Myanmar Times
Commission probing Rakhine says ‘rule of law’ being observed
Myanmar’s military clearance operations in northern Rakhine State are being carried out “lawfully”, the investigation commission led by Vice President Myint Swe concluded after wrapping up a three-day field visit to Maundgaw. The announcement comes as Human Rights Watch released a report accusing the military ...
CSOs call for greater transparency in Tanintharyi developments
A Coalition of local residents has criticised two Myanmar companies and a Chinese firm for announcing plans for a number of development projects in Tanintharyi Region. In a statement issued on December 14, the residents also attacked the local ethnic armed group, the Karen National ...
Myanmar calls on Thailand to stop harassment of migrants
Myanmar police have presented six demands to their Thai counterparts, calling for a crackdown on corrupt and abusive Thai officials who prey on Myanmar workers in Thailand. The Myanmar officials accused Thai officials of demanding money from the Myanmar workers and illegally confiscating their documents. The ...
Tourism investment up despite drop in visitors
The number of foreign travelers visiting in Myanmar is down on 2015, but foreign investment in the tourist sector shows a 15 percent increase, according to data from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. Although officials caution that investment decisions should be based on the ...
Yangon govt mulls new “high-class” sidestreet markets
The Yangon Region government is planning a range of measures to make Yangon more livable, including developing the waterfront into public space and moving vendors onto quieter side streets and into planned ‘hawker centres’. U Phyo Min Thein, Yangon Chief Minister, said last week that the ...
Street vendor holdouts, YCDC on crash course over relocation plan
Tensions are mounting between Yangon City Development Committee and the commercial capital’s street vendors, as a small contingent refuses to move stalls from their locations on Anawrahta Road. Following a recently announced ban on street stalls on Yangon’s 11 busiest roads, YCDC staff have been travelling ...
Affordable housing projects affected as funds dry up
In a serious blow to thousands of would-be home-owners, the construction of affordable homes in Yangon’s Ayeyarwon and Yadanar housing projects has been suspended because the money has run out, government officials say. Urban and Housing Development department director general U Min Htein told The Myanmar ...
MPs to mull Japan’s soft loan offer
Parliament will decide this week whether or not to accept a US$824 million soft loan from Japan. The government has proposed the loan to Pyidaungsu Hluttaw for a range of capital projects, including aid to farmers, building roads and bridges for rural development, expanding electricity ...
Yangon government considers ending industrial zone bridge tolls
The Yangon Region government is debating ending the toll fees on three bridges that connect Hlaing Thar Yar industrial zone with Yangon and the Thilawa special economic zone. “We are discussing with the Ministry of Construction the collection fees on Bayint Naung bridge, Aung Zayar ...
As labourers leave Myanmar delta, farmers struggle to mechanise
On a recent November morning, farmer U Soe Myint Aung was busy collecting rice from his harvester and loading it into bags. It is heavy work but still he knows he is lucky; with 17 acres of paddy field situated along a road in Kwinyar village, ...
