Myanmar Defence Forum

[Aung Zaya]

thz.. bro .. toward Greater Maekong Economic Relationship..

Best wishes from my heart to Burmese people

Myanmar: 500 tonnes of chilli peppers to South Korea
May 15, 2015 by Thiha


Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation plans to export 500 tonnes of chilli peppers to South Korea on a trial basis.

Officials from the ministry stated that the batch is being exported as a test, in order to assess the South Korean market for chilli peppers.

Most of the crop would be grown in Myanmar’s Nay Pyi Taw area, in an attempt to increase agricultural exports.

The ministry’s information officer U Win Hlaing Oo said the peppers are expected to be harvested in June, though the price per tonne is presently unknown. The peppers were earlier sold for US$3 per 1.6 kg in the nation’s capital Naypyidaw.

Although the nation’s agricultural sector has received significant support from the government, it has been a challenge to develop quality crops in a bid to meet international standards. There are currently two chilli plantations in the Ottra Thiri township of Nay Pyi Taw – one spans 50 acres and the other 20 acres.

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Myanmar to open southern islands
May 15, 2015 by Thiha


YANGON, 13 May 2015: Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism says 26 local companies and joint ventures are awaiting government approval for new hotel projects in the country’s Mergui Archipelago.

Some have already gained the greenlight to move forward to the design stage or construction.

Irrawaddy media reported Myanmar Investment Commission is currently vetting 20 local firms and six joint ventures that are planning to build resorts on the archipelago’s largely unspoiled islands.

Infrastructure on the islands is thin and in most cases the plans call for a single hotel on each island.
Two other joint ventures with foreign partners, Moe Kant & Kyaw Win Phyo and United Resorts, have already been granted approval to build on the islands of Kyun Phila and Ngakhin Nyogyi.

Ministry of Hotels and Tourism general director, Aung Zaw Win, told Irrawaddy media: “Many companies have applied to set up hotels in the Myeik [Mergui] islands since 2011, when the new government took office.”

“Our ministry has recommended that these companies be given approval from the MIC through the Tanintharyi [Tenasserim] Division government. We have checked their environmental protection plans. MIC is now checking them again before final approval is given.”

The Mergui Archipelago spans 800 islands across an area of 10,000 square miles in Myanmar’s far south.
Currently it is an expensive undertaking to visit Myeik Archipelago, but it is tipped as Myanmar’s next tourist destination that will allow it to offer beach resorts of a similar quality to neighbouring Thailand, but still commercially unspoilt.

The archipelago is listed as a priority area for development under a tourism master plan released by the government in 2013. If successful it is likely to draw ecotourists, divers and holiday-goers, who currently visit resorts in southern Thailand.

But the infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage treatment) on the islands, local transport and access are very poor. It could take a decade to develop them to a point they can compete with Thailand’s southern resorts. The challenge is to ensure they also remain eco-friendly and limit tourism-related polution.

According to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, there are 1,150 hotels in Myanmar as of 31 March this year and most of them are concentrated in Yangon (298 hotels) and Mandalay (148 hotels).

Source: TTR Weekly

 

[Aung Zaya]

Scholarships open a new world for eager young Myanmar students
ACHARA DEBOONME
THE NATION May 17, 2015 1:00 am

Myanmar students are in the field.

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CARRYING HEAVY equipment and wilting under the burning sun in Kamphaeng Phet, eight young vocational students from Myanmar still maintained their high spirits.
To them, winning scholarships from the PTT Group that entails weeks of on-the-job training in Thailand is a great opportunity that could change their lives.

"It's difficult at times. In a workplace, you are alone from others," said Aung Pyae Phyoe, one of the eight students assigned for training at S1 oilfield, one of the onshore oilfields of PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) projects.

He is one of the first 40 students selected for the Myanmar High Vocational Diploma Scholarship, a programme initiated by PTTEP and other companies in PTT Group. It is part of the corporate social responsibility efforts of PTTEP, which has been operating in Myanmar for 25 years and is committed to improving the country in the areas of health, education and community development.

According to Waranon Laprabang, PTTEP senior vice president for Myanmar Asset, International Asset Group, the company has worked closely with Myanmar's Energy Planning Department (EPD) in selecting the students. The department coordinates with relevant authorities and Myanmar, as well as making public announcements, to identify the candidates. The candidates are then required to take an exam and interview by teachers at IRPC Technological College (IRPCT), located in Rayong. The students needed to pass a medical check-up as well as speak basic English, as the courses are conducted in English.

