The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• NLD Lawmakers to Forfeit Bonus, Take Pay Cut for Party
• NLD Patron Tin Oo: ‘Suu Kyi Should Be The President’
• Kachin Anti-Poppy Campaign Continues Despite Hurdles
• Local Rice Prices Climb Ahead of Chinese New Year
• State Dailies Blasé, Brief in Coverage of Parliament’s New Cast
• Arakan Govt Falls Short on Resettlement Pledge, Locals Say
• Intrigue Mounts over Ongoing Parleys on Presidency
• A Visual Guide to Burma’s New Parliament
• Western Diplomats Hail Sitting of ‘Historic’ New Parliament
• Thai Professor: Interest in Burmese Language Has Increased Ten-Fold
• Drone Schools Spread in China to Field Pilots for New Sector 
• Taiwan Legislature Elects New Speaker from Victorious DPP
• Thai Authorities Say Fishing Industry Crackdown Intensified

NLD Lawmakers to Forfeit Bonus, Take Pay Cut for Party Posted: 02 Feb 2016 04:57 AM PST National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives for the opening of the new Parliament in Naypyidaw, Feb. 1, 2016.(Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The National League for Democracy (NLD), which on Monday entered Parliament as the new ruling party, has implemented a sweeping donation policy to raise party funds. Outgoing NLD lawmakers have agreed to donate the entirety of their "party pension," a state-funded gratuity paid for their time served in Parliament, to a party fund. The previous assembly approved a 5 million kyat payout for exiting lawmakers, though NLD members—along with others who only served since a 2012 by-election—will receive 3 million. "We feel uneasy about taking the money while people are living in poverty," said Lower House NLD lawmaker Min Thu, who was elected in 2012. "Plus, [party chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has guided us to try to be as close to the people as possible. We agreed to contribute our pay to the party, to be used for people-centered services." Apart from the gratuity, lawmakers have also agreed to give up a percentage of their salaries to the party fund. In November, just after the NLD's landslide electoral victory, Suu Kyi told her party's MPs-elect that they could expect a drastic reduction in salary—somewhere between 25 and 50 percent. "Anyone in the top positions will see a 50 percent pay cut," she said, according to a party member present at the meeting. This means that Win Myint, who yesterday was appointed as Speaker of the Lower House, will likely see his salary dive from 3.5 million kyats to 1.75 million. Some of the extra funds are to be used to pay for party offices, which previously relied on donations from supporters. Sources have also suggested that Suu Kyi plans to limit speakers to one car; current law allows up to four. Min Thu said that when the first NLD members took office in 2012, their salaries were slashed by 10 percent—including Suu Kyi's—right from the onset, and reduced again after Parliament approved a arise for itself in January 2015. "One hundred thousand kyats went to the party and 150,000 went to development funds run by the party," he said. The post NLD Lawmakers to Forfeit Bonus, Take Pay Cut for Party appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NLD Patron Tin Oo: ‘Suu Kyi Should Be The President’ Posted: 02 Feb 2016 04:36 AM PST Aung San Suu Kyi, Shwe Mann, Tin Oo and Win Htein at the conclusion of a training session for NLD lawmakers on Feb. 2, 2016. (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Tin Oo, National League for Democracy (NLD) patron, told reporters on Tuesday that NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi should become the country's next president and that he would support her to assume the highest office in Burma. His comments came at the conclusion of a four-day administrative training attended by 50 NLD state and division level lawmakers. The participants have been earmarked for leadership positions in the new government, including ministerial and speaker roles in subnational executive and legislative branches. When asked by a reporter if the 2008 Constitution's Article 59(f), which bars Suu Kyi from the presidency, would be amended, Tin Oo answered affirmatively. "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should be [the president]. She should. I will act as the stepping stone so that we can reach this achievement. That's all," said Tin Oo. In addition to Tin Oo, a selection of speakers addressed the participants after the training's conclusion, including NLD central committee member Win Htein, former Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann and party chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, who called on the trainees to adopt practices of collaboration and cooperation. "The training was about administrative work, mainly for division/state governments and parliaments," said Mann Johnny, a training participant and lawmaker in the Irrawaddy Division parliament. Among the trainees were three prominent members of Rangoon Division's parliament: Phyo Min Thein, who is widely tipped to become