‘FREE’

BONUS BOOK

2
3
 South East Asia & The Orient

CHINESE
CHINESE
HOROSCOPES
HOROSCOPES
SEXUAL
SEXUAL MORES
MORES
INTERNET
INTERNET
&
&
SCAMS
SCAMS
(C) IQ Inc. 1997. 2007. 2009.

4
 Thanks to the many journalists and travellers
who contributed information and articles
to this publication.

Published by IQ Inc.
(C) 1997. 2007. 2009.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-

duced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-
ing or otherwise,
except brief extracts for review, without the written permis-
sion of the copyright owner.

The authors and publishers have made every effort to

ensure that the information contained within is as accurate
as possible. However, no liability can be accepted
for any injury, loss or inconvenience caused
to anyone using this book.

Published by IQ Inc.
International licencing enquiries:
publicrelationsiqinc@hotmail.com
www.iqincmedia.com

ISBN 974 - 94994 - 0 - 9

CD-ROM: 1997.
First Book Pressing: July 2007.
E-Book: 2009.

5
6
7
1
CHINESE HOROSCOPES

Oriental nations take Chinese horoscopes very seriously. Many

business people, politicians, as well as the general public, won’t
make a move without them.
Because Chinese horoscopes are an important part of
Oriental culture, you never know when even a small element of
knowledge on the subject could be helpful.
If you lack even surface information about the culture
of any nation you wish to travel to, your social or business
goals will be that little bit less likely to succeed. This is particu-
larly true of South East Asia & The Orient.

The Chinese Astrological Cycle

The Chinese Astrological cycle takes twelve years to complete,
and each year is named after an animal. Legend has it that The
Buddha named the individual years more than six hundred years
before the birth of Christ.
The Chinese Astrological Cycle commences with the
year of the Rat and ends with the year of the pig. So if your
partner has behaved like a rat or if you have had a pig of a year,
you can always blame it on the way your astrological cycle fell.

8
 The Twelve Years of the Chinese Astrological Cycle

RAT
OX
TIGER
RABBIT
DRAGON
SNAKE
HORSE
SHEEP/GOAT
MONKEY
ROOSTER
DOG
PIG

The Five Elements

Chinese philosophy considers that everything and everyone is
influenced by the five elements that make up all matter. These
elements are: Metal, water, wood, fire and earth.

Metal is connected with a strong will.

Water with qualities of sensitivity and persuasiveness.

Wood with powers of imagination and creativity.

Fire with energy and dynamism.

Earth with practical aptitude and stability.

9
Yin and Yang

The concept of yin and yang is to achieve a balance of the elements.

The planets are balanced in the universe and the survival of all living
creatures depends on such harmony. When you think about it, bal-
ance and harmony are important, and the South East Asian goal is to
translate that balance to relationships within the family and between
nations.
This is the reason why any display of strong emotion,
sorrow, delight or anger is discouraged. In fact it is considered
to be the behaviour pattern of an immature and undisciplined
personality.
Breaking this cardinal rule in any of the nations of South
East Asia is a cultural mistake which many Western individuals
make. Just by itself, emotional self-indulgence can potentially
ruin what would otherwise have been a fabulous holiday, or
destroy a business deal in seconds flat. In extreme circum-
stances it could even get you killed, as such behaviour can
potentially make others lose face. In South East Asia & The
Orient, that is a particularly grave sin.
Balance and harmony rule the psyche of the peoples of
South East Asia. Chinese Horoscopes are a part of that cultural
configuration.

10
NB. In the West until recent times, the Chinese practise of acupunc-
ture was generally considered to be fatuous. However, when sub-
jected to in-depth scientific investigation for a few decades, it was
found to be a holistic treatment that could banish pain and help heal
without the use of drugs. Acupuncture can even be used during sur-
gical procedures as an alternative to conventional anaesthetic. Could
Chinese Horoscopes possess a similar inscrutable power?

What Chinese Astrological Sign Are You?