Launched in 2013, the scholarship project enrolled 40 Grade 10 students for the 2-year Accelerated Vocational Diploma, focusing on machine tools and maintenance. After training at PTT business units for eight weeks, they will attend the college for a year and a half more, to earn the High Vocational Diploma in production technology. For completion, they will attend 6-month training at PTT business units.

In a teleconference from Kamphaeng Phet last week, excitement and enthusiasm resonated in the voice of Aung Pyae Phyoe, better known to the senior workers in the field as Phyoe. Together with his friend, Hlyan Phone Aung from Mawlamyine, Phyoe - whose home is in Yangon - admitted there were some cultural challenges, aside from the language barrier.

"Our instructors explained the job in Thai and that was translated. We tried to understand. I study Thai language. Now, I know about 200-300 words," said Phyoe.

Yet, there is no problem when it comes to food and weather. They acknowledged that Thai food tended to be more spicy and tasted differently to food from their home.

"My favourite food is phad Thai," Phyoe said.

About to return home briefly before they start the High Vocational Diploma programme, he is happy with the eight-week training. Asked what he expects at the next training, he said "offshore training".

"I want to be on the sea," he said, adding that the PTTEP oil-rig in Myanmar is a dream destination.

Working hard to get the scholarship, he is now excelling at his studies as he expects to be recruited by PTTEP.

"I can work either here or in Myanmar. I will try to get a job," he said.

"This scholarship changed my life. I will try for the best," he added.

According to Waranon, this scholarship is unconditional, meaning the students do not need to work for PTT Group.

"But, it is a good opportunity for PTTEP to find potential manpower," he said.

To the executives, the scholarship well serves the company's mission to operate globally to provide reliable energy supplies and sustainable value to all stakeholders.

"Myanmar is the first international venture of PTTEP. During the 25 years as a long-term partner, PTTEP conducts business with conscience and has a responsibility in order to create sustainable economic, social and environmental development for Myanmar. This education opportunity is expected to help create skilled manpower for the country's development," he said.

In 2014, 30 Myanmar students won scholarships and joined three more from Cambodia. According to the company, pleased with the response of the programme, PTT Group aims to extend the scholarship to cover other Asean countries, under the project called "AEC Myanmar Scholarship".
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[Aung Zaya]

German Myanmar Business Chamber Launches in Yangon
May 18th, 2015 | by TISG

Business
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GMBC aims to be a platform of dialogue with local businesses and government

SINGAPORE, May 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — More than 120 business leaders and entrepreneurs attended the recent launch of the German Myanmar Business Chamber (GMBC) at the Residence of the German Ambassador, H.E. Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch. The GMBC is a platform exchange between German and Myanmar companies that are seeking business opportunities in Southeast Asia’s fastest growing market. Furthermore, it seeks to establish a dialogue with the Myanmar government on economic frameworks.

“The GMBC will work in a spirit of partnership. In order to succeed, German and Myanmar companies need to be committed to sharing market insights, knowledge and networks with each other. The GMBC aims to foster this dynamic interaction and collaboration,” says Jens Knoke, Founding President of the GMBC. The founding Executive Committee stands exemplarily for this approach, bringing together two strong German corporates, one of the leading local manufacturers and a Joint Venture company.

With an inaugural membership of more than 50 companies, GMBC will promote German business activities with Myanmar companies and government agencies, and opportunities in Myanmar with the German business community. It will work closely with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce to support German corporate activities while facilitating knowledge transfer towards developing the Myanmar private sector. Apart from the growing base of German companies in Myanmar, GMBC has on its roster of members Myanmar companies that have partnerships or are exploring opportunities with German businesses here or abroad.

“Germany has a strong basis in manufacturing – a sector which needs to develop more strongly in Myanmar. While working on a strong market position in Myanmar, German member companies are committed to share know-how on efficient technologies and management. Together, we hope to build responsible and sustainable business practices that will create multiple economic opportunities and long-term progress for the country,” adds Mr. Knoke.

Germany is a long-standing partner of Myanmar. It was one of the first countries to renew and strengthen ties with Myanmar since the latter opened its doors to the international business community in 2011. Bilateral trade between the two countries has been growing steadily over the past few years. According to official German trade statistics, German exports to Myanmar reached EUR130 million in 2014. Imports have been growing dynamically to almost 100 million USD in 2014, a staggering 79% increase compared to the year before.

