to Yangon

Sittwe to Yangon

Heho to Yangon

Domestic Airlines
Air Bagan Ltd. (W9)
Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102

Asian Wings (AW)

Tel: 951 516654, 532253, 09-731-35991~3.Fax: 951 532333

Air KBZ (K7)

Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (Airport) Fax: 372983

Yangon Airways(YH)
Tel: (+95-1) 383 100, 383 107, 700 264, Fax: 652 533.

Myitkyina to Yangon

Air Mandalay (6T)

Tel : (Head Office) 501520, 525488, Fax: 525937. Airport: 533222~3, 0973152853. Fax: 533223.

FMI Air Charter Sales & Reservations

Tel: (95-1) 240363, 240373 / (+95-9) 421146545

International Airlines
Air Asia (FD)
Tel: 251 885, 251 886.

Yangon to Heho

Air Bagan Ltd.(W9) Air China (CA) Air India

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

Tel : 387648, 241007 ext : 120, 121, 122 Fax : 241124

Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Tel : 666112, 655882. Tel : 253597~98, 254758. Fax: 248175

Myanmar Airways International(8M)

Tel : 255260, Fax: 255305

Silk Air(MI)

Tel: 255 287~9, Fax: 255 290

Domestic
6T = Air Mandalay W9 = Air Bagan YJ = Asian Wings K7 = AIR KBZ YH = Yangon Airways UB = FMI UB Charter Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines

Bangkok Airways (PG)

Thai Airways (TG) Vietnam Airlines (VN)

Tel : 255491~6, Fax : 255223

Subject to change without notice

Tel: 255122, 255 265, Fax: 255119

Condor (DE)

Tel: + 95 1 -370836 up to 39 (ext : 810)

Fax : 255086. Tel 255066/ 255088/ 255068.

Dragonair (KA)
Tel: 95-1-255320, 255321, Fax : 255329

Qatar Airways (Temporary Office)

Tel: 01-250388, (ext: 8142, 8210)

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International FLIGHT SCHEDULES

Days Flight

Dep Arr

Days Flight

Dep Arr

Days Flight

Dep Arr

Days Flight

Dep Arr

Days Flight

Dep Arr

MON PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 TUE PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 WED PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 THUR PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 FRI PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 SAT PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 SUN PG 706 8M 333 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306

YANGON TO BANGKOK
7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 7:15 8:20 8:40 9:50 10:30 14:55 16:30 18:20 19:45 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 9:30 10:05 10:25 11:45 12:25 16:50 18:15 20:15 21:40 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35 10:20 14:05 19:35

SUN MI 509 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 VN 942 8M 233 MI 517 MON 8M 501 AK 1427 MH 741 AK 1425 TUE AK 1427 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1425 MH 743 WED AK 1427 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1425 THUR AK 1427 MH 741 AK 1425 FRI AK 1427 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1425 MH 743 SAT AK 1427 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1425 SUN AK 1427 MH 741 AK 1425 MH 743 TUE WED THUR SAT SUN CA 906 CA 906 CA 906 CA 906 CA 906

0:25 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 14:25 15:05 16:40 7:50 8:30 12:15 16:45 8:30 7:50 12:15 16:45 16:55 8:30 7:50 12:15 16:45 8:30 12:15 16:45 8:30 7:50 12:15 16:45 16:55 8:30 7:50 12:15 16:45 8:30 12:15 16:45 16:55

5:00 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 17:10 19:30 21:15 11:50 12:50 16:30 21:00 12:50 11:50 16:30 21:00 21:10 12:50 11:50 16:30 21:00 12:50 16:30 21:00 12:50 11:50 16:30 21:00 21:10 12:50 11:50 16:30 21:00 12:50 16:30 21:00 21:10 21:55 21:55 21:55 21:55 21:55

MON NH 914 WED NH 914 SAT NH 914

YANGON TO TOKYO

FRI

21:30 06:40+1 21:30 06:40+1 21:30 06:40+1 8:25 8:25 9:30 8:25 8:25 8:25 9:30 8:25 9:30 8:25 9:30 8:25 8:25 8:25 8:25 8:25 8:25 8:25 10:45 10:45 11:55 10:45 10:45 10:45 11:55 10:45 11:55 10:45 11:55 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:15 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 17:20 17:20 17:20 17:20 17:20 17:20 17:20

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

MON 8M 335 TUE 8M 335 TG 782 WED 8M 335 THUR 8M 335 FRI 8M 335 TG 782 SAT 8M 335 TG 782 SUN 8M 335 TG 782 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN 8M 335 8M 335 8M 335 8M 335 8M 335 8M 335 8M 335

MANDALAY TO BANGKOK

FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 SAT FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 SUN FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753

7:15 11:10 16:35 7:15 11:10 16:35 7:15 11:10 16:35 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 22:10 15:35 14:20 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 20:30 22:10 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 20:30 22:10 7:55 9:10 9:10 13:25 14:20 15:35 20:30 22:10 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:05

8:00 11:45 17:20 8:00 11:45 17:20 8:00 11:45 17:20 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 23:35 17:05 15:45 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 21:55 23:35 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 21:55 23:35 9:20 10:40 10:40 14:50 15:45 17:05 21:55 23:35 13:15 13:15 13:15 13:15 13:15

MANDALAY TO SINGAPORE

MANDALAY TO DON MUENG

FD 2761 FD 2761 FD 2761 FD 2761 FD 2761 FD 2761 FD 2761 12:45 12:45 12:45 12:45 12:45 12:45 12:45 14:40 14:40 14:40 14:40 14:40 14:40 14:40

MANDALAY TO KUNMING
MU 2030 MU 2030 MU 2030 MU 2030 MU 2030 MU 2030 MU 2030

YANGON TO BEIJING
14:15 14:15 14:15 14:15 14:15

MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN

YANGON TO GAUNGZHOU
CZ 3056 8M 711 CZ 3056 8M 711 CZ 3056 CZ 3056 8M 711 17:40 8:40 11:20 8:40 17:40 11:20 8:40 22:15 13:15 15:50 13:15 22:15 15:50 13:15

TUE 8M 603 THUR 8M 603 SUN 8M 603

MANDALAY TO GAYA
11:10 12:15 11:10 12:15 11:10 12:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15 7:15 7:55 8:50 11:30 13:00 16:45 16:50 17:50 19:15 20:15

MON FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 TUE FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 WED FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 THUR FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 FRI FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 SAT FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 SUN FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754

YANGON TO DON MUENG

8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50 8:30 12:50 17:50

MON CI 7916 TUE CI 7916 BR 288 WED CI 7916 THUR CI 7916 FRI CI 7916 BR 288 SAT BR 288 SUN CI 7916

YANGON TO TAIPEI
10:50 10:50 11:35 10:50 10:50 10:50 11:35 11:35 10:50

16:10 16:10 17:20 16:10 16:10 16:10 17:20 17:20 16:10 18:00 17:35 18:00 18:10 17:35 17:35 18:00 18:00 17:35 18:00 17:35 18:00

MON MU 2032 TUE CA 906 MU 2032 WED MU 2012 CA 906 THUR CA 906 MU 2032 FRI MU 2032 SAT CA 906 MU 2032 SUN CA 906 MU 2032 MON AI 234 FRI AI 234

YANGON TO KUNMING
14:40 14:15 14:40 12:20 14:15 14:15 14:40 14:40 14:15 14:40 14:15 14:40

YANGON TO KOLKATA
14:05 15:05 14:05 15:05

THUR W9 9607 14:20 16:10 SUN W9 9607 14:20 16:10 MON WED FRI SAT SUN

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI YANGON TO HANOI

VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10

MON MI 509 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 TUE MI 509 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 VN 942 MI 517 WED 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 THUR 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 VN 942 MI 517 FRI 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 8M 233 MI 517 SAT MI 509 8M 231 Y5 233 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517

YANGON TO SINGAPORE
0:25 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 16:40 0:25 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 14:25 16:40 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 16:40 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 14:25 16:40 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 15:05 16:40 0:25 8:00 10:10 10:25 11:30 11:30 16:40 5:00 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15 5:00 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 17:10 21:15 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 17:10 21:15 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 19:30 21:15 5:00 12:25 14:40 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15

21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30

TUE VN 942 THUR VN 942 SUN VN 942 MON WED FRI SAT

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH CITY

14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 8:20 8:20 8:20 8:20

YANGON TO GAYA
8M 601 8M 601 8M 601 8M 601

MON QR 619 THUR QR 619 FRI QR 619

YANGON TO DOHA

8:15 11:15 8:15 11:15 8:15 11:15

WED 8M 403 SAT 8M 403 MON TUE WED THUR

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

16:50 19:15 16:50 19:15 23:45 23:40 23:40 23:40 0:35 23:40 23:40 23:40 0:35

KE 472 KE 472 KE 472 KE 472 0Z 770 FRI KE 472 SAT KE 472 SUN KE 472 0Z 4763

YANGON TO SEOUL

8:05+1:00 8:05+1:00 8:05+1:00 8:05+1:00 9:10 8:05+1:00 8:05+1:00 8:05+1:00 9:10

MON FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 TUE FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 WED FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 THUR FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 FRI FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 SAT FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 SUN FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 334 TG 301 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 MON FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 TUE FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 WED FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 THUR FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753

BANGKOK TO YANGON
8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30 8:00 8:50 9:40 12:15 13:45 17:35 17:35 18:45 20:00 21:30

MON SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 520 Y5 234 MI 518 TUE SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 WED SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 THUR SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 FRI SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 8M 234 MI 520 SAT SQ 998 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 8M 234 MI 520 SUN SQ 998 8M 6231 3K 585 8M 232 MI 518 Y5 234 8M 234 MI 520 TUE WED THUR SAT SUN CA 905 CA 905 CA 905 CA 905 CA 905

SINGAPORE TO YANGON

MON MU 2031 TUE CA 905 MU 2031 WED CA 905 MU 2011 THUR CA 905 MU 2031 FRI MU 2031 SAT CA 905 MU 2031 SUN CA 905 MU 2031 MON AI 227 FRI AI 227

KUNMING TO YANGON
13:30 12:40 13:30 12:40 8:20 12:40 13:30 13:30 12:40 13:30 12:40 13:30 13:55 13:15 13:55 13:15 11:30 13:15 13:55 13:55 13:15 13:55 13:15 13:55

KOLKATA TO YANGON
10:35 13:20 10:35 13:20

The central pillar of Mogao Cave 432, from the Western Wei Dynasty, is presented in Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road at the China Institute in New York. Photo: AP

THUR W9 9608 17:20 18:10 SUN W9 9608 17:20 18:10 MON WED FRI SAT SUN

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON

NEW YORK

HANOI TO YANGON
VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35

18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10

HO CHI MINH CITY TO YANGON

TUE VN 943 THUR VN 943 SUN VN 943 MON WED FRI SAT 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 9:20 9:20 9:20 9:20

GAYA TO YANGON
8M 602 8M 602 8M 602 8M 602

12:30 12:30 12:30 12:30 7:35 7:35 8:50 7:35 7:35 7:35 8:50 7:35 8:50 7:35 8:50

MON 8M 336 TUE 8M 336 TG 781 WED 8M 336 THUR 8M 336 FRI 8M 336 TG 781 SAT 8M 336 TG 781 SUN 8M 336 TG 781 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN

BANGKOK TO MANDALAY
6:15 6:15 7:25 6:15 6:15 6:15 7:25 6:15 7:25 6:15 7:25

NYC exhibit depicts ancient Buddhist caves

THE China Institute Gallery has been transformed into an ancient cave, taking visitors back more than a millennium to a dazzling world where Buddhist worshippers adorned the walls with colourful frescoes, silk prayer banners and lavishly painted life-size clay sculptures. Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road features a replica of an 8th century cave carved into the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Gobi Desert southeast of the oasis town of Dunhuang from 366 to about 1300. It is one of 735 Mogao Caves constructed during what is known as the high Tang period (705-781), designed for devout Buddhists to gather and worship. Nearly every centimetre is covered in art, with a canopy ceiling resplendent in floral and diamond shapes. While there have been exhibitions that have featured individual pieces from the Mogoa Caves, this is the first exhibition in the United States to put all the elements of the cave shrines into context, said Annette Juliano, a professor of Chinese art history at Rutgers University. It shows the relationship between the architecture, the pictures, the subject matter and the ritual practices, the actual use of the cave, rather than just an abstraction, added Juliano, who visited the caves for the first time in 1980. Many of the caves are exquisitely preserved but others are fragile due to neglect over the centuries and the conditions of the surrounding desert and sand dunes. To protect them from further erosion, tourist access is limited to several dozen caves a day that are rotated regularly. The exhibition also features a 6th century replica of an elaborate square altar called the Central Stupa Pillar that highlights the religious ritual of circumambulation an act of veneration in which the faithful walk clockwise around the altar that contains four niches, each holding a Buddha. Walking around the stupa pillar helps to empty your mind to allow visualisation, to focus on the images of the Buddhas, said Juliano, who contributed an essay to the exhibition catalogue. Exact, hand-painted reproductions of wall motifs and story scenes complete the exhibition space in this gallery. Among the highlights is a Thousand Buddha pattern that covers an entire wall and is symbolic of the deitys omnipresence. Among the narrative paintings is the tale of the Deer King and his journey toward enlightenment. Authentic silk prayer banners, a handwritten Buddhist scripture in near mint condition, a Yuan dynasty fragment of a mathematical document, small clay figurines, Persian silver coins that bear witness to foreign travelers on the Silk Road, patterned floor tiles and oil lamps used to light the dark caves round out the small twogallery exhibition. The Mogao Cave shrines, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, were largely unknown in the West until they were discovered in 1900 by a Hungarian archaeologist, Sir Aurel Stein. Dunhuang, located at the north and south crossroads of the Silk Road, was a strategic hub of trade and religion. Stein, who made several treks through Central Asia, had heard rumors of a cave room sealed in the 11th century containing tens of thousands of manuscripts, scrolls, silk paintings and textiles dating in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and other languages. A local caretaker had uncovered the treasure trove after discovering a crack in the wall of a corridor leading to a larger cave. Its not clear why the room was sealed, but scholars speculate they were walled up to protect them from the threat of invasion from nomadic people. Stein was able to persuade the caretaker to sell a portion of the material in exchange for money for the caves upkeep. In subsequent years, almost 80 percent of the contents were taken out of the country by foreign adventurers. Today, the treasures are found in various museums and libraries around the world. The exhibition, organised by the Dunhuang Academy, runs through July 21. A second exhibition in the fall will focus on paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists inspired by the caves. AP

SINGAPORE TO MANDALAY
8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 8M 336 16:05 7:35:00+1 13:15 16:20 13:15 16:20 13:15 16:20

BEIJING TO YANGON

TUE 8M 604 THUR 8M 604 SUN 8M 604 WED QR 618 THUR QR 618 SUN QR 618

GAYA TO MANDALAY

DOHA TO YANGON

MON AK 1426 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1424 TUE AK 1426 MH 740 8M 502 MH 742 AK 1424 WED AK 1426 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1424 THUR AK 1426 MH 740 AK 1424 FRI AK 1426 MH 740 8M 502 MH 742 AK 1424 SAT AK 1426 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1424 SUN AK 1426 MH 740 MH 742 AK 1424 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN CZ 3055 8M 712 CZ 3055 8M 712 CZ 3055 CZ 3055 8M 712

KAULA LUMPUR TO YANGON

6:55 10:05 12:50 15:05 6:55 10:05 12:50 14:45 15:05 6:55 10:05 12:50 15:05 6:55 10:05 15:05 6:55 10:05 12:50 14:45 15:05 6:55 10:05 12:50 15:05 6:55 10:05 14:45 15:05 8:00 11:15 13:50 16:15 8:00 11:15 13:50 15:55 16:15 8:00 11:15 13:50 16:15 8:00 11:15 16:15 8:00 11:15 13:50 15:55 16:15 8:00 11:15 13:50 16:15 8:00 11:15 15:55 16:15 16:35 15:50 10:30 15:50 16:35 10:30 15:50

21:05 07:00+1 21:05 07:00+1 21:05 07:00+1 20:15 21:40 20:15 21:40 18:40 18:40 18:40 19:50 18:40 18:40 18:40 19:50 18:40

WED 8M 404 SAT 8M 404 MON KE 471 TUE KE 471 WED KE 471 0Z 769 THUR KE 471 FRI KE 471 SAT KE 471 0Z 769 SUN KE 471

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON SEOUL TO YANGON

22:55 22:55 22:55 23:25 22:55 22:55 22:55 23:25 22:55

MON 8M 402 FRI 8M 402

SIEM REAP TO YANGON

20:15 21:25 20:15 21:25

MON NH 913 WED NH 913 SAT NH 913 MON WED FRI SUN KA 250 KA 250 KA 250 KA 250

TOKYO TO YANGON

10:30 15:30 11:10 17:05 11:10 17:05 21:45 21:45 21:45 21:45 23:30 23:30 23:30 23:30

HONG KONG TO YANGON

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
14:45 14:15 8:40 14:15 14:45 8:40 14:15

MON CI 7915 TUE CI 7915 BR 287 WED CI 7915 THUR CI 7915 FRI CI 7915 BR 287 SAT BR 287 SUN CI 7915

TAIPEI TO YANGON
7:00 7:00 7:45 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:45 7:45 7:00

