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Saturday, January 9, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Jan. 9, 2016)

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 07:32 PM PST

Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance says only about 5 percent of drivers in Burma have car insurance. (Photo: Reuters)

Thai Trade Delegation Set to Visit Burma Amid Tensions

Amid widespread anger over the sentencing of two Burmese migrant workers to death in Thailand last month, the Thai commerce minister is set to lead a delegation to Naypyidaw that hopes to boost trade between the neighboring countries, according to Thai media reports.

Protests erupted across Burma after Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the murders of two British backpackers on the Thai island of Koh Tao, forcing Thailand's embassy in Rangoon to close its consular section. Burmese officials have insisted that border trade has been unaffected by the protests, but army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has joined calls for a review of the evidence in the case, which is widely disbelieved in Burma.

The Buddhist monk-led nationalist movement known as Ma Ba Tha has also called for a boycott of Thai goods in Burma.

Media in Thailand reported this week that a high-level Thai government delegation would be visiting the Burmese capital next week with the aim of ramping up bilateral trade.

English-language newspapers the Bangkok Post and The Nation both reported comments by Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn saying that the Thai military government wants to raise bilateral trade to about $10 to $12 billion in the next two years. Trade was worth $8.15 billion in 2014, according to Thai government figures cited by The Nation.

Apiradi will lead the Thai delegation in a meeting of the two countries' Joint Trade Commission in Naypyidaw on Jan. 14-15, The Nation reported. The incumbent and likely outgoing Burmese commerce minister, Win Myint, is expected to lead Burma's delegation

"Besides setting trade targets, the ministers will also seek further cooperation in banking and financing in a bid to use local exchange rates for trading between the two countries," The Nation reported.

"They will also exchange information on trade rules and regulations, increase cooperation at cross-border checkpoints and discuss how to upgrade the checkpoints so that Thailand and Myanmar can achieve increased trade growth," Apiradi said.

Thailand's government is also set to propose the formation of a new Thai-Burmese trade body to represent the private sector, according to the reports.

"They will also discuss speeding up development of the Dawei deep-sea port and industrial economic zone along with other economic zone projects," the Bangkok Post reported.

As well as Thai companies leading the push to develop an economic hub in Dawei, in southern Burma, Thai conglomerate CP Group was also last week announced as a member of the winning, mostly Chinese, consortium set to build a port and industrial park in coastal Arakan State.

Discovery Hailed as Reassurance for Oil and Gas Investors

The discovery of natural gas in a deepwater offshore exploration block confirms that energy resources off the country's coast are "worth chasing," according to an analyst cited by Bloomberg.

A joint venture between Australia's Woodside Petroleum and Burmese-run firm MPRL—which is registered in the British Virgin Islands—announced this week that it had found a gas column below the seabed in an exploration block off the Arakan State coast known as A-6. French firm Total E&P Myanmar also holds a stake as a non-operator in the project.

"Further analysis will be undertaken to understand the full potential of the play, but this de-risks a number of leads which will now be matured," Woodside CEO Peter Coleman was quoted saying in a statement. "This discovery is an encouraging outcome for future exploration and appraisal activity in the area."

Block A-6 was among 20 offshore areas awarded to international firms in a tender concluded in March 2014. Companies have now begun exploration after protracted contract agreement processes.

In the meantime, however, the price of energy has been driven down by a global oversupply, potentially denting Burma's hopes for a quick injection of cash into state coffers as exploration efforts lead to production.

The find reported by Woodside and MPRL is the first from the exploration projects underway offshore, which also involve majors Shell and Statoil.

In its report on the news, Bloomberg cited Adrian Prendergast, an analyst at Morgans Financial Ltd. in Melbourne, Australia, saying the find would be a boost to investors.

"For a lot of the global players that rushed into the space, this confirms it is prospective and worth chasing," he was quoted saying. "But there's still a long a way to go."

However, Prendergast reportedly cautioned over Burma's still-uncertain political situation, saying: "Given the sovereign risk, you'd need a lot more than that to get comfortable."

Hong Kong Carrier Delays New Rangoon, Mandalay Flights

A Hong Kong-based low-cost airline has been forced to delay its inaugural flight between Burmese cities and the Chinese Special Administrative Region due to "regulatory approval issues," according to the website routesonline.com.

HK Express, which already operates flights between Hong Kong and a number of Southeast Asian tourist destinations, said in a November press release that it would begin flying regularly to both Rangoon and Mandalay's airports beginning from mid-February.

The airline had already begun offering highly discounted rates for flights on the routes, touting the flights as an opportunity for "travelers looking for an off-the-beaten path adventure."

But according to a post on routesonline.com, "Due to regulatory approval issues, Hong Kong Express is delaying planned service launch to Myanmar by over 6 months.

"The airline previously planned to begin 4-weekly Yangon service from [Feb. 17] and two-weekly to Mandalay" beginning Feb. 21.

The routes' launch dates have been revised to early September, the post said.

Japanese Firm Offers Car Insurance in Burma: Report

One of Japan's largest insurers has begun offering car insurance in Burma, where the vast majority of drivers are uninsured, according to a report from Nikkei Asian Review.

The report, published Wednesday, said that Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance had recently entered the Burmese market, operating out of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone close to Rangoon.

"[Sompo Japan Nipponkoa] will mainly market vehicle insurance, as well as bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, to customers including businesses operating in the zone," the report said. "With just 5 percent or so of drivers in Myanmar carrying insurance, the market is expected to enjoy significant growth."

According to the insurer's website, it was licensed in Burma in May last year, after the government began opening up the insurance market, which was long monopolized by a state-run firm.

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Jan. 9, 2016) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘Peace Can’t Be Built by Ethnic Armed Groups and the NLD Alone’

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 07:23 PM PST

Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon, Ko Htet Naing Zaw, Ko Lawi Weng and Ko Thalun Zaung Htet, members of The Irrawaddy's news crew, will join me for the discussion. (photo)

Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon, Ko Htet Naing Zaw, Ko Lawi Weng and Ko Thalun Zaung Htet, members of The Irrawaddy's news crew join this week's edition of Dateline Irrawaddy. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Happy New Year, and welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss what Burma's political and economic landscape, particularly in regards to the country's internal peace process, might look like in 2016. We'll also talk about whether the muddling of politics and religion, which has tarnished Burma's image over the past five years, will continue into the new year. Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon, Ko Htet Naing Zaw, Ko Lawi Weng and Ko Thalun Zaung Htet, members of The Irrawaddy's news crew, will join me for the discussion. I'm Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ko Thalun Zaung Htet, people are anticipating the swearing-in of a new government this year. Politically, there will be a lot of interesting things to see. However, questions remain. For one, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is constitutionally barred from the presidency, and people are wondering if she will somehow be able to assume Burma's highest office. What is your assessment?