Germany’s main imports from Myanmar are garments, while its principal exports to Myanmar are machinery, data-processing equipment, electrical and optical goods, chemical products, motor vehicles and vehicle parts and pharmaceutical products. German companies targeting Myanmar’s growing consumer and industrial market include global leaders such as Bayer, BASF, Bosch, Henkel, Siemens and ThyssenKrupp.

About GMBC

Founded in 2015, the German Myanmar Business Chamber is the official membership organisation of companies active in German Myanmar business relations and a platform for bilateral exchange and co-operation. It works alongside the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce. Its Founding Executive Committee Members are: Jens Knoke (Henkel), Philipp Hoffmann (JJPun), Andre de Jong (Robert Bosch) and Christoph Steinwehe (Loi Hein).

For media inquiries, please contact:Ko Ko Gyi/ Nay Lin
Email: mmrteam@ricecomms.com
Mobile: +95-9-731-81337


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Ngapali may be more beautiful than Phuket, according to a delegation
By Ei Ei Thu | Saturday, 16 May 2015
Ngapali beach “is more beautiful than Phuket”, according to a Thai delegation making its first visit to the Rakhine State resort. Tourist industry observers say the delegation’s visit, led by the Thai ambassador to Myanmar, is the latest sign of foreign investor interest.

A man steers a bullock cart along Ngapali beach in southern Rakhine State. Photo: AFP

U Khin Aung Htun, joint secretary general of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the May 9 visit by 28 Thais included representatives of the fisheries, trading, engineering, water treatment, banking and airline industries. In addition to Ngapali, they also took in Kyaukpyu, Sittwe and Mrauk Oo, he said.

The visitors met with regional authorities and businesspeople at Ngapali, where the district administrator explained the potential of the beach, including a local population already used to dealing with tourists.

“Investment will come sooner or later, so we need to find a way of maintaining the Ngapali beach environment long-term before the boom time comes. We also have to make full use of the opportunities for foreign investment,” he said.

“Ngapali attracts many repeat visitors. The Thai delegation was surprised at the beauty of the beach, and some said it was better than Phuket.”

U Aung Myo Min Din, chair of the Rakhine Hoteliers’ Association, said the visitors were seeking potential sites for investment or cooperation, including the banking, fishing and tourism sectors. Investments in the hotel business at Ngapali would provide more jobs for local people, he said.

“We need to start capacity-building before the foreign investment comes in, which is why we are planning free hospitality training to interested residents, starting May 31,” he said.

Myanmar Fisheries Federation vice chair Daw Toe Nandar Tin said she would welcome investment in livestock and fisheries though local residents should retain sea fishing rights.

“Our regional neighbours can benefit from our local knowledge, and we can benefit from access to their high technology,” she said.

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ADB signs agreement to assist private projects

By Aye Thidar Kyaw | Monday, 18 May 2015
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The Asian Development Bank has signed an agreement with the government that will allow the bank to provide loans, investment, guarantees and trade finance directly to private firms and projects.

Deputy finance minister Dr Maung Maung Thein (left) speaks, while ADB vice president Stephen Groff looks on. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing / The Myanmar Times

The bank aims to support Myanmar projects in areas such as connectivity, electricity distribution and trade finance, according to officials at a May 15 ceremony held at Yangon’s Sule Shangri-La.

“The ADB can provide financial or technical assistance to connectivity or energy projects in the private sector, from now on,” said deputy finance minister Dr Maung Maung Thein.

He added that international institutions need the guarantees the agreement provides to begin lending to the domestic private sector.

ADB vice president Stephen Groff said at the ceremony that there are a number of areas requiring investment in the country.

“The role of private sector investment in meeting infrastructure financing requirements and providing important expertise and technology is critical,” he said.

The ADB said it expects to approve up to US$1 billion in non-soverign investment until 2016, in a number of areas including logistics, power, telecoms, urban development and the financial sector.

It has already disbursed some funds for domestic private-sector development such as providing $100 million in loans for infrastructure to Yoma Strategic Holdings in December last year. Yoma is a Singapore-listed, Myanmar-focused company.

 

[Aung Zaya]

Singapore firm plans US$1.2-bln Myanmar casino resort
May 19, 2015 by Thiha


Singapore firm Zochwell Group Pte Ltd is close to signing a contract to develop a US$1.2-billion project, including a casino, in Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago, reports local newspaper Myanmar Times. But a local official quoted by the same media outlet claimed to have no knowledge of the project.