9:50 9:50 10:35 9:50 9:50 9:50 10:35 10:35 9:50

MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN

DON MUEANG TO MANDALAY

FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 10:50 10:50 10:50 10:50 10:50 10:50 10:50 13:55 13:55 13:55 13:55 13:55 13:55 13:55 12:15 12:15 12:15 12:15 12:15 12:15 12:15 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50

KUNMING TO MANDALAY
MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029

International
FD & AK = Air Asia TG = Thai Airways 8M = Myanmar Airways International Y5 = Golden Myanmar Airlines PG = Bangkok Airways MI = Silk Air VN = Vietnam Airline MH = Malaysia Airlines CZ = China Southern CI = China Airlines CA = Air China KA = Dragonair IC = Indian Airlines Limited W9 = Air Bagan 3K = Jet Star AI = Air India QR = Qatar Airways KE = Korea Airlines NH = All Nippon Airways SQ = Singapore Airways DE = Condor Airlines MU=China Eastern Airlines BR = Eva Airlines DE = Condor

DON MUENG TO YANGON

7:15 11:10 16:35 7:15 11:10 16:35 7:15 11:10 16:35 7:15 11:10 16:35 8:00 11:45 17:20 8:00 11:45 17:20 8:00 11:45 17:20 8:00 11:45 17:20

MON 8M 401 FRI 8M 401 MON TUE THUR SAT KA 251 KA 251 KA 251 KA 251

YANGON SIEM REAP

17:05 19:15 17:05 19:15 1:10 1:10 1:10 1:10 6:00 5:45 5:45 5:45

YANGON TO HONG KONG

Subject to change without notice

48 the pulse international

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

India plans to relax Bollywood censorship

I
By Rupam Jain Nair

NDIAS all-powerful censor board is planning a lighter approach to Bollywood after decades of chopping tens of thousands of film scenes, from onscreen kisses to violent endings. Set up by British rulers in the 1920s to block US movies with anticolonial sentiment, the board went on to cut Indian films as much for their supposedly racy content as for their political overtones. But as the country rapidly modernises, the government must walk the tightrope of catering to a more liberal, youthful India without angering still deeply conservative strands of society. The rules are old, admitted R Singh, joint secretary of the film department in New Delhi. We have to write them with a modern and honest outlook. The Indian value system has changed, hence censor rules must change. The government attempted to show its more open-minded approach at the recent Cut-Uncut Festival in the capital, which screened originally censored film clips for the first time as part of Indian cinemas centenary celebrations. Directors such as Ramesh Sippy, who made the Hindi action blockbuster Sholay (Embers) in 1975 also had the chance to vent their anger at censorship culture. Sippy said he was forced to change his films plotline at the insistence of the censors, who decided it was too violent. The board said: We will tell you how to end the movie, and I was forced to shoot the ending again. I realised that if I keep fighting, my

films release will not be allowed. K Hariharan, a critically acclaimed filmmaker from south India, said he felt like an anxious student waiting for his performance card whenever censors watched his film. He thinks it is time to disband the board, which he sees as a colonial remnant that restricts freedom of expression an idea that the government may slowly be agreeing with. This whole business of brutally chopping scenes or forcing the filmmakers to alter the climax will have to end, said Singh, who oversees the task of issuing certificates to all Indian movies. A more relaxed approach is already allowing filmmakers to experiment. Aamir Khan tested the limits in 2011 with comedy Delhi Belly, a film that outraged conservative critics for its toilet humour and dialogue strewn with profanities, which surprisingly passed the censors uncut. Despite protests at cinemas and even a court case on charges of obscenity and insulting religion, the movie ran to full houses and became

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan performs during the music launch for the Hindi film The Dirty Picture in Mumbai in November 2011. Photo: AFP

'The rules are old. We have to write them with a modern and honest outlook. The Indian value system has changed, hence censor rules must change.'
R Singh Film censor

a cult hit for its reflection of young people in modern, urban India. Censors admit that regulating content is becoming an unwieldy job in a country of 1.2 billion, which has witnessed an explosion in its television and media industry along with growing internet access. In the past two decades, the country went from having just two state-run channels to nearly 400 private ones, and filmmakers are increasingly keen to get their work on the small screen to generate more revenue. But as censor board chief Pankaja Thakur points out, they run a greater risk of being chopped on television. In April last year The Dirty Picture, a popular film about the life of a 1980s Indian soft-porn star, was stopped hours before its television premiere after two court petitions objected to its content.

It took 60 cuts before it was allowed to air on the small screen. Television is a much more mass medium than the movie halls, so we have to ensure that content on TV is suitable, Thakur said. The censors dilemma reflects a larger debate about freedom of expression in India, which is proud of its status as the worlds largest democracy but can also be quick to enact bans for fear of provoking agitation. In 2011, northern states banned Aarakshan (Reservation), which tackled the thorny issue of caste quotas in government jobs and education, because they said it could incite civil disorder and violence. Southern Tamil Nadu state in January forced spy thriller Vishwaroopam out of cinemas after Muslim groups complained that they were portrayed negatively, until the director finally agreed to make alterations.

Objections to sex or nudity have mainly come from conservative Hindu groups who see themselves as champions of traditional Indian values and censors too still see their role partly as one of moral guardianship. They recently decided to take a more stringent approach to the item number a sexually charged song-and-dance sequence that has come under growing fire as India debates its treatment of women after a spate of shocking sex crimes. Others say it is up to the filmmakers and audiences to bring about a change. Ours is a really difficult job, said Thakur. We want to have a liberal approach and respect artistic endeavour, but at the same time we have to address the smallest possible objection. AFP

Weekly predictions
May 13 to 19
Aquarius Make up your mind to set limits on mental enjoyment and curb your constant thinking about emotional balance. A wonderful change in lifestyle will make family relations more comfortable. Follow the path of human duty, just as the sun sends its energy without fail to all the planets in the solar system. Pisces Focus on striving for positive changes in society and within yourself. Social interference will disturb your communication channels for three days this week; keep morale and energy levels high during this period. Understanding the difference between what you need and what you want is important for developing self-respect. Aries Fear will provide the energy required to

do your best in a new situation. Be determined to do the things you think you cannot do. Changing your outlook will help you use your energy more productively. Utilise your sweet tongue not for lying or for speaking evil about others, but for adding value to every conversation. Challenge yourself to learn forgiveness and work on ways to show clemency to others. Taurus Changes in your family life will cause some ugly disturbances to which you must learn to adjust. Few positive social opportunities will come your way this week, and you will find yourself having to choose between new theories and old, conservative ideas. Avoid becoming emotionally attached to material goods. Gemini Dedicate this week to treading a more graceful path that will make your life easier and make you more compatible with others. Replacing old habits of reaction with new habits of perspective could

improve everything concerning social relationships and your love life. Dont sweat the small stuff, and take care of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. Cancer Your innate aesthetic sense will help you focus on finding beauty and harmony in social relationships. Change the things that can be changed, accept those that cannot be given any argument, and have the wisdom to know the difference between and among human beings. Leo Perpetual transformation is not something to be feared. Follow the rules of social diplomacy and uphold morality in all your relationships. Avoid blaming others for your own feelings of heartache and sorrow. Encourage yourself and others to do their best according to the qualities they possess. Seeing the other point of view first will bring you closer to the person with whom you are disagreeing.

Virgo The cause of conflict is nothing but selfish craving. Good deeds should be performed without delay, and will result in the shining of new light that will help you find your direction. Passing, waiting and taking time are necessary to develop the art of love. Libra No one is free from blemish, but make sure that your careless manners and misconceptions do not unnecessarily stain someones good reputation. Make honesty, industry and the pursuit of justice the fundamental rules under which you pursue your responsibilities. Scorpio Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress. Give your partner the right to participate in your activities as well as the freedom and liberty to pursue their own interests. Learn to value the contributions of others more deeply, and maintain sincere respect and understanding at all times.

Sagittarius Material gains will not bring you peace of mind. Your emotional detachment will help you focus clearly on the situation at hand, aiding in the discovery of new social inks and opportunities. Do not stand by and wait for positive change; instead, take action to change the things that need changing. Capricorn Whether the mind is chaotic or operating in good order, the soul has a powerful attachment to life. Self-management has the power to create mental balance, which can help you pass through any problems. The secret to good health is developing the art of maintaining purity of mind and emotions, and understanding the value of social manners. FOR A PERSONAL READING CONTACT: AUNG MYIN KYAW 4th Floor, 113, Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 09-731-35632 Email: williameaste@gmail.com

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personal best on exams, to improve your comprehension & reduce the time you need to spend studying. Ph:09731-42020, Email: kaungmyatoo251@ gmail.com Literature study for IB & SAT up to12 Grade. External students can practice to sit on SAT , GMAT preparation can also be inquire .Beginner or intermediate Spanish and French language practicing & study. It is right to enjoy reading classic and persuaded writing ,critical thinking and world culture .If you had tried as much as you can to follow the lesson and you will get good experiences and skill .This program will help you capability and fill your luck of knowledge. U Thant Zin, 28, 3B, Thatipahtan St, Tamwe. Ph:09- 5035350 , 01- 547442, 09310 21314 Part time study guide 7:00 ~ 9:00 Pm. Ph: 09420-106628. For international school's students All subjects (Grade 1 to Grade 4) Only Maths specialized (Grade 1 to Grade 6). Ph: 09-420087050. i ntern a t i on a l schools subjects: English, Maths, Science, Hindi, Urdu & Social. Will coach your kids with great effort. Contact :Teacher Fiona :31, 6th flr, U Lun St, Tawme. Ph: 09-43063590 "Scholar Teaching Organization" founded with ME,BE and Master Degree holder with 12 years experience in teaching field.Role and Responsibility: Making the students develop problem solving skills, critical thinking skills & I.Q & E.Q enriching skills,Int'l School (ILBC, Total, MISY, ISY, PISM, Horizon,ISM,network, CISM,MIS,MLA,ES4E ,DSY RV). All grades, All Subjects Singapore MOE Exams (AEIS, S-AEIS exam IELTS, TOFEL. Tr.Htet :09215-0075, 09-401600705, Tr.Bryan 09420-070692. english for Young Learners & Adult General English (4 skills). Foundation English Course. Business English Course. One to One, Special class & Home, SA YA Zaw Myo Win, Ph: 09-730-26906. young Learners English: Young learners (Age 6-14) (Starters, Movers, Flyers, KET, PET) One to One, Special Class & Home. Adults learners (Age above 16). Sa Ya Zaw Myo Win, Ph: 09-73026906, 09-310-56840.. Teachers who have got Teaching experience in Singapore,Grade 10, 11 & Intl School, GCSE, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, Sayar Bryan, ME ( IT) 0942 007 0692, Sayar Htet : 09-215-0075, Sayar Min Aung (B.E, IT) : 09-49280490 ENGLISH classes for Cambridge Young Learners - Starters/ Movers/ Flyers/ KET & PET. Also available Business English for Absolute Beginners (Adults), Reading classes for 6-10 y.o, Creative Writing for 7-10 y.o. & Book Club for 7-12 y.o Call 09-506-2283 HOME TUITION for AP, IGCSE/BIOLOGY. Ph: 09-731-00069. saya Saw Aung (Ex.A.P) Chemistry Classes for Intl school (see-levels), iGCSE, GCE A Level & SAT II. Ph : 09-500-5470. Exam preparation classes for IGCSE MAY/ JUNE 2013 (Edexcel & Cambridge). Only 5 students per class. All subject available. For more info: Tr. Pyae Phyo Kyaw 09-508-8683 14" Black Colour ( Like New) Price : 230000. Ph : 09-450-039844 Galaxy Note 2(brand new) 470,000ks, Ph: 09431-84138 New iPad 16GB Wifi+4G 3 Month Warranty. Price : 400000. iPad 2 16GB Wifi Only. Price : 250000. Ph : 09-501-6694 Acer Aspier 4740 Intel Core i5 Ram 2GB H.D.D 320GB Finger Print Display 14" Blue Colour ( Like New) Price : 350000. Ph : 01248076 New iPad 16GB Wifi+4G 3 Month Warranty Price : 400000. iPad 2 16GB Wifi Only. Price : 250000. Ph : 09-501-6694 New Ipad 3 32GB (Black) Excellent Condition With Cable and Charger Full HD Game & App installed Ready to use Price - 380000 Ph:- 09730-48106 Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000 Price : 300000 Samsung S3 Mini Price : 210000. Ph: : 094-5003-9844 Toshiba Qosmio F750 3D Laptop Intel Core i7 Ram 4GB H.D.D 640GB Graphics 2GB Display 15.6" Red Colour (Like new) Price : 600000. Ph : 09-501-6694 iPhone 5 32GB Black 10 Month Warranty Price : 625000. iPhone 5 16GB Black. 8 Month Warranty. Price : 525000. Ph : 09450-03984 Dell Inspiron N5110 Intel Core i7 Ram 8GB H.D.D 640GB Graphics 1GB Display 15.6" Red Colour (Like New) Price : 550000. Ph : 09-5016694. Mattress rubber, Kings size, 200 x 190 x 12. Two years old, good order, 60,000 k ONO. Palm Village, Yankin, Yangon. email only. pl8ts@hotmail.com Original 3DS Game Cartridge (Spirit Camrea: The Cursed Memoir) 20000 Kyats, Original 3DS Game Cartridge (Kid Icarus: Uprising) - 20000 Kyats. Ph: 09507-9980" Acer Aspier 4740 Intel Core i5 Ram 2GB H.D.D 320GB Finger Print Display 14" Blue Colour (Like new) Price : 350000. Ph : 01-248076 Acer Aspire 4743G Intel Core i3 Ram 2GB H.D.D 320GB Graphics 512MB Display 14" Black Colour (Like New) Price : 280000. Ph : 09-450039844 iPad 4 32GB White 4G iPad 3 32GB White Wifi iPad Mini 64GB Black WiFi. Ph : 09-501-6694 Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Note 1 S2 S3 & Samsung tabltes. Ph : 09-450-039844. iPad 4 32GB White + 4G (10 Month Warranty) Price : 570000. iPad 3 64GB White Wifi (8 Month Warranty) Price : 460000. Ph : 09-5016694. Acer 4775 Intel Core i5 Ram 4GB H.D.D 750GB Graphic nvidia 1GB Green colour Price : 400000. Ph : 01-248076. iPad 4 32GB White + 4G (10 Month Warranty) Price : 570000. iPad 3 64GB White Wifi (8 Month Warranty) Price : 460000. Ph : 09-5016694 iPad 4 32GB White 4G iPad 3 32GB White Wifi iPad Mini 64GB Black WiFi. Ph : 09-501-6694 Dell Inspiron N5110 Intel Core i7 Ram 8GB H.D.D 640GB Graphics 1GB Display 15.6" Red Colour (Like New) Price : 550000. Ph : 09-5016694 (1) Sony TV 25'" Trinitron, TruSurround with SRS (2) Yamaha Generator , Single Cylinder 2.3 KVA, EF 2600, Petrol Engine OHV Engine, Brushless Ph: 09-501-2801, 519 268

By Fax : 01-254158 By Email : classified@myanmartimes.com.mm, advertising@myanmartimes.com.mm By Mail : 379/383, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Township, Yangon.

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Property
Saya Dennis Special : English Four skills (Intro-Advanced) , IELTS (Foundation & Prepa ration) , communi cative skill in English, English for Grade 11, Business English, Job Interview and affair. Ph: 09-401604365

HousingforRent
pearl Condo. Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. Bldg "C", Sqft 1800, As good as new, 1MB, 2BR, 2hp standing AC + 3AC, Fully furnished, Flat TV, 2Door Fridge, Washing Mashine, Backup Generator, 2 Water hearters, Line Ph, Sky Net & MRTV4 TV lines, USD 2400 negotiable, Ph: 524479, 09-501-9843. pearl Condo, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bldg."B", Sqft 1500, 1MB, 2BR, 4AC, Fully furnished, Backup Generator, Water hearter, Fridge, TV, Washing Machine, Ext.ph, USD 1900 negotiable. Ph: 524479, 09-501-9843. BA H A N , U n i v e r s i t y Avenue , compound 85 by 120, 3 MB, 1 reading room, living room, dinning room, kitchen , servant quarter , BBQ house in the garden, ph, 3AC . $ 5000. Contact info - 09513-7802, 01-534542 MAYANGONE, Kabaaye Gamonepwint Condo, 1850 sqft, 1 MBR, 2BR, 4 AC, Fully furniture, 4 Flr, Lift, Car parking, internet line. Teak Parquet, Teak cabinet, Cold/Hot water, Ph: 09-5199565(English), 09-5102285. Pls contact directly, No broker. Yankin Center, 1450 Sqft, 1 MB , 2 SB , 1 Landline Telephone , 4 A/C, 1 Washing M/C, 1 Fridge, 1 gas stove, 1 heater, fully furnished, satellite. Contact : 09732-44933 Apartment in pearl condo , 2BR , 1 study room , 1300 Sq/Ft. 3 air cons /fully furnished. No Agent Fees. Price/ 2200 usd / month. contact / Ma Thida : Ph:09-501-8134 YANKIN, Yankin Centre, 3 bed rooms, tile floor, 1560 Sqft, fully furnished, satellite, generator, (Foreigner only) Contact: 09-73244933. (1)Thein Phyu St (For show room or Office) 2500 Sqft. for 2 Flr. USD 5800. (2) Inya Rd (Near American club) (45' x 50') 2RC, 3MBR,1SR. USD 4000. (3) Inya Rd (Near Sakura Residence) (50' x 100') 6 MBR. 3 RC. USD 10000. (4) Golden Valley, 90' x 110', 2 RC. 4MBR. USD 8000. (5) Golden Valley, Than Lwin small lane, 60' x 100', 3RC. USD 4500. Ph : 09-492-14276. 094211-77105. 09-420 114749. KYAUKTADA , (1) Pansodan St (Condo) 1500 Sqft, 1 MBR, 2SR. 1750 USD. (2) Pansodan St (Condo) Near City Mark. 1500 Sqft, 1MBR, 2SR, 2300 USD. (3) Diamond Condo (Near Hlae Tan Bridge) 1200 Sqft, 1MBR, 1SR. 1300 USD

COMPUTER #1 system unit only MB-478,CPUIntel2.6,RAM-512 MB, HDD-80G, AGP128MB,Casing/PSU, Ks.65000. #2 System unit only CPU-AMD Dual Core 1.6, RAM1GB,HDD-160G,PCI Express-128MB, Casing/PSU,Ks.85000. #3 PC One Set Viewsonic 20" Monitor, MB-775, CPU-Intel Dual Core 2.8, RAM2GB, HDD-500G, Casing/PSU,UPS & Speaker,Ks.250,000. Pls call : 09-420022649 (Negotiable) Call Any Time Software House If you need computerized solution for your bussiness, please contact us. We are here to assist for customized application, statistic web page, CMS web page and mobile application software according to your requirements. Your pleasure is our achievement. www. callanytime.herobo. com callanytime. mm@gmail.com Ph: 09-421132883, 09421037673 ( HD {Game,app} install iPhone, iPod touch 6000ks, iPad 8000ks) iOS upgrade,All iDevices iOS 6.1 full jailbreak coming up, ( iTunes US account open- HD game, app download) Gmail account open, Ph: :09514-7480

Training
For Tennis learners & trainees, the most talent and experienced tennis trainer of the holder of international tennis licensed trainer will guide and train you at your convenient time. The training fee is 2,500 Ks. per hour excluding other cost like ball picker and court fee. Contact : Phoe Htaung 09-866-6501.