RAT
1900 - 31 Feb. 1900 - 18 Feb. 1901
1912- 18 Feb. 1912 - 05 Feb. 1913
1924 -05 Feb. 1924 - 23 Jan. 1925
1936- 24 Jan. 1936 - 10 Feb. 1937
1948- 10 Feb. 1948 - 28 Jan. 1949
1960- 28 Jan. 1960 - 14 Feb. 1961
1972- 15 Feb. 1972 - 02 Feb. 1973
1984- 02 Feb. 1984 - 19 Feb. 1985
1996- 09 Feb. 1996 - 06 Feb. 1997

OX
1901- 06 Feb. 1901- 07 Feb. 1902
1913- 06 Feb 1913 - 25 Jan. 1914
1925- 24 Jan. 1925 - 12 Feb 1926
1937- 11 Feb 1937 - 30 Jan. 1938
1949- 29 Jan. 1949 - 16 Feb 1950
1961- 15 Feb. 1961 - 04 Feb. 1962
1973- 03 Feb. 1973 - 22 Jan. 1974
1985- 20 Feb. 1985 - 08 Feb. 1986
1997- 07 Feb. 1997 - 08 Feb. 1998
11
65
66
67
 South East Asia & The Orient
Compiled & Edited by: Jake Anthony

Thanks to the many journalists and travellers who

contributed information and articles to this publication.

(C) IQ Inc. 1997. 2007. 2009.

International licencing enquiries:

publicrelationsiqinc@hotmail.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for review,
without the written permission of the copyright owner.

The authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure

that the information contained within is as accurate as
possible. However, no liability can be accepted for any injury,
loss or inconvenience caused to anyone using this book.
ISBN 974-7313-80-2
CD-ROM: 1997.
First Pressing: July 2007.
E-Book: 2009.
68
CONTENTS

Burma/Myanmar: Page 74

Cambodia: Page 96

China: Page 110

Hong Kong: Page 132

Indonesia: Page 148

Japan: Page 166

Laos: Page 290

Malaysia: Page 206

Philippines: Page 226

Singapore: Page 244

South Korea: Page 262

Taiwan: Page 278

Thailand: Page 296

Vietnam: Page 322

69
Foreword
The cultures of the Oriental East are uniquely different to those
of the Occidental West. To the Western individual experiencing
those differences in practical terms on a day-to-day basis, the
new rules can potentially come as a shock.
The scenic beauty, cultural diversity and generally polite
nature of the peoples of South East Asia is at most times a
delight. In fact it would be difficult to find a better set of loca-
tions in which to experience a uniquely different holiday.
However, the Art of War was formulated in the Orient in
ancient times, and business is conducted using those principles
to this day. So if you intend to investigate the possibility of
investment or trade in South East Asia and the Orient, caveat
emptor (buyer beware) applies with a vengeance.
As example, during the Second World War, Siam allied
itself to the Japanese. It had no alternative, the country would
have been overrun by the Nipponese forces just as Singapore,
Malaya, Burma and parts of China were in the same land block.
Whilst supposedly allied to the Japanese, Siam assisted the West-
ern powers via the underground. Despite having faced both
ways at the same time for the best part of five years - never
taking up arms and business continuing as usual - at the end of
the Second World War, Siam/Thailand managed to stay on
good terms with both East and West.
Unique amongst non-Western nations, Siam/Thailand was
the only country in South East Asia never to have been colo-
nised during the golden age of Western imperialism. Every sin-
gle nation surrounding that country was colonised, but Siam/
Thailand was not.
You’d have to look long and hard through the history

70
books to match such dexterous feats of diplomacy.
The cultures of South East Asia and the Orient are an-
cient. In fact some would say superior in many ways. Whilst
the Celts, Scots, Picts, Gauls and Saxons - from which the
European races and majority of the North America and Australa-
sian populations are descended - were running around with
blue paint on their faces (wode) armed with spears and wearing
rough hewn skins on their backs, Siam had discovered how to
weave fine silk, China had a well developed commercial sys-
tem, fine art was much appreciated, gunpowder had been in-
vented, and an efficient (albeit slightly corrupt) civil service was
in place.
Then there is the fact that the main Western religions -
Christianity and Judaism - are not the religions of the East. Five
of the countries of South East Asia are Buddhist and/or lean towards
Buddhism - which does do not accept the role of a God or Deity,
believing that the conduct of the individual determines the present
and the future. In other parts of South East Asia, Confucianism,
Taoism and Islam are the faiths which predominate.
When a business ventures into other lands, the difference
between doing a deal that floats and one that does not, is cultural
knowledge. An insight into the background and culture of any nation
you intend to visit can also provide greater understanding and pleas-
ure.
Bon Voyage.

