News
Refugees in Thailand watch Myanmar election with interest, trepidation
Outside of Nai Soi village in northern Thailand, more than 14,000 refugees from Kayah State debate elections going on just across the border. While there will be no voting for those in Thailand’s largest refugee camp – most lack ID cards – that doesn’t mean they ...
From ambulances to funerals, volunteers prop up Myanmar healthcare
Volunteers prop up many aspects of the Myanmar healthcare system. This culture of self-reliance is partially a legacy of the military era where vast spending on defence came at the expense of health or education. While budgets have increased since 2011’s end of outright army rule, Myanmar ...
YCDC outlaws extensions to public housing
Residents at Yangon’s affordable housing projects will be punished if they attempt to enlarge their apartments by building extensions. Keep reading ...
Election police training to begin
Police are preparing a comprehensive security blanket in advance of the 8 November election. Training is about to begin for more than 40,000 special police officers drafted nationwide to supplement the regular force during elections, while there is also a provision for calling the military ...
World Bank slashes Myanmar growth forecast
Just four months ago the World Bank predicted in its Global Economic Prospects report that Myanmar would grow at 8.2pc this year and 8.0pc in fiscal 2017, to become the world’s fourth-fastest-growing economy. However, this outlook took a hit as floods swept the country in July ...
Compensation for Yangon-Dala bridge to be paid this month
In an apparent effort to ensure good relations with local residents and avoid the problems that have dogged other development projects, local authorities have agreed to pay compensation in advance to people forced to move to make way for the Yangon-Dala Bridge. The committee set up ...
Floods dampen Myanmar's growth: WB
Myanmar’s economy will expand at only 6.5 per cent in the 2015-16 fiscal year due to floods and slowing investments, according to a World Bank report. Keep reading ...
Ceasefire to be signed by some armed groups in October, others abstain
A long-awaited ceasefire agreement between the government and ethnic armed groups will be signed on 15 October, negotiators said, though the pact will not be the “inclusive” agreement many ethnic groups had hoped for. Seven ethnic armed groups have committed to signing the pact while other ...
Myanmar youth leaders gather at the Social Good Summit
When 40 Myanmar youth leaders gathered at the Social Good Summit on September 26, it was clear there was one topic on their minds. The main focus of the Yangon summit, organised by the Union Nations Development Programme in partnership with the UN Volunteers and UN ...
Guardians of ‘race and religion’ target NLD
Nationalist monks are stepping up their political activities as Myanmar’s election approaches, with the opposition National League for Democracy feeling the heat as the main target of Ma Ba Tha’s growing reach. The constitution bars monks from voting or forming political parties, but Ma Ba Tha, ...