Travel
SHAN YOMA Travels & Tours Co., Ltd : Winner of Tourism Alliance Awards for 2011 & 2012. Arranging all tourism related services.124/126, 50th St, 295510, 299389. www.exploremyanmar. com To foreigners, TAXI service with an English speaker. Feel free to ask by yourself. Ph: 09 -517-9125

Language
english Classes: English for Young Learners & Adult. General English (4 skills). Foundation English Course. Business English Course. One to One, Special class & Home. Sa Ya Zaw Myo Win, Ph: 09-730-26906. Teaching Myanmar language (4 Skills) for foreigners Near Myay Ni Gone City Mart Ph: 09-4200-30 782 hlc, High Language Centre. Hindi, English & Myanmar. (Writing, Reading & Speaking) by an Expert Teacher. Ph: 09-4210-98790. myanmar Language teaching for Foriengers. It is 24 hours teaching in a month. Teacher Htay Win, Ph: 09-425295641. a foreign Language tutor is available for learners, residing at Kyaukmyaung area. Pls contact Saya David, personally at 44, Athoka St, 3rd flr (left), Nat chaung Ward, Tamwe between 6 & 7 pm. myanmar Language Training Course For Foreigners, Contact: 09-518-1316 or 09-73127074 for Registration. global Enchanting Education Centre. English Class for Mom. IELTS. General English. Business English. Registration Now! Contact: 09-73224316, 09-731-27074, 01-2305534. For foreigners, If you would like to learn spoken Myanmar at your home. And who need study guide for children who are studying at English school. feel free to ask by yourself. Ph: 09-517-9125

Expert Services
GSM/CDMA line cards with or without Internet are available now. With complete documents that foreigners can easily manipulate. Contact 09 310 65271 for pricing. Home Decoration if you need how to decorate your home please do contact ph:552317 Ma Pan Nu If you want to change from International Driving Licence to Myanmar Driving Licence.Our Services can do.Please, Answer the following data and mail me for your application. I type the forms and continue,Name, passpost No, Myanmar immigration admitted date, date of expire, date of birth & place, blood type, driving licence No, date of expire, issue date,issue country, licence class, present address, your rank & duty in Myanmar Office,Company or Orginazation, your apply officer name, rank & duty. Ph: 09-730-08426 Email: kaungthetservices@ gmail.com. if you need house, building apartment, Office Room to rent or buy. Please do contact ph: candlelight295@ gmail.com

Public Notices
Any problem with your company? (or) Want to improve your company with systematic and international process? (or) Want to expand your company? Just implement your company through Project Management. The Trainers are from internationally well experienced & included consultancy service. Pls contact to : U Than Lwin, Managing Director, Myanmar Access International Co., Ltd. Ph:09-730- 39536. Email : zinminpon@gmail.com www.bridgit.biz

Education
igcse: Physics, Mathematics B & Pure Mathematics, Practice with 20 years old questions. Allow individual or section. Only 5 students for one section. Air-con, white book & one student for one table. Near Hledan Sein Gay Har. Ph: 094500-25213, 524617. Special for Physics IGCSE courses Tr.Kaung Myat BE(PE). Ph:09-731-42020 kaungmyatoo251@ gmail.com EDUCATION for primary level English ,Maths Science, Geography, History, English Language,Myanmar Language. Teacher Caroline. Ph: 552317 Call for Teacher Caroline, Teacher Chaw Chaw GUIDE for young learners international school subjects if you need to coach your child, you are welcome to contact us. We are ready to support with following subjects, English, Maths, Geography History, Science, Social English Language, Myanmar Language, ph : 552317. Call for Teacher Caroline IGCSE : Eng, Maths, Pure Maths, Phys and Chem are taught. Small-sized class. Ph: 09-513-9298, 09-73255281. Tutoring on Biology & English for private school students. Pls call : 09-506-0800 for more info. special for Maths: Geometry, Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre calculus, Advanced calculus, Tr. Kaung Myat BE (PE) to help you cut study time, to solve home problem skills, to achieve your

(4) Near UNDP Office (750 Sqft) (3+4) Flr.Hall Type. USD 800. (5)Near Taw Win Shapping Mall. (Condo). 1375 Sqft, 2MBR, 1SR .very good location USD 1800.Ph : 09-492-14276. 09- 4211 77105. (1)8 Mile, Kabaraye Villa (Condo) 2000 Sqft 1MBR.2SR. USD 3000. (2)Near Park Royal Hotel, Boyar Nyunt St, 1500 Sqft, 2MBR.1SR, Fully furnish. USD 2000. (3)Near Kandawgyi Park, (good view condo) 2500 Sqft , 2MBR, 1SR USD 3000. (4) Yan Kin Centre condo 1600 Sqft, 2MBR, 1SR Fully furnish USD 2069.(5) Pan Hliaing Condo, Near Pan Hlaing Golf. 1500 Sqft, 2MBR, 2SR. USD 3500.Ph: 09-4211 77105. 09-420-114749. BAHAN, (1) New University Rd, 80' x 60', 2 storey new house. Ks 45 lakhs. (2)Moe Myint San Condo, 2400 sqft, f f, 5 A/C, 30 Lakhs (3) Pearl Condo, 1750 sqft, 1 MB, 2 BR, 5 A/C, f f, 25 lakhs. Call Maureen: 09-518-8320. YANKIN, Moe Kaung Rd, 50' x 90' RC, 1 storey house. 25 lakhs. Maureen : 09-5188320. Hlaing, (647), # 8-C, Inya View Condominium, Pyay Rd. Ph: 09-420035206, 09-4200-767665. (No Agents). Bahan , University Avenue compound 85' x 120', 3 MBR, 1 reading room, living room, dinning room, kitchen, servant quarter, BBQ house in the garden, ph, 3AC. Ph: 09-513-7802, 534542.

HousingforSale
BAGAN, 5.13 acre Land for hotel development. 5.10 min from th Bangan airport. Offer price USS 3 Ph: 09-421-012489. M a y a n g one , Apartment 1320 sqft 4 rooms, 8 mile condo apartment to be sold direct by First Owner. Call 09-514-2568. Sanchaung, 12.5 x 55, 2 Flr, 1 A/C. 1 ine ph. 350 Lakhs. Negotiable. Ph:09- 501-2801, 519 268 Mayangone, 9 miles Bonyarna Lane, 50'x 70' garden with including house (3700 Lakhs) no agent pls. Ph: 09-5036519, 09-421-029911. Hlaing Tharyar, 129 (A), Thakin Pholagyi 5 St 20x 60 (PriceNegotiable), (Near to Shwe Yin Aye Market & bus stop) Ph:09-43129221, 09-731-35807 MIngalar Taung nyunt; (506/1), Kyi Taw Housing, Kyi Taw St, 14'x55', Corner Rm 5th Flr, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Balcony, porcelain floor, Toilet. Price - 340 lakhs. Ph: 09-421-111893

Want To Buy
iPhone 5/4S /4 iPad 4/3/2/ Mini iPod 5/4/ Macbook Pro Macbook Air Samsung Note 1/2 S2 /S3/S4 & Any Laptop. Ph: 09-45003-98-44 iPhone 5 , 4S , 4 , 3GS, 3G iPod 5 , 4 , iPad 4 , 3, 2 , Mini Wifi & Wifi+3G Samsung S2 , S3 , S4 , Grand , Note 1 , Note 2, Note 8.0, Any Samsung Tablet Sony Xperia Z, T, TX, Ion , S , SL, Acro S, J, P , U , E , V , Sola HTC Butterfly, One , One X , One X Plus , XL , XE, Desire VC HUAWEI Ascend D2 , P1, U9508, U8951D, U8950, U8812D, U8825D, Macbook Pro , Macbook Air, iMac, Any Laptop. Ph: 09-4500-39844.

For Sale
Sony Vaio VGN-CR35 Intel Core 2 Duo Ram 3GB H.D.D 250GB Graphics 256MB Display

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Employment
UN Positions
iom Int'l Organization for Migration is seeking(1) Treasury Assistant in Mawlamyine, Mon State: Academic background in Business Administration or related field. 2 years of progressive experience in related field. Excellent computer skills in MS office & Excel. (2) DRR Community Project Assistant in South-East Region (Thaton/ Bilin Tsp, Mon State) . (3)Medical Doctor (Officer) - HIV/ AIDS in Mawlamyine, Mon State : Advanced university degree in Nursing, Public Health or Medicine (must have a valid license to practice). Strong management skills are necessary, domonstrated by 3 years experience. Good in English & Myanmar (Speaking Mon &/or Mon would be an advantage). Computer literacy. Pls submit application to IOM Mission in Myanmar -Yangon, 12th Flr, Traders Hotel :.223, Sule Pagoda Rd, Yangon. Email: iomyangon@iom.int, Website: http://www. iom.int be carried out in each target township either by HelpAge staff directly or by local partners. HelpAge, Karen Baptist Convention and Golden Plain have formed a Consortium with plans to jointly implement this programme comprising activities in the water and sanitation, education, livelihoods, health and rural infrastructure. The Consortium is committed to its core values of enabling positive change and building capacities of the communities by bridging relief and development i n t e r v e n t i o n s and working with established local and external networks and partnerships. HelpAge leads the Consortium which will be coordinating the work among the above-mentioned agencies and will ensure overall compliance to donor regulations of its effective program implementation. The HelpAge International Myanmar is currently looking for suitable candidates for the following positions: M& E Coordinator (1 position based in Yangon) Person Specification : University degree, at least 3 years experience in participatory M&E. Strong familiarity with monitoring and evaluation in livelihood/ food security project. Experience in the design of simple M&E tools with project staff and community leaders. Experience in training and mentoring staff and community leaders, facilitating development of simple -M&E tools by staff and community leaders to collect qualitative and quantitative information on project progress. Demonstrated English language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking), and competency in database establishment and management. Working experience with communities in Kayin/ Mon . Burmese and Karen language skills essential. Livelihood Officer (1 position based in Kawkreik township). University degree in agronomy/Veterinary or any other relevant field. Technical skills and experience in the sustainable livelihoods, small business development, livestock development in the south east of Myanmar essential. Minimum 3 years relevant work experience and demonstrated competencies in integrated project approach; Knowledge of and work experience in capacity building and training to small-scale agricultural farmers, livestock farmers and community leaders, and a sound understanding of relevant community based food security issues. Demonstrated community mobilisation, p a r t i c i p a t o r y techniques, training and facilitation skills. Strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment and team building skills. Familiarity with community organising skills. English, Burmese and Karen language skills essential. Partner Agronomist (1 position based in Hpa-pun township). Qualifications and competencies :University degree in agronomy or any agriculture related field. Technical skills and experience in the food security and sustainable livelihoods and agriculture sector in dry zone are essential. Minimum 3 years relevant work experience and demonstrated competencies in setting up farmers field schools, seed multiplication techniques, setting up and management of nurseries and also integrated project approach; Knowledge of and work experience in capacity building and training to small scale farmers and community leaders, and a sound understanding of relevant community based food security issues. Demonstrated community mobilisation, participatory techni ques, training and facilitation skills. Strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment and team building skills. Familiarity with community organising skills. English, Burmese and Karen language skills essential. Community Development Officer (2 positions based in Kawkreik township) Qualifications and competencies : Minimum BEHS level of education. Experience in community facilitation/ community organising using participatory methods. A sincere desire to help small scale farmers, livestock farmers and landless families. At least 3 years community mobilization/ facilitation work at the community level or equivalent experience is helpful. Strong familiarity with participatory d e v e l o p m e n t approaches. Good problem solving and organizational skills. Understanding of village level problems. Knowledge about agriculture, fisheries, livestock/small scale income generation activities helpful. English, Burmese and Karen language skills essential. Suboffice Finance Officer (3 positions based in Thandaunggyi, Hpa-pun and Kawkreik townships) Qualifications and competencies : Bachelors degree in Commerce/Economics /BACT. At least two years experience in accounting with INGOs. Experience in working as part of multi-disciplinary teams. Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Advance computer skills particularly in Excel. Ability to work under pressure and willingness to travel in the field. English, Burmese and Karen language skills essential. Interested and qualified candidates are requested to send a Cover Letter and CV to the HR Unit of HelpAge International - Myanmar, No. 25 A/1, New University Avenue Road, Saya San Ward, Bahan Township, Yangon OR to hr.helpagemyanmar@ gmail.com no latter than 5 p.m. 25th May 2013. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview. Candidates interested in positions based in Thandaunggyi/ Hpa-pun/ Kawkreik are requested to clearly indicate their preferred job location and position. HAI-Myanmar 9th May 2013 medecins Sans Frontiers - Holland (AZG) is seeking (1)HR Officer 1 post in Yangon: University degree. 2 years experience in HR Administration. Fluent in English. Excellent computer skills, (2)HR Officer - Recruitment/ Training 1 post in Yangon: University degree. Diploma in HRM (Preferable). Fluent in English. 2 years experience in HRM with focus on recruitment. Be accurate. (3) CHW Monitor 2 posts in Sittwe, Rakhine Project: 10th Standard. Excellent communication skills both oral & written in Myanmar, Rakhine. Basic English written and spoken skills. Pls send application letter, CV & passport- photo, copies of education qualifications & references to: HR Coordinator, MSFHolland/ AZG (Yangon Coordination), 62A, Bawdiyeiktha-Thanlwin Rd, Bahan. or through msfh.myanmar. recruitment@gmail. com, Closing date : 17th May 2013. world Vision Myanmar is seeking (1) Driver cum Logistics Assistant in Chauk, Magway Region : High School Graduate. 3 years experience. Have basic knowledge of auto mechanic. Effective English & Myanmar. (2) Credit Facilitator (Micro Finance Program) in Aungmyaythazan, Mandalay : University Degree in any discipline with some desired focus in Finance, Acocunting and/or Development studies. 2 years experience in Microfinance Program & community mobiliztion is preferable. Pls submit resume (clearly identify the post you apply) by post to HR Department, World Vision Myanmar or in person to application drop-box at No (18), Shin Saw Pu Rd; Ahlone, Sanchaung PO or send to myajobapps@wvi.org Closing date : May 16, 2013. Pls visit to www. worldvision.org.mm world Vision Myanmar is seeking (1) Protection Department Manager (Re-Open) in National Office, Yangon : University graduate (BA) in an appropriate discipline is essential. Academic Background in Law or Human Rights is desirable. 3 years experience. (2) Branch Manager (Micro Finance Program) in Hpa-An, Kayin State: University Bachelor Degree in any discipline & business management or finance and banking is preferable. Good communication skills in English & Myanmar. Computer literacy. (3)Administration Assistant in Chauk, Magway : University Bachelor Degree in any discipline. 1 year office experience in administration & support services. (4) Bookkeeper in Seikphyu, Magway : University Bachelor Degree in accounting/ finance or related subject. 2 years experience. Computer literacy. Pls submit resume (clearly identify the post you apply) by post to HR Department, World Vision Myanmar or in person to application drop-box at No(18), Shin Saw Pu Rd; Ahlone, Sanchaung PO or send to myajobapps@wvi.org Closing date : May 16, 2013. Pls visit to www. worldvision.org.mm myanmar Red Cross Society is seeking (1) Township CBDRM Field Officer 5 posts iin Myaebon (Rakhine), MinPya (Rakhine), South Dagon (Yangon), Tarchileik & Tatkone (Nay Pyi Taw) : University Degree. 2 years experiences. Effective English language skill & computer knowledge. (2)Program Support Officer 1 Post in Nay Pyi Taw Head Quarter : University Degree, Effective English language skills, Very good computer literate (3)PMER Coordinator 1 post in Nay Pyi Taw Head Quarter : University Graduate. Good computer literate Pls submit a letter of application, relevant documents & CV, 1 passport photo (Cover Letter CV documents only need to be sent via e-mail) to mrcshrrecruitment@ gmail.com before 17th May 2013., pls visit to www.myanmarredcrosssociety.org, solidarites Int'l (SI) is seeking (1) Logistics Manager in Sittwe, Rakhine State: 3 years experience in Logistics field with INGO/ NGO. University Degree or Diploma. Knowledge of IT management & MS office. (2) Deputy Administrative & Finance Manager in Sittwe, Rakhine State: University level or equivalent in accounting/ management/ admini stration. 1 year experience in a similar position with NGO. Excellent knowledge of Word & Excel. Fluent in English & Myanmar. (3)Hygiene Promotion Manager in Sittwe, Rakhine State: 2 years experience in INGO. Good level in English. Excellent computer skills(4) Construction Manager in Sittwe and Pauk Taw, Rakhine State : Civil Engineer Degree; B.Tech (Civil) or B.E (Civil). 2 years professional experience in INGO. Knowledge of the Rakhine State. Good in English. Excellent computer skills & skill in AutoCAD (optional) is an asset. (5) Deputy Logistics Coordinator in Yangon: 4 years of professional experience in Logistics field with INGO/ NGO. University Degree or Diploma (preferably in Logistics Or related proven experience in similar area.). Knowledge of IT management & MS office. Fluent in English & Myanmar. Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) to Logistics Coordinator, Yangon Logistics UnitSolidarites Int'l office: 44-A, Tharyarwaddy Lane, Bahan, or per email: recruitment@ solidarites-myanmar.org Computer literacy. Pls call 09-512-0848,09731-40535 & email CV to hr.myanmarwonders@ gmail.com or Address: 256/266, 10 D, Shine Condo, Seikanthar St (Upper), Kyauktada. Wunzin Hote l, Meikhtila is seeking (1) FO Supervisor- M/F 1 post (2)HK Supervisor - M/F 1 post (3) F&B Supervisor- M/F 1 post (4) Gardener Supervisor M 1 post. Pls. send CV and necessary documents to sales@ tpleasanthotelmyanmar. com or apply to Original Group Co., Ltd : 110, Kabaaye Pagoda Rd, Bahan, Yangon. Tel : 552955, 540644 European Law firm establishing in Yangon is looking for smart associates (with 2 to 6 years working experience) for corporate work (advising foreign investors). Teamplaying, enthusiasm, internatio nal spirit and proficiency in English are requested. Interesting salaries. Pls send cv with picture to yangonexecutive2013@ gmail.com ISBC Company is seeking an Administrative Assistant - F 1 post: Any Graduate, Age 20 ~ 30, 2 years experience. Good in spoken & written English. Proficiency in MS office. Have knowledge of bookkeeping/accounts, good interpersonal, public relation & organizing skills, positive attitude & be initiative. Pls email CV with contact details to ma.ni.lar@gmail. com, Ph: 09 -420110451 within two weeks. ige Co., Ltd is seeking (1) Manager (Business Development Department) - M 1 Post : Any graduate, preferable MBA or Any Equivalent Management Diploma. 3 years professional experience. Fluent in English. Ability to travel & stay at Nay Pyi Taw & project area. (2) Manager (Marketing & Operation Department) M 1 Post : Any Graduate, Preferable MBA (or) B.E Civil (or) Mechanical (or) Electrical Power. Have knowledge of Marketing skills. Fluency in English. (3) Secretary (For GM) - M/F 1 Post : Any Graduate, 2 years experience. Fluent in English.Age 25 ~ 35.Able to travel & stay at Nay Pyi Taw. (4) Executive (Marketing & Operation Department) - M 1 Post : Any graduate. 2 years experience. Fluent in Chinese. Age 25 ~ 32 years. Able to travel & stay at Nay Pyi Taw. Pls submit full resume, expected salary, recent photo and education certificate to 11(A), Myit Tar Yeik Mon Housing, Nat Chaung Quarter, Tamwe, (Beside of Shwe Ba Ho Hospital) email : am.hr@igehydropower. com, Ph: 430870~6, 542987.within 2 weeks. dksh is seeking (1) Supply Chain Executive (NIVEA) M/F 1 Post: University Degree, Age under 30. 2 years experience in Supply Chain or exportimport background. Proficiency in MS office, Fluency in English. (2) Marketing Executive (NIVEA) 1 Post : University Degree with additional marketing studies, Any gender , Age under 30. Able to communicate in English. 2 years experience, Proficiency in MS office. (3) Assistant Internal Auditor - F 2 Posts : University Degree with accounting & audit background, Age under 30. Able to communicate in English, 2 years experience, Proficiency in MS office. (4) Customer Care Representative