71
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73
74
75
Burma/Myanmar
People and Place

Previously a British colony, Burma /Myanmar was occupied

by the Japanese from 1942 until the Allied Forces gained vic-
tory in 1945. It was the last country in the region to be occupied
by the British.
Burma became a sovereign independent state in 1948
after 62 years of colonial administration. More recently renamed
Myanmar (its historical name), the country has since been prac-
tising a kind of socialism under harsh military rule - equal
poverty for the masses, and capitalist riches for the ruling junta.
Virtually cut off from the West for decades and with
minimal contact with its neighbours, Burma has not garnered
the benefits which an open society would normally expect to
obtain.
As a result, even though the country benefits from the
same land mass, coastline and topography as its neighbour Thai-
land, perceptions of the country as a tourist resort are less than
perfect.
Burma/Myanmar lies on the crossroads of two of the
world’s most ancient civilisations: China and India. Its culture is
a blend of both, but with Buddhism predominately influencing
daily life. The people are slightly darker in skin hue compared
to the Siamese (Thai) and slightly more Asian (Indian) in ap-
pearance. In the North East, Chinese ethnic influence predomi-
nates.
Burma is made up of a number of tribes with over a
hundred languages and dialects spoken. Shan and Myanmar
predominate. Other races are the Kachin, Kayin, Chin, Bamar,
Mon, Rakhine and Karen. Myanmar is the language spoken in city
76
locations, but Cantonese and Mandarin will be heard in business
circles.
Over 80% of the population are Buddhist, but Christian-
ity, Islam and Animists practise their religions.
Stretching from the Himalayas in the North on the bor-
der with India, to the coral reefs on the same coastline as South
West Thailand, Burma is the largest country in the South East
Asian Peninsula. Sharing borders with Bangladesh, India, China,
Laos and Thailand, Burma occupies an area of 676,577 sq.
km. - twice the size of Vietnam and equal to France and the
UK combined.
With borders running from Southern Thailand to India,
the climate varies dependent upon latitude. Temperatures range
from 19C. to 38C. spread over three distinct seasons: hot from
March to May; rainy season with monsoon winds from June to
October; and cool from November to February. The climate is
less tourist-friendly than Thailand.
Yangon (Rangoon) is the capital city with a population
of nearly 5 million. However, the military government has re-
cently built a new capital city in a remote area! Other major
cities are Mandalay, Mawlamyaing, Bago and Pathein. With a
population approaching 47 million in the country as a whole,
the literacy rate is 81%.
A spectacularly beautiful country with an enormously
long coastline, Burma/Myanmar could potentially have the most
successful tourist industry in the world. A repressive political
system and severe paranoia concerning the West, has prevented
that from taking place.
Since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar has gone
through various phases of economic development - from a cen-
trally planned economy to one that is attempting to become
more market-oriented.
Lush forests and reserves of minerals, oil and gas, provide
the ingredients for sustained economic growth if the military junta
ever decides to liberalise and democratise the political climate.
77
 Tourism is considered by the government to be the most
promising area of business growth, and many hotels, restau-
rants, tour companies and related services are being established.
Despite the handicap of what the West would regard as
the country’s less than acceptable record on human rights and a
complete lack of democracy, the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism
is promoting this area of investment to foreign companies. The
result is that more than 150 hotels have been built (both local
and overseas owned) with a billion US dollars invested.
Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world
with ultra low wage rates for staff and utilities, hotel costs are
relatively high in Burma/Myanmar. In fact they are astronomi-
cally high compared to nearby Thailand. Add the fact that en-
tertainment is extremely limited, and a successful tourist indus-
try in Burma appears to be something of a pipe dream at the
moment.
To make matters worse, internal visas are required for
local people to travel within the country, and access to many
locations is of-limits to tourists. This hinders the development
of tourism.
Proof of this scenario is that during the year 2000, tourist
arrivals fell far short of the government’s target of 500,000 a
year. Less than half arrived, a drop of 9.3% on the previous
year. Just a quarter of a million tourists in one year is minuscule
compared to Thailand’s annual 9.5 million plus.
As an underdeveloped nation, the main industry is teak
and hardwood logging. Unofficially, heroin production is rela-
tively prevalent in the south. Rice paddies and small scale agri-
culture allow the people to survive, along with hunting, fishing
and raising livestock. Traditional handicrafts provide moderate
cash income.
Burma/Myanmar has as many natural resources as its
prosperous neighbour Thailand, and with an ethnically related
population. Logic suggests that Burma/Myanmar has the potential
to be just as successful. The basic difference is that Thailand is pre-
78
dominately a democracy practising free trade. Burma/Myanmar is
not.
Until Burma/Myanmar is willing to follow a more ac-
ceptable approach to human rights and democracy - not to
mention a more tourist-friendly approach to hotel prices, inter-
nal travel, visas and currency exchange - business investment
and tourism from the outside world will probably be thin on the
ground.
As a tourist destination, Burma/Myanmar is probably more
suited to the adventurous individual and journalists seeking an
expose on life under a repressive regime. A shame, as the coun-
try is beautiful in many areas and the people friendly.