the Rangoon Division chief minister, Naing Ngan Lin, who survived a knife attack ahead of November's election, and former political prisoner Sandar Min. Also present were Dr. Zaw Myint Maung from Mandalay Division Parliament, Dr. Aung Moe Nyo from Magwe Division and Nan Khin Htwe Myint from Karen State. According to NLD lawmakers, negotiations for Suu Kyi to assume the presidency are ongoing between the party's leadership and the military. If these efforts don't succeed, sources say that the NLD is likely to appoint an interim president until Suu Kyi is accepted by the military establishment. Translated by Thet Ko Ko. The post NLD Patron Tin Oo: 'Suu Kyi Should Be The President' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kachin Anti-Poppy Campaign Continues Despite Hurdles Posted: 02 Feb 2016 03:18 AM PST Members of Christian anti-drugs group Pat Ja San on an opium eradication mission in Kachin State earlier this month. (Photo: Jade Land Kachin / Facebook) Vigilante drug eradication programs in northern Kachin State have been able to sustain momentum, despite threats to several volunteers' lives last month. For two years, local civil society organizations (CSOs) have been leading anti-drug campaigns to destroy poppy fields. In January, activities took a violent turn when a volunteer was shot dead and three others were injured by poppy growers in Tanai and Waingmaw townships. Still, Tang Gun, secretary of a drug eradication group in Myitkyina, the Kachin State capital, said the programs will continue as poppies begin to blossom. Between 600 and 1,400 members of local CSOs have traveled to larger plantations in five townships—Sumprabum, Putao, Chipwi, Waingmaw and Tanai—across Kachin State to destroy the illicit crop. Tang Gun told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that teams have destroyed more than 1,500 acres of poppy fields in Tanai and 2,000 in southern Waingmaw, the townships with the most fields. He added that three people were injured on Jan. 31 during such an exercise: two in a mine blast near the Sha Ngaw stream in Waingmaw, and another by a shotgun. One volunteer died that same month from injuries sustained from gunshot wounds to the chest and head. "The teams aim to prevent the production of heroin in the region," Tang Gun said. "Locals suffer a lot from drug-related problems. Many young people already face addition to the drug. We don't want to see more of that." Drug eradication activities were far-reaching in Kachin State during the 17-year ceasefire between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the government. But when this tenuous peace broke down in 2011, locals said that it also revitalized poppy growing in the region. The apparent uptick gave local CSOs and community members, led by the Myitkyina-based Kachin Baptist Convention, a new cause to join hands in the eradication of poppy fields in Kachin State. Today, teams conduct surveys in their respective regions on field locations, raise awareness and attempt to persuade locals to join them in anti-poppy campaigns. Tang Gun said that the results have been promising, with the number of poppy plantations diminishing as a result of combined efforts from teams in Kachin and northern Shan states. He also urged poppy growers to look to seasonal poppy substitutes. "We have a lot of good soil in Kachin State. We can grow crops other than poppy." The post Kachin Anti-Poppy Campaign Continues Despite Hurdles appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Local Rice Prices Climb Ahead of Chinese New Year Posted: 02 Feb 2016 03:12 AM PST Price tags are attached to different types of rice offered for sale in Rangoon, November 29, 2011. (Photo: Damir Sagolj / Reuters) RANGOON — Due to high demand on the eve of the Chinese New Year, traders are selling more rice on the China border instead of within Burma, causing the price of the staple grain to rise at home. Higher demand from China, Burma's biggest rice buyer, is directing more rice exports through the Muse-Ruili crossing on the Shan State-China border in preparation for the upcoming Chinese New Year, which begins on February 8 and will last for two weeks. With more stock diverted to China, some markets have raised rice prices for local consumers. In areas of Arakan and Mon states, residents reported that the cost of a standard basket of rice increased 500-1000 kyats (US$0.40-$0.80). A rice basket in Mon State holds 16 pyi, or just over 40 liters, and previously cost 14,000-15,000 kyats ($10.80-$11.60). "There is high demand in the market these days, and though we're looking for more rice, the supply and demand do not match. That's why a basket of rice is going up more than 500 kyats," said Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, a rice trader in Mon State's Kalathut village. Dr Soe Tun, Vice Chairman of the Myanmar Rice Federation, estimates that about 4,000-5,000 tons of rice are being routed through the Muse-Ruili trading hub every day. Like Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, he linked this to a temporary five