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

Overseas
Working at the Baron Bakery, 2/112 Ballandella Rd, Pendle Hill, NSW 2145, Sydney, Australia : Must have or Minimum English requirement is IELTS average 5 or above for submission to immigration. Prefer Male and under 30 year age. Prefer with experience at the local bakery or the hotel bakery. Minimum 3 years contract to get the PR visa. Send application to Email : info@baronbakery.com. au, & fredgyi@krasu.net Ph : 02 9631 3000, 61 400 836 164

Ingo Positions
HelpAge International is a global network of not-forprofit organisations with a mission to work with and for disadvantaged older people worldwide to achieve a lasting improvement in the quality of their lives. HelpAge Internationals East Asia Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is responsible for the regional programme, working in partnership with affiliates and partner organisations in more than 20 countries in the region. HelpAge is widening the scope of its work in Myanmar. Currently, HelpAge, in collaboration with relevant Government agencies and partners, is implementing several projects that support older people and other vulnerable groups strengthening their livelihood and food security, health and DRR capacities in Ayerawaddy Delta, Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. The overall aim of the programme is to reduce poverty and vulnerability in general and to facilitate older peoples participation in community develop ment. In 2013, HelpAge moves into Kayin State for the first time. This position is part of the HelpAge structure in Myanmar to lead the implementation a European Union (EU) funded project under the Aid for Uprooted People (AUP) in Myanmar budget, titled Creating an Enabling Postconflict Environment for Populations in Kayin State, and Facilitating the Safe Return of IDPs and Refugees. HelpAge in collaboration with partners will implement the project from early 2013 to early 2017 in 80 communities of Thandaunggyi, Hpa-pun and Kawkreik townships. Field implementation will

Local Position
Dhammaduta Tours is seeking On call Guide (part time) . No 254 -256, Rm 401, Pansodan St, Kyauktada. Ph: 391718, 398102. IGCSE Assistant Teachers wanted. Send your CV to ielts. consultant@gmail.com. Teacher Solomon : 095417781. hotel Shwe Gone Daing is seeking (1) Front Office Manager - M/F 1 post: Any graduate, 3 ~ 5 years experience in hospitality industry. Excellent command on English in four skills, Chinese, Japan and be a computer literate. (2) Front Office Supervisor - M/F 1 post : Any graduate. 2 years of relevant full time work experience. Excellent in English, Computer literate. Able to travel and stay at Nay Pyi Daw hotel zone.Pls send CV with 2 photos & other required certificates/ documents to email : monyeekyaw@gmail. com, No 273(A), Shwe Gone Daing Rd, Bahan, Yangon. Nylect Technology (Myanmar) ltd., is need Senior Professional Accountant contact: 09-420309073 & email. lahihtusan@gmail.com or susan@nylect.vn myanmar Wonders TravelLtdislookingfor:(1) Operation Executive. (2) Travel Designer: Good communication in English. Bilingual English & French is advantage. Excellent knowledge of MS office applications, 1 ~ 2 years experience. (3) Chief Accountant : B.Com. 2 years experience as Chief Accountant in Travel Agency. Able to communicate in English

- F 2 Posts : University Degree, Age under 30. Able to communicate and written in English, 2 years experience, Proficiency in MS office especially in excel, active listener . Pls submit CV, color passport photo & copies of the testimonials to. HR Manager (Recruitment & On borading), DKSH Services Ltd : 013, Thitsar Rd, Yankin, Email: rose.htoon @ dksh.com, Closing date : May 15, 2013. Pls mark applied position in front of CV. Nursery teacher wanted for 6 weeks from June 10th to July 18th. Monday ~ Thursday, 8am - 1pm Location near Inya Lake Hotel. Ideal candidate would have experience working in an international nursery with 2-3 year olds, have first aid knowledge, and speak fluent. Myanmar and excellent English. Pls contact Mandi on 0973197545 or red9uk@ yahoo.co.uk (1)Service Technician - M : B.E, B.Tech, AGTI Mechanical/Electrical/ Electronic, Age 25 ~ 35, Must have knowledge on Diesel Engine driven Generators & Marine Engines, 2 years experiences. Responsible for general maintenance. (2)GPMust know how to maintain the machine : 10th standard Pass, Age 20 ~ 30, 2 years experiences. Pls submit CV to Block No 2, Ywama Curve, Bayint Naung Rd, Hlaing. Email : kyinliu@ gmail.com career OpportunitiesAn excellent chance to get trained by the int'l profesisonal telecom experts and work in the upcoming Telecom Industry. (1) IT/ Telecom Engineers - 30 posts. University Graduate in Engineering (Electronics, Computer Science, Computer Technology) or IT related professional certificate holders. 1 year in IT and Telecommunication field. Age under 35. Fluent in English. Presentation & Strong organizational skills. Able to travel. Fresh graduates are welcome (2)Logistics Manager - 1 post : University Graduate. 3 years experience in Logistics such as stock, warehousing, transportation, etc. Age under 40 years. Fluent in English. Able to travel Fresh graduates are welcome. Pls send applications with updated resume. Email - icservices@myanmar. com.mm, Contact Person - Aunt Khant (01-9000821) exotissimo Travel Myanmar is looking for (1) English Tour Operator1 year experience. Strong sales & customer service focus. Possess computer proficiency: Good communication in English. (2) Language Speaking Tour Operator (German, French, Spanish)- 1 year experience. Strong sales & customer service focus. Computer proficiency. Good communication in respective language i.e. German, French, Spanish (written & spoken).(3) Adventure Tour Operator- 2 years experience. Strong sales & customer service focus. Computer proficiency. Good communication in English. Pls send resume with recent photo & other relevant documents to HR Manager: Email: memecho@exotissimo. com legendary Myanmar Co., Ltd. (1) Office Staff (Export/ Import) - F 3 Posts. (2) Documentation (Export/ Import) - M/F Post. (3) Tour Operator (Travel & Tours) - F 1 Post. (4) Office Staff (Travel

& Tours) - F 4 Posts. Requirements: 1 year experience. University Graduate, Spoken & Written English, Good computer knowledge. Pls apply CV, 2 recent photo, with necessary document to 9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung. lucky Bird Group of Companies is looking for Phone Service Technician - 5 Posts: Good at both iOS & Android. 2 years experience. University degree holder. Capacity to work independently, efficiency and flexibility. Pls apply CV with phone, Educational documents, Labour card copy, NRC copy, to :355, Rm 106, Thein Byu Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt. Contact: Mr. Jackson Ph: 399011, 248167. Closing date : 15th May, 2013. (1) Laundry Super visor - M 2 Post : Any Graduate/ 10th standard passed. Age under 40. 3 ~ 5 years experience. Can handle guest laundry and room linen. Can work day/ night shift. Good knowledge in using laundry chemical. Communicate in English. (2) Computer Operator M 1 Post : Any Graduate. Can use MS Office very well. Age 18 ~ 25 . Basic computer knowledge. Willing to learn new software. (3) Senior Accountant - F 1 Post : Any Graduate (LCCI-III) or B.Com. ACCA, CAT, CPA is more preferable. 3 years experience. Can prepare financial reports. Pls apply with complete documentations to Hanse Care & Clean Services Co., Ltd: 11, Swe Taw St, Kyan Khin Su Ward, Mingalardon. (Near Yangon International Airport). (1) sale & Marketing Manager (Lignting) M/F 1 Post. (2) Sale & Marketing Executive (Lighting) M/F 2 Post. (3) Electrical Installation M 1 Post. (4)M&E Engineer (E.P Only, AutoCAD, Draft) - M 1 Post : Age above 30. (5) Chief/ Senior/ Junior Accountant F 1 Post. (6)Driver - M 2 Post. Myint Mo Hein Co., Ltd, No.(107/A), Damazedi Rd, Kamaryut, Yangon. THEPROMISE set up the branch in Myanmar in 2009 to dedicate development is seeking Finance & admini strative Coordinator 1 Post in Yangon : University degree Bachelors Degree or equivalent in Accounting, Finance or related field, Basic skill in English & Korean (Desirable), Computer skill in MS Office , Willing to learn or adapt to new ideas & procedures, Salary : From 130,000 to 150,000 MMK (Providing lunch). Pls submit an application letter, with full CV detailing experience, knowledge and skills by email to thepromise. mm@gmail.com or The Promise Myanmar office : 12(B/1), Sandar Myang Condo, Hledan St, Kamaryut, Ph: 503307(217). Email: thepromise.mm@gmail. com Your application letter should include a contact email address & phone number. Closing date : May 24, 2013 KELVIN CHIA Yangon Ltd is a foreign legal consultancy firm is to join us as Lawyers who will work on a variety of corporate & commercial matters & transactions in Myanmar. If you are a Myanmar-qualified lawyer with strong English language skills, you are invited to apply to join our Myanmar practice group. Myanmar nationals admitted to intl bars are also welcome to apply. Training will be provided. Pls submit to klm@kcyangon.com.

The Essentials
EMBASSIES Australia 88, Strand Road, Yangon. tel : 251810, 251797, 251798, 251809, 246462, 246463, fax: 246159 Bangladesh 11-B, Than Lwin Road, Yangon. tel: 515275, 526144, fax: 515273, email: bdootygn@mptmail.net. mm Brazil 56, Pyay Road, 6th mile, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 507225, 507251, 507482. fax: 507483. email: Administ.yangon@ itamaraty.gov.br. Brunei 17, Kanbawza Avenue, Golden Velly (1), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 566985, 503978, fax: 512854 email: bruneiemb@ bruneiemb. com.mm Cambodia 25 (3B/4B), New University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 549609, 540964, fax: 541462, email: RECYANGON @mptmail. net.mm China 1, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 221280, 221281, 224025, 224097, 221926, fax: 227019, 228319 Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 222886, 222887, fax: 222865, email: egye mbyangon@mptmail. net.mm France 102, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 212178, 212520, 212523, 212528, 212532, fax: 212527, email: ambaf rance. rangoun@ diplomatie.fr Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 548951, 548952, fax: 548899 email: info@rangun. diplo.de India 545-547, Merchant Street, Yangon. tel: 391219, 388412, 243972, fax: 254086, 250164, 388414, email: indiaembassy @mptmail. net.mm Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 254465, 254469, 229750, fax: 254468, 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 Road, Yangon. tel: 549644-8, 540399, 540400, 540411, 545988, fax: 549643 Embassy of the State of Kuwait Chatrium Hotel, Rm: No.416, 418, 420, 422, 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe Tsp, Tel: 544500. North Korea 77C, Shin Saw Pu Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 512642, 510205, fax: 510206 South Korea 97 University Avenue, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 527142-4, 515190, fax: 513286, email: myanmar@mofat.go.kr Lao 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, 220251, 220230, fax: 221840, email: mwkyangon@mptmail. net.mm Nepal 16, Natmauk Yeiktha, Yangon. tel: 545880, 557168, fax: 549803, email: nepemb @mptmail.net.mm Pakistan A-4, diplomatic Quarters, Pyay Road, Yangon. tel: 222881 (Chancery Exchange) fax: 221147, email: pakistan@ myanmar. com.mm Philippines 50, Sayasan Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 558149-151, fax: 558154, email: p.e. yangon@gmail.com Russian 38, Sagawa Road, Yangon. tel: 241955, 254161, fax: 241953, email: rusinmyan@mptmail .net.mm Serbia No. 114-A, Inya Road, P.O.Box No. 943-Yangon. tel: 515282, 515283, fax: 504274, email: serbemb@ yangon.net.mm Singapore 238, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 559001, fax: 559002, 559922, email: singemb_ ygn@_ sgmfa. gov.sg Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Road, Yangon. tel: 222812, fax: 221509, email: slembassy. yangon@gmail.com, info@slembyangon.org, www.slembyangon.org Thailand 94 Pyay Road, Dagon Township, Yangon. tel: 226721, 226728, 226824, fax: 221713 United Kingdom 80 Kanna Road, Yangon. tel: 370867, 380322, 371852, 371853, 256438, 370863, 370864, 370865, fax: 370866 United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Yangon. tel: 536509, 535756, 538038, fax: 650306 Vietnam Building No. 72, Thanlwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. tel: 511305, fax: 514897, email: vnemb myr@ cybertech.net.mm Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia No.287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel : 01-536153, 516952, fax : 01-516951 UNITED NATIONS ILO Liaison Officer Rm (M1212~1220), 12 Fl-A, Traders Hotel. 223, tel: 242 393, 242811. fax: 242594. IOM 12th Flr, Traders Hotel, 223, tel: 252560 ext. 5002 UNAIDS Rm: (1223~1231), 12 Fl, Traders Hotel. tel: 252361, 252362, 252498. fax: 252364. UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St, Mayangone tsp. tel: 666903, 664539. fax: 651334. 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. fax 524031. UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl, Traders Hotel.tel: 254852, 254853. UNIC 6, Natmauk St., BHN tel: 52910~19 UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders Hotel. P.O. Box 1435, KTDA. tel: 375527~32, fax: 375552 email: unicef.yangon@unicef. org, www.unicef.org/myanmar. UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward 7, MYGN. tel: 666903, 660556, 660538, 660398, 664539, fax: 651334. email: fo.myanmar@unodc.org www. unodc.org./myanmar/ UNOPS Inya Lake Hotel, 3rd floor, 37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 951657281~7. Fax: 657279. UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O. Box 650, TMWE tel: 542911~19, 292637 (Resident Coordinator), fax: 292739, 544531. WFP 3rd-flr, Inya Lake Hotel, 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 657011~6 (6-lines) Ext: 2000. WHO 12A Fl, Traders Hotel. tel:250583. ASEAN Coordinating Of. for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force, 79, Taw Win st, Dagon Township. Ph: 225258. FAO Myanma Agriculture Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel: 641672, 641673. fax: 641561.