The land on Salon Island has already been zoned for commercial use, Zochwell’s chief commercial officer Gareth Chin told the Myanmar Times. The firm would have a 50-year lease over the land, with an option to extend the contract twice – each time for a period of 10 years, he added.

“We are going to sign the land lease and the build, operate, transfer terms with the chief minister [of Tanintharyi region] in the next month, as soon as the Attorney General’s Office approves the agreement. After that, we will seek Myanmar Investment Commission approval,” Mr Chin was quoted saying.

But the assistant director of Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in c, told the media outlet he was not aware of the project. “We oversee all of the islands in the Mergui Archipelago. They need to get approval from our department, but we haven’t had any information yet,” he reportedly said.

The Mergui Archipelago is a group of more than 800 islands in the Andaman Sea, off the southern tip of Myanmar, in the Tanintharyi Region. The region shares a long border with Thailand, where casino gambling is illegal.

Mergui’s collection of islands, almost untouched by tourism, had five hotels and motels with a total of 196 rooms by the end of 2014, according to data from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

The first phase of the project for Salon Island will include development of a marina, a golf course and a hotel. The development plan also features a casino, which has already been approved in principle but still requires approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission, said Mr Chin.

Casinos are not legal on the Myanmar mainland, but it is possible to gain a licence for an offshore gaming venue, said the Myanmar Times. The Andaman Club Resort, on an island near to Salon Island, has had a casino in operation since 1996, according to the newspaper.

Mr Chin added that the development of the initial phase could begin at the end of 2015, assuming the project gains the necessary approvals from local authorities.

“We are in the process of choosing contractors, operators and investors. We will manage the island in the same way that Sentosa Development Corp manages Sentosa Island in Singapore. We will lease it from the government, divide it up, and sub-lease sections of it to independent investors,” Mr Chin said, referring to a destination off the south coast of Singapore, that is also home to casino resort Resorts World Sentosa.
Ministry of Hotels and Tourism data show that Myanmar hosted more than 3.08 million tourists in 2014. Tourism expenditure reached US$1.79 billion last year, the data additionally show.

Source: GGR Asia

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The Colonel comes to Myanmar
May 19, 2015 by Thiha


Yoma Strategic Holdings will soon offer Myanmar’s fast food lovers the chicken The Colonel made famous with his secret recipe of 11 different herbs and spices.

The Singapore-listed company has announced plans to bring the US fast food chain, KFC, into the country, making it the first international fast food retailer in the long-isolated nation.

It will become “the first major American quick service restaurant to establish a foothold in Myanmar,” Yoma said in the statement.

Yoma, which is teaming with KFC parent company Yum! Brands, said it planned to open several restaurants in the country’s bustling commercial hub by the end of the year. The exact date for the opening of the first KFC outlet was not released.

“Bringing KFC to Myanmar is an important step to achieving Yoma’s strategic goal to become a key player in the country’s food and beverage sector,” Yoma Executive Chairman Serge Pun said in the company’s statement to the Singapore Exchange.

That was followed by an announcement by Ogilvy Public Relations Myanmar, which is handling public relations, that all knock-off KFC restaurants in Myanmar were not part of the chain. Yoma plans to take unspecified “protective action” against what it calls unofficial KFC restaurants. The company does not yet know the exact location of all such restaurants or how many there are.

KFC, which for much of the 21st century branded its chicken as “finger lickin’ good” reports it has more than 14,000 KFC restaurants in emerging markets, including China and India. Yum! Brands, which reports about US $13bn in annual revenues, also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

However, while The Colonel may have beaten other major US restaurant chains into Myanmar, it is not the first foreign fast food firm to open in the country. South Korea’s Lotteria launched its first burger restaurant in 2013 and now has seven outlets in the country, according to its website.

Seeking a bigger place in the food and beverage business, Yoma also has real estate, agriculture, automotive and luxury tourism businesses in Myanmar, including the country’s first international department store, Parkson.

Last week, it proudly announced that it was ranked 18th among the 100 largest Singapore-listed companies in the Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard 2014. The scorecard, which is the joint initiative of the Asean Capital Markets Forum and the Asian Development Bank, examines corporate governance performance of publicly listed companies in six Asean countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The assessment is based on publicly available information and benchmarked against international best practices that encourage publicly listed companies to go beyond national legislative requirements.
“Good corporate governance has been a cornerstone of the group from day one and we believe responsible business practices are key to sustainable growth, especially in an emerging market like Myanmar,” Serge Pun said.