Thalun Zaung Htet: The media have widely discussed if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi can become president, and who will be if she can't. But no one in the National League for Democracy or in the Parliament has been tipped as to an answer to this question. NLD sources say that they're hopeful that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will become president, and there's been communication between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Thein Sein and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. At present, people have high hopes that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will become president.

KZM: Though the constitution bars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from being president, she may yet take the position, depending, in particular, on how her talks with military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing play out. But whether she becomes president or not, she's bound to take the mantle in the country's affairs. A lot of challenges await the next government.

TZH: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, according to her speeches, is not forming a purely NLD government, but rather an inclusive, coalition-style one.

KZM: That's what she's said. But I don't think she can appoint dozens of former government members to her cabinet. She will only be able to appoint a few, just a small percentage, to her cabinet because the people have given her the mandate to form the next government.

TZH: This is something to think about. If she is too keen to form a coalition government, the people who voted for her will become frustrated. Her government indeed has a lot of challenges to face in 2016. Though the leadership will change, the real question is if the government's administrative mechanisms will operate in the way that people expect.

KZM: People are concerned about these challenges, about how many political landmines U Thein Sein's government will leave behind. These will be major hurdles for her.

Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon, the economy is the second most important issue in our country. For ages Burmese people have been in poverty. How will the economic landscape look in 2016?

Kyaw Hsu Mon: The new government must confront both the good and bad legacy of the former government. For instance, it will have to handle unfinished special economic zones. Detailed data on these projects will have to be given by the former government so that the new one will know how best to grapple with any challenges. Cronyism was very blatant under the former government. Ending this will be a huge challenge for the new government.

KZM: In its party manifesto, the NLD clearly said that it will establish a corruption-free government. But corruption is entrenched even in the lowest levels of government. How problematic will this be for the incoming government, given that the military owns cronies as well as businesses?

KHM: Yes, there are businesses owned by the military. Corruption has been entrenched in our society for ages, meaning that it will be a particularly tough one for the new government to break. The outgoing government created a committee to fight bribery, but it didn't have much success. If corruption can't be brought under control, it will only make it more difficult to tackle bigger problems.

KZM: Burma is a Southeast Asian country with great potential. But because it doesn't have clear economic policies and a stable economic environment, foreign investments haven't really come into the country. How fast do you think the new government will be able to address this?

KSM: This is the question that every businessman has been asking, because they want advantageous trading policies and they're hopeful that they'll see this under the new government. The government must create a favorable environment for businessmen, and businessmen, for their part, must support the government's initiatives, such as the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Asean Economic Community (AEC), the latter of which has just come into operation. The new government will need to adopt good policies to handle such a huge task.

KZM: Ko Lawi Weng, over the past five years, U Thein Sein's government has tried to bring about internal peace and an end to fighting, but there has only been little progress, and a ceasefire has not been properly enforced. Do you see greater prospects for this in the future, or will things be more of the same? What will be the deciding factors?

Lawi Weng: I've talked to ethnic leaders of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC). They've formed a committee to hold dialogue with an NLD-led government. They also said that they're on the same side as the NLD regarding their views on federalism and other ethnic issues. They hope that they'll get along with the NLD, and they've said that they're ready and eager to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, should they be invited to do so.

KZM: It's important to note here that peace can't be built by ethnic armed groups and the NLD alone. When it comes to peace, the military will arguably play the most important role.

LW: Indeed, the military will play a crucial role. And the NLD is concerned that its image may be marred if the army were to launch attacks at lower levels while the NLD is holding talks with UNFC. If the army does nothing, and doesn't launch any attacks during talks, then talks between the NLD and UNFC might be able to succeed.

KZM: Speaking of the ceasefire process and ethnic issues waiting for the new government, talks between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing will likely play an important role as well. How smooth these talks are will be a deciding factor. What do you think should be the NLD's first move regarding the peace process and ceasefire after it comes to power on March 31, 2016?

LW: The media are talking about the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) and the possibility of a reshuffling there. However, the MPC takes the same line as the [current] government, and it's not a neutral institution. Ethnic groups therefore have little trust in the MPC, and honestly, they don't like it much. What should the NLD do when it assumes power? The MPC shouldn't be abolished, but I do think that the MPC should be reformed to include both current impartial members and new members who have considerable knowledge of ethnic issues, especially leaders of ethnic armed groups, and will cooperate with the new government in the peace process.

KZM: Finally, and most importantly, it can be said that misplaced nationalism has surged after U Thein Sein's government came to power in 2011. And as a result, the country has seen lots of religious conflict that has led to heavy casualties and forced many people from their homes. Similarly, some political parties have attempted to win votes prior to the November election by abusing religion. If this continues in 2016, it will only further tarnish Burma's image.

Htet Naing Zaw: Looking back at 2015, there were some monks, such as U Wirathu and U Par Mauk Ka, who abused religion to wield political influence. But there were also virtuous, noble monks, such as U Thu Mingala and Dr. Nanda Marlar Bhivums. Indeed, these monks who preached objectively can be juxtaposed against U Wirathu, who labeled Yanghee Lee, the UN's special rapporteur to Burma, a 'whore,' and against U Par Mauk Kha, who said regarding the Koh Tao murder verdict that he would disrobe and fight if need be. Even still, no monk committee or government has taken actions against them. It's probable that the government didn't do anything because it wanted to use U Wirathu and Ma Ba Tha to win votes.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD government must make establishing rule of law a priority in 2016, and they must approach Muslim and Rakhine religious leaders equally. If rule of law and co-existence can be obtained, many problems could, at least in part, be solved.

KZM: What other policies do you think the NLD should adopt? What do scholars think?

HNZ: If mutual trust and respect can be built gradually between two sides [despite religious and other differences], and if rule of law can be established, the problem of religious conflict could finally be resolved. It's important to note, however, that those who don't like the NLD and pessimists may try to exploit this problem to incite racial and religious instability.