General Listing
ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS
Avenue 64 Hotel No. 64 (G), Kyitewine Pagoda Road, Mayangone Township. Yangon. 09 8631392, 01 656913-9 Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe. tel: 544500. fax: 544400. Sweet Hotel 73, Damazedi Road, San Chaung Tsp, Ph: 539152 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. Thamada Hotel 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon. tel: 243639, 243640, 243641. Traders Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel: 242828. fax: 242838. Windsor Hotel No.31, Shin Saw Pu Street, Sanchaung. Yangon, Myanmar. Ph: 95-1-511216~8, www. hotelwindsoryangon.com Winner Inn 42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387. email: reservation@winner innmyanmar.com Yangon YMCA 263, Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung Tsp. tel: 294128, Yuzana Hotel 130, Shwegondaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600, 543367 Yuzana Garden Hotel 44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp, tel : 01-248944 Golden Hill Towers 24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 558556. ghtower@ mptmail.net.mm. Marina Residence 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630. MiCasa Hotel Apartments 17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp. tel: 650933. fax: 650960. Sakura Residence 9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 525001. fax: 525002. The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residence 372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp. tel 951-256355 (25 lines).

No.7A, Wingabar Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : (951) 546313, 430245. 09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01) 546313. www.cloverhotel.asia. info@cloverhotel.asia Confort Inn 4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd & U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut, tel: 525781, 526872

AIR CONDITION
Chigo 216, 38 St (Upper), Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 373472

No. (356/366), Kyaikkasan Rd, Tamwe Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Ph: 542826, Fax: 545650 Email: reservation@ edenpalacehotel.com Hotel Yangon 91/93, 8th Mile Junction, Mayangone. tel : 01-667708, 667688. Inya Lake Resort Hotel 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 662866. fax: 665537. MGM Hotel No (160), Warden Street, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. +95-1-212454~9. www. hotel-mgm.com

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (Nay Pyi Taw)

(Nay Pyi Taw)

The First Air conditioning systems designed to keep you fresh all day GUNKUL Engineer supply 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 83-91, G-F, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 706223, 371906

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.

No. 205, Corner of Wadan Street & Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3, 229358 ~ 61, Fax: (95-1) 212854. info@myanmarpandahotel .com http://www. myanmarpandahotel.com Parkroyal Yangon, Myanmar 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 250388. fax: 252478. email: enquiry.prygn@ parkroyalhotels.com Website: parkroyalhotels. com.

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

BARS
50th Street 9/13, 50th street-lower, Botataung Tsp. Tel-397160.

ACCOMMODATION

Green Garden Beer Gallery Mini Zoo, Karaweik Oo-Yin Kabar.

Reservation Office (Yangon) 123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon Township Tel : 951- 255 819~838 Hotel Max (Chaung Tha Beach) Tel : 042-423 46~9, 042-421 33, E-mail: reservation@ maxhotelsgroup.com

No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Royal White Elephant Hotel No-11, Kan Street, Hlaing Tsp. Yangon, Myanmar. (+95-1) 500822, 503986. www.rwehotel.com Savoy Hotel 129, Damazedi Rd, Kamayut tsp. tel: 526289, 526298, Seasons of Yangon Yangon Intl Airport Compound. tel: 666699.

ACCOMMODATION Long Term

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, sales@thestrand.com.mm www.ghmhotels.com

Happy Homes
Real Estate & Property Management

Tel: 09-7349-4483, 09-4200-56994. E-mail: aahappyhomes@ gmail.com, http://www. happyhomesyangon.com

Lobby Bar Parkroyal Yangon, Myanmar. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

A Little Dayspa No. 475 C, Pyi Road, Kamayut, Yangon. Tel: 09-431-28831. Acacia Tea Salon 52, Sayar San Rd, Bahan Tsp, Tel : 01-554739. Cafe47 47-A, Pyay Rd, 7 miles, Mayangone Tsp, Tel : 01-651774. Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519

Advertising
WE STARTED THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR SINCE 1991

EDUCATION CENTRE
MHR 905, 9th floor, Modern Iron Market(Thanzay Condo) Lanmadaw St. Tel: 707822. NLEC 82 Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 250225.

FASHION & TAILOR

Gems & Jewelleries

Diamond Queen 75, Oo Yin Lane, New University Avenue Rd, Bahan Tsp. Tel :01-548001, 704398 Diamond & Me Junction Square, Ground Floor, Kamayut Tsp. Tel :01-527242, (Ext : 1082) 24 hours Cancer centre No. (68), Tawwin Street, 9 Mile, Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : (951) 9 666141 Fax : (951) 9 666135

M a r k e t i n g & c o mm u n i c a t i o n s

A d v e r t 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

Spa & Boutique Fashion No. 24, Inya Road, Kamaryut Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 951 534 654, 09-73200147 theredscarf99@gmail.com

cold storage

Electrical

Sein Shwe Tailor, No.797 (003-A), Bogyoke Aung San Road, Corner of Wardan Street, MAC Tower 2, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Ph: 01-225310, 212943~4 Ext: 146, 147, E-mail: uthetlwin@gmail.com

FITNESS CENTRE
Est. 1992 in Myanmar Cold Storage Specialist, Solar Hot Water Storage Solutions. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com Est. 1992 in Myanmar Electrical & Mechanical Contractors, Designers, Consultants. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com Traders Health Club. Level 5, Traders Hotel Yangon#223 Sule Pagoda Rd,Tel:951242828Ext:6561 Ruby & Rare Gems of Myanamar No. 527, New University Ave., Bahan Tsp. Yangon.

BOOK STORES

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

Innwa Book Store No. 246, Rm.201/301, GF, Pansodan Street (Upper Block), Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 389838, 243216, 374324, 514387

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

Construction

Engineering

Balance Fitnesss No 64 (G), Kyitewine Pagoda Road, Mayangone Township. Yangon 01-656916, 09 8631392 Email - info@ balancefitnessyangon.com

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

Tel: 549612, Fax : 545770.

24 Hour International Medical Centre @ Victoria Hospital No. 68, Tawwin Rd, 9 Mile, Mayangon Township, Yangon, Myanmar Tel: + 951 651 238, + 959 495 85 955 Fax: + 959 651 398 24/7 on duty doctor: + 959 492 18 410 Website: www.leo.com.mm One Stop Solution for Quality Health Care Vibhavadi Hospital 214. 1st Floor, Waizayanter Rd, Thingangyun Tsp.Email: vibhavadimyanmar @gmail. com, Hot line: 09-2011-772, 09-731-650-45, 09-86-250-86 PHIH-Specialist Clinic FMI Centre (4th Floor) #380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp. tel: 243 010, 243 012, 243 013

Aesthetic Medical Spa 5 (C), Race Course Condo, South Race Course Street, Tarmwe, Yangon. Mobile: 09-5202781 dr.face.aesthetic@gmail.com

LS Salon Junction Square, 3rd floor.

Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel 527242, ext 4001

150 Dhamazedi Rd., Bahan T/S, Yangon. Tel: 536306, 537805. Room 308, 3rd Flr., Junction Center (Maw Tin), Lanmadaw T/S, Yangon. Tel: 218155, Ext. 1308. 15(B), Departure Lounge, Yangon Intl Airport. 45B, Corner of 26th & 68th Sts., Mandalay. Tel: (02) 66197. Email: yangon@monumentbooks.com MYANMARBOOKCENTRE 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

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

CONSULTING

Myanmar Research | Consulting | Technology

193/197, Shu Khin Thar Street, North Okkalapa Industrial Zone, Yangon. Tel: 951-691843~5, 9519690297, Fax: 951-691700 Email: supermega97@ gmail.com. www. supermega-engg.com

Life Fitness Bldg A1, Rm No. 001, Shwekabar Housing, Mindhamma Rd, Ph: 01-656511, Fax: 01-656522, Hot line: 0973194684, Email: natraysports@ gmail.com

Natural Gems of Myanmar No. 30 (A), Pyay Road (7 mile), Mayangone Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 01-660397, 654398~9. E-mail: spgems.myanmar @gmail.com

GENERATORS

Heavy machinery

Shwe Hinthar B 307, 6 1/2 Miles, Pyay Rd., Yangon. Tel: +95 (0)1 654 730 info@thuraswiss.com www.thuraswiss.com

ENTERTAINMENT

Mr. Betchang No.(272), Pyay Rd, DNH Tower, Rm No.(503), 5th flr, Sanchaung Tsp, Tel: 095041216 The Yangon GYM Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966.

La Source Beauty Spa Kamayut Tsp, tel: 512 380, 511 252. www.lasourcebeautyspa.com
~80(A), Inya Rd,

DUTY FREE

CAFS
Duty Free Shops Yangon International Airport, Arrival/Departure Tel: 533030 (Ext: 206/155) La Brasserie (International) Parkroyal Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388. Office: 17, 2 street, Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.
nd

Dance Club & Bar No.94, Ground Floor, Bogalay Zay Street, Botataung Tsp, Yangon.Tel: 392625, 09-500-3591 Email : danceclub. hola@gmail.com
(Except Sunday)

No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

ATC Co., Ltd. 27 (A), Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin TSP:, Yangon, Myanmar. T & F : 665610, 667498
atc-admin@wimaxmail.net.mm

FLORAL SERVICES

HEALTH SERVICES

Lemon Day Spa No. 96 F, Inya Road, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476. E.mail: lemondayspa.2011 @gmail.com

The Uranium Dance Studio Pearl condo Bldg (C), 2nd flr, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 09731-42624, 09-514-0404.

FloralService&GiftShop No. 449, New University Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN. Tel: 541217, 559011, 09-860-2292. Market Place By City Mart Tel: 523840~43, 523845~46, Ext: 205. Junction Nay Pyi Taw Tel: 067-421617~18 422012~15, Ext: 235. Res: 067-414813, 09-49209039. Email : eternal@ mptmail.net.mm

ATC Co., Ltd. 27 (A), Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin TSP:, Yangon, Myanmar. T & F : 665610, 667498
atc-admin@wimaxmail.net.mm

98(A), Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 553783, 549152, 09-732-16940, 09-730-56079. Fax: 542979 Email: asiapacific. myanmar@gmail.com.

Home Furnishing

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 660769, 664363. Acupuncture, Medicine Massage, Foot Spa Add:No,27(A),Ywa Ma Kyaung Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-511122, 526765. Franzo Living Mall 15 (A/5), Pyay Rd, A-1, 9 Miles, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 664026

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.

Foam spray Insulation

Piyavate Hospital (Bangkok) Myanmar Represent ative (Head office) Grand Mee Yahta Executive Residences. No.372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, PBDN. Ph: 256355, Ext: 3206. Hotline: 09-7377-7799. Email: piyavate@cnt.com. mm, piyavate.cnt@gmail. com, Website: www. piyavate.com European Quality & Designs Furniture Suitable for Outdoor or Indoor Use No. 422 - 426, FJVC Centre, Ground Floor, Room No. 4, Strand Road (Corner of Botahtaung Pagoda Road), Botahtaung Township, Yangon 11161, Myanmar. Tel: 01 202063, 01 202064 H.P: 09 509 1673 Fax: 01 202063 E-mail: contact@ smartdesignstrading.com Website: www. wovenfurnituredesigns.com

Foam Spray Insulation No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazuntaung Road, Pazuntaung Tsp, Yangon. Telefax : 01-203743, 09730-26245, 09-500-7681. Hot Line-09-730-30825.

GAS COOKER & Cooker Hoods

Yangon : A-3, Aung San Stadium (North East Wing), Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel : 245543, 09-730-37772. Mandalay : Room No.(B,C) (National Gas), 35th St, Btw 80th & 81st, Chanayetharzan Tsp. Tel : 09-6803505, 02 34455, 36748, 71878.

24 hours Laboratory & X-ray No. (68), Tawwin Street, 9 Mile, Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : (951) 9 666141 Fax : (951) 9 666135

LEGAL SERVICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. uminsein@mptmail.net.mm

May 13 - 19, 2013 THE MYANMAR TIMES

Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916. 1. WASABI:No.20-B, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp,(Near MiCasa), Tel; 666781,09-503-9139 2. WASABI SUSHI:Market Place by City Mart (1st Floor). Tel; 09-430-67440 Myaynigone (City Mart) Yankin Center (City Mart) JunctionMawtin(CityMart) No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org Ocean Supercentre (North Point ), 9th Mile, Mayangone Tsp. Tel: 651 200, 652963. Pick n Pay Hyper Market Shwe Mya Yar Housing, Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 206001~3, Fax: 9000199 Sein Gay Har 44, Pyay Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 383812, 379823. Super 1 (Kyaikkasan) 65, Lay Daunt Kan St, Tel: 545871~73 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. Tel : 515136.

Marine Communication & Navigation

TOP MARINE PAINT No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 09-851-5202 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

Top Marine Show Room No-385, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597

PLEASURE CRUISES

Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231

Media & Advertising

Intuitive Design, Advertising, Interior Decoration Corporate logo/Identity/ Branding, Brochure/ Profile Booklet/ Catalogue/ Billboard, Corporate diary/ email newsletter/ annual reports, Magazine, journal advertisement and 3D presentation and detailed planning for any interior decoration works. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing, Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd. Islands Safari in the Mergui Archipelago 4 Days, 6 Days, 8 Days Trips Tel: 95 1 202063, 202064 E-mail: info@islandsafari mergui.com. Website: www. islandsafarimergui.com

Schenker (Thai) Ltd. Yangon 59 A, U Lun Maung Street. 7 Mile Pyay Road, MYGN. tel: 667686, 666646.fax: 651250. email: sche nker@mptmail.net.mm.

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

SANITARY WARE
Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-4210-34875 operayangon@gmail.com www.operayangon.com Grohe 79-B3/B3, East Shwe Gone Dine, Near SSC Womens Center, Bahan Tsp. Tel : 01 401083, 09-73056736.

PEB Steel Buildings 21/5, Thirimingalar Avenue, Kabaaye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 653410, 09-7325-7042, 09-5150332, 09-4016-01948. marketing@pebsteel.com. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

TRAVEL AGENTS

Office Furniture

Road to Mandalay Myanmar Hotels & Cruises Ltd. Governors Residence 39C, Taw Win Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 229860 fax: (951) 217361. email: RTMYGN@mptmail.net.mm www.orient-express.com

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.

SCHOOLS
Monsoon Restaurant & Bar 85/87, Thein Byu Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653. Pansweltaw Express Cafe: 228, Ahlone Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel: 215363 (1)-Rm-309, 3rdflr,Ocean, East Point Shopping Center, Pazundaung Tsp. Tel:397900 Ext: 309. (2)G-Flr, Ocean North Point Shopping Center. Tel:652959, 652960, Ext: 133. Spicy Forest Thai, Korean and European Food Rm-051/Basement-1 (B1), Taw Win Center, Pyay Rd. Tel : 09-7320-9566, 01-8600111 (1151) Summer Palace (Chinese) Restaurant Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223, Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242828. ext:6483

SUPERMARKETS
Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd.tel: 294074, 294083. Capital Hyper Mart 14(E), Min Nandar Road, Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136. City Mart (Aung San Branch) tel: 253022, 294765. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (47th St Branch) tel: 200026, 298746. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Junction 8 Branch) tel: 650778. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (FMI City Branch) tel: 682323. City Mart (Yankin Center Branch) tel: 400284. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Myaynigone Branch) tel: 510697. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Zawana Branch) tel:564532. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar Branch) tel: 294063. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Chinatown Point Branch) tel: 215560~63. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Junction Maw Tin Branch) tel: 218159. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Marketplace) tel: 523840~43. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (78th Brahch-Mandalay) tel: 02-71467~9. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) IKON Mart IKON Trading Co., Ltd. No.332, Pyay Rd, San Chaung P.O (11111), Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: salesikon@myanmar.com.mm Junction Mawtin Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Cor of Wadan St. Lanmadaw.

Asian Trails Tour Ltd 73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 211212, 223262. fax: 211670. email: res@ asiantrails.com.mm

RESTAURANTS

REAL ESTATE

Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174

Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401.