Burma/Myanmar

79
Visas, Immigration, Work Permits, Currency, Getting Around.

Tourist Visas

Tourist visas for 28 days duration can be obtained from consu-

lates and embassies within two to three days. Cost is $20 to
$30 - dependent upon which country it is purchased in. Two
passport photos are required plus a confirmation letter issued
by your travel agent. Emergency visas can be obtained for an
additional fee.
Officially visas cannot be extended. However, the
Immigration Departments in Myanmar will do so for up to a
further 30 days. Five photos are required plus a fee of up 30
US dollars. The fee varies from office to office.
Short term extensions usually require gifts such as 200
cigarettes or currency subtly offered in the pages of your pass-
port.
Two month visas are granted to students of Buddhism.
Journalist visas are generally treated with suspicion, and you
are much less likely to obtain entry if journalism is stated as
your occupation.

Business Visas

Business visas can be obtained at embassies and consulates

abroad. Proof of business bone fides and objectives will be
required.
Multiple visas are now allowed as the country gradually
opens up to the outside world. However, individual offices can some-
times be difficult.
‘Stay visas’ for up to one year are permitted for foreigners
operating businesses in Burma They must be endorsed by the For-
eign Investment Ministry regarding the type of business engaged in.
Visa extensions are allowed once contacts are made with
local people or officials in the Immigration Department.
80
 Foreign visitors must register each new address with the local
police or immigration authorities. Hotel staff are usually willing to
carry out this duty.
Organised package tours are encouraged by the
Myanmar Tourist Board, but the cost is high. Independent trav-
ellers can obtain a tourist package of a visa plus two nights
accommodation from Bangkok travel agents. Cost is from $100-
$200. That gets you into the country with hotel stay included.
From then on the traveller is independent and able to book the
hotel of choice.
Other than by road from Mae Sai in Northern Thailand,
foreigners can only enter Burma/Myanmar by air. Tourists ar-
riving without a visa will be deported. Albeit, everything is po-
tentially negotiable. Children over 7 years mentioned in the
passport of a parent must hold a separate visa.
Transit visas are valid for 24 hours. Holders of Taiwan-
ese passports are prevented from entering the country other
than if in possession of an affidavit issued by a representative
of the Myanmar Consulate abroad. But anything is negotiable
with tea money.
Information regarding where tourists can travel within
the country is obtainable from the Tourist Corporation in Yangon
(Rangoon). Any embassy abroad will also advise which areas
are off-limits to foreign visitors. An official tour guide is re-
quired to accompany a foreigner visiting areas away from con-
ventional tourist destinations.

Customs

Customs officers inspect luggage for drugs and contraband. Body

searches are carried out for the same reason, and to prevent terror-
ism. All souvenirs and goods brought into the country require an
export permit.
Technically, mobile phones cannot be taken into Burma/
Myanmar without prior permission from the Government. If imported
81
without advance permission, such devices will be temporarily de-
tained by Customs Officers on arrival. They will be returned on
departure. There are so many cell phones these days that this rule is
not actually enforced on arrival and customs staff usually turn a blind
eye.

Airport arrival Documents and Procedures

1. Passport, entry visa, disembarkation card.

2. Vaccination certificate against yellow fever and cholera if
arriving within 6 days of leaving an infected area.
3. A pet health certificate if animals are being brought in.
4. A customs declaration listing all electrical goods, radios, com-
puter lap-tops, cameras, etc. This must be completed if you
wish to take them out of the country without payment of ex-
port duty. A list of goods taken in is stapled into your passport.
However, some people simply unclip the list and customs rarely
check on departure.