KZM: How moderate leaders are will also play a key role. Di Dote U Ba Cho, who was assassinated along with General Aung San [in 1947], asked him to designate Buddhism as the State's religion. And General Aung San told him not to say that again, for the sake of peace in Burma, a multi-ethnic and multi-faith country. If we can find such a leader once again, nationalists will find that they have no place in this country.

Though 2016 will hold many challenges for Burma and its people, we can also hope that it will be a time of exciting economic and political progress for the country.

The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'Peace Can't Be Built by Ethnic Armed Groups and the NLD Alone' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Friday, January 8, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

New Drone Policy Still Hovering on the Horizon
Lower House MP Seeks Halt to High-Rise Construction in Rangoon
Road Fatalities in Burma Continue to Rise
Yoma Extends Lease on Railway Heritage Site Slated for Restoration
By-Election Mandate on Filling Empty Seats Passes Both Chambers
Thailand and Burma Set Sights on Boosting Bilateral Trade
Is Tony Blair Pursuing a ‘Governance’ Mission in Burma?
Govt Escalates Rhetoric Against Arakan Army as Casualties Mount
Ethnic Alliance to Boycott Political Dialogue
South Korea to Resume Anti-North Propaganda Broadcasts
Thailand Takes Aim at Double-Decker Buses to Cut Road Deaths
Yangon gridlock: solutions elusive as traffic chokes city

New Drone Policy Still Hovering on the Horizon

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST

A regulatory framework for aerial drone use in Burma is in the works. (Photo: Htin Aung Kyaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's Department of Civil Aviation is making progress on a new policy to oversee the use of drones, according to an official from the Ministry of Transportation.

Deputy Minister Zin Yaw told the Upper House of Parliament this week that the department is "taking steps to distribute advisory circulars regarding the classification of drones according to weight and capacity, registration and issuance of permits for commercial use."

The deputy minister said the new rules are necessary because, if left unregulated, drones could be used for unlawful acts such as terrorism. Streamlining a legal policy would enable permissible use of the technology for the media, agricultural planning, traffic management, defense and research, he said.

The new policy will allow the ministry to designate prohibited and restricted areas and enact other regulations in line with provisions of the Myanmar Aircraft Act.

Drones will not be allowed to fly over military bases without permission from of the commander-in-chief of the air force, the official said.

In the absence of a comprehensive national policy, some restrictions have already been put in place at the local level. Last December, the Shwedagon Pagoda board of trustees imposed a ban on drone flight above the grounds of the religious site in Rangoon.

Businesses catering to drone users welcomed the forthcoming policy but expressed concern that they might face hurdles in acquiring legal permission to operate.

Htay Aung, owner of Sky Photo and Video Studio, said he believed it was "good that regulations will be imposed and drones will be registered, but I am a little worried that small businesses like us won't be allowed to use drones even if we follow the regulations."

The department is working in collaboration with the ministries of defense, home affairs, finance and tourism to develop a comprehensive set of regulations, Zin Yaw said, though he did not indicate when the policy was expected to be enacted.

A director from the Department of Civil Aviation told The Irrawaddy on Friday that their department has been working on the Advisory Circular since three months ago and that the draft is now complete.

The department still needs to discuss the proposed regulatory framework with other related ministries this month, however, to take input from them before finalizing the circular.

According to the draft, registration of drones will be required of most devices based on their capacity level and specifications, while some smaller devices will not be required to register.

The Advisory Circular will pertain mainly to registration and ownership of the aerial devices, while permission to use drones in specific locations such as military compounds, government buildings or near pagodas will remain the purview of concerned authorities in those areas.

Nyana, the founder of Myanmar Aerial & Video Solutions (MAVS), told The Irrawaddy that the limited scope of the Advisory Circular could only guarantee that an individual's device would not be seized if it is properly registered, leaving actual usage of drones to the whims of local authorities.

"It cannot be an 'effective' policy as long as users still have to apply for permission to concerned authorities of [specific] areas," he said.

"Like in other countries, a typical system for Burma should centralize all permissions and regulations for drone usage as the responsibility of one specific department," he continued.

The post New Drone Policy Still Hovering on the Horizon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lower House MP Seeks Halt to High-Rise Construction in Rangoon

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 04:08 AM PST

High-rise construction can be seen in the distance behind the Olympic Tower in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — A National League for Democracy parliamentarian on Thursday put forward an urgent proposal to suspend construction of Rangoon high-rises that are not in accordance with existing laws.

May Win Myint told The Irrawaddy that she submitted the proposal because she had learned that some private and government-owned high-rise projects were going forward without the necessary approval, sometimes in the face of opposition from residents of the neighborhoods hosting them.

"I found out that some ministries are building high-rises without budget approval from the Union government. There are some privately owned buildings under construction despite YCDC [Yangon City Development Committee] objections because they have got approval from someone 'upstairs,'" she said on the floor of Parliament.

She referred to two high-rises currently under construction as examples: a 12-story building within the compound of Rangoon General Hospital, which is being built by the Ministry of Health, and a privately owned 12.5-story building at 74 University Avenue.

The urgent proposal comes at a time when the commercial capital is under threat due to a lack of urban planning and municipal controls. The weak regulatory framework has led to a boom in construction projects and widely varying population densities across the city of more than 5 million, causing social, commercial and infrastructural problems for residents and businesses alike.

Local urban planning experts have been calling for urgent government action to rein in unruly urbanization projects and to enact the Myanmar National Building Code and Zoning Plan, both of which have existed in draft form for more than two years.

Last year, a joint-venture high-rise project with foreign investors near the Shwedagon Pagoda was shut down by the government amid growing public objection.

On Thursday, May Win Myint's proposal was supported by 246 out of 391 Lower House parliamentarians.

During the discussion in Parliament, Health Minister Dr. Than Aung said the building in the Rangoon General Hospital compound was being constructed as an expansion of the existing hospital.

"Given the proposal, we will suspend construction," he said, without offering further explanation.

Responding to the proposal, Deputy Construction Minister Soe Tin said that his ministry was not directly responsible for regulating high-rises' construction, a task assigned to relevant municipal departments.

May Win Myint asked Parliament to record her proposal, and urged lawmakers to keep an eye on construction nationwide of high-rise buildings, an increasingly common feature of urban centers in the growing economy.

"I told Parliament to keep it on record because the current Parliament will end soon. As the proposal is now recorded at Parliament, I will keep pushing it in the next term," she told The Irrawaddy.

