Democratic Voice of Burma

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Business Weekly Posted: 05 Oct 2013 01:49 AM PDT   Ups and downs The Burmese currency remains stable against the US dollar at 968 kyat (buying) and 975-976 (selling). The price of gold dropped by more than 4,000 kyat this week to 690, 600 kyat per tical. Fuel remains the same price: gasoline is 814 kyat per litre; diesel 920 kyat per litre; and Octane sells for 921 kyat per litre. Good quality rice is currently selling at 1,100-1,200 kyat per pyi; low quality rice is at 850-900 kyat per pyi.   Telecoms firms think big in Burma Telenor ASA Chief Executive Officer Jon Fredrik Baksaas says that mobile phone subscriptions in Burma will increase more than fivefold to cover about half of the population by the end of 2017. Norwegian company Telenor is one of two foreign firms, alongside Qatar's Ooredoo, contracted to undertake the task of building a nationwide telecommunications network for Burma. "Penetration figures will grow from presently below 10 percent to a very visible figure in a very short time," Baksaas said. "We shouldn't be far away from 50 percent penetration already three years down the line." Roll-out is expected next year. Meanwhile, both companies are reported to be in talks over plans to share transmitter towers in Burma, seeking savings as they build networks in one of the world’s least developed telecom markets. But Edwin Vanderbruggen of law firm VDB Loi warned about the bureaucratic maze that Ooredoo and Telenor must face in securing land for transmission tower sites. "Imagine having to sign up an average of 60 leases in a week, often in areas without land-title paperwork, and getting approvals for each one of them from different ministries," he said. "It's the regulatory equivalent of rolling out a network on Mount Everest."   Japan remains to be convinced on Dawei Officials from Burma, Thailand and Japan sat for tripartite talks last week to discuss the involvement of Japan in developing the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Following the meeting, Satt Aung, the vice-president of the Central Bank of Myanmar, said that Japan is considering a role to help implement the industrial project and Thai officials also voiced optimism that the SEZ would move ahead.It was also announced that Burma would seek funding from the Asian Development Bank to help kick-start the industrial development on the Tenasserim coast in southern Burma. Japanese officials, meanwhile, have remained somewhat quiet about their aspirations for joining the venture. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-remains-strongly-committed-to-dawei-says-thai-minister-burma-myanmar/33034   Sky trains for Rangoon? The Burmese government is to invite foreign companies to invest in a project to construct elevated transit lines, or sky trains, in Rangoon. President Thein Sein has approved the ambitious project, said Railway Transport Minister Than Htay during a ceremony on 29 September marking the maiden run of a new air-conditioned circular train in the city. Then Htay added that the move was being initiated due to the ever-worsening traffic problem in Rangoon.   Japanese firm forms JV to export Burmese rice Japan’s Mitsui & Co has formed a joint venture with Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corp (MAPCO) as it looks to tap into Burma's potential rice exports, the two companies announced this week. Under the name Myanmar Japan Rice Industry Co, the firms say they will engage in marketing, producing and exporting Burmese rice and rice products, a statement released by the two companies said. Mitsui holds a 49 percent stake in the joint venture while MAPCO holds 51 percent.   MPT seeks partner for phone card retailing State-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) is inviting open tenders from domestic companies to join with it in a joint-venture for the printing and distribution of prepaid cards for mobile phones, the sales of which amount to billions of kyat every month, according to an announcement by MPT. Five prepaid card distributors currently have licenses: Elite Tech, Global Technology, Tah Moe Hnye Chan Thar Group, Asian Mega Link and Yadanarbon. A few days ago, MPT issued a directive to distributors warning them against undercutting the fixed price of prepaid cards, saying they should only retail phone cards at 5,000 kyat, 10,000 kyat and 20,000 kyat each.   Burma to relax visa conditions for skilled foreign workers Burma's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) has pledged to ease the processes of applying for and extending long-term visas for skilled foreign professionals who take up jobs with Burmese firms. According to an announcement by the DICA, those seeking long-term work visas can contact either the Ministry of Trade and Commerce or the DICA offices in Naypyidaw and Rangoon.   Thai, Chinese firms eye wind power potential in Burma Two foreign companies – one Thai and one Chinese – have reportedly announced their intentions of harnessing wind power in Burma. Thai firm Gunkul Engineering Public Co Ltd is conducting feasibility studies to produce windmill-generated electricity in Mon, Karen, Shan and Tenasserim regions, while China's Three Gorges Co plans to set up similar windmill farms in Chin, Arakan, Irrawaddy and Rangoon regions, according to Burmese state-run media. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/thai-chinese-firms-eye-wind-power-potential-in-burma-myanmar-environment/32963