Currency

Visitors were once required to exchange a minimum of $300

into F.E.Cs (Foreign Exchange Certificates) which could not
officially be changed back to the original currency. As a result, a
strong black market in F.E.Cs was a major local enterprise.
That is no longer in force. However, there are no official cur-
rency exchange bureaux in Burma/Myanmar and banks do not have
a currency exchange desk. Yes, banks that do not exchange foreign
currency into local currency!
However, almost every shop and hotel and many stalls
in market places will provide local currency in exchange for US
dollars, Thai baht and some other currencies. Rates of exchange
vary and rip offs are possible, so it’s a case of ‘buyer beware’.
Where allowed to operate and even when not, free enterprise
supplies whatever product or service is required.
82
83
Airport Departure Procedures

Leaving Burma/Myanmar was a complicated procedure at one time,

but it is now much more tourist-friendly.
The check in desk at your airline accepts the required $10
airport tax and checks tickets and passport. These days it’s over in
seconds.
Passport, airport tax receipt and aircraft boarding pass are
then checked and stamped by Immigration officials. Again, over in
seconds.

Transport, Communications, Getting Around

A limited rail network operates in Burma/Myanmar. Train travel is

slow, but can be a very pleasant way to see the country. However,
only book upper-class seats as they have upholstery and recline,
which on long journeys is essential. Wooden seats and the whole of
the farmyard on its way to market is the case in second or third
class, so take a cushion. Train travel can be a very low cost way to
soak up local culture.
To prevent tourists visiting restricted areas, train tickets are
only supposed to be bought by foreigners from official tour compa-
nies. However, a friendly Burmese will be happy to buy a ticket on
behalf of a foreigner for a small tip. Professed ignorance of the lan-
guage and local rules added to a friendly demeanour, can assist if
apprehended in an out of bounds location. Tea money may also
help.
The country’s infrastructure has been neglected during dec-
ades of military rule, and the roads are pretty poor. However, there
is a fairly comprehensive bus service throughout the country, but
buses are usually old. Taxis are plentiful but again are almost all very
old. No meters, so negotiations regarding fares are not in favour of
the tourist. None of this is exactly conducive to encouraging tourism.
Due to limited relay stations, mobile phones do not work in
many areas.
84
 There is no Internet to the outside world, so forget about
communicating via hotmail or yahoo. There is an internal internet
used by Burmese people but that does not reach the outside world.
A few businesses have internet connections but they are monitored
by the ruling military government. Not exactly conducive to over-
seas business investment or local freedom of speech.

85
Burma/Myanmar

Culture Shock

As in other South East Asian countries - particularly those following

the Buddhist philosophy - Burmese people maintain close family ties
and retain respect for the elderly. As with the people of Thailand, the
people of Burma./Myanmar are generally friendly and polite.
As the country has been less than free for many decades,
with authoritarian rule and state intervention dominant, the kind
of scams which often proliferate in neighbouring countries are
less prevalent. However, the police or military are liable to par-
ticipate where they are encountered.
There are a multitude of festivals throughout the year.
The most outrageous is the Water Festival (Thingyan), mark-
ing the change of the old year to the new.
It can be difficult for Western tourists to accept being
saturated with water by every passer-by, but that is what the
water festival is about. Expect to have water thrown at you
even by passing motor cycles or people in cars.
Anyone can throw water with impunity during the festi-
val. However, throwing water at elderly people and pregnant
women is taboo. Public servants on duty, cops and postmen
are also immune from being doused. Throwing water that was
dirty, would not be appreciated and would almost certainly en-
gender a hostile reaction potentially leading to violence.
As the festival progresses, water throwing often gets more
outrageous and children use buckets and bowls of various shapes
and size. In towns, electrically operated water hoses are used to
drench passers-by. Probably best to avoid Burma/Myanmar during
the Water Festival. Same goes for Thailand’s New Year Water Fes-
tival called Songkran, which takes place in April.
During the Water Festival, highly decorated floats tour the
cities and villages, and entertainments and contests proliferate. A
contest called a Thangyat is allowed, and is probably the only occa-
86
sion when you can satirise an individual in a South East Asian coun-
try without making them lose face. Poems and rhyming couplets
criticise or poke fun at people and their actions. It is a competition
attracting big crowds because satire in all other circumstances is
culturally forbidden. In fact it could get you killed.
Thingyan is also a season of goodwill and good deeds, and
people use perfumed water to wash images of the Buddha. Many
elderly people spend time listening to sermons and meditating at
pagodas and monasteries. Young men become temporary monks
and young women earn merit by helping the elderly.
The Burmese people are generally self-effacing, so wearing
the latest fashions would not be an issue. It is therefore impor-
tant not to underestimate a person or assume they are poor or
of low status because they do not flaunt their wealth, wear
expensive clothes or boast of their achievements.
Connected, talking about money or the possessions you
own would regarded as tasteless. In conversation, it would be
considered crass and stupid to brag about personal achieve-
ments or material wealth. That is the complete opposite of the
West - and the USA in particular - where self-promotion and
conspicuous consumption are generally the rule.
Critical comment should be avoided because of the loss
of face factor, and should be particularly avoided in public. If
this rule is transgressed, an act of revenge could be expected.
Where censure is required in a business or social setting, it
should be done with kindness, understanding, and in private.
Displays of anger, sorrow, fast speech, shouting, over
familiarity, touching, kissing, impatience are best avoided, as all
are considered signs of weakness and bad manners.
Emotions are not openly displayed in South East Asia, and
any individual ignoring this cultural imperative would be regarded as
a person lacking in character and self-control.