The new Parliament is due to convene on Feb. 1, when the majority of lawmakers in both houses will be from the NLD, with the party winning nearly 80 percent of seats in Burma's Nov. 8 general election.

The post Lower House MP Seeks Halt to High-Rise Construction in Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Road Fatalities in Burma Continue to Rise

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 04:00 AM PST

A crowd gathers in the aftermath of a traffic accident in Rangoon. (Photo: Facebook / Yangon Traffic Police)

RANGOON — Traffic accident fatalities in Burma continued to climb last year, with the latest data placing the figure at more than 4,000 deaths in 2015.

Official traffic police statistics indicate that of the country's 4,233 traffic fatalities in 2015, Mandalay Division topped the list with 609 deaths, followed by Rangoon with 574. The former capital, which has some 500,000 registered vehicles, saw 15,046 road accidents last year, the most in the country.

Burma's state-run newspapers reported Thursday that the figure for traffic fatalities last year had doubled from the number recorded in 2011, though the increase was marginal compared with 2014, when Burma recorded 4,163 traffic fatalities.

"Despite Progress, Road Deaths Remain Too High," the press release to a World Health Organization (WHO) report declared in October of last year, adding that traffic accidents claimed an estimated 1.2 million lives each year across the globe.

"Road traffic fatalities take an unacceptable toll—particularly on poor people in poor countries," the WHO director-general said in the report.

Neighboring Thailand ranked second in the world for road fatalities, with an average of 80 lives lost per day in 2014. The Thai government recently said that 380 people died during Thailand's so-called "Seven Dangerous Days," referring to the Buddhist New Year's holiday, known for fueling drunken and reckless driving.

Nearly 3,000 police are on duty to enforce traffic safety nationwide, Burmese state media reported this week.

The post Road Fatalities in Burma Continue to Rise appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yoma Extends Lease on Railway Heritage Site Slated for Restoration

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 03:22 AM PST

The former headquarters of Myanmar Railways sits at the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and Bogyoke Aung San Road in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Ko Soe / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Myanmar Railways and Yoma Strategic Holdings have signed an agreement to extend the latter's lease of the state-run train operator's former headquarters, which Singapore-listed Yoma is calling its "landmark project" in Rangoon's Kyauktada Township.

The Rangoon division of Yoma Strategic Holdings announced Thursday that the company's lease would be extended in line with provisions in Burma's Foreign Investment Law, but the length of the extension was not revealed, with the signing parties saying they would coordinate with the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) on the matter.

Tun Aung Thin, general manager of Myanmar Railways' Lower Burma unit, confirmed the signing of a lease extension but declined to provide details on the agreement.

"This project has been under consideration since 1993, but the handover to Yoma began in 1998," he said.

Yoma Strategic Holdings was awarded the contract to rent the former office of Myanmar Railways for a 50-year period beginning in 1998. It will reportedly divide the 10-acre plot of land into two areas, building a five-star hotel and multi-purpose development project at the site on the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and Bogyoke Aung San Road in downtown Rangoon.

The "landmark project" includes transforming the former railway headquarters' building into the Yangon Peninsula Hotel, as well as constructing posh flats and commercial office spaces.

Yoma Strategic Holdings will partner with Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd., Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Real Estate on the project. The firm said the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is also involved in the dual development projects.

The project—which will include four glass and steel high-rise towers across a large complex connected to the red-brick colonial building—has previously been projected to cost US$350 million.

Melvyn Pun, CEO of Yoma, said in this week's statement: "We are delighted to have extended our land lease for the main site of the Landmark Project and signed the framework agreement.

"This project draws together expertise from an esteemed group of organizations and we are confident of transforming the Landmark Development site into an iconic project that would be pivotal in the development and growth of downtown Yangon."

The Myanmar Investment Commission's spokesperson could not be reached for comment by phone on Friday.

The IFC, an affiliate of the World Bank, has provided loans to Yoma Strategic Holdings for private sector development projects that the US Campaign for Burma has criticized as an ineffective poverty reduction initiative, one of the loans' stated aims.

The post Yoma Extends Lease on Railway Heritage Site Slated for Restoration appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

By-Election Mandate on Filling Empty Seats Passes Both Chambers

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 02:56 AM PST

Lawmakers attend a parliamentary meeting in Naypyidaw on July 9, 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

RANGOON — Both houses of Parliament have now approved an amendment to Burma's election laws requiring a by-election within six months of a chamber seat being vacated.

During a parliamentary session on Thursday, the Upper House sent the amended laws, which would apply to the country's bicameral Union Parliament as well as regional legislatures, back to the Lower House with no changes to the legislation, which the lower chamber passed last month.

The changes will now be sent to President Thein Sein for review, becoming law upon his approval.

The amended laws would mandate that the Union Election Commission (UEC) organize by-elections within six months of a legislative chamber's speaker informing lawmakers of a seat opening. Under the existing election laws, no timeframe is provided for when a vacant seat must be filled.

"If a National League for Democracy [NLD]-led government selects cabinet members from their elected lawmakers, as the Union Solidarity and Development Party [USDP] did, then the by-election might need to be held this year," Upper House lawmaker Phone Myint Aung said.

A by-election was called in 2012 after members elected to office in Burma's discredited 2010 general election were later appointed to cabinet positions in the victorious USDP government, removing them from their seats. The opposition NLD won 43 of 44 contested seats in that by-election.

The NLD won almost 80 percent of contested seats in Burma's historic Nov. 8 polls, and the party is set to form the country's new government in March.

The post By-Election Mandate on Filling Empty Seats Passes Both Chambers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand and Burma Set Sights on Boosting Bilateral Trade

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 12:41 AM PST

Trucks filled with goods cross the Friendship Bridge from Mae Sot in Thailand to Myawaddy in Burma. (Photo: Moe Kyaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — On the heels of the launch of the Asean Economic Community in January, Burma and neighboring Thailand are making plans for a multi-billion dollar trade boost next year.

Thailand is second only to China as Burma's largest trading partner, and both countries are hopeful that they can make strides toward growing total trade volume by billions of dollars in the year ahead. The Bangkok Post reported on Thursday that the two Asean nations will hash out ways to increase their bilateral trade volume in 2017 to US$10-12 billion at a joint trade commission meeting in Naypyidaw on Jan. 14.

Myint Cho, director of the Ministry of Commerce, said there were several avenues Burma and Thailand could take to enhance trade, including through tackling smuggling and easing some restrictions.