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• RNDP Not to Blame for Thandwe Violence: Local Party Member
• ‘Beauty Alone is Not Enough’
• Burmese Tune in to First Internet Radio Station
• Burma Business Roundup (Oct. 5, 2013)

RNDP Not to Blame for Thandwe Violence: Local Party Member Posted: 05 Oct 2013 07:55 AM PDT Tun Shwe, a local RNDP member in Thandwe, denies that his party was involved in the outbreak of anti-Muslim violence in the township. Click on the box below to see more images. (Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) THANDWE — Several local Arakanese politicians and community leaders were apprehended in Thandwe Township in recent days in relation to the outbreak of inter-communal violence between ethnic Arakanese Buddhists and local Muslim communities. A Thandwe Arakanese leader, however, has blamed the unrest on "Bengali" Muslims, who he claimed had been coming to the southern Arakan State town and "started the violence." "Some people hide inside trucks and secretly came to the town or some came by boats from the sea, secretly, to settle in the town," said Tun Shwe, a central committee member of the Rakhine National Development Party's (RNDP) Thandwe office. He said "more and more" Muslims had come to Thandwe from northern Arakan State, after inter-communal violence in June and October last year affected their communities there. Most Muslims in northern Arakan call themselves Rohingyas. Burma's government refuses to recognize the group as citizens and — like local ethnic Arakanese communities — it refers to them as "Bengali" immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. The villages in Thandwe Township that suffered from attacks this week, however, are ethnic Kaman Muslims, a group that is officially recognized as a Burmese minority with a recorded history in southern Arakan State. RNDP member Tun Shwe accepts that the Kaman have long lived in Thandwe, but still he maintains that a supposed influx of "Bengali" Muslims caused the recent violence, although he was unable to explain where this group of newcomers was residing. "Yes, there are local Muslim inhabitants here. But, [since last year] more Bengalis came to Thandwe," he claimed. The anti-Muslim violence in Thandwe Township began on Sunday and was reportedly sparked by an argument between a Buddhist motorbike taxi driver and a Kaman Muslim man. Between Sunday and Wednesday, more than 100 homes were destroyed in at least five Kaman villages. Six people were reported killed, five injured and hundreds of villagers were forced to flee. In recent days, Thandwe police have arrested two local RNDP members, including the Thandwe RNDP chairman Maung Pu, in relation with the violence. Two local members of civil society group Protection of Nationality, Religion and Dhamma were also detained. International human rights groups have previously accused RNDP members, local Buddhist leaders and nationalist Arakanese civil society groups of organizing attacks on Rohingya communities. In Thandwe, tensions began to rise after Arakanese community groups organized 'Buddhist Day' on Aug. 26, an event that attracted tens of thousands of people and hundreds of monks from the area. Members of the Buddhist nationalist 969 movement were also present and actively spread their virulent anti-Muslim messages among the township's inhabitants. Tun Shwe denied, however, that the RNDP and local Arakanese community organizations had been whipping up anti-Muslim sentiment in the weeks leading up the violence. "Our party attempted to stop tensions among the people," he said, adding that, "Our chairman was not involved in the house burning." Win Naing, Thandwe representative of the National League for Democracy, the opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi, said he believed that the local RNDP branch had indeed played an organizing role in the unrest. "We found that their members were involved in the violence. The authorities should thoroughly interrogate those that they have detained in order to stop this violence," Win Naing said. The post RNDP Not to Blame for Thandwe Violence: Local Party Member appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

‘Beauty Alone is Not Enough’ Posted: 04 Oct 2013 10:28 PM PDT Moe Set Wine, 25, was crowned Miss Myanmar 2013. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — For the first time in over half a century, Burma will send a hopeful candidate to the Miss Universe pageant. Moe Set Wine, 25, was crowned Miss Myanmar 2013 in Rangoon on Thursday night, earning the chance to represent her country in the international competition next month. In this interview, the US-educated Miss Myanmar talks about overcoming her shyness to take the stage, while also sharing how she mentally prepared to model a swimsuit, what kind of social work she hopes to pursue in the future, and why her biggest priority next month will be showing off the beauty of Burma to the world. Question: How did you prepared for this? Answer: I went through some training, arranged by the organizers. I also exercised, and I studied for my general knowledge. Q: Why did you decide to join the competition? A: When I came back to Burma after my studies at California Lutheran University, one of my friends told me about the Miss Universe competition. I was interested in taking part because, if selected, I would have a chance to represent Burma. Q: Even at the age of 25? A: It's not too late—it's good timing, I think. If I was younger, I wouldn't have any experience