to ten percent rise in prices within Burma. "Demand in China is getting high. That's why rice prices have increased a little bit, but I can say that it will go down again in the next few days," he said. Merchants began directing more rice through the Muse-Ruili trading hub during the last week of January. Chan Tha Oo, a rice trader in Muse, confirmed that the greater demand for rice from the Chinese side of the border became evident late last month. This resulted in an increase in rice prices in border areas by 500-600 kyats, raising the cost of a 50-kilogram rice bag to almost 29,000 kyats ($22.50). But as official holidays begin in China, Chan Tha Oo said he believes trade will soon come to a halt. "The Chinese stop trading three or four days [ahead of the New Year]," he explained. Despite increased exports, he added there was no shortage of rice, and therefore no need for people to worry, a claim echoed by Dr. Soe Tun. "Summer's paddy [harvest] has not yet surfaced in the market, so we're still consuming old rice. It will be okay later," he said. Figures from the Ministry of Commerce put Burma's total rice exports at more than 1.7 million tons in the 2014-15 fiscal year, bringing in nearly US$645 million. Rice was shipped to China and Japan, as well as over 60 countries within ASEAN, Africa and Europe. The post Local Rice Prices Climb Ahead of Chinese New Year appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

State Dailies Blasé, Brief in Coverage of Parliament’s New Cast Posted: 02 Feb 2016 02:52 AM PST The Feb. 2, 2016 editions of Burmese-language state dailies Myanma Alinn, right, and The Mirror. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The international community and local private dailies heralded the first day of the new Parliament's term on Monday, but less effusive and generous in its coverage of the historic milestone was Burma's state-run media. Local and foreign media outlets descended on the capital Naypyidaw this week to cover the swearing in of the legislature's new batch of lawmakers, most hailing from the National League for Democracy (NLD) after the party's November election triumph. More than 600 journalists were reportedly present at the parliamentary complex on Monday and private dailies the next day splashed coverage across their front pages with banner headlines like that of The Voice, proclaiming: "A Historic Day." Parliamentary coverage was more muted on the front pages of Tuesday's state-owned Burmese language newspapers, The Mirror and Myanma Alinn, with the big day in Naypyidaw competing for ink with other local stories on page one and an inside article securing only one page in Tuesday's 32-page editorial package. English-language state daily the Global New Light of Myanmar was slightly more generous, offering a large photo of the Lower House speakers' swearing in and just over 150 words on the parliamentary proceedings. While there was admittedly little official business conducted on Monday, with the day more newsworthy for its historic significance than any legislative proceedings that transpired, state dailies' editorial weighting was markedly different five years ago, when the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) dominated a legislature seated after a 2010 election widely criticized as fraudulent. The Feb. 1, 2011 editions of the state-run Burmese language dailies dedicated their entire front pages and more than 10 pages of inside coverage to the preceding parliamentary term's first day. Nine of the English-language New Light of Myanmar's 16 pages were also filled with parliamentary proceedings, including a full front-page spread. While state media's evolution over the last five years has been notable as it has moved from less overt propaganda to filling its pages with more newsworthy content, few would deny that it remains today a government organ more at home in an authoritarian dictatorship like North Korea than the fledgling democracy that many Burmese aspire to. The three state-owned dailies—The Mirror, Myanma Alinn and Global New Light of Myanmar—are currently run by the Ministry of Information, which has vowed since late 2012 to be more independent with the goal of transforming the newspapers into "public service media." Last year's lead-up to the election, in which the victorious NLD dominated what was a two-horse contest in most constituencies with the ruling USDP, offered an opportunity for the publications to prove their commitment to editorial reform. The dailies opted to largely stay away from overtly partisan coverage, with some exceptions. During the pre-vote period, a local media monitoring group nonetheless reported that state-run media had been consistently unbalanced in its coverage of the campaign, putting greater emphasis on stories about state officials carrying out mundane government functions while not giving due space and airtime to other political parties or their candidates. The post State Dailies Blasé, Brief in Coverage of Parliament's New Cast appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakan Govt Falls Short on Resettlement Pledge, Locals Say Posted: 02 Feb 2016 02:41 AM PST Internally displaced villagers take refuge in Kyiyar Pyin village, Arakan State. (Photo: Khaing Kaung San / Facebook) RANGOON — A recently announced plan by the Arakan State government to resettle dozens of conflict-displaced households appears to have been optimistic, according to a civil society leader who claims the state had grossly underestimated costs. Khaing Kaung San, of the Wunlark Development Foundation, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the money allocated to the families, who were recently displaced by conflict between government troops and the Arakan Army, fell far short of their needs. The aid worker said that the state had pledged to provide about 500,000 kyats (US$450) per family as part of a plan to provide materials, labor, housing and farmland for the displaced. According to Khaing Kaung San, a plot of land alone costs about 200,000 kyats in the proposed relocation area, leaving families with little left to rehabilitate their homes and livelihoods. Khaing Kaung San and one displaced villager told The Irrawaddy this week that the state had, in fact, begun providing aid to some of the refugees, but that it was mostly in the form of corrugated metal for use in homebuilding. The state had not yet purchased land or cattle for the villagers, they said, though some have received cash. Tun Tha Sein, a displaced villager in Mrauk U Township, said the materials delivered by state authorities were "not enough to build a house" and described some of the resultant structures as "lean-tos," or temporary shacks. Hla Thein, of the state government's public relations department, told The Irrawaddy in late January that the state was prepared to support 32 households, though Khaing Kaung San said that the aid was actually being delivered among about 56, further thinning the supplies. Some were nonetheless able to build modest structures in Mrauk U's Zayti Taung Ywar Haung village and Ywar Ma Pyin of Kyauktaw Township, he said. Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Hla Thein said he did not know exactly how much money the state was prepared to spend on resettlement efforts, but that to the best of his knowledge, "the state government has no specific budget [allocation] for them." The displaced villagers are currently taking shelter in a monastery in Kyiyar Pyin village. They are among an estimated 200 civilians who fled their homes after conflict broke out between the Arakan Army and the Burma Army in late December, lasting for about three weeks. The Arakan Army is not recognized by the government as a legitimate non-state armed group, and has been excluded from the ongoing peace process between the government and other ethnic armed organizations. The post Arakan Govt Falls Short on Resettlement Pledge, Locals Say appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Intrigue Mounts over Ongoing Parleys on Presidency Posted: 02 Feb 2016 12:44 AM PST Military lawmakers during the first session of the Lower House of Parliament on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) As jubilant incoming lawmakers attended the first session of the new Parliament's Lower House on Monday, conjecture continues to build over reported negotiations behind the scenes between National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and the military over the presidential post. Suu Kyi has officially met Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing twice since the Nov. 8 election and informed sources suggest she has raised the question of amending the Constitution to allow her to assume the presidency. NLD representatives have reportedly also held several other closed-door confabs with military leaders since the election. Article 59(f) of Burma's military-drafted charter disqualifies anyone with a foreign spouse or children from becoming president, effectively barring Suu Kyi whose two children are British nationals, as was her late husband. While Suu Kyi may still hold the slim hope of becoming the nation's next president, there are a few ominous signs. An opinion piece in the army-owned newspaper Myawaddy on Monday, written under the pen name Sai Wai Lu, claimed that charter change was impossible. Some observers interpreted this as a blow to Suu Kyi's efforts, or at least a sign that reported negotiations on the matter are yet to produce the desired breakthrough. There has been past speculation as to whether Article 59(f) could be suspended, with the approval of military lawmakers, to allow a Suu Kyi presidency. However, some now-former lawmakers dismissed that notion as "unconstitutional" and it is unknown whether military lawmakers would support it. The possibility of Suu Kyi assuming the presidency gained traction in some circles following a meeting between the NLD leader and former dictator Than Shwe. During that surprise dialogue, according to Than Shwe's grandson, the junta-era leader referred to Suu Kyi as "the future leader" of Burma and said he would assist her