"If we can turn smuggling routes into a form of legal trade, that would benefit both countries. There's still illegal trading going on, and what we need to do in order to increase our trade volume is to have a mutual discussion of the issue," he said.

Myawaddy in Karen State is the largest of five official checkpoints for overland trade between Burma and Thailand. Some 150 to 200 trucks cross through the border station from Thailand each day.

"Border trade is now being more heavily used. Promoting agri-based products in this way would contribute to a more robust trade volume as well," Myint Cho said.

He added that another way for Burma and Thailand to reach their trading goals would be for Burma to consider a re-export system, since trade across the Sino-Burmese border is considered illegal in China, while products from Thailand have relatively easy access.

"Relaxing some restrictions so that we can re-export Thai products to China's Yunnan province would perhaps be one of the most strategic mechanisms to facilitate trade."

In the meantime, rampant smuggling will only hold up trading ambitions.

"Data from Thailand's end is always higher than data from Burma because smuggled goods are still going through borders. We need to take care of this," Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), told The Irrawaddy.

For instance, according to figures from Burma, the total value of imports that passed through Mae Sot into Myawaddy between April and late November of 2015 reached over $400 million, up from $198 million over the same period in 2014. By contrast, data from The Bangkok Post showed that for the first 10 months of 2015, bilateral trade totaled $6.58 billion.

"Products from Thailand are superior to products from other countries in the region. And given that Burma borders Thailand, I believe that we'll see a boost in our country's trade volume, as long as we approach the situation strategically," Maung Maung Lay said.

The post Thailand and Burma Set Sights on Boosting Bilateral Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Is Tony Blair Pursuing a ‘Governance’ Mission in Burma?

Posted: 08 Jan 2016 12:34 AM PST

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair meets with National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyidaw on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2015. (Photo: Facebook / NLD Chairperson Office)

Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, was in Burma again this week for at least the fourth trip he has made to the country since President Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government took power in 2011. The former UK leader met with Union Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann and National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, but as with previous Blair trips to Burma, few details on the purpose of his latest visit were forthcoming.

In this story From The Irrawaddy Archive, we look back at one of the last times Blair touched down in Burma, in a piece published March 20, 2013.

Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair was in Burma on Saturday meeting with top government officials.

He led a "delegation," including Britain's ambassador to Burma, Andrew Heyn, which met with Vice President Nyan Tun at the ostentatious Presidential Palace in Naypyidaw on Saturday.

The representatives from The Office of Tony Blair, an organization staffed by Blair's aides that oversees his numerous charities and companies, discussed the "implementation of a long-term plan for economic development that is crucial for frameworks of economic and social reforms," according to Burma's President's Office website.

But the exact details of what was discussed are being kept quiet.

When asked about the meeting, a spokesperson for Blair's office said: "At the present time we are simply having wide-ranging discussions with the [Burmese] government on the development of the country because Mr. Blair is interested in it."

Blair made a previous trip to the country in October last year. This weekend's visit, during which he also met Aung San Suu Kyi, according to his spokesperson, was to continue discussions that began in October.

But the goal of Blair's two appearances in Burma remains a mystery, and there are lingering questions over the exact nature of his sudden interest in a country his critics say he showed little interest in while in power.

An official source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the talks could pave the way for a "governance initiative" Blair is considering establishing in Burma.

It is not clear what such an initiative could entail, but it is possible he may assume an advisory role with the Burmese government if he has not already done so in an unofficial capacity.

"The problem is that he hasn't taken the time to contact or try to meet with any democracy activists or human rights groups before his visit," said Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK. "He's showing more interest [in Burma] now, but he backtracked on sanctions and getting his government to do anything was a struggle."

While in office, Blair called for stronger sanctions on the military junta and warned tourists to stay away from the country, which was ruled by a military dictatorship until a nominally civilian government was elected in 2010.

During the trip he also met with presidential insider Soe Thane, the former industry minister and head of Burma's navy, before calling on ethnic Kachin and Karenni groups to "be patient" with a shaky ceasefire in the country's north, in what The Irrawaddy's insider source called an "impromptu" visit to the National Peace Center.

According to Farmaner, Blair is "desperate for any contacts in the [Burmese] government."

If Blair was to assume a role as an adviser to Naypyidaw, it would not be the first government he has worked for with a dire record on human rights.

In 2011, Blair added the Kazakhstani regime of Nursultan Nazarbayev to his roster of resource-rich client states, a deal said to be worth about US$13 million, although Blair's aides denied he profited from the arrangement.

As well as Kazakhstan, he has advised Kuwait, South Korean oil firm UI Energy Corporation, and Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala, and is employed by investment banking giant JP Morgan. A Financial Times investigation last year found he earns about £20 million ($30 million) a year through such deals.

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Govt Escalates Rhetoric Against Arakan Army as Casualties Mount

Posted: 07 Jan 2016 10:20 PM PST

Arakan Army troops on parade in Laiza, Kachin State, in April 2014. (Photo: Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — A commander and "several" other members of the Burma Army have been killed in recent fighting with the Arakan Army in Kyauktaw Township, according to state-run media, which on Friday reported that the military intended to "remove" the ethnic armed group from Arakan State.

An incongruous front page of the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Friday featured a detailed account of fighting over the period of Dec. 28-Jan. 4. Above the article was reported the latest developments in the government-led peace process with non-state armed groups who have signed a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement with Naypyidaw, a grouping of eight that does not include the Arakan Army.

The former report said the Burma Army commander was shot and killed by sniper fire from the Arakan Army. The Burma Army seized arms and other equipment from the ethnic armed group as it mounted an operation to clear the Ranchaung area in Kyauktaw Township of the rebel group, according to the report, which described the Arakan Army as "insurgents."

An apparent discrepancy between English- and Burmese-language state dailies on Friday described the military as having alternately "captured" and recovered the dead bodies of three Arakan Army soldiers.

Yan Naing Soe, the deceased Burma Army commander, was killed on Dec. 31, according to an obituary printed in state-run newspapers this week. In an unexplained curiosity, the commander's obituary ran twice, first stating that he had succumbed to sudden illness, and one day later revising the cause of death to explain that he was killed in the line of duty.

Hundreds of local Arakanese people have fled their homes due to the fighting. About 500 Kyauktaw Township locals on Thursday protested the conflict.

The Burmese-language state-run daily The Mirror reported that the Arakan Army sought assistance from a "Kalar terrorism" illegal armed group along the border with Bangladesh, "Kalar" being a derogatory term in Burmese for individuals of South Asian descent.