before entering this event. Also, I wouldn't have finished my studies. Now is the perfect time. Q: Do you feel confident about the international competition? A: I have to represent Burma. I want to show the world what Burma is all about, and who the Burmese are. Q: Whether or not you win, what are your future plans in Burma? A: I want to help empower women with established women organizations. Later I will form my own, as I have no experience so far. Q: What will be your main challenge in the Miss Universe competition? A: We Burmese are shy. We feel a bit nervous in front of many people. I think that's my weak point, too. Q: You have spent some time in the West. Have you been influenced by Western culture? A: I only accept what's good for me—it's my nature. It's useless to be shy all the time. Self-confidence is important, too. Sometimes I need to go outside my comfort zone, especially when I join a contest. Q: You joined this contest. Does that mean you have confidence in your beauty? A: Beauty alone is not enough to become Miss Universe. The most important things is whether I can represent Burma. I hope I can do that. Q: Do you hope to win Miss Universe? A: I want people out there to know more about Burma. That's more important than winning the Miss Universe crown. Q: But let's say you do win. What would be your next step? A: Social work, and I think I would accomplish more with the Miss title. I could persuade more people, and they would willingly listen. That would be a privilege. For a movie star, you do not need that much. Good looks are enough. Q: Do you have other weaknesses, apart from being shy? A: Yes, I do. I do not walk elegantly. Q: How did you feel walking around on stage in a two-piece swimsuit? Were you self-conscious? A: I had to imagine that I was just going out for a swim, and I had to remind myself that everyone wears swimsuits. After thinking like that, I felt more relaxed. Q: How do you feel after being selected as the Burmese candidate to take part in Miss Universe? A: I feel as if I have been granted a chance to climb a big mountain, because today's event isn't the end of the game. There's a long road ahead. I have to compete with candidates from other countries. I have to think fast because every move I make and every word I speak will represent Burma and the Burmese. The post 'Beauty Alone is Not Enough' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burmese Tune in to First Internet Radio Station Posted: 04 Oct 2013 09:07 PM PDT A sign outside the studio of 7 Online Radio in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The newest member of Burma's broadcasting family, 7 Online Radio is trying to change the way Burmese tune in to the radio. Started originally in September 2012, the station aims to reach Burmese living abroad, as well as citizens at home. The 6 friends who invested to start the station decided to forego the FM dial because of the high investment cost and the lengthy permit process. And Internet radio appealed to them, Director Min Chit Thu said, because anyone could listen for free from anywhere in the world. Unusually for a media outlet in Burma, 7 Online Radio has no official government media license to operate. Min Chit Thu, said the station just started broadcasting without a permit. Now, because it doesn't broadcast news, the station has even received an official "No Problem" from the Minister of Information. 7 Online Radio does face an uphill battle, though. The Internet in Burma has broken several times over the past few months and connection speeds are often slow. But as the station keeps its servers in Thailand and broadcasts from Thailand, Burma's well-documented Internet connectivity issues have not impacted the station's stream very much. According to Min Chit Thu, on occasion, the station's staff have merely been prevented from uploading new programs, which are produced in Rangoon. In a country where only about 1 percent of the population, or about 600,000 people have Internet access, one might think that the audience for online radio is small. After a year, according to Min Chit Thu, 7 Online currently has about 10,000 domestic- and foreign-based listeners, with their strongest listening bases in Burma, Singapore, and Malaysia. Listeners tuning in, using their computer or mobile device, will catch Burmese music, new and old, along with music news and local celebrity gossip.  The station offers a 24-hour program stream with six hours of new programming a day. The station is currently looking for more investors, as well as to add advertising to its stream. Although the station is yet to start making money, Director Min Chit Thu remains optimistic. Laughing, he told the Irrawaddy, "We have not given up until today." The post Burmese Tune in to First Internet Radio Station appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma Business Roundup (Oct. 5, 2013) Posted: 04 Oct 2013 08:44 PM PDT Ooredoo Plans to Create Thousands of Women 'Entrepreneurs' in Burma One of the two international mobile phone companies to win network development licenses in Burma, Ooredoo of Qatar, has formed a partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to provide jobs for rural women. "As we begin operating in Myanmar [Burma], we're looking to create tens of thousands of new jobs in the retail sector, with a particular focus on engaging women micro-entrepreneurs," said the chairman of Ooredoo, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani. "Ooredoo