Car Rental with English Speaking Driver. (Safety and Professional Services). Tel : +95 9 2050107 robinsawnaing@gmail.com Shan Yoma Tours Co.,Ltd www.exploremyanmar.com

Monday to Saturday (9am to 6pm) No. 797, MAC Tower II, Rm -4, Ground Flr, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lamadaw Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 212944 Ext: 303 sales.centuremyanmar@ gmail.com www.centure.in.th

Water Treatment

FREE House-Hunting Service with English Speaking Expert. Tel : 09 2050107 robinsawnaing@gmail.com

No.430(A), Corner of Dhamazedi Rd & Golden Valley Rd, Building(2) Market Place (City Mart), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 01-523840(Ext-309), 09-73208079.

Win
Bld-A2, Gr-Fl, Shwe Gabar Housing, Mindama Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. email: eko-nr@ myanmar.com.mm Ph: 652391, 09-73108896 Real Estate Agency Our Services - Office, House & Land (For Rent) (Agent Fees Free) Tel: 09-501-8250, 09-732-02480.

ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: info@ilbc.net.mm www.ilbcedu.com International School Yangon 20, Shwe Taung Kyar St, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 512793.

Commercial scale water treatment (Since 1997) Tel: 01-218437~38. H/P: 09-5161431, 09-43126571. 39-B, Thazin Lane, Ahlone.

Water Heaters

REMOVALISTS

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

The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244

Bld-A2, Gr-Fl, Shwe Gabar Housing, Mindama Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. email: eko-nr@ myanmar.com.mm Ph: 652391, 09-73108896

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

Admissions Office: Than Lwin Campus: 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951535433, 959-8503073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg Website: www.rvcentre. com.sg

The Global leader in Water Heaters A/1, Aung San Stadium East Wing, Upper Pansodan Road. Tel: 251033, 09-730-25281.

No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

WEB SERVICES

Paint
Worlds No.1 Paints & Coatings Company 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 World famous Kobe Beef Near Thuka Kabar Hospital on Pyay Rd, Marlar st, Hlaing Tsp. Tel: +95-1-535072

The Emporia Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp. Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6294 Traders Gourmet Corner Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel : 242828 ext : 6503 Traders Gallery Bar Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6433 Traders Lobby Lounge Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6456

Sole Distributor For the Union of Myanmar Since 1995 Myanmar Golden Rock International Co.,Ltd. Level 6, FJV Commercial Center, Botahtaung Tsp Yangon. Ph-202092-96, Fax: 202079

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel 541997. email: leplanteur@ mptmail.net.mm. http://leplanteur.net

Yangon International School Fully Accredited K-12 International Curriculum with ESL support No.117,Thumingalar Housing, Thingangyun Township, Yangon. Tel: 578171, 573149 www.yismyanmar.net Yangon International School New Early Childhood Center Pan Hlaing Golf Estate Housing & U Tun Nyo Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. Tel: 687701, 687702

World-class Web Services Tailor-made design, Professional research & writing for Brochure/ Catalogue/e-Commerce website, Customised business web apps, online advertisement and anything online. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing. Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

54 Sport BRIEFS
SYDNEY 81yearold footage used to restore Bradman home

THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013

SINGAPORE/YANGON

Architects have studied 81-yearold footage of cricketer Don Bradman at his childhood home to complete an award-winning restoration of the property. Bradman is said to have honed his batting skills in the Australian country town of Bowral by spending hours hitting a golf ball against the base of his homes metal water tank using a cricket stump as a bat. Bradman died in 2001 aged 92. He is widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time, with a test average of 99.94 runs from 52 matches.

Country music singer Carrie Underwood will take over the theme song for Sunday Night Football, with NBC sticking to the formula of a female country music star for its intro. Underwood steps in for Faith Hill, who announced last month that she would not be back for a seventh season. Underwood will sing a new version of Waiting All Day for Sunday Night, the network said on May 7. Producer Fred Gaudelli said that after Hill informed him in February, Underwood was the only performer he pursued.
Bryant. Photo: AP

NEW YORK Underwood to sing Sunday Night Football theme

Myanmar news journals react on May 9 to the announcement that Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson would retire at the end of the season. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

Farewell to the Theatre of Dreams

A world away, Asia says goodbye to Sir Alex
Aung Si Hein and afp aungsiheinmm8@gmail.com ASIAN fans from Singapore to Yangon on May 9 praised Alex Fergusons role in bringing Premier League football to the regions masses, after his shock retirement as Manchester United manager. As the clubs millions of Asian fans absorbed the news, splashed on front and back pages across the continent, they applauded Fergusons regular visits and his signings of Park Ji-Sung and Shinji Kagawa. Whatever else he has done, he has brought football to Asia, to the people, because not many people can afford to go to Old Trafford, said Laurence How, secretary of Malaysias official supporters club. TV images of the gum-chewing Ferguson have been a weekly feature of Asian life since the globally focused Premier Leagues inauguration in 1992, with now ubiquitous sports bars often crammed with locals wearing United shirts. Streets, malls, markets and slums are also dotted with the United crest and colours. Last year, a survey commissioned by Manchester United and carried out by market research firm Kantar estimated there were 659 million Manchester United fans worldwide with about half of them, 325 million, in Asia. Most of the fans are devastated, said David Fan, general secretary of Reds in Shanghai, as supporters took en masse to Chinas popular, Twitter-style weibos, where the subject was trending. Like me, we didnt expect that. Most of us have been watching United for more than 10 years and it started with Sir Alex, so its very hard for us to accept the fact. Weve never seen the team without Sir Alex. The feelings of sadness were similar in Yangon, where United fans regularly pack tea shops to watch matches broadcast from England despite the large time difference. I feel that I have lost a family member who became part of my life. At first I did not believe it, said Manchester supporter U Ye Min Thu in Yangon after hearing the news. Despite the heavy promotion of the domestic Myanmar National League, international football is still the most popular form of the sport in Myanmar, with teams from the English Primer League drawing the most support. It is a loss not only for the English football but also for the world of football, said another supporter, U Zaw Win. The team will find it very hard to replace a coach like Ferguson. The Premier Leagues exploding popularity more than doubled overseas TV rights to 1.4 billion pounds (US$2.2 billion) in 2010, and they are estimated to rise another 30 percent after the current round of negotiations. In Asia, even the newly crowned president of the Asian Football Confederation, Bahrains Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, is a proud Manchester United fan. Manchester United have carefully cultivated their relationship with the continent, with Ferguson heading popular pre-season trips. Companies such as Toshiba, Singha beer and Hong Kongs PCCW are among their list of sponsors. A legends team comprised of former Manchester United players is scheduled to play in Yangon in June. Last summer I saw them in Shanghai and it was quite unbelievable, said Fan. You see them on TV, and then theyre live in front of you. How, of Malaysia, where the supporters clubhouse is dotted with United memorabilia and has proudly hosted stars including Eric Cantona, said Fergusons personal touch had also gone down well with Asian fans. There was a trip here and he asked us to turn up for the plane and gave us a chance to meet the players. He thinks about the supporters more than the commercial people, he said. Supporters also cited the impact of signings like South Koreas Park, who thrived under Ferguson, becoming the first Asian to win Europes Champions League and also the first to wear Uniteds captains armband. Great things are also expected of Japanese international Kagawa, despite an injury-interrupted first season, after a string of influential performances and a hat-trick to his name already. The signings of Park and Kagawa brought excitement. People in Asia want to play football there too and now they know theres a chance, said Ken Lai, head of Singapores official supporters club. Shanghais Fan said while many English clubs have had Asian players, there was no sense amongst fans that Fergusons purchase of Park and Kagawa was driven by a desire to attract more Asian supporters. United have signed some Asian players like Park, like Kagawa and they used to have a Chinese player, Dong Fangzhuo, who didnt last that long, he said. Some fans think other clubs sign Asian players maybe to expand their popularity in Asia, but Sir Alex doesnt sign players for commercial reasons. Asian fans will also be among the first to experience the new-look Manchester United when they tour Thailand, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong in July.

An US auction house says it is confident of moving forward with the sale of Kobe Bryants mementos, which are the subject of a dispute between the National Basketball Association star and his mother. The New Jerseybased Goldin Auctions said it is hopeful the planned June auction will proceed after they paid a substantial fee to Pamela Bryant, who assured them through certificates of authenticity she is the rightful owner of the Bryant collectibles. Los Angeles Lakers superstar Bryant, 34, is not happy that his mother wants to auction off items from his childhood basketball days, including trophies, jerseys and championship rings. The items are expected to sell for US$1.5 million next month.

LOS ANGELES Auction house set to sell Kobe collectibles

A teen accused of punching a Mexican-born football referee who later died was charged May 8 with homicide by assault, a count issued when an attack unintentionally causes death. The teenager was playing goalie when Ricardo Portillo called a penalty on him for pushing an opposing player. The teenager began arguing with Portillo and then struck him in the head, authorities said. Charging documents show witnesses said the teenager threw one punch, hitting Portillo in the rear jaw area with a closed fist. Portillo was taken to a hospital in fair condition. Hours later, he went into a coma. He never regained consciousness and died May 4. AP

SALT LAKE CITY Homicide charge for teen in US referees death

www.mmtimes.com
SINGAPORE

Sport 55
MANILA

S'pore to host top tennis tourney

SINGAPORE was named as host of the glitzy WTA Championships in a five-year deal from 2014 on May 8, in a major boost for tennis in Asia. The wealthy Southeast Asian city-state beat out rival bids from Chinas Tianjin and Monterrey in Mexico for the season finale, which next year will boast a record purse of US$6.5 million.

Pacquiao to fight Rios in Macau

PHILIPPINE boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will battle US fighter Brandon Rios in Macau in November, organisers said on May 7, in a match that promoters hope will ignite Chinese interest in big-time boxing. The bout at the luxury Venetian Macao casino resort will be Pacquiaos first fight outside the United States since 2006. The fight is green and go, Pacquiaos chief management adviser, Michael Koncz, told AFP. Koncz, said they chose Rios, 26, over fellow American fighter Mike Alvarado because the formers style would fit Pacquiao better. Rioss style suits Manny because Rios is willing to fight and stand right in front of Manny, he said by phone from the United States. It is going to be big. Its something that has never been done in Asia. Asia is the new destination for big time boxing. He said there was a plan to tie-up with a Chinese company so it could show the fight through smartphones to the Chinese market. Bob Arum, chief executive of promotion agency Top Rank, had previously said he wanted to put Chinese boxer Zou Shiming on the undercard with Pacquiao to further spark interest in China. Top Rank spokesman Lee Samuels echoed expectations for a head-on collision between Pacquiao and Rios. Rios is going to stand and fight in front of Pacquiao. Rios will not take a backward step," Samuels said in a telephone call to reporters in Manila. Rioss manager, Cameron Dunkin, also confirmed the fight in a phone call to Manila: Brandon is excited and he is honoured to fight Pacquiao, he said. For Pacquiao, 34, once regarded as the best poundfor-pound fighter of his generation, the Rios match will be a chance to redeem himself after two defeats. Pacquiaos sporting achievements made him a national hero, becoming one of the highest paid sportsmen in the world, a showbiz celebrity and, in 2010, a member of parliament. AFP

This is the larest and most significant WTA Championships partnership in our history. It's a record breaker
Stacey Allaster Chairwoman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association
WTA player Serena Williams serves against Spanish player Lourdes Dominguez Lino during their tennis match at the Madrid Masters on May 7. Pic: AFP

This is the largest and most significant WTA Championships partnership in our history. Its a record-breaker, said Stacey Allaster, chairwoman and CEO of the Womens Tennis Association (WTA). The season-ending event features the top eight womens players and from next year, the eight

leading womens doubles pairs. It will be the Asia-Pacific regions second biggest tennis tournament after the Australian Open Grand Slam. It is also a major addition to Singapores portfolio of sports events alongside its Formula One

grand prix and big mens and womens golf tournaments. The WTA has placed a strong emphasis on Asia with a record number of tournaments in the region this year, and more due for the 2014 season including five in China alone.

The push is largely due to Chinas Li Na, who became Asias first Grand Slam winner in 2011 and reached her second Australian Open final this year, gaining such a profile that she appeared on Time magazines cover last month. AFP

Sport
56 THE MYANMAR TIMES May 13 - 19, 2013
Aung Si Hein aungsiheinmm8@gmail.com

SPORT EDITOR: Tim McLaughlin | tmclaughlin@gmail.com

Asia football fans say goodbye to Sir Alex

SPORT 54

Bullseye
ARCHER Aung Ngeain took top honours in the athletics world when she was awarded the Presidents State Excellence award for sport last month. She was one of 12 Myanmar citizens across as many fields who won State Excellence awards at the inaugural ceremony in Nay Pyi Daw on April 30. Prior to the ceremony, Aung Ngeain was informed by the Ministry of Sports that she had beaten out around 168 other athletes who were nominated for the prize. Since starting her career at the age of 17, Aung Ngeain, now 28, has accumulated 52 medals at international tournaments like the SEA Games and Asian Grand Prix. Originally from Min Dat in Chin State, she began training with the Myanmar Archery Federation in 2002 in Yangon using a recurve bow. She spent two years honing her skills before switching to the stiffer and more technologically advanced compound bow in 2004 when she began shooting competitively, but success did not come quickly. In 2004 I entered international events but I did not win my first gold medal until 2008, Aung Ngeain said. During those four years, Aung Ngeain began to question her dedication to the sport. It took me four long years, during which there were moments when I wanted to quit. Without the encouragement of my parents and trainers, I would have abandoned the sport entirely and would have done something else, she said. Now she has her sights set on adding to her career medal haul at the 27th Southeast Asian Games, which opens in December in Nay Pyi Taw. If history is any indication, her odds for achieving this are good. She won three golds at the SEA Games in Indonesia in 2011 and a gold and a silver in 2009 in Laos. She is currently training at the Gold Camp in Nay Pyi Taw, where she often finds herself giving advice to younger archers who look to her for guidance. Though she is paid only K100,000 a month, Aung Ngeain said that she did not want to comment on the finances of her sport or the state of the training camp, saying that she was more focused on improving . She is hoping that the compound bow will soon be included in the Olympics, where only recurve events are currently contested.

BRIEFS
Sydney England to play Ashes tour game in Alice Springs

Australias Red Centre will host England on their Ashes tour this year, with a two-day match at Alice Springs announced on May 7 at Traeger Park against a Chairmans XI. Alice last hosted an international game in 2000 when the West Indies played a Northern Territories XI, and Cricket Australia said it hoped fans would travel to the iconic outback town for the November 29-30 game. AFP

Two titles will be on the line when boxers step into the ring on May 12 at Theinphyu Stadium in Yangon. In one bout, Golden Belt champion Win Htun will take on Asian Muay champion Two Two. In the second, Myanmars Dagon Aunglan champion Soe Linn Oo will fight Htun Htun Min, Asian Muay silver champion. The two championship fights are part of a larger showcase that includes five undercard matches organised by the Ministry of Sport, Myanmar Boxing Federation and KSM group. Kyaw Zin Hlaing

Yangon Boxing titles on the line in Yangon

Without the encouragement of my parents and trainers, I would have abandoned the sport entirely and would have done something else.
Aung Ngeain Archer

Australia and China announced a four-year collaboration agreement on May 8 that will see 24 games played between their mens and womens basketball teams. The partnership will tip off with the Sino-Australia Challenge in June a four-game mens series in preparation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. AFP

Sydney Australia and China agree to basketball partnership

Education budget b
The government is taking some positive steps in the education sector notably budget But is this enough to lift Myanmars education standards out of the doldrums?
Aung Shin
koshumgtha@gmail.com

UNTIL 2012, only about one percent of the budget was allocated to education. Last year the government raised the allocation for education to 4.3 percent, and this figure has increased by a further 1.54pc this year, bringing it to 5.84pc of the national budget. The education budget is still low compared to the number of students. The government should increase it further, said Dr Thein Lwin, an education expert from the NLD Education Network. In cash terms, the percentage increase means a leap from about K643 billion to K908 billion an increase of more than K260 billion, out of a total national budget of about K7721 billion adopted in the 2013 union budget law of March 29. The government has estimated the income for the Ministry of Education at only K14 billion, which includes K2.7 billion from international aid. This means that the budget deficit is K83 billion. Were going to increase the education budget every year to ensure improvements are made in education, said U Thein Nyunt, Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Thingangyun township, and a member of Pyithu Hluttaw Education Promoting Committee. In March, the education minister also pledged to reallocate K31.27 billion from the budget for the

Children at a school in eastern Shan State. Pic: Aung Htay Hlaing basic education sector to office expenditure of the ministry. Any budget increase for education is good but it must bear fruit. There are a lot of needs in education, such as teacher training, transportation and other support for teachers in remote areas, as well as for teaching materials in the classroom, said Dr Thein Lwin. Despite a history of opacity, the education ministry is now sharing more information with the public as well as engaging more with it although contacting high-ranking officials remains a drawn out process. Starting this financial year, the ministry introduced free compulsory primary education, which also includes disbursing free textbooks. The government provided textbooks and exercise books worth K2.87 billion to more than 5.2 million primary students in the 2011-2012 academic year. A total of 5.5 million primary students received free textbooks and exercise books in 2012-2013 too, according to the ministry. The ministry is also going to appoint at least 10,000 junior assistant teachers (JAT) for primary schools around the country, and will renovate 1000 basic schools and offices at district level. There are already 52 district education offices, 18 state and regional education offices and 300 township-level offices. District education officers offices are unnecessary. Its enough to have school administration boards involving teachers and community leaders. The money should be spent in other education sectors, said Dr Thein Lwin. Education minister Dr Mya Aye told a seminar in April that the ministry would renovate schools and build new infrastructure, appoint more teachers, and fund teacher training. The ministry has added one year to the duration of higher education degrees starting from the 2013-2014 academic year. We need more infrastructures for this extension, said Dr Mya Aye, adding that the ministry will need to spend more on reform in order for it to be effective. The government will also use K3 billion to support 6303 teachers across 1579 monastic schools at the primary, post-primary, middle and high school levels. The allocation was discussed at a meeting in Yangon on April 28 between the ministry of religious affairs and supervising sayadaws in monastic schools. Monastic school teachers will receive a government salary for the first time this year. Administration, inferior infrastructure, technology and education policy are key issues that international engagement could help resolve. Lack of funds is one of the major hindrances in accomplishing education development goals, and the Ministry of Education is trying to engage with the international community more than ever. UNICEF, Japan International Cooperation Agency and AUSAID are working on educational projects in Myanmar.