87
Burma/Myanmar

Essential Business Etiquette

The most common mistake Western people make when trying to do

business in South East Asia, is to get straight to the subject they wish
to discuss. That is considered impolite in most South East Asian
societies. In Japan - where it can take ten meetings before the busi-
ness you wished to discuss is even mentioned - you would never do
any business at all with such a get-to-the-point approach.
People like to get to know you first, and it would be common
to talk about your family, education, how you have enjoyed your
stay in their country, and general aspects of business before you
open the subject you actually came to discuss.
You would obtain greater success if you ignored the business
to hand and enquired instead about the health of each family mem-
ber of your indigenous associate - starting with the eldest son and
finishing with the youngest daughter.
Add the fact that a Burmese version of Thai -time (slowly)
operates in Burma/Myanmar as well as a tea money culture,
and travellers are advised to gear their approach to local mores
or avoid attempting to do business in the location at all. The
same approach is required relating to government transactions
such as obtaining official permits, visas, etc..
Haste when conducting business would infer that you
were upset with the person you were attempting to speed up,
and anger directed at someone would be taken as a direct criti-
cism. It should be avoided at all costs, as the result would be coun-
terproductive to any business or social objective. Even violently so.
For the Western individual used to getting things done quickly
- and venting spleen on any individual who does not jump to it - the
bureaucracy in Burma/Myanmar can potentially drive the foreign
business person to distraction. However, a burst of anger to hotel
staff or a clerk in a government office will mark you down as some-
one of the lowest class, and whatever you hoped to achieve would
88
be for ever beyond your reach. Patience and inscrutable control is
the key.
Most business in South East Asia is conducted by way of
personal contact. Meticulous research is required in order to
ascertain which lawyer, bank official, local business person or ac-
countant will be required to make an introduction. This is the tradi-
tional way of doing business in the Orient.
If approaching a party without a proper introduction, you
will probably not be taken seriously. This is due to a general
scepticism towards foreigners - many of whom have had big
ideas in the past but which when faced with the multiple barri-
ers against doing business in the region, did not come to frui-
tion.
You will need to take your time, as half a dozen meetings
will probably be required before a degree of trust and personal
rapport is established.
Important meetings should always be held in the morn-
ing, as afternoons are usually reserved for time off. This is
partly because the climate is so hot in Burma from late morning
on, that locals sensibly take a rest. Most foreigners will find
themselves exhausted beyond measure in the afternoons, due
to the climate factor. In addition, meetings will almost certainly
take longer than you anticipated, so do not cram in too many in
one day.
As in Japan, exchange of name cards is essential. A card
should be given to everyone present, otherwise those not given
a business card will lose face. Initially you may not understand each
person’s role at a business or government meeting, so give the first
card to whoever appears most senior.
It can be difficult to arrange meetings in advance and
appointments are often made at the last minute. Where they are
made they are often forgotten by the party you intend to visit. So
forget Western time schedules and efficiency when you are in South
East Asia.
You can make a tentative appointment some weeks in ad-
89
vance, reconfirm a few days prior to your meeting, and phone a
short time before leaving. The better your personal relations with the
people you hope to do business with, the more likely they are to
honour an agreed time slot.
So make sure your secretary is on good terms with their sec-
retary, and deliver gifts on appropriate occasions. Hustle, but in a
low-key and more subtle manner than in the West.
In South East Asia the word no is impolite. This is be-
cause it makes the other person lose face. It is therefore not
used. That can be difficult for overseas visitors to handle, espe-
cially when trying to conduct business. The trick is to try and
interpret other people’s answers in juxtaposition to the rest of
the conversation and their recent actions.
An ultra high IQ is required plus a Degree in Psychology.
This helps to ascertain when a ‘yes’ means ‘maybe’; or when
a ‘maybe’ means ‘no’.
In regard to trade and investment in Burma/Myanmar,
the social and political climate tends to make any attempt to do
business a potential risk and a challenge. Time wasting and loss
making perhaps, but potentially enlightening. Travel certainly
broadens the mind - if your psyche is open to the challenge.

