News
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 ...
China eyes high speed railway as part of One Belt, One Road strategy
A super fast railway will connect Myanmar’s cities, cutting the journey time from Muse, Shan State, to Yangon to one hour. That was the claim made by China’s consul general in a recent meeting in Mandalay. Wang Zongying was discussing China’s One Belt One Road project, ...
Mandalay fisheries fail to meet demand
Mandalay’s fisheries are unable to keep pace with demand, with industry figures saying more than 48.9 tonnes of fish is imported daily from Yangon. Director of the Department of Fisheries U Hla Win told The Myanmar Times on November 28 that over 30,000 viss has to ...
Japanese MFI starts social loans expansion
Japanese microfinance lender MJI Enterprise has started offering three new types of loan and is expanding into two new areas, its chief executive told The Myanmar Times. Yuko Kato said the firm is now offering education, health-care and solar power loans, in addition to its ...
Myanma railways to ramp up carriage production next year
A new Myanma Railways passenger carriage factory built with Chinese help is expected to be up and running by the end of the next financial year, according to the factory’s general manager. The new Myit Nge factory is being built on a 27-acre plot some ...
Adolescents with HIV struggle with drug regimens, stigma
Young people with HIV are facing unique challenges, according to a recent report from Doctors Without Borders Myanmar released ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1. Adolescents with HIV aged 10 to 19 are three times more likely to experience failure with first-line anti-retroviral treatment ...
Minimum wage law still not cutting it for garment workers: report
A New report on the state of the garment industry from Progressive Voice found that last year’s minimum wage law is causing negative workplace impacts for a majority of labourers and, for many, is still not resulting in a living wage. The report, released on ...
Internet, phone lines down in Muse after bomb blast hits cable
Local internet and phone connections were disrupted in the town of Muse yesterday after an explosion rocked the Swonlon Bridge in Muse township. U Zaw Min, Muse district administrator, said internet connections were severed entirely, while phone calls were not transmitting audio. An acquaintance was able ...