The group has conducted seminars and workshop on responsible business to small and medium enterprises around Myanmar. It has also organised two annual shareholders’ trips to Myanmar to offer them a first-hand experience of its operations.

Source: Eleven Myanmar

 

[Aung Zaya]

some pic in Battle with Koekang Rebels...

 

[Aung Zaya]

Mitsubishi, Hitachi to invest $20m in domestic train network
May 20, 2015 by Thiha


Riding on Myanmar’s antiquated railway network is not an experience for the impatient or infirm. American travel writer Paul Theroux, in The Great Railway Bazaar, quotes a policeman on the Yangon-Mandalay line as it breaks down for the fourth time.

“It is a slow train,” he says. “Dirty and old – old coaches, old engines.”
Not much has changed since the book was written 40 years ago. The 622-kilometre (386-mile) journey takes 15 hours to complete, according to the schedule – in reality it can take longer – and the trains and tracks have seen little repair over recent years.

But with help from Japan, several major projects are under way to upgrade and modernise the line.
On May 15, Mitsubishi Corporation and Hitachi Ltd signed a 2.4 billion yen (US$20 million) contract with state-owned Myanma Railways to supply and install railway signaling systems.
The contract will be covered by grant aid from the Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA), and completion of the project is scheduled for June 2017.

New signalling technology to be installed includes a train monitoring system, an electric interlocking system to control turnout machines and signal lamps, and a level crossing system. These will be installed along a 140km stretch of track between Yangon Central Station and Pyuntasa Station, in Bago Region.

“Given the ageing of existing railway infrastructure in Myanmar, improvement of the quality and safety of railway services has become an urgent issue,” said a joint statement issued by the two firms.

The level crossing system will be built first, according to a Mitsubishi spokesperson, and is due for completion around the end of October 2015.

“The most important item to be upgraded is the train monitoring system which enables the control center to grasp the position of running trains,” she said. With this project as a first step, Mitsubishi Corp and Hitachi will continue to pursue opportunities for involvement in future railway infrastructure projects in Myanmar.”

In September 2014, JICA announced that it had signed a Japanese ODA Loan Agreement with the Myanmar government, to provide up to 63.166 billion yen for four projects across various sectors.

Part of this was committed to the modernisation of “Myanmar’s most important railway lines”, with the Yangon-Mandalay line identified as “the most important trunk line”.

JICA said last September that due to the country’s ageing network, railway accidents along the line occur around 100 times a year. In light of this, phase one of the Yangon-Mandalay Improvement Project will modernise old equipment and facilities to provide a safer, faster service.

In Yangon, JICA also has plans to work with Myanma Railways to upgrade the city’s circular railway line. Phase one will cover around half of the railway track, from Dayin Gone station in northwest Yangon, through southern Yangon, to Pazundaung station in the southeast.

The spokesperson for Mitsubishi Corp said that the company has plans to co-work with Hitachi on Yangon’s circular railway upgrade, though added that this has not yet been 100pc confirmed. Last year the deputy minister for transport U Myint Thein told the Amyotha Hluttaw that JICA and Myanma Railways would build a high-speed train between Yangon and Mandalay. The project is due to begin in 2015, and will take eight years. Once complete, a 100km-an-hour service will run between the two cities.

Japan is not the only country interested in upgrading Myanmar’s railways. China has long had ambitions to link a deep-sea port at Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State with Muse on the Myanmar-China border. The line would pass through Ann, Minbu, Magwe, Mandalay and Lashio. However, the scheme was put on hold last year due to public opposition.

Source: Myanmar Times

 

[Aung Zaya]

Myanmar Himalaya Mountains are situated in the northern most of Kachin State of the Union of Myanmar, bordered to India and the Tibetan Highlands of China.

The Himalaya (Abode of Snow, in Sanskrit) is the highest mountain range on earth run along Pakistan, several northern Indian states, the Kingdom of Nepal, Butang and Tibetan Highland and Myanmar. Myanmar Himalaya is the lower mountain range of southern Himalaya.