90
Burma/Myanmar

Understanding Local Customs

The family is important in Burma/Myanmar, and everything is

done to empathise with each member of the family with a degree of
consideration that would not normally be seen in the West. This
approach is often seen in the workplace, with employers showing
empathy to employees with problems.
Family names are new in Burma/Myanmar and many
people do not have them. Where they do exist, women keep
their maiden names after marriage. Add the fact that children
are given nicknames that have no relationship to their parents,
potentially makes keeping an address book something of a Chi-
nese puzzle.
Each Burmese person has a name given at birth - based
on astrology or the advice of a Buddhist Monk. However, a
Burmese person can change their name as often as the mood
takes - if it is considered that a change of name might bring
prosperity or success.
Children are given unpleasant names like frog or goat to
ward off evil spirits. When they grow up, they change their
name to one more pleasant and which suits them personally.
Many people in the West might wish they could do the same.
Face is important in South East Asia, and status is denoted by
the title utilised to address a person. A man of high status or social
standing would be respectfully addressed as U Kau Reng. The pre-
fix Ko is utilised between men of similar standing.
Maung would denote a male child, teenager or a person of
a lower social standing. A man might also use Maung to demon-
strate modesty.
A woman of superior social status or mature years would be
addressed as Daw Kau Reng. It would also denote that the woman
was married. Ma as a prefix would be the less formal title for a
woman. It would be considered impolite to address a woman with-
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out the use of one of the aforementioned prefixes.
Status is constantly shown in the way that people address
members of the family. Husbands would be addressed as Eing Ga
Lu or Ein That, which means Good Man of the House.
Similarly, a woman would be addressed as Mama or
Amla Gyl, which means elder sister. Ma would be used for a young
female child and Daw Daw for an aunt or adult female.
Employers and people in authority would be referred to
as Ko Gyl or Saya - meaning teacher. Saya would be used to
address a doctor. A monk would be addressed as Sayadaw
(Venerable), Ashin (Reverend), or Kodaw (Your Reverence).
The military would be called Ho.
As in Thailand, friends and acquaintances would call a
Westerner by his Christian name but would add Mr.: Ko Ian,
Ko John, etc.. In Thailand, the prefix Khun would be used.
Tipping was not normal in the past and a waiter or recep-
tionist would probably return spare change left on the restau-
rant table or hotel desk. However, awareness of the tourist
culture added to economic hardship means that tips are essen-
tial to survive. In bureaucratic situations, tea money will almost
certainly be required when official permissions are sought.
Gift giving on special occasions such as weddings and
birthdays would not normally be in cash unless the bridal couple or
individual were young or still at college. Cash gifts could infer that the
recipient was poor, whence they would lose face. No one likes to
be regarded as poor, even if they are.
Beautifully wrapped presents would be the safest route. Ar-
tistically wrapped to suggest that the recipient was important, which
would give face.
However, if cash was provided it should be discreetly given
and offered in a prestigious looking gift envelope. The envelope would
not normally be opened in public but after the event, in private. That
is because if the sum was regarded as too small, the giver would
lose face by appearing too stingy. At the other extreme, if the gift
was too generous, an inference would be implied that the recipient
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was poor and needy, and would lose face on that basis. Utilising
traditional customs, all these potentially adverse situations are avoided
and harmony prevails. It’s all been inscrutably well thought out.
In Buddhist culture - and Burma is predominately Buddhist -
death is just one stage in the wheel of life. Cremation is usually
carried out soon after and mourning is generally for a relatively short
period. A wake is held for up to a week. Unlike Chinese ethnic
populated nations - where white is the official colour of mourning -
black or dark blue would be prominent in Burma/Myanmar.
The equivalent of Thai Time (Oriental mannana) operates in
Burma. As such, meetings will usually be delayed and train running
times can be as much as 18 hours late. Due to the fact that Burma
uses a 12 month lunar calendar, dates for public holidays vary from
year to year.
The people of Burma/Myanmar are generally gentle and
friendly. However, all the South East Asian rules against touch-
ing monks, pointing feet, touching heads, large movements,
kissing, hugging, loud speaking, being blunt, outspoken or criti-
cal in public, getting angry or making people lose face in any
way, are all applicable.