and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women have supported thousands of women entrepreneurs in Indonesia, and we'll use that expertise to enrich the lives of people in Myanmar." Cherie Blair, a lawyer, is the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair who has made several business-related visits to Burma in the last couple of years. The partners plan to develop a franchisee model to help up to 30,000 women "entrepreneurs" by 2016—selling prepaid Ooredoo airtime in their communities, said the industry Internet website Developing Telecoms. Details of the partnership emerged as Ooredooo also disclosed that it is negotiating with the other foreign network license winner, Norway's Telenor, to save development costs by sharing transmitter towers in Burma. Burma presented big challenges in developing mobile phone networks, said Ooredoo's chief strategy officer, Jeremy Sell. "No one speaks English, we can't get galvanized steel. There aren't enough cranes. The country is covered in jungle. The roads flood. There's no power," Reuters quoted him saying. Rangoon's Skyline to get US$780M Multi-Storied Facelift New multi-story offices, more shopping malls, hotels and upmarket apartment blocks costing more than US$780 million have been approved for construction in Rangoon. If all the projects go ahead, they will significantly alter the architectural landscape of Burma's biggest city. One project alone, in the Bogyoke Market area, includes a 32-story hotel, a 28-storey office-tower, a 34-story apartments block, and shopping malls, according to Eleven Media, which quoted the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). The Bogyoke Market development will be spearheaded by Shwe Taung Junction City Development Company at an estimated cost of around 200 billion kyats (US$206 million). The YCDC also approved two smaller developments with several other Burmese construction companies valued at more than US$130 million, said Eleven Media. Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan has been linked with a US$350 million development of four multi-story blocks also housing offices, shops and apartments. This project is also in the Bogyoke area but is linked with the protected colonial-era railway office, said a developers' statement. Mitsubishi's partners will be Yoma Strategic Holdings, Serge Pun & Associates and First Myanmar Investment. Thais, Chinese Study Prospects for Building Wind Power Farms in Burma Research is to be conducted in several areas of Burma to assess the viability of building wind turbine electricity generating projects, the Ministry of Electric Power said. The feasibility studies are being made by Thai and Chinese firms, the ministry's assistant director Aung Myo Win told the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar. Thailand's Gunkul Engineering will survey areas in Mon, Karen and Shan states and Tenasserim Division. The China Three Gorges Company, whose main business if focused around large hydro-dam power plants, will assess prospects in Chin and Arakan states, the Irrawaddy River valley and the greater Rangoon area. Wind turbine systems, known as wind farms, are widely used in China and increasingly in Thailand, but they can be weather dependent, like hydroelectric projects. Burma suffers from acute shortages of electricity, with only 25 percent of the population connected to the main power grid. In September, the World Bank pledged an interest-free loan of US$140 million to renovate the 106-megawatt power station at Thaton in Mon State with new gas turbines. VietJet Air to Target Myanmar Airlines for Regional Expansion Venture Privately owned Vietnamese budget airline VietJet Air has named Myanmar Airlines as one of its targets for joint ventures in 2014, a report said. The expanding airline has already announced plans for a venture with Thailand's Kan Air, based in Chiang Mai. That venture is to be called Thai VietJetAir and will be based in Bangkok, aiming for more international regional flights, said the Bangkok travel and tourism newspaper TTR Weekly. "The new airline will be based at Suvarnabhumi Airport offering flights to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai and international services to China and points in the Mekong region, mainly Myanmar [Burma] and Laos," the paper quoted Kan Air president Somphong Sooksanguan saying. As well as Myanmar Airlines, the Vietnamese company is also targeting an as yet unidentified third foreign airline to partner with, TTR Weekly said, in order to broaden its regional reach. Toshiba Mounts Sales Campaign in Burma From New Bangkok HQ Japanese electrical equipment maker Toshiba plans to promote product sales in Burma via a base in neighboring Bangkok, reflecting the continuing infrastructure problems of operating out of Rangoon. A new subsidiary, Toshiba Asia Pacific (Thailand), will direct sales in Burma, Cambodia and Laos, said Eleven Media, quoting the company. Sales of equipment, especially related to electricity generation, will be directed from Bangkok even though Toshiba has a representative office in Rangoon. Japanese companies are spearheading development of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the edge of Rangoon and are planning to help construct several power plants, but they have repeatedly complained about infrastructure problems and legal uncertainties over land access. The post Burma Business Roundup (Oct. 5, 2013) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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