The report in The Mirror went on to accuse some Arakan Army members of splitting up and retreating to Mrauk-U, Minbya and Kyauktaw townships, where they were said to be laying low by attempting to pass as civilians while planning to carry out future "terrorism."

"They have no commitment to what they are doing, and they just threaten the people or even try to divide trust between the people," said the report in Friday's edition of The Mirror, which originated from the military mouthpiece Myawaddy.

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Ethnic Alliance to Boycott Political Dialogue

Posted: 07 Jan 2016 10:16 PM PST

Burma's President Thein Sein, government officials, ethnic rebel groups and international witnesses pose for a photo after the signing of a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement in Naypyidaw on Oct. 15, 2015. (Photo: Reuters)

CHIANG MAI, Thailand— An alliance of ethnic armed groups that did not sign an October ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government has announced that they will not participate in upcoming political dialogue.

Non-signatories, who are members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), have been invited only to audit the dialogue, which will begin on Jan. 12 in Naypyidaw.

More than 700 representatives of non-state armed groups and the newly formed Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) are set to convene for five days in the capital.

The UNFC boycotted the signing of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), a multilateral peace pact reached between the government and eight of Burma's more than 20 non-state armed groups on Oct. 15 of last year.

The group abstained because the government refused to admit three allied rebel groups into the pact: the Arakan Army, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National democratic Alliance Army of eastern Burma's troubled Kokang region.

UNFC spokesman Tun Zaw, who also serves as head of the Arakan National Council, said after a Thursday meeting that the group "decided not to participate [in the political dialogue] because the NCA lacks all-inclusivity."

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, the spokesman said the UNFC disapproves of the government's "discriminatory" treatment of non-signatories, adding that a framework for the dialogue drafted by signatories in December "is not what we want."

The announcement came on the heels of similar comments made by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the country's largest ethnic armed group, a non-signatory and a non-member of the UNFC. A spokesman for the group told The Irrawaddy that the UWSA would also abstain from on the grounds of the pact's exclusivity and ongoing fighting in Shan and Kachin states.

Despite the dissatisfaction of non-signatories, those armed groups that did accede to the accord, as well as government stakeholders, have said that they are confident the political dialogue, dubbed the Union Peace Conference, will commence on schedule and successfully within 90 days of signing the accord, as planned.

The ceasefire signing dealt a blow to the unity of Burma's ethnic armed groups, resulting in the suspension of two groups from the UNFC—the Chin National Front and the Pa-O National Liberation Front—because of their decision to sign.

Despite several attempts to reconcile the groups that did and did not sign, Tun Zaw said that further negotiations in the form of an ethnic armed groups summit would be unnecessary at the time being, and the UNFC has resolved not to participate in the peace process until it is all-inclusive and after the incoming government steps in.

On Tuesday, 126 civil society organizations urged government negotiators, known as the Union Peacemaking Work Committee, and the eight ethnic armed group signatories to postpone the talks in Naypyidaw because of ongoing conflict in Arakan, Kachin and Shan states.

Deferring the talks looks unlikely, however, as the current government will only be in office until late February and has made the peace process central to its legacy.

Hla Maung Shwe, an advisor to the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center and a member of the UPDJC, expressed hope that moving on with the dialogue could "reduce the conflict," despite protest by non-signatories.

The current makeup of the UPDJC will continue its work through the transition period, he said, until the new government assumes power. The incoming administration will be dominated by the National League for Democracy (NLD), chaired by Aung San Suu Kyi, who has publicly committed to making the peace process her top priority.

Following the transfer of power, 11 of the UPDJC's 16 members—representing the government and the parliament—will be replaced, while five military delegates will remain as assigned, Hla Maung Shwe said.

The UPDJC will meet on Jan. 9 in Naypyidaw for a final conference before the Union Peace Conference begins.

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South Korea to Resume Anti-North Propaganda Broadcasts

Posted: 07 Jan 2016 09:36 PM PST

South Korean soldiers are seen on guard at a guard post near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Paju, South Korea, on Jan. 8, 2016. (Photo: Kim Hong-ji / Reuters)

SEOUL — South Korea plans to retaliate for North Korea's nuclear test by starting broadcasts of anti-Pyongyang propaganda across the border on Friday, believed to be the birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The broadcasts will draw a furious response from North Korea, which considers them an act of psychological warfare. Pyongyang is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of the authoritarian leadership of Kim, the third member of his family to rule. When South Korea briefly resumed propaganda broadcasts in August after an 11-year break, Seoul says the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire, followed by threats of war.

South Korean media reported that frontline troops, near sites where 11 propaganda loudspeakers are to start blaring messages from Friday at noon (0300 GMT), were on highest alert. South Korea's Defense Ministry couldn't confirm the reports but said it will sternly repel any provocation by North Korea.

North Korea's response to the broadcast resumption could be especially harsh because of the high emotions surrounding the likely birthday of Kim, who is believed to be in his early 30s. North Korean military forces often compete to show their loyalty to the leader. The North's state media hasn't mentioned Kim's birthday and South Korea's loudspeaker campaign.

August's broadcasts, which began after Seoul blamed Pyongyang for land mine explosions that maimed two South Korean soldiers, stopped only after the rivals agreed on a set of measures aimed at easing anger.

In the past, the broadcasts typically blared messages about alleged North Korean government mismanagement, human rights conditions, the superiority of South Korean-style democracy as well as world news and weather forecasts. South Korea says this round of broadcasts will contain South Korean pop songs and criticism of the North's leadership.

North Korea says it detonated a hydrogen bomb Wednesday. There has been worldwide condemnation and threats of sanctions.

It may take weeks or longer to confirm or refute the North's claim that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, which would mark a major and unanticipated advance for its still-limited nuclear arsenal. Even a test of an atomic bomb, a less sophisticated and less powerful weapon, would push its scientists and engineers closer to their goal of building a nuclear warhead small enough to place on a missile that can reach the US mainland.

Later Friday, South Korea was to announce the results of its first round of investigations of samples collected from sea operations to see if radioactive elements leaked from the North's test, according to the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety.

US President Barack Obama has spoken to South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and reaffirmed the "unshakeable US commitment" to the security of the two Asian allies. Separate statements from the White House said Obama and the two Asian leaders also "agreed to work together to forge a united and strong international response to North Korea's latest reckless behavior."