Myanmar Himalaya is the perfect place for trekking and adventure tours for those who want to explore the off the beaten treks. Khakabo Razi Mountain in Myanmar Himalaya is the highest peak in South East Asia at above 5900 metres with permanent snow field all year round above the snow line and was said to be conquered for the first time by a team of Japanese and Myanmar climbers in 1997. Putao (pronounced Bu Tao) is the gateway to the Myanmar Himalaya Mountains. Most Myanmar Himalaya mountains including Phon Gan Razi (one of the lowest range and the easiest mountains to get to) are very well blessed with heavy snow fall in the winter time usually from November till April or May.

There are plenty of activities you could do in Myanmar Himalaya region: such as village trekking, mountain trekking, mountain biking, rafting, snow shoeing, back country and mountain ski touring.

Myanmar Himalaya travels not only gives you a truly wonderful experience and a completely different sights and scenes from the mainland Myanmar but also gives you the opportunities to meet and experience the local hill tribes, their culture & ways of living. Your Myanmar Himalaya travel is also a mean of contributing the local people and their economy as all our crews (mountain guides, cooks, porters) are all local recruits including Hkamti Shan, RaWang and LeSu....

 

[Aung Zaya]

Myanmar Army's BTR 3 in Loikkei..

 

[Aung Zaya]

ADB signs $1b loan deal with the Myanmar government for private infrastructure development

Deputy Minister for Finance Maung Maung Thein (L) and Asian Development Bank Vice President Stephen Groff attend a signing ceremony in Yangon. ( U Aung/Xinhua via MBT)

Posted May 29th, 2015 by ZinThu Tun (

@DealStreetAsia

feedback@dealstreetasia.com) & filed under Deals & Investment

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) concluded a deal with the Myanmar government to allow the lender to provide $1 billion in loans, equity investments, guarantees and trade financing directly to private companies and projects in the country.

The Manila-based bank said the money will be channeled into investment projects until 2016 in areas ranging from logistics and connectivity, power generation, telecommunications and urban development, to financial sector and trade finance.

“It was difficult to reach an agreement. It took about two years to get the agreement after lawyers and the analysts studied the situation. The agreement will be helpful for the private sector,” said Dr Maung Maung Thein, deputy minister for finance.

“It is a beginning to help domestic stock exchange companies because international stock exchange companies will enter to market soon after the enactment of stock exchange law,” he added.

ADB, which has previously lent $1 billion for the public sector, estimates that the investment gap for Myanmar that needs to be filled to maintain high economic growth and achieve middle-income country status by 2030 is around $80 billion.

“The role of private sector investment in meeting infrastructure financing requirements and providing important expertise and technology is critical,” ADB Vice Chairman Stephen Groff said at the signing ceremony.

ADB Director Christopher Thieme said that the loan would be distributed immediately after the signing and the interest rate would depend on the market price. He did not comment on the repayment schedule.

The director hinted that more loans can be provided if the project is successful.

 

[masud]

Why u have problems with Pakistan? Can BD fight PAKISTAN?

why you in pdf ? i think only for trolling..............

 

[Aung Zaya]

Rice exports to EU fall as Myanmar's jumps
Tue, 2 June 2015
Chan Muyhong
Recent figures show that Cambodian rice exports to the European Union have declined slightly, while Myanmar’s have undergone a sharp increase.

From September to April, Cambodian rice exports to the EU dropped by 1 per cent compared to the same period last year, from 167,660 tonnes to 165,940 tonnes, according to figures released by the European Commission last week.

Myanmar’s rice exports to the EU, in contrast, increased by 81 per cent from 79,940 to 144,550 tonnes for the same period.

Industry insiders expect Cambodian rice export volumes to the European Union to level off, admitting that Myanmar is a strong competitor.

“We acknowledge them as a competitor because they are also a developing country and their rice is cheaper than our rice,” said Kim Savuth, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation. “Cambodia should focus on exporting fragrant rice and improving packaging to make higher margins,” Savuth said.

“Myanmar and other major rice exporters cannot produce fragrance rice as we do.”

Cambodian white rice sells at $430 per tonne, the figures reported, while there was no price estimate for Burmese rice.

According to Hun Lak, president of rice export firm Mekong Oryza Trade, Burmese rice is about $20 cheaper per tonne.

However, other factors could be behind Cambodia’s weakened EU rice exports, he said.

“The declining trend can also be due to the weakening of the Euro against the US dollar, so countries in the EU buy less but increase their production.”

 

[Aung Zaya]

Singapore Windsor Inks Airport Retail Deal with DFS
June 4, 2015 by Thiha


Singapore Windsor Holdings Limited announced that it has secured an exclusive 10-year supply and merchandising deal with DFS, a Hong Kong-based luxury travel retailer.