Back to school 2013

Editors: Myo Lwin, Jessica Mudditt Writers: Shwe Yee Saw Myint, Jessica Mudditt, Cherry Thein, Noe Noe Aung, Thiha Toe, Zon Pan Pwint, Aye Nyein Win Cover photo: Yadanar

A Myanmar Times Special Report

Photographers: Kaung Htet, Noe Noe Aung, Jessica Mudditt, Aung Htay Hlaing Cover & Layout Design: Tin Zaw Htway, Ko Pxyo, Khin Zaw For enquiries and feedback: myolwin@myanmartimes.com.mm jess.mudditt@gmail.com

boost: is it enough?
increases and introducing free and compulsory education.
Education Highlights
Budget allocation for education Education Budget Budget Deficit Budget Allocation to Monastic Schools Number of schools to renovate and rebuild Number of teachers to appoint for primary education Number of basic education school (Basic Education) Number of institutions (Higher Education) Number of students (Basic Education) Number of school teachers (Basic Education) Number of students (Higher Education) Number of teachers (Higher Education 5.84 percent K908 billion K83 billion K3 billion 1000 10,000 40,876 (2011) 163 (2012) 8 million (2011) 0.3million (2011) 0.5million (2011) 20,000 (2011)

A child rides a water buffalo to school in Shan State. Pic: Aung Htay Hlaing

Source: Ministry of Education

Building schools, brick by brick

Jessica Mudditt
jess.mudditt@gmail.com

TRACY COSGROVE has been helping disadvantaged children for the past 18 years, after she and her husband decided they wanted a way to show their young children another side of Asia. Following the tragic death of her husband in a car accident in 1998, Tracy continued her voluntary activities and in 2003 founded the Melissa Cosgrove Childrens Foundation, a not-forprofit organisation named after her daughter. Along with countless healthrelated projects in Thailand, Tracy has initiated the building of 30 schools and orphanages in Myanmar, with the first opening in 2005. The most recent was a school for 120 children in Rakhine State, which at the end of February was handed over to the education department. In the past, the foundation has worked with street children, trafficked children, children whose parents are migrant workers and those with HIV/Aids. It is now focused on health and education related activities. An interior designer by profession, Tracy personally identifies and chooses the projects that are supported: her interest in Myanmar was piqued when she assisted a trafficked Myanmar boy to return to his family from Thailand. She told The Myanmar Times, Im not a big NGO and I wouldnt call it charity work its about empowering people. Tracy is a no-nonsense person the type who sees a tragic situation and simply gets to work improving it. One gets the feeling that No isnt in her vocabulary. She said she doesnt get over-

Phyo Wai and Tracy Cosgrove at the orphanage in Dalla. Pic: Jessica Mudditt whelmed by thinking about the number of people who need assistance she tries not to focus on that, but instead concentrates on what can be achieved. During her first visit to Myanmar in 2004, a friend took her to a village in Bago Region, which is about 3 hours from Yangon. She with the then British ambassador to Myanmar, Vicky Bowman, and pleaded for financial assistance to get the project started. Three months later, the job was done, and she set about rebuilding a kindergarten in the same township. She also supports a monastery in the same area. photo and posted it on Facebook. A doctor friend diagnosed it as a cancerous tumour and the teenager was promptly flown to Yangon for an operation. She is grateful to Air Mandalay for flying the girl free of charge. While traveling on the ferry to Dalla village on 6 May, Tracy said:

I wouldnt call it charity work its about empowering people.

Tracy Cosgrove

travelled in a Flintstones car, past a lot of checkpoints while being followed by a policeman on a motorbike. Although the local police initially wouldnt allow her to get out of the car, when Tracy took one look at the local orphanage she resolved to rebuild it from its dilapidated state. She immediately set up an appointment

Due to the fact that the foundation isnt encumbered by the red tape that can surround many non-government organisations, the scope of her work is flexible. Tracy is building a school in a village located an hour by boat from Ngapali, and when she happened to see a girl with what appeared to be a spot her eye, she took a

The last time I was on the ferry, I saw a boy who looked really, really sick. He was grey. It turned out that he needed a heart transplant. Thanks to Tracys compassion and powers of persuasion, she raised the necessary funds for the operation and the boy has successfully recovered. When we arrive at Hope Or-

phanage, Tracy swings into action asking her assistant Phyo Wai to find out the childrens needs and how best to provide help on an ongoing basis. Though businesslike when doing the organising, she puts her notebook down towards the end and stops to take photos of the children, saying Pyone! (Myanmar for smile). She laughs and kids around with them with such ease that it seems as though shes known them for years. Although this orphanage in particular is being supported by a family in Australia, Tracy said that Facebook is an excellent means of obtaining funding from overseas supporters. Peoples generousity is such that she often has to tell people to wait until the next projects presents itself she doesnt fundraise unless there is a specific goal in mind. The network [of supporters] is growing and growing, she said with a smile. Tracy also has a policy of hiring locals to build the schools and orphanages, in order to boost employment opportunities in the areas she works. Her son and daughter also help her with projects in Myanmar and Thailand, and she said that her own parents are also active supporters. Tracy repeatedly states how her work has been aided by the kind-heartedness of Myanmar people whether its a taxi driver that returns part of his payment to contribute to a youngster in need, or people banding together to achieve a common goal all without financial reward. She said, It was a close community when I was growing up in Manchester, but it wasnt like this. Ive never seen anything like it. In 2003, The Evening Times gave Tracy the Scotswoman Award, in recognition of personal courage and dedication towards others. Its not difficult to see why.

Tracy Cosgrove with children in Myanmar. Pic: supplied

Is school cool?
Ma Paing Aye MyaThu, 20 I liked school because I had a lot of friends and its great because my old school friends go to the same university as I do. But I didnt like school when teachers discriminated against the poor students by treating the wealthy ones a lot better. Kyaw Kyaw Tun, 13 I loved school, but I had to drop out two years ago because my family doesnt have any money. It was really disappointing. But now I want to earn money for my family by selling books on the streets.

Myanmar Times' reporter Shwe Yee Saw Myint hit the streets to ask people whether school is a drag or something to savour.

Nay Lin Aung, 12 I like school now that I am in eighth grade. I go to school in Kyauktada township, which is close to my house. I have lots of friends and its fun playing at break time. I love my teachers and I enjoy my classes.

San Myint Tin, 26 I liked school, but some things about it were difficult. I live in Magway Region in upper Myanmar and I lived in Saw Hla village. We didnt have enough teachers and it took me a really long time to travel to the city where school was. A lot of students were in the same situation. I passed the matriculation exams and got a distinction in physics, but overall I dont think the quality of teaching was very good.

Thi Ha Moe Oo, 24 I enjoyed primary school but high school life wasnt so good. Theres less time to spend with friends and I was under so much pressure to pass matriculation exams. I am happier now than I was at school.

Aung Paing Phyo, 24 I went to a small primary school and the teachers were so nice. It felt like everyone knew everyone and it was a really friendly place. My favourite part was playing in the play ground. It was the best time of my life.

Against the cane: corporal punishment in Myanmar

UNICEF has provided alternative discipline training to 60,000 teachers, but corporal punishment remains legal.
Jessica Mudditt
jess.mudditt@gmail.com

A FEW years ago, an expat living in downtown Yangon noticed a distressed young girl on the balcony opposite his apartment building. She had been doing calisthenics under the hot sun for hours, quite clearly against her will. The expat was so concerned that he called the ward councilor, but was shocked to find himself being reprimanded rather than the girls parents. The ward councilor made the man sign a document stating that he would never intrude on other peoples business again. According to a teacher who spoke to The Myanmar Times on condition of anonymity and who will be referred to as Mr Smith, there is a widespread belief in Myanmar that what happens in the home stays in the home. The author of a parenting book, Aung Thein Kyaw, said that violence towards children is common practice and an accepted part of Myanmar culture including at schools, where teachers use caning and other painful techniques to discipline students. In a 2009 Myanmar Times article, Aung Thein Kyaw said that a teacher from Aung Lan in Magwe punched a student so hard that it broke his tooth. Another died from injuries after being beaten by a teacher at a school in Pwin Oo Lwin. Corporal punishment appears endemic: In a 2001 study by UNICEF and Research International Asia (Thailand), 40pc of the 10,073 children surveyed in Myanmar said that their parents beat them. A 2002 study by UNICEF found that 17pc of respondents were unhappy at school because their teachers used corporal punishment. However despiterepeated calls from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CROC) to repeal or amend a number of laws, including the implausibly titled Whipping Act (1927), the government is yet to do so. As recently as 2011, it rejected recommendations to make corporal punishment in the home unlawful. And although the government has issued directives that corporal punishment should not be used at schools, no law expressly prohibits it.

Pic: Kaung Htet The Child Law allows for a form of admonition by a parent or teacher which is for the benefit of the child, while the Penal Code states that: nothing which is done in good faith for the benefit of a person under 12 years of age... is an offence by reason of any harm which it may cause. Although Myanmar is a signatory to CROC, campaigners seeking to end corporal punishment interpret local laws as eroding the rights of Corporal punishment remains a global issue to date, only 30 countries have made it illegal in the home. In such places, television and radio campaigns have proved highly effective in changing societal values about the perceived benefits of corporal punishment chiefly, that its effective. As Mr Smith explained, Sometimes parents believe that giving the child a beating is being a good parent: Its the way they leads to higher incidences- of truancy and drop-out rates. The Pediatrics journal states that: Children who are spanked, hit, or pushed as a means of discipline may be at an increased risk of mental problems in adulthood from mood and anxiety disorders to drug and alcohol abuse. Mr Smith said that in his experience, those who are subject to corporal punishment inevitably start to bully others. We all have a heal but if [children are] given negative verbal messages, their belief structure is affected. In the long-term, that can be more damaging. UNICEF has been advocating for the elimination of corporal punishment in schools in Myanmar since 2001. It continues to work with the Ministry of Education to promote Child Friendly Schools (CFS), which aim to provide learning environments that are physically and mentally healthy, safe, psycho-socially supportive and protective of children, said Mr Bainvel. UNICEF assists schools and teachers in finding alternatives to corporal punishment, which are known as positive discipline. More than 60,000 teachers at 15,000 schools have undergone training programs to date. Alternatives such as timeout where a child is removed from the situation for a short period and remains quiet, or temporarily removing privileges such as watching television, is more effective than corporal punishment in deterring undesired behavior, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics: The child may act out more in the short run, but these strategies are highly effective if used consistently. Such alternatives are worth trying particularly when there's so much at stake.

Sometimes parents believe that giving the child a beating is being a good parent.
Teacher

children under the UN Convention. For example, CROC outlines a governments responsibility to take all appropriate measures to ensure that school discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the childs human dignity, however existing laws permit the contrary. UNICEFs representative to Myanmar, Mr Bertrand Bainvel, told The Myanmar Times that, corporal punishment and verbal threatening are very common and deep-rooted forms of discipline in schools in Myanmar. Unfortunately, changing attitudes to a well-established practice in homes and schools will be difficult.

themselves were taught to do well at school and to respect their elders. Its important to introduce alternatives. Although parents undoubtedly want the best for their children, extensive research has found that corporal punishment produces exactly the opposite. In April 2011, the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children stated that: Studies show that discipline at school through either physical or emotional humiliation hinders a childs ability to learn, undermining the very purpose of education. International studies have also found that corporal punishment

certain capacity to hold hurt: When were holding too much, we have to get rid of it and so we impose it on others. The child who is being hurt will hurt others. Mr Smith said he believes that verbal abuse can be even more damaging than inflicting physical pain a position echoed in the UN Convention. CROC states that some non-physical forms of punishment are cruel and degrading and, thus, incompatible with the Convention. This includes punishment that belittles, humiliates, denigrates, scapegoats, threatens, scares, or ridicules the child. Mr Smith said, The body can

Wearing the white and green: students and teachers discuss compulsory school uniforms
Zon Pann Pwint
charge us, he said. Daw Hnin Hnin Wai, who is a high school teacher at BEHS (2), said a mother of a 7-year-old girl came to her recently to enrol her child at the school. The mother originally wanted to send her to an international school, called the International Language and

Students in uniform take a break for snacks in Bahan township in Yangon. Pic: Kaung Htet At my school, students love wearing uniforms, they dont mind it one bit that the colour is the same at every school, Daw Hnin Hnin Wai said. Outside school hours, they wear what they like and they are free to choose any fashionable clothes, so wearing a school uniform during uncomfortable for teachers, too. But Daw Myint Myint Cho said she has never heard a student complain. During 20 years of teaching experience at high school, I have never experienced a pupil having a problem with wearing a uniform, she said. However some students in ties at the waist with a fastener. If students do not comply with the uniform if they come to school with a designed or patterened longyi, there is no fine or punishment, but they will be asked to go home and change. Ma Yoon Nwe, a middle school student at BEHS (2) in Yankin said she doesnt like wearing a longyi, because it clings to her body and restricts her freedom of movement when she goes outside at lunch time. The uniform doesnt make it easy to play and run. If I wear trousers, I can run really well, she said. I also feel hot in a long-sleeved jacket. However it seems that the white and green is here to stay and something to be proud of.

zonpann08@gmail.com

FOR most Myanmar people, white and green are beloved colours that signify a time in life to learn and study. They are the colours of the traditional Myanmar school uniform, which is compulsory for students at state schools. Girls in secondary school wear a white traditional jacket with long sleeves, accented by a long, green skirt called a longyi, on special occasions (most of the time they wear short sleeves). Boys wear long-sleeved white shirts with a mandarin collar on Mondays and Wednesdays, and short sleeves on other days, matched with green trousers, or a longyi. Teachers also wear a version of the uniform. Middle school teacher Daw Myint Myint Cho, who has worked as a teacher for 27 years, and currently teaches at BEMS (9) South Dagon, said that wearning the uniform earns her a great deal of respect. When I started working as a teacher, I preferred different clothes rather than a plain and unadorned uniform, she said. But as the years passed, I began to notice a marked difference in how people relate to teachers in uniform, she said. When she takes the bus wearing her uniform, passengers will give her a seat or offer to carry her basket. When I go to the market, the seller will even throw in extra things for free, she said. Daw Myint Myint Cho said she believes that people are very respectful to teachers in uniforms because teachers create a feeling in them that he or she might be their sons or daughters teacher. Even when we go to celebrations or weddings, we wear the white and green uniform, she said. Some students also say they are treated with more respect when wearing a school uniform. I love wearing my school uniform, said Maung Ye Htet Aung, a ninth grade student at BEHS (2) Dagon Seikkan. Maung Ye Htet Aung said young students can take the bus free of charge when wearing a school uniform in that area. The bus conductors never

Even when we go to celebrations or weddings, we wear the white and green uniform.
Daw Myint Myint Cho, Teacher

Business Centre, but the young girl refused to go there, and told her mother she wanted to go to the state school because she specifically wanted to wear a white and green uniform.

school hours doesnt matter to them, she said. Of course, she and Daw Myint Myint Cho said that not every student enjoys wearing the uniform, and that sometimes, it can also be

middle school level have difficulties wearing a longyi, Daw Myint Myint Cho said. They are still young, so they arent accustomed to fastening a longyi tightly. At that age, students wear a special longyi that