as best he could. On Sunday, local media outlet Voice Weekly suggested that Suu Kyi was still negotiating with the military to seek the presidency. The report also cited comments from NLD central committee member Win Htein that the party's leader would seek amendments to the Constitution, but that such changes were unlikely within the first year of the incoming government's term. Other Burmese-language reports have suggested the military is also seeking clarification on the appointment of chief ministers in several key states and divisions. The president is constitutionally empowered to appoint the chief ministers of all Burma's states and divisions and the NLD has indicated the posts would be awarded to lawmakers from within the party's ranks. In an interview with the Washington Post in late November, Min Aung Hlaing was asked whether he was willing to allow amendment of Article 59(f). "I can't decide this alone," the commander-in-chief replied. "Under Chapter 12, the parliament must discuss any amendment to the constitution. I am not directly responsible for that." However, with major amendments requiring the support of over 75 percent of lawmakers, military MPs, who command a quarter of parliamentary seats, hold an effective veto over charter change. Suu Kyi has pledged to rule "from above" the president if she remains constitutionally barred from the position. Several contenders for the role have been cited, including party patron Tin Oo, Suu Kyi's physician Tin Myo Win or senior party member Htin Kyaw, among others, but the NLD's first choice has remained a closely guarded secret. The post Intrigue Mounts over Ongoing Parleys on Presidency appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

A Visual Guide to Burma’s New Parliament Posted: 01 Feb 2016 11:45 PM PST On Feb. 1, Burma will have a new Parliament with a fresh political order. As the current session wound down on Friday, many lawmakers from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—which held a majority of both houses over the past five years—left the assembly for good. Only 41 USDP members will sit in the new Parliament, which will convene on Monday, some old and a few new. Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), will assume 390 seats, enjoying a majority in both houses after a landslide win in the Nov. 8 general election. Those gains account for 80 percent of all contested races. The party only held 43 seats in the outgoing Parliament, which they won in a 2012 by-election. The NLD-led legislature will bring an assorted set of lawmakers including ethnic minorities, academics and former political prisoners. The number of women in Parliament will have doubled from 31 to 65. Despite the drastic diversification of elected seat-holders, one thing will remain the same: The number of military representatives will be 166. The Irrawaddy's researchers put together a few visuals to illustrate the composition of the new legislature. Research compiled by Wai Yan Aung. The post A Visual Guide to Burma's New Parliament appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Western Diplomats Hail Sitting of ‘Historic’ New Parliament Posted: 01 Feb 2016 11:35 PM PST New lawmakers arrive to the parliamentary complex in Naypyidaw on Monday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — As Burma's new Parliament was seated for the first time on Monday, foreign diplomats congratulated the country on its "historic day," with some ambassadors attending proceedings at the sprawling legislative complex in Naypyidaw as observers. The 2016-2021 Parliament is packed with new lawmakers from the National League of Democracy (NLD), which won nearly 80 percent of seats in a November general election after more than two decades persecuted by the former military junta. A total of 429 parliamentarians were present for the first day of the Lower House parliamentary session on Monday, with four lawmakers on leave. British Ambassador to Burma Andrew Patrick expressed optimism as the fresh batch of lawmakers convened in the capital Naypyidaw. A statement from the British Embassy in Rangoon released on Monday quoted him as saying, "It's over 50 years since the last properly elected Parliament sat in Burma. So this was an important day for democracy, and a great credit to this country." "There are challenges ahead, and of course the military still appoints 25 percent of the seats," he continued in the statement. The US Embassy saluted "the process of democracy that led to this historic day." "We congratulate the newly elected parliamentarians on their first day in office, and wish them well as they take on the difficult but urgent task of advancing peace, prosperity, justice, and reform in this country," a statement from the American mission in Rangoon read. In a post to its Facebook page, the Canadian Embassy said it would "look forward to working with the newly formed government to help contribute to Burma's goal of a 'peaceful, democratic, federal union.'" Ambassador Roland Kobia of the European Union Delegation was on hand for Parliament's first day and said his visit was "to witness this new step towards democracy." Parliament's Lower House is scheduled to reconvene on Thursday and the legislature's upper chamber will sit for the first time on Wednesday. The post Western Diplomats Hail Sitting of 'Historic' New Parliament appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Professor: Interest in Burmese Language Has Increased Ten-Fold Posted: 01 Feb 2016 11:28 PM PST Professor Ubonrat Pantumin, head of the Myanmar Language Division at Chiang Mai University, pictured in her office. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — For most of her career as a Burmese language educator in Thailand, Ubonrat Pantumin struggled to attract and retain learners to her subject. "It was only about 10 students until a few years ago," the associate professor at Chiang Mai University (CMU) remembers. Then in 2013, she noticed a shift: Thai students' interest in the Burmese language began to sharply increase, partly, Pantumin speculates, due to preparation for the establishment of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community, or AEC. In addition to integrating the economies in the region, AEC emphasizes stronger relationships between neighboring countries, including learning one another's languages—now more than 100 students are enrolled in Burmese courses at CMU. As head of the Myanmar Language Division, Pantumin may soon find herself teaching Burmese at more advanced levels than the primary courses she has delivered for 20 years. While it remains a minor subject at the northern Thai campus, Burmese language is expected to become an academic major later this year, when CMU begins offering three years of study on-campus followed by a final year in Burma. "The students now have a clearer aim of what they will be doing after finishing their language studies," she said, comparing today's learners to those she taught in earlier years when the subject was an elective. "It will help them to get jobs at private companies, government institutions or as researchers." She also noted that some of her students have gone on to teach Burmese in Thai schools. Last September, in collaboration with the newly opened Burmese Consulate in Chiang Mai, Pantumin led the establishment of the Myanmar Center, which allows students and researchers to borrow books related to Burma studies. Pantumin's own study of Burmese began in Chiang Mai at the Wat Sai Moon Burmese temple. As a Thai language lecturer at CMU, she had already established an interest in linguistics. She was struck by the resemblance of the Burmese script to northern Thai—also known as "Lanna"—which has a writing system distinct from standard central Thai. "The Myanmar alphabet is similar to the Lanna alphabet, so it made me want to study this foreign language further," she said. It prompted her to ask the Burmese abbot at Wat Sai Moon's monastery to become her teacher. In 1995, Pantumin had the opportunity to pursue more intensive Burmese language studies at Rangoon's University of Foreign Languages for one year, before teaching the language herself once back in Thailand. Her department's collaboration with Rangoon University began in the late 1990s, when a total of six Burmese teachers came to help teach Burmese at CMU over the next six years. For the last decade she has run the Myanmar Language Division by herself, with the help of two assistants. Today, her department has established MoUs (Memoranda of Understanding) with her alma mater, Rangoon University and Mandalay University of Foreign Languages. Through student exchange programs, both Burmese and Thai students can travel to one another's countries for the purpose of cultural exchange and language practice. It was through the development of this exchange that Pantumin was able to return to Burma in 2015, for the first time in 20 years. "There were so many changes in many aspects," she said of last year's visit, not least of which, she noted, was the "now unreasonable price of food and accommodation." She also remembered how, in the 1990s, one had to report all travel arrangements to authorities, but admitted that she visited Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Mon State without following these rules. "I went with my Thai friends, without informing [anyone] of my travels prior [to the trip]," she said. As a teacher who considers herself a lifelong student of Burmese, there are two retired language professors who have inspired her: Dr. Saw Tun and Dr. John Okell. Because of their dedication to learning, she said she still adheres to a personal schedule of daily study through reading, listening to Burmese radio or songs, or watching Burmese films. Her favorite Burmese singer remains Hay Mar Nay Win and she is a fan of the late composer and singer Khin Maung Toe. She loves the literary work of Ma Sandar, who writes novels on ordinary people's lives. The post Thai Professor: Interest in Burmese Language Has Increased Ten-Fold appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Drone Schools Spread in