South Korean and US military leaders also discussed the deployment of US "strategic assets" in the wake of the North's test, Seoul's Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Ministry officials refused to elaborate about what US military assets were under consideration, but they likely refer to B-52 bombers, F-22 stealth fighters and nuclear-powered submarines.

When animosities sharply rose in the spring of 2013 following North Korea's third nuclear test, the US took the unusual step of sending its most powerful warplanes—B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 stealth fighters and B-52 bombers—to drills with South Korea in a show of force. B-2 and B-52 bombers are capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

The UN Security Council held an emergency session and pledged to swiftly pursue new sanctions against North Korea, saying its test was a "clear violation" of previous UN resolutions.

The North's claim of a successful test drew extreme skepticism abroad.

An early analysis by the US government was "not consistent with the claims that the regime has made of a successful hydrogen bomb test," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

South Korea's spy service said it thought the estimated explosive yield from the blast was much smaller than what even a failed hydrogen bomb detonation would produce.

Some believe North Korea might have detonated a boosted fission bomb, a weapon considered halfway between an atomic bomb and an H-bomb.

But even if the North exploded a boosted fission bomb, its explosive yield, estimated at six kilotons, showed the test was likely a failure, a South Korean defense official said Thursday. An explosion two to five times more powerful would have been reported if it were successful, the official said, requesting anonymity because of department rules.

The North's 2013 test produced an estimated yield of 6-7 kilotons of explosives, according to South Korean officials.

Fusion is the main principle behind the hydrogen bomb, which can be hundreds of times more powerful than atomic bombs that use fission. In a hydrogen bomb, a nuclear fission explosion sets off a fusion reaction responsible for a powerful blast and radioactivity.

The hydrogen bomb already is the global standard for the five nations with the greatest nuclear capabilities: the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China. Other nations may either have it or are working on it, despite a worldwide effort to contain such proliferation.

To build its nuclear program, the North must explode new and more advanced devices so scientists can improve their designs and technology. Nuclear-tipped missiles could then be used as deterrents and diplomatic bargaining chip—especially against the United States, which Pyongyang has long pushed to withdraw its troops from the region and to sign a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War.

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Thailand Takes Aim at Double-Decker Buses to Cut Road Deaths

Posted: 07 Jan 2016 09:29 PM PST

A Thai soldier directs traffic on a main road near the Democracy Monument in Bangkok June 1, 2014. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters)

BANGKOK — Thailand will install GPS systems in public buses to monitor reckless driving and ban the registration of new double-decker buses in an attempt to curb traffic accidents and road fatalities, the transport minister said.

The New Year's holiday, also known in Thailand as the "Seven Dangerous Days," ended with the highest number of road deaths in five years. Motorcycle and car accidents left 380 people dead from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, despite a crackdown on drunk drivers by the country's ruling junta that led to thousands of vehicles being impounded.

Thailand has the second-highest traffic fatality rate in the world, according to a 2013 survey done for the World Health Organization.

In response to the recent increase, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered the Transport Ministry on Tuesday to enforce the new measures before the next expected seasonal surge. Another "Seven Dangerous Days" comes during the Buddhist New Year in April.

The measures include banning new operating licenses for new double decker buses, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.

Road safety groups have repeatedly called for stricter standards on double-decker buses, saying the buses are improperly built without regards to engineering safety and should be barred from hilly, winding roads where many accidents occur.

Prayuth also instructed the ministry to strictly enforce a tilt test for all buses over 3.8 meters (12.5 feet) in height, whereby the buses are placed on a 30-degree slope to measure whether they would tip over on a road.

All public buses will also be required to install GPS technology so drivers' speed and location can be monitored, the minister said. The Bangkok Post reported that the GPS-equipped buses will be linked to the Department of Land Transport and tracked at all times.

In December, 11 Malaysian tourists died in a bus crash when their driver lost control on a downhill mountain road.

The Thai Transportation Operators Associated urged the government to reconsider its ban on new buses, saying "human error" is the problem not the vehicles.

"Double-decker buses are not the real cause of road accidents and the ban on double-decker buses doesn't mean the death toll from road accidents will be reduced," said Wasuchet Sophonsathien, the group's president, who said the 20,000 buses currently in operation meet safety standards.

More than 100 new double-decker buses are awaiting registration and 600 others are being assembled, he said.

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Yangon gridlock: solutions elusive as traffic chokes city

Posted: 07 Jan 2016 06:28 PM PST

Traffic grinds to a halt in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Hkun Lat / Myanmar Now)

RANGOON — Than Htwe lives in Hlaing Tharyar, a sprawling township 20 kilometers west of central Rangoon, but his job is downtown. Every morning he wakes up in the early hours, quickly downs a cup of tea and rushes to the bus stop at 6:30 so he can get to his workplace by 9 o'clock.

He meets his fellow commuters—men and women, young and old—already sweating in the packed bus and gearing themselves up physically and mentally for the grueling daily journey.

"It used to take only an hour-and-a-half each way to get to and from work. Now I'm having to spend about six hours every day," Than Htwe said. "I can only get home at 10 at night. There's no time to rest properly, I just spend my time on the bus."

Kay Thi Tun, a sales clerk in a clothing store downtown, spends at least four hours each day on the bus from her home in the North Dagon outskirts. "If I don't get to the store before it opens, money is docked from my salary," she said.

Than Htwe and Kay Thi Tun are among the millions of commuters who find themselves spending hours on Rangoon's old and overburdened public transport system every day, a routine that takes its toll on the health, well-being and income of the city's residents.

Without an efficient mass transport system like those in other cities in the region such as Singapore, many commuters have to rely on old Japanese and Chinese buses that are notorious for overcrowding, rude conductors, and for women, sexual harassment.

And the situation is only getting worse.

Liberalizing Car Imports

When Burma's military-backed civilian government took power in March 2011, one of its first reform measures was to liberalize the import of automobiles, a sector that had been monopolized by a handful of businessmen with close links to the ruling establishment. The move caused car prices, which for years were exceptionally high, to plummet. Car showrooms popped up on almost every corner and new vehicles flooded the streets.

Four years later, Rangoon, the country's commercial capital, now rivals neighboring capitals such as Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila in the dubious honor of having some of the worst traffic jams in Southeast Asia, while lacking a mass rapid transport system.

The government has been playing catch-up ever since, enlisting the assistance of foreign donors to build bridges and flyovers, and to improve traffic management systems.