Education takes a hit in Kachin State

TRADITIONAL Kachin music fills the community hall as a troupe of singers bellows out a song for family and friends at the Teacher Training College in the town of Mai Ja Yang. It is a night of celebration for 65 graduates who have upgraded their teaching skills in Myanmars northern Kachin State, not far from the Chinese border. Elsewhere in this remote, mountainous region, which has more than 83,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), there is little to celebrate. A 17-year-old ceasefire between the Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), who have been fighting for greater autonomy for the past six decades, collapsed in June 2011. In December we had to postpone studies at the school I was working at for a few months because of the fighting around Laiza, 22-year-old Aung Gam Haundang, who will resume teaching next month at the middle school in the de-facto capital of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO - political arm of the KIA), told IRIN. The biggest problem is we need more teachers. However, many who are qualified are afraid to work in the area because of the ongoing conflict and the recent attacks, Haundang said. Some 47,000 people are in IDP camps in KIA-controlled areas, with thousands more staying with host families, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on 18 April. Thousands of school-age children have been affected by the conflict, with varying access to education facilities. In KIA-controlled areas, volunteer teachers have been used to maintain education services for the displaced. However, financial support for this effort is lacking. A comprehensive assessment of the education sector is urgently needed to better determine the number of children in need of education support, gaps in school supplies, and the absorption capacity of existing schools, OCHA said. School closures Before the ceasefire collapsed, there were 262 state schools in KIA-controlled areas. Today there are 229, many of them overcrowded and under-resourced, local authorities say; many have been forced to close due to nearby fighting. In Mai Ja Yangs only high school, classes operate in two shifts, starting at 6.30am, and mid-afternoon. Prior to the conflict, just 600 children were enrolled at the school. However, an additional 700 teenagers from the camps have since joined - 200 of them from Northern Shan State, currently staying at a boarding house on the edge of town. More teachers are needed We heard fighting and gunfire near our village last year so we fled the area, running in all directions, 14-year-old Saing Toya from Northern Shan State told IRIN. My parents wanted me to continue my studies in a safe area and promised that I could return home once the village is more secure. The newly graduated teachers are being assigned to several recently constructed primary and secondary schools near Mai Ja Yang and Laiza. Headmaster La Raw at the Teacher Training College says 1520 of the graduates will be posted to IDP camps where assistance is needed most. Recently, the college sent two teachers to Yangon to attend a peace-building training course, joining representatives from other ethnic groups in Myanmar. As the singers finish their song, La Raw points out that music is a big part of Kachin culture, but also represents the harmony that is now needed to maintain peace. We hope to have peacebuilding training implemented in future school curriculums, La Raw said, adding, and we hope that some of the Burmese generals will attend. Meanwhile, Yaw Sau of the Central Education Department in Laiza expressed concern over recent policy changes in Myanmars education system which no longer recognizes official matriculation exams taken at schools in KIA-controlled areas - a move which could have serious repercussions for children once a peace deal is finally reached. One hundred and thirty-six students just completed their exams earlier this month, but the Myanmar government no longer recognizes the tests as official national level exams, Yaw Sau said, noting that prior to June 2011, such exams were recognised. - IRIN

Three minutes with Richard Johnstone, Principal of Myanmar International School

Myanmar International School opened in 2009 and currently has 329 students, from nursery to Year 11.
What made you decide to work in education? When I was younger, I was a wildlife biologist working on a wildlife refuge and one day, a teacher brought his students to do outdoor studies. After their visit, the teacher asked me, Have you ever considered teaching? You are a natural with those kids. What is the most satisfying aspect of your job? Being a mentor and model for good teaching practices and working with students to realise their dreams. What is the one gadget you cannot live without and why? My iPod - because I love music. Whats your favourite holiday destination? Ngapali Beach. Does your work involve a lot of travel? No I live two minutes from my office. Whats your favourite restaurant in Yangon? Alamanda Inn in Golden Valley its French cuisine. What was your very first job? I had a newspaper route and mowed lawns for people in my neighborhood. I was 10-yearsold and had money! Describe yourself in three words: Dependable, spontaneous, loyal. What was the last book you read? The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck ONeils America, by Joe Posnanski What is your advice for young people who seek a successful career in the education sector? Be open to learning on the job. There is no recipe out there for creating a perfect teacher: Its an ongoing project.

A school for internally displaced people in Kachin State. Pic: Kaung Htet

Great expectations for reforming the education system

Cherry Thein
t.cherry6@gmail.com

THE only way to turn around the education system in Myanmar, experts say, is to put decisionmaking power back in the hands of the teachers, students, and educational policy makers invested in its success. About 60 years ago, after independence from the British, Myanmar's education system was ranked among the highest in the region. However during Ne Wins government, private schools were closed and missionary schools nationalised, and the whole education sector fell under government control. Years of underfunding, restrictions and weak administration have resulted in a poorly functioning system. Former governments were also highly wary of students, because most political movements in Myanmars history began with student protests from the time of General Aung San to the protests of 1988, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi rose to prominence. To maintain control of the country, the military felt it was necessary to control the education system. The worst time for Myanmars higher educational system, experts say, was after 1988. All universities in the country were closed for several years at that time. Under President U Thein Sein, the government has recognised the need to address the situation, and change is evident with the country poised to double its education budget for the present school year. Still, challenges remain. Step one: Decentralise the system The first step is to decentralise decision-making with regard to educational issues. The private sector should have the chance to cooperate with the government in the education sector to strengthen policy, and international organisations should be consulted to discuss best practices. An educationfor-all policy should be put into effect at the grassroots level and policies need to be more practical. Dr Thein Lwin, an educator from the Education Network said: The state education system is in a state of malaise which results from former governments

A student in Rakhine State studies by candlelight. Pic: Kaung Htet misconstruction and misuse of education. The system should be managed by professional educators, teachers and scholars, he said, and teachers should have a chance to administer their own schools. Dr Thein Lwin also stressed that universities should be free from being overly centralised. He acknowledged that the new government is trying to address the problem by cooperating with international organisations and local experts, as advised. Myanmar is being courted by universities abroad, who are seeking to help the country develop its higher education sector. On April 30, in Nay Pyi Taw, the deputy minister for education, Dr Ba Shwe, met with a Japanese educational delegation that included members of the Japan-Myanmar Friendship Federation, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly to further cooperation between Japanese and Myanmar universities. The deputy minister also talked with the Austrian ambassador to Myanmar, Dr Johannes Peterlik and a delegation from the Proximus Corporate Advisory of Austria to discuss distance education, tourism management and scholar exchange programs between the two countries. With all the interest, experts say, expectations are high for effective reform of the educational system in the country. However, much work remains to bridge the gap between where Myanmar once was and where it wants to be in the future, to be competitive once again. The way forward for teaching and learning U Zaw Htwe Oo, who is a teacher in Kyeemyindaing township, said he has seen the educational system go through many ups and downs and noted that educators have less freedom now than in the past to teach what they feel is best for their students. Teaching methods are focused more on test results than learning, more rote memorisation than studentcentred teaching. Dr Thein Lwin and U Zaw Htwe Oo said the current system of teaching does not support either students or teachers. The only thing they have to do is sit their exams without digesting the subjects let alone insightful learning with reference to additional subjects, U Zaw Htwe said. They can get high marks for the subjects taught at school but lack life skills. This focus on simply passing exams is the result of years of bad habits from teachers and parents, as well as students. Students themselves are often reluctant to ask questions in class, which hampers their involvement and interest in the learning process. Dr Then Lwin said the curriculum should be reformed to inspire teachers and students with subjects which are relevant and wherever possible, practical. The subjects should provide students with critical thinking, problem solving and team work skills. Teaching methods should also inspire students interests and enthusiastic teaching practices can encourage selfreliance and creative thinking. Teachers must have the chance to sharpen their skills. For the better qualified teachers, they should have moderate salary, accommodation and education support for their children. If they have no worries about meeting daily expenses, they can give more attention to teaching, Dr Thein Lwin said. Education for all: disparity increases Dr Thein Lwin said that one decade ago after more than 20 years of prohibition - the government began allowing private schools to introduce international education standards. Although it offered alternatives for some, Dr Thein Lwin said it has also created further disparity allowing wealthy children access to alternative learning styles, but leaving children who attend government schools without the same opportunities. The government, he said, needs to address the problems within the state education system itself and help all students reach the same standards. Private schools provide specific learning but not all families can afford the high cost. Some schools in Yangon charge US$5000 to $10,000 a year, and fees are often higher for secondary education. Private schools are also run by their own budgets, do not rely on government money and often employ foreign teachers, whose housing is usually subsidised by the school. Before the introduction of free education this year, public schools while much more affordable than private schools cost about K10,000 ($12) a year, but there are additional costs. Students are asked to pay for their own books, uniforms, and supplies. Students also have to give extra money every day for a variety of things including teachers pensions.

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Left behind: stories of working children on the Thai-Myanmar border

Education is compulsory in Myanmar, but only until the age of nine. With changing economic opportunities, many parents are choosing to send their children to work instead but as these kids reveal, missing out on an education is a heavy price to pay.
Noe Noe Aung
children travel by motorbike. About three years ago, the girl dropped out of school after her family moved from their home in a small village in Ayeyarwaddy region. I went to school up until fourth standard I stopped going when we moved. My mother also works here and if things are calm, she works on the other side. The other side is Thailand. As its easy to cross the border illegally via Thaungyin River, large numbers of Myanmar people risk everything to find better job opportunities. When I asked her if she wants to go back to school, she didnt answer. She just kept staring at the notebook in my hands. I wondered The pagoda board of trustees pays children to collect donations from tourists for the upkeep of the pagoda. I cant earn that in Yangon, at least not honestly. But here, if my mother and I work hard, we can live better than when we were there, said Khin Moe Htay. Though I miss school life sometimes, I dont want to go back, she added. Khin Moe Htay said that people from all across Myanmar come to the border area in the hope of earning a better living, as everyday life is getting more and more pricey. Children who move with their parents to work here often move to Thailand to earn more money when they get older, said a resident who travelled with our group. According to Thailands Labour Ministry, there are more than a million Myanmar people working legally in Thailand, while millions more lack the necessary paperwork. Virtually none of the children working on Myanmars side of the border in Myawaddy attend school. Although the short term financial benefits of pulling children out of school appeal to many struggling families, the number of people who will grow up to become adults with limited job prospects is worrying.

noenoeag@gmail.com

AFTER stopping at a rest station in the Daw Na mountains en route to the Thai-Myanmar border town of Myawaddy, a small group of children sidled up to the car. Do you want to buy some water? I have icy cold drinks, another said. Each was carrying a large bucket full of ice and drinks and they all wore thanaka to protect themselves from the burning May sun. I bought a Coke and asked if I could hold one of the buckets to judge its weight. It was heavier than it looked and would have been a burden to an adult, let alone a child. I come here every day at about 10am to sell cold drinks. I dont need to have lunch if I have a heavy meal before I get here, said a 13 year-old girl who didnt want to disclose her name. She said the journey from her home in Thin-Gang-Nyi-Naung to her workplace in Kyauktalone is long, and that she and the other

How can I make money if I go back to school?

A years vendor waits for customers in Myawaddy near Thai-Myanmar border. Pic: Noe Noe Aung because he works in Thailand. I attended school regularly until the move at the time I quit I was in eighth grade, he said. Ko Htoo shook his head when I asked if hed like to finish school. How can I make money if I go back to school? I need money to help support my family, he said. Ko Htoo can up to K20,000 a day if a lot of people stop at the rest station. Khin Moe Htay is 15 and has a different, more lucrative job she collects donations for Kyauktalone pagoda. There are five of us girls. We collect about K200,000 a day, she said. Of that, she is paid K60,000.

Ko Htoo, 15

whether she could read or write. Ko Htoo is 15-years-old and also sells water at the rest stop, far away from his home in Thaton, Mon State. We came here three years ago. We dont live with my father

Teachers talk: why I teach

Thiha Toe
in 2000 for five years while working. Ive got a lot of experience in teaching methods and I know how to manage students, because I worked as a primary teacher before attending Mandalay Teacher Training Centre, she said. She continues her training with support from UNICEF. Another teacher, 28, working in private education in Yangon Region, said: I like teaching and reading. Ive worked as a private teacher since I graduated. Children parents. However hard teachers push, the future of graduates usually depends on themselves, and on their parents. Parents should cooperate with teachers as educators to educate the students, the government primary school teacher said. I wonder about the future of the education system. From primary level to graduate level there is a lot of parrot-fashion rote learning. How well does this equip a child? said the private school teacher.

thihatoe.tht@gmail.com

ITS hard work and the pay is low. But theres a certain satisfaction to be had in being a teacher, professionals have been telling The Myanmar Times. They shared their experiences on condition of anonymity. I really enjoy my life as a teacher. Interest, goodwill and sacrifice, these are the three things that motivated my career decision. Thats why I chose this job for life, said a 45-year-old government primary school teacher from Mandalay Region with 18 years experience. After graduating in 1995, she trained at a basic education primary school in Mandalay. She attended distance training at Mandalay Teacher Training Centre

Teachers have not only to educate the students, but to instruct them in moral and general

Most students are only learning because of pressure from their parents.
Teacher

prosper only if they have enough education, and Im happy to help them get it. Thats been my motivation for the past five years. She attended courses and workshops taught by foreigners before she became a private school teacher. Some students work very hard. But most are only learning because of pressure from their

Mathematics cannot be learned by rote, nor can English, which requires constant practice. Moreover, there arent enough jobs for graduates. This is a great loss to our country. Graduates have a future only if they try very hard, or take extra courses. Or if they have a lot of money, she added. Inspirational the work may be, but it can also be tiring, and low-paid.

knowledge. Its very detailed and sometimes tiring work, and a huge responsibility, she added. A six-day week is common. The primary teacher works 40 hours a week, divided into eight 35-minute periods a day. She earns K102,000(US$113) though teachers salaries have recently been increased. Its enough for a single person,

but very difficult to support a family, she said. Most Myanmar teachers are women. There are few male teachers in Myanmar. Most schools need male teachers to act as role models for male students, but the income doesnt support a family comfortably. So men dont tend to enter the profession, she said. What about the professions reputation? Im sad when people criticise teachers mistakes and call them bad teachers. Nobodys perfect, but some critics attack the entire profession. The main thing is cooperation between teachers and parents.

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Back in my day: education in the 1960s

Well-known journalist and author U Pe Myint talks exclusively to The Myanmar Times about his education and why he feels its important to be able to study in two languages.

Aye Nyein Win

ayenyeinwin.mcm@gmail.com

education system at that time? A: I honestly dont think the system was good enough back then. Some teachers were very smart, but not many. Perhaps three or four knew their subjects well. They were confident, and trusted themselves. Q: As a journalist and author, what made you first decide to study medicine? A: People who got the highest scores at matriculation were entitled to attend medical college. My parents also encouraged me to do so. I wasnt sure what I should be doing at that time. The system seemed to shape ones life to that end. If you got good grades, you become a professional, a doctor or an engineer, with a guaranteed job. If you chose other subjects like maths, physics, chemistry and so forth, you were less likely to get a job. These subjects were not thought suitable for professionals. If you chose different subjects altogether, the chances of getting a job were even slimmer. But later on, even medical school graduates and engineers werent sure of getting a job. Q: What did you do after finishing your education? A: I practised medicine until 1988. After about 10 years I stopped and began writing. Ive been writing books since I was in school.

Q: Is English important? A: It depends. If there are 100,000 books in Myanmar and 200,000 in English, English speakers have the chance to learn more. If you want to know something in depth, you need English. If all you know is Myanmar, you wont learn as much. Q: What about learning history at school? A: I didnt realise how important history was when I was young. But we should learn a lot about history. From past experiences in the world and in Myanmar, we can learn useful lessons for the present. Author Dr Than Tun said history is taught to prevent us being dumb. Those who know history can judge the present better. Its empowering. Q: What is your opinion on the reinstatement of political science as a subject at universities? A: Its an important subject. Politics means leading a nation and running political machines. We need to know about politics, especially if we are developing a democratic country. Democracy is the rule of the people, and the people need to know how the country is ruled. If there are flaws, we must be able to point them out. We must be able to speak out. Like learning history, its a way of avoiding thinking too simply.

Q: You finished school at an early age please tell us about that. A: I enrolled in primary school at an age younger than the other children. When I passed ninth standard, I was only 13 years old. I graduated from Thandwe State High School in Rakhine State at 15 years of age, in 1966. I had to wait for two years before I could begin university. I studied at the Institute of Medicine in Yangon and got my degree in 1975. The system at that time was rigid you couldnt change your course. One of my friends tried to quit medical school to do an English major. They wouldnt let him. Q: Did you learn in Myanmar or English or both? A: In primary school, all subjects were taught in Myanmar. English was compulsory from fifth standard to matriculation, or tenth standard. At medical college, the subjects were taught in English. Q: How would you judge the

U Pe Myint spoke to The Myanmar Times in Yangon last week. Pic: Aye Nyein Win Q: How do you view the present educational system? A: The educational level of universities just after independence was high. But 10 years ago, the system was bad. Schools and universities were closed whenever there were political protests. The government then reopened universities in remote areas. Schools and universities lacked teaching aids and materials and the government couldnt afford to provide them. This remains a problem. Q: How could the system be improved? A: There should be a system that looks after the students properly. When I was a student, we were able to have career counselling with faculty members. We were able to attend the course for a while, and if we didnt like it we could change our course. Todays students should have this opportunity also. If there are 100 people enrolled in medical school, there should be 100 graduates. Now, out of 300 enrolled, 50 will drop out. Students should choose subjects that interest them, because then they will succeed. This is good for them, their families, and the country. - Translated by Myo Lwin

Yangon and Mandalay universities to offer undergraduate degrees

AFTER being closed to undergrads for 16 years, Yangon University and Mandalay University will offer undergraduate degrees, according to a report in The Voice on May 6. It quoted the Universities Central Council members as saying that the universities will accept 600 students and give courses on 20 subjects, including political science, from the next academic year. The decision to reopen the universities came following the council meeting in Nay Pyi Taw on May 4. The classrooms will accommodate about 25 students who will be provided with accommodation. The cost will also be reasonable, the paper quoted the council as saying. Chairman of the Universities Central Council, Deputy Minister for Education Dr Mya Aye said students will get the chance to improve English as native English speaking teachers will be employed. The two universities were established during the colonial time but following the student protests of 1988, stopped offering degrees other than masters. The universities will accept only students with the highest matriculation examination results, the council said.
Myo Lwin

Students at Kyaing Tong in Shan State. Pic: Aung Htay Hlaing