China to Field Pilots for New Sector  Posted: 01 Feb 2016 10:20 PM PST A man reaches for a drone during a demonstration in Shenzen, China on December 18, 2015. (Photo: Reuters / Bobby Yip) BEIJING — Joysticks at their fingertips, the mostly male students packing the classroom lift their virtual helicopters into the air, part of a new cottage industry that's sprung up in China: drone pilot schools. China is already the world's biggest drone manufacturer, churning out remote-controlled flying machines that range from 3-D urban mappers to tear-gas spraying models for police. But it lacks qualified pilots to fly them. Young men in particular are flocking to drone schools such as TT Aviation Technology Co., one of more than 40 in China, hoping to land a potentially lucrative job in an exciting new field. TT Aviation offers a two-week intensive course for 8,000 yuan (US$1,200) where students learn regulations and how to pilot using simulators and real drones. At the end of the course, they can try to earn the license required by China's Civil Aviation Administration to operate drones that are heavier than seven kilograms and fly higher than 120 meters. Xu Honggang, 24, believes the license will open doors to piloting jobs that make at least 5,000 Chinese yuan per month ($780), higher than average. Some experienced pilots bring in double that amount, he said. "I want to build my own company with drone services," Xu said one recent afternoon next to a grassy field where his instructor demonstrated basic moves with a small radio-controlled helicopter. "I like to work for myself. This is a new and popular line of work." The opportunities appear promising. More than 10,000 new pilots are needed this year across all industries in China, but only 1,000 pilots now hold licenses, said Yang Yi, the general manager of TT Aviation, which also manufactures and sells drones to private and public sector customers. "The drone pilot and the car driver are the same: They both need systematic skill training and regulated studying to make sure everyone knows the rules before the real operation," she said. Drones are touted as game-changers in a range of industries, including agriculture, logistics, film production and law enforcement. The sector has gotten support from the central government, which is keen on promoting robotics and automation to sustain economic growth as labor costs rise. Chinese firms are making inroads producing unmanned machines beyond industrial use as well. Baidu, the Beijing-based search engine, is developing a self-driving car while DJI, a Shenzhen-based drone maker valued by U.S. investors at $8 billion, has cornered more than half the world consumer drone market. So far, more than half of TT Aviation's products are used in agriculture. China has vast farmlands, and there is a high demand for drones to be used in pesticide spraying because the labor force is shrinking even as labor costs rise, said Yang. The company said police will use drones for patrols, while utilities use them for maintaining electricity infrastructure or mapping pipelines. The Shandong Qihang Surveying and Mapping Technology Company has used photographs taken by its drones to build vast urban databases and 3-D models of cities. Every building can be catalogued, with information about the people and businesses behind every window stored in a database — a valuable technology for government bodies like the census bureau, urban planners and public security agencies, said company vice president Wu Haining. "With oblique photograph technology and through cooperation with the government, people will be able to check any uploaded personal information in a room from any building in our 3-D map," said Wu, whose company also produces surveillance drones with five cameras. The rapid development of new types of drones requires a pool of trained and specialized drone operators, Wu said. Even as drones offer law enforcement sharply expanded capabilities, authorities in China, as in many other countries, are scrambling to regulate their use. The country is now beginning to set nationwide regulations on where they can fly, which are applauded by many in the Chinese industry. "We need pilots with licenses, because safety is the biggest concern in the operation of drones. Although we have insurance, we still need strict regulations for studying and training to avoid any incidents," Wu said. On a recent afternoon, a group of drone-flying aficionados tried out their models in the outskirts of Beijing near the city's 6th Ring Road, a highway around the city about 15 to 20 kilometers from the city center. The capital requires permission to fly a drone inside that ring. "This is only a toy for entertainment, I won't use this for any other purpose," said Sun Xiaoqiang, a Beijing resident who has been flying drones for two years, when asked about the regulations. "I have no bad intentions, it's only for entertainment, so I think they should open a certain airspace for us." The post Drone Schools Spread in China to Field Pilots for New Sector  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Taiwan Legislature Elects New Speaker from Victorious DPP Posted: 01 Feb 2016 10:16 PM PST Supporters of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen wait for her to speak to the crowd following her victory in the presidential election in Taipei, Taiwan, January 16, 2016.  (Photo: Olivia Harris / Reuters) TAIPEI — Taiwan's legislature on Monday elected a new speaker from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party following its landslide victory in elections last month. Su Jia-chyuan on Monday became the first DPP speaker of the 113-seat body after the party trounced the ruling Nationalists in the polls, winning 89 seats and its first parliamentary majority. DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen also won a massive victory over her Nationalist rival and a third party candidate, becoming Taiwan's first woman president-elect. She takes office in May when current Nationalist President Ma Ying-jeou steps down. Su is a veteran legislator, former interior minister and close Tsai ally. He's expected to lead efforts to reform the body, formally known as the Legislative Yuan, following complaints over logjams in passing legislation and too little transparency. The DPP rode a wave of discontent with the slowing economy and stagnant wages, along with Ma's China-friendly policies that many say benefit a small class of elites while threatening the economic future of the younger generation. Among those taking their seats were both veterans and newcomers, among them 39-year-old Freddy Lim, lead singer with heavy metal band Chthonic. Lim's New Power Party, which he co-founded just one year ago, emerged from an anti-Nationalist student movement and advocates Taiwan's formal independence. Tsai's election throws new uncertainty over the relationship between Taiwan and China, which claims the island as its own territory, to be recovered by force if necessary. While she has vowed no change in the status quo, she has refused to endorse China's "one China principle" as a basis for negotiations. The post Taiwan Legislature Elects New Speaker from Victorious DPP appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Authorities Say Fishing Industry Crackdown Intensified Posted: 01 Feb 2016 10:10 PM PST Workers sort fish at a wholesale market for fish and other seafood in Mahachai, in Thailand's Samut Sakhon province, January 28, 2016.  (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters) BANGKOK — Thailand, which faces possible trade sanctions over abuses in its seafood industry, says it has accelerated its fight against human trafficking and unregulated fishing. Deputy national police chief Thammasak Witcharaya said Monday that in the eight months since a task force was set up to combat fishing industry abuses, it has investigated 36 cases, arrested 102 suspects and rescued 130 presumed trafficking victims. In the 16 months prior to that, only 15 cases were investigated. Trafficking victims in the fishing industry sometimes work in slavery-like conditions. The EU has warned Thailand, the world's third-largest exporter of seafood, that its seafood may be banned if it fails to institute effective measures against unregulated fishing. The US has called for stronger measures against human trafficking. It has put Thailand on a blacklist of countries that fail to meet the minimum standards in combating trafficking but has opted for now not to impose sanctions on its longtime ally. Thammasak said nearly all of the suspects were prosecuted and two-thirds were sent to prison. Several investigative reports by The Associated Press have focused on slavery in the seafood industry and resulted in the rescue of 2,000 men last year, highlighting longstanding abuses in Thai fisheries. Thailand's military government in May 2014 established a Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing, headed by its navy chief, to coordinate efforts to combat human trafficking and unregulated fishing. It acted after scores of bodies were found buried in abandoned camps in the jungles on its southern border with Malaysia, revealing a brutal network of human traffickers. Thammasak spoke at a news conference at police headquarters in Bangkok at which officials also announced the rescue of 30 Burma citizens who were to be forced to work on fishing vessels. Anti-Human Trafficking Police commander Kornchai Kaikueng said the men were rescued last Thursday from a 4-by-6 meter (13-by-20 foot) room where they were being illegally held on the southern island of Phuket. He said the raid was carried out at the request of Burma authorities, who were informed of the situation by four Burmese men who escaped from a fishing vessel. Two Burma nationals were arrested in connection with the case on charges including human trafficking, and an arrest warrant was issued for a third, Kornchiai said. The post Thai Authorities Say Fishing Industry Crackdown Intensified appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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