Myanmar Times
Myanmar garment workers’ rights abuse critical, says report
Myanmar garment workers’ rights have now reached critical levels under criteria set by international labour laws, a director of the Labour Rights Defenders and Promoters Daw Ei Shwe Zin Nyunt said on February 7. Her comments came as ‘The Myanmar Dilemma Report” on the condition ...
Central bank turns the spotlight on loan favouritism
The Central Bank of Myanmar has accused private banks of granting loans to individuals connected with bank directors. But some businessmen disagree with CB that the banks are self-serving. The Central Bank is investigating the activities of private banks, Director General U Win Thaw told ...
The soul of the Mekong is in trouble
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha last week asked reporters why non-governmental organisations, environmental activists and academics continue to protest against the planned blasting of rapids in the Mekong River. He said many of these protesters are outsiders, meaning people who do not live by the riverside, do ...
Hefty fines for flouting building regulations
Building owners in Mandalay will soon face hefty fines that may exceed the value of the buildings if the structures are built without permits or if they flout regulations, warned the Mandalay City Development Committee. From April 1, fines will be increased 75 percent for ...
Yangon govt ups transport spending for new buses
The Yangon Regional government will revise its budget for the fiscal year in order to purchase 1000 new vehicles for the city’s new public bus system, region minister for finance and planning U Myint Thaung told The Myanmar Times. The city-wide Yangon Bus Service, which started ...
Defence expenditure ranks third in 2017-18 Union budget proposal
The National League for Democracy-led government’s first crack at formulating an annual Union budget has proposed only a modest increase in defence spending, with the lion’s share earmarked for the Ministry of Planning and Finance. Submitted to parliament yesterday, the K20.896 trillion budget for the ...
Factory owners say fake ‘squatters’ extorting them
The issue of illegal tenants and land compensation remains a major challenge for the Yangon Region government, and, in the absence of solutions, the matter has taken a new turn with factory owners now accusing farmers of trespassing and extortion. U Aye Thaung, chair of the ...
Consultation on investment rules highlights land issues
A public consultation on the regulations that will accompany Myanmar’s new investment law threw the spotlight onto the country’s complicated land legislation once again. But although they acknowledge the barriers that land rules present to potential investors, officials in charge of the investment law regulations ...
Uber and licensed cabs to replace Yangon taxi turmoil
Now that the new Yangon Bus Service is underway, the regional government is turning its attention to the city’s taxis, and is hoping to have a system of licensed cabs to run side-by-side with Uber drivers, according to chief minister U Phyo Min Thein. The Yangon ...
Teachers call for better security after educator’s murder
Teachers around the country demonstrated on January 22 calling for better protection of educators after one of their colleagues was abducted and shot dead in Kachin State’s Hpakant township. Primary school teacher U Aung Zin Tun, who was assigned to Hpakant township’s Nantmaphit village, was reportedly ...