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Burma/Myanmar

Public Holidays

January 4’th: Independence Day.

January/February: Tabodwe.
February 12’th: Union Day.
February/March: Taboung.
March 2’nd: Peasant’s Day.
March 27’th: Armed Forces Day.
February/March: Shwedagan Festival (Pagoda Festival)
March/April: Tagu.
Mid April: Buddha’s Birthday/Water Festival.
1’st May: International Worker’s Day.
April/May: Full Moon of Kasone.
June/July: Buddhist Lent.
July 19’th: Martyr’s Day.
July/August: Wagaung - Festival.
August/September: Tawthalin.
September/October: Boat Races.
October/November: Tazaungmon Festival of Lights..
November/December: National Day.
November/December: Spirit Festivals.
December 25’th: Christmas Day.
December/January: Karen New Year.
December/January: Ananda Festival.
December/January: Idul Athwaha.
December/January: Dewali.

Due to the fact that Burma uses a 12 month lunar calendar, dates
for public holidays vary from year to year.

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Burma/Myanmar

Trade Shows

Free enterprise is new to the country and is highly controlled,

and there is no organised programme of trade shows as yet.

Burma/Myanmar

Useful Addresses

www.myanmar.com
http.travel.state.gov

Ministry of Information.
3651367 Bo Aung Kyaw Street, Yangon (Rangoon).
Tel: (95 1) 294812,294645.
Fax: (95 1) 287916.

Myanmar Investment Commission

653/691 Merchant Street, Yangon (Rangoon).
Tel: (95 1) 272009,272855.
Fax: (95 1) 282 10 1.

Export/Import Registration Office

Ministry of Trade
226/240 Strand Road, Pabedan, Yangon (Rangoon).
Tel: (95 1) 284299,289352.

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97
Cambodia
People and Place

The smallest country in South East Asia, located to the south and
west of Thailand, Cambodia has a similarly attractive topography
but a short coastline. Cambodia is virtually landlocked between Thai-
land, Vietnam and Laos.
The northern areas of Cambodia catch the tail-end of
monsoons from Vietnam and China. In the South - particularly
the coastline overlooking the Gulf of Thailand - the climate is
less extreme. It is near perfect year round and suited to tour-
ism. Temperature ranges from 26C. to 35C. However, it can
get a bit cold at night.
Similar in appearance to Thai people, the Cambodian
race are very beautiful.
Buddhism has long been the philosophy of the Cambodian
people and remains so. Albeit, somewhat diluted due to years of
despotic rule when attempts were made to wipe out all religions.
Year Zero, Pol Pot ominously called his reign of terror.
For decades, Cambodia suffered under the brutal Pol Pot
regime and a particularly virulent form of communistic-type rule.
Fortunately, peace and reconciliation is occurring and democracy of
a sort has now been established. However, the effects of decades of
internecine conflict, the legacy of the killing fields and minefields which
still kill people on a daily basis and likely to do so for decades to
come, has injured the psyche of the people. Add poverty due to
dogmatic, inhuman policies brutally enforced in the past, and the
nation has been psychologically and economically damaged.
War devastated the population, which now numbers just 11
million inhabitants. Half are under the age of 15 and the average age
of the whole population is just 17.4 years. As a result, the people
98
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