News
After delta deluge, an escape to higher ground
Residents of the Irrawaddy Delta continue to reel from widespread, severe flooding that the region has suffered since mid-July, with thousands forced to abandon their inundated homes in search of higher ground. Keep reading ...
Myanmar's central bank talks up stability amid economic challenges
The Central Bank of Myanmar pledged 18 August to assist private banks that may run into financial difficulties, looking to address recent speculation that some financial institutions were heading for a crash due in part to the recent depreciation of the kyat. Central Bank officials held a ...
Myanmar's parliament extends martial law along Chinese border
Myanmar’s parliament voted on 18 August to again extend martial law for three months in a restive area along the country’s border with China, where there have been clashes between the military and an armed ethnic group since February. Cross-border incidents in the fighting have strained ties ...
‘Slave’ fishermen not all trafficking victims
The return of hundreds more Myanmar fishermen found in slave-like conditions in Indonesia could be in jeopardy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the embassy in Jakarta separated the rescued men into two different categories: trafficking victims and non-trafficked “slaves”. The 91 who have been identified as ...
K3600 likely to stick in final wage talks
Labour officials will hold a final meeting with employers and worker representatives in Nay Pyi Taw on 18 August to finalise the minimum wage, with some participants suggesting there will be no change from the K3600 proposed in June. The ministry hopes to reach an agreement on ...
Thai entrepreneurs urged to move fast in Myanmar
Thai entrepreneurs should tap Myanmar’s high growth potential, say business leaders. However, competition has grown intense as Myanmar welcomes other foreign investors, forcing some Thai businesses to seek local partners in order to make it easier to do business there. Keep reading ...
Flooded religious sites to be restored
Flood-hit religious sites and monuments will soon be mucked out and repaired following a damage assessment, religious affairs officials said. A tally of losses, displaced monks and swamped pagodas was started on 11 August by a 16-member committee under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Keep reading ...
Seeds scarce as replanting begins
Disaster zones in Rakhine State urgently need paddy seeds, said a civil society organisation based in the state. U Thein Win, a member of the Wunlark Rural Development Foundation in Sittwe, said local farmers had to cultivate more paddy this month. Keep reading ...
Myanmar halts rice exports as floods hit crop
Myanmar halted rice shipments after floods over the past month inundated farmland, raising the specter of supply disruptions in the sixth-biggest exporter. The Myanmar Rice Federation voluntarily suspended exports to prevent an increase in prices after more than 200,000 acres (about 81,000 hectares) of paddy fields ...
India must focus on expanding banks network in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam
Expansion of Indian banks network in CLMV – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam- countries would help in enhancing trade and investment relations with these nations, a report has suggested. The Commerce and Industry Ministry report – “India’s Strategy for Economic Integration with CLMV” was prepared by think ...