According to the agreement, in addition to a duty-free store at Naypyitaw International Airport, the group will open additional duty-free outlets at the existing departure and arrival terminal of Yangon International Airport.

This will be followed by a much larger duty-free retail space when the new terminal at Yangon International Airport is completed towards the end of this year, Singapore Windsor said.

In line with the strong market trend of inbound flights to Myanmar, the number of international travellers for leisure and business is forecast to grow rapidly. The new international terminal at Yangon is expected to handle three times the current passenger traffic volume of the existing terminal.

By the end of 2015, the group will be managing and operating almost 2,000 square metres of duty-free retail space at the two key airports in Myanmar.

Singapore Windsor has recently been aggressively expanding into Myanmar, eyeing telecom infrastructure construction, car hire and rental services, and trading and distribution ventures.

Established in 1960, DFS Group is one of the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, offering products from over 700 brands through 420 locations. DFS Group said over 200 million people visited DFS stores in 2014.

 

[Aung Zaya]

Thai GPSC, Marubeni to develop 400-MW power plant in Myanmar
0
By editor on 2015-06-11 Thailand

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[google-translator]
Thai GPSC, Marubeni to develop 400-MW power plant in Myanmar

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Global Power Synergy PCL (GPSC) said it was joining with Japan’s Marubeni Corp and Myanmar’s EDEN Group to develop a 400-megawatt (MW) gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in Myanmar as part of its foreign expansion.

GPSC, the flagship power business of top Thai energy firm PTT PCL, and the consortium have signed a memorandum of understanding with Myanmar’s government, Noppadol Pinsupa, the president of GPSC, said in a statement.

The power plant, to be located at Thanlyin, will serve rising demand from the residential and industrial sectors,including the Thilawa special economic zone and the Thanlyin oil refinery improvement project that the PTT group is bidding for, it said.

Inle Lake named Myanmar's 1st biosphere reserve

21 hours ago

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  YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The U.N.'s cultural agency has named Inle Lake, with its diverse plants and animals and floating gardens, as Myanmar's first biosphere reserve to help safeguard natural ecosystems while promoting sustainable economic development.
  
  Boatsmen on the lake are famous for their unique style of rowing with one leg, and floating gardens, mostly producing tomatoes, are cultivated, helping make the lake one of the the Southeast Asian country's most popular tourist destinations. UNESCO's statement said the lake has 267 species of birds, plus a variety of fish and other wildlife.
  
  The designated reserve for Inle Lake, also known as Inlay Lake, covers 489,721 hectares (1,891 square miles) in southern Shan state in eastern Myanmar.
  
  UNESCO said Wednesday that the designation was made at a council meeting in Paris. There are about 630 biosphere reserves in the world.
  
  Inle Lake has experienced drastic droughts in the past few years, with the low water levels hindering transportation by boat, affecting livelihood of those living on the lake. Experts and environmentalists blame climate change and deforestation for the problem.

 

[Aung Zaya]

Myanmar receives over 2 bln USD contracted foreign investment in two months

YANGON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar received contracted foreign investment of 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in the first two months ( April-May) of the fiscal year 2015-16, sources with the Myanmar Investment Commission said Monday.





Of the foreign investment from 11 countries during the period, Singapore topped with 1.42 billion dollars.





The investment mainly flew into the sectors of energy, manufacturing as well as oil and gas.





Myanmar projects to receive 6 billion dollars's foreign investment in the current fiscal year of 2015-16 which began in April.





According to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, contracted foreign investment in Myanmar from 38 countries and regions reached 56.54 billion U.S.dollars in 929 projects as of the end of May this year from late 1988 when the country opened door to the outside world.





China remains as the top investor in Myanmar with 98 Chinese enterprises having invested 14.77 billion dollars, followed by Thailand with 10.29 billion dollars and Singapore with 10.24 billion dollars.





Sectorally speaking, oil and gas is leading with 19.64 billion dollars accounting for 34.74 percent, followed by power sector with 19.32 billion dollars and manufacturing with 5.65 billion dollars.





Myanmar promulgated a new foreign investment law in November 2012, replacing the over-two-decade-old 1988 similar law and reformed its investment commission in June 2014 as part of its efforts to draw more foreign investment into the country in line with its reform strategy.

 

[Aung Zaya]

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