Experts, however, say a holistic approach is needed—and urgently—to solve Rangoon's ever-worsening traffic problem.

"In order to mitigate the traffic situation, [authorities] need to do a number of things. What is needed is a combination of hard and soft measures," said Sanjo Akihito, a senior representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) office in Rangoon, which has worked with authorities to develop a master plan to overhaul the city's transport system.

These measures could include building new roads and mass rapid transport systems, as well as ensuring that existing laws and regulations are respected, Akihito said. Traffic signals should also be part of an integrated system to better manage the traffic flow, which is not the case at the moment.

"Subway could be one of the components, but that is not the only solution. It should be combined with other solutions, including other mass rapid transport systems, as well as looking at things like [preventing] illegal parking," he said.

Six Times More Taxis Than New York

The situation is urgent as Rangoon has more than doubled the number of vehicles on its roads in the past four years, according to Kyaw Soe, a Rangoon Region minister for forestry and energy and a spokesman for the Rangoon Regional government.

By October 2015, there were more than 500,000 vehicles in Rangoon, compared to 214,000 in August 2011, according to Rangoon Region government figures.

There are 349 bus lines currently serving around 7 million people in Rangoon Region, and each bus carries between 4,500 to 4,900 passengers a day, figures from Mahtatha (the control committee for private bus lines) show.

The Mahtatha also estimates there are now 100,000 taxis in Rangoon, representing a fifth of all cars on its roads. In comparison, New York City, a global financial center home to 8 million people, has fewer than 14,000 licensed taxis.

"The [lifting of import restrictions] was done so that middle class families could also afford cars, the whole country can afford cars now. But Yangon [Rangoon] is the place where the largest number of cars have been imported so we are experiencing traffic problems," Kyaw Soe told a news conference on the congestion issue on Dec. 9.

Mayangone Township Deputy Traffic Police Officer Win Naing told the same news conference that drivers' lack of respect for traffic rules exacerbates congestion, adding that more road space needs to be created. "If the road already has all the cars it can take, there's just no way we can solve this with only human resources. You need engineering solutions," he said.

Health Costs

Long hours spent commuting on overcrowded buses can be detrimental to the health and well-being of city residents, according to Dr. Aung Soe Win, a medical consultant to private companies in Rangoon. Passengers can suffer from stress, disruptions to eating patterns, insufficient air circulation, carbon monoxide gases and dirty surroundings, he said.

"Some women feel worried about possible sexual harassment on public buses, and people have to spend their precious time amid traffic congestion," he added.

Figures from the Thai capital Bangkok offer an indication of the health costs of traffic congestion. According to a US Environmental Information Administration report from 2001, airborne particle matter was estimated to have caused 3,300 premature deaths and almost 17,000 hospital admissions in Bangkok at a total health care cost of up to US$6.3 billion.

Ko Aung, a bus driver from Line 39, said the strain of long, congested journeys has made drivers feel exhausted and irritable.

"Traffic congestion made us ill-tempered and we then break traffic rules. We feel more tired at the end of each working day compared with the situation five years ago. So we go to bars for a drink afterwards. This lifestyle has negative impacts on your health," he said.

Zaw Min, a taxi driver, said the effects of traffic congestion go beyond health complaints and stress, as for taxis it has also meant a fall in income.

"We cannot ask more taxi fees from the potential passengers because of the traffic congestion. We now have to take about two hours to reach the destination for a route that would take only 20 minutes some years ago," he said.

A Lack of Solutions

A major challenge in dealing with traffic congestion is a lack of government funds to find traffic and infrastructure solutions, said Kyaw Soe, the Rangoon Region minister.

He said four fly-over bridges have been constructed so far and three more are underway in Rangoon. "The congestion has eased because of these fly-over bridges but has not been totally solved," he said, adding that new projects such as by-passes may be implemented in the future.

When authorities in Rangoon attempted to start a boat ferry project along the Hlaing River to divert traffic in the western part of the city, the scheme fell through as few people used the boats.

Than Htay, head of the Department of Engineering at Yangon City Development Committee, said an offer has been made to companies for a project to supervise a traffic light system that could improve flows.

However, experts say Rangoon should look at how other cities, especially those in Southeast Asia, have tried to solve this problem. There, solutions range from underground and overground trains to motorcycle taxis, bus-only lanes, congestion charges in downtown areas, and park-and-ride systems.

Bangkok, which struggled with traffic problems in the 1990s, launched its skytrain system in 1999 and a metro in 2004. It also allowed for licensed motorcycle taxis, a solution Rangoon cannot yet implement as motorcycles are banned.

In Jakarta, the government implemented controls on motor vehicle ownership, increasing the tax of vehicles and fuel, while also improving the train system and designating special bus lanes.

A Better Public Transport System

Other solutions that JICA has proposed include operating a bus rapid transit system (BRT), installing cameras at traffic points and upgrading the local railway system. A BRT is a system to speed up buses by giving them a dedicated lane. A number of bus stops have been built for the BRT system which is expected to run beginning this year.

"You have to get people out of private cars and into different transport modes: buses, bicycle, walking, subway, light rail," said Akihito, the JICA representative. "That's what Yangon really needs to be focusing on because you cannot just keep building roads and squeezing cars in."

Myat Nyana Soe, a Rangoon Region lawmaker for the National League for Democracy—which will form a government next month after winning the Nov. 8 general election—said improving the city's public transport system should be a priority.

"Even though Yangon has a circular railway for example, few people rely on it because it is not efficient," he said, referring to the decades-old, slow-moving railway that rings the city. He said authorities should consider developing a skytrain system like that of Bangkok.

Poor City Planning

Yet the city's approach still seems to be focused on the construction of flyovers. Currently, they are being constructed at four major intersections, leading to severe bottlenecks in and out of the city.

A police lieutenant colonel from the Rangoon Traffic Police Force, who declined to be named, told Myanmar Now that flyovers would not resolve underlying problems and merely offered the public an impression that something is being done."Overpasses are appearing in Yangon at random, instead of [projects] focused on reducing traffic in one particular area," he said.

Myat Ko Ko, an official with Rangoon Region's Civil Engineering Department, said many residential apartments constructed during the junta era lacked parking areas, a planning error that has contributed to congestion by increasing the number of cars parked on the streets.

"All downtown areas in Yangon need multi-level parking garages, although the six major downtown areas have no more empty plots for building construction," he said.

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