No.

661: January 14 - 20, 2013

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Heartbeat of The Nation www.mmtimes.com

Make the peoples dreams a reality: speaker

U Khin Aung Myint also warns MPs on attendance: The people are watching
By Soe Than Lynn PARLIAMENTARIANS should aim to make the peoples dream a reality through the planning and budget bills, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker said at the opening of the sixth session last week. Speaker U Khin Aung Myint urged representatives to keep the needs of the people at the forefront of their minds when assessing the governments budget and national planning bills for 2013-14, adding that job creation must be a priority. National planning is one of the most important jobs that representatives of the people have to do. They should seriously judge the realities of the lives of the people, he said at the opening of the session on January 10. Regarding democracy, General Aung San said that it meant the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people must be fulfilled. For the happiness of the majority of people, eradication of unemployment is crucial. There are many people in rural area who possess no farm, no livestock and are out of work. There are still those who only seek medical care from the roadside betel shop, he said. [Representatives] will have to assess whether planning bills submitted to the hluttaw are centred on the needs of the majority of the people, whether they will do good for the poor from rural areas. Peoples voice is hluttaws voice; peoples will is hluttaws will. I invented these two mottos. Peoples dream hluttaw will have to make it come true. This motto was supplemented by the Pyithu Hluttaw speaker. This motto is to be borne in mind when discussing the topic of national planning. He also stressed the importance of keeping the government accountable and ensuring cohesion between the planning and budget bills. When the national planning bill has been approved, the Union Government will have to formulate a budget law bill in conformity with those plans. If the budget draft does not match the planning law the hluttaw has approved, they will have to revise and submit it again. The budget bill is the planning bill rewritten with figures. So what the hluttaw will have to check is whether it matches the planning bill and meets requirement of people, he said. We will have to check whether prices of basic foods will go up because of the More page 4

We are with you

Kachin people living in China gather at the border town of Nar Pan on January 10 to show their support for fellow Kachin across the border in Laiza and call for an end to fighting in Kachin State. About 1500 people attended the demonstration on Kachin State Day in what one Laiza resident described as an unprecedented display of Kachin solidarity. Full story below. Pic: Supplied/Maren Naw

In Laiza, nowhere to run for the homeless

By Cherry Thein THEY have fled the fighting once, and now there is nowhere else to run. Displaced people in relief camps around the Kachin Independence Organisation headquarters at Laiza are caught in the middle of fighting between the army and Kachin troops, and have even been forced to dig bunkers in the camps to avoid the Tatmadaws artillery and airstrikes. Ground attacks continued from January 5 to 9 near Laiza, La Ja Yan, La Wah Yan and Alin Bhawn, a week after Tatmadaw aircraft bombed one of the main Kachin Independence Army camps in eastern Kachin State in late December. Sources in the area reported that the Tatmadaw had seized a number of KIA camps during the week and were using artillery to bombard the area around Laiza. A spokesperson for the KIO did not respond to repeated requests for an interview. U Than Htike Aung, a member of Karuna Charity Group, which recently visited six IDP camps in Kachin State, told The Myanmar Times that both sides needed to make protecting civilians their top priority. I visited six IDP camps: two camps near Laiza, two in Maijayang and Minedaing 6 and 8 in the past two weeks. I was shocked when I saw children living in bomb shelters in camps at Laiza, he said. They told me its a matter of life and death. I felt very emotional when the [Tatmadaw] jets flew over my head and continued their airstrikes, he said. More page 4

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We want to live without fear

Kachin affected by 20-month conflict speak out at Yangon civil society event on January 10
By Ei Ei Toe Lwin RELIGIOUS and ethnic civil society groups last week called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks in Kachin State and for both sides to ensure the safety of civilians in the war zone. The conflict is thought to have claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, while up to 100,000 people have been displaced since fighting broke out in June 2011. Recent weeks have seen an escalation in fighting, with the Tatmadaw launching airstrikes in late December to clear convoy routes near Laiza. The fighting is getting worse and worse. We live in fear all the time. So we are here now to request all ethnic groups to try to cooperate and pressure both sides to stop the war, Ko Khin Maung Win from Hpakant township said at the event, which was held at Royal Rose Restaurant in Yangon on January 10. Ko Khin Maung Win was one of six Kachin people brought to speak at the event by organisers to give a sense of what life is like for those directly affected by the conflict. We dont want war. We want to live without fear, said U Baran Shaung, also from Hpakant. I lost my daughter in September because of the war. I also have no way of earning a living anymore. His daughter, Jar Sang Aein, a grade 10 student, was killed by a bomb in September 2012 during fighting between the Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army (KIA). U Khaw Ban from Hpakant was wounded in September and spent three months recovering in hospital. Because of an injury to his hand he is unable to work. My family depends on me. Now Im jobless so we are really in trouble, U Khaw Ban said. Kachin State residents said economic conditions had deteriorated because of the governments decision to shut down gold and jade mining and logging operations. They said they wanted National League for Democracy leader and Pyithu Hluttaw representative Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to help end the war.

Myitkyina authorities deny protest application

By Win Ko Ko Latt LOCAL officials in Myitkyina last week refused an application for a peace demonstration in the Kachin State capital. Daw Dwe Bu, a Kachin representative in the Pyithu Hluttaw, had applied for permission to hold the rally at the Manaw Field on January 10 Kachin State Day with up to 1000 people to call for an end to fighting between the Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army. The Myitkyina township general administration department said it didnt give permission to hold the protest because it coincided with a significant day for the state, said Daw Dwe Bu, who is also secretary of a parliamentary committee for ethnic affairs and peace. I believed we would get permission because we are working for peace. She said the township administrator told her another reason the application was rejected was that the proposed date for the peace protest coincided with a session of the Kachin State Hluttaw, which is meeting from January 7 to 14. I havent seen anything in the [peaceful protest] law that says you cant get permission to hold a protest on a significant day. And in other countries demonstrations are regularly held when parliament is in session, she said. Rather than appeal the decision, she said she will take up the administrators suggestion to apply for permission on January 15. We will continue until peace is achieved. Everyone who loves peace can participate in the event, she said. The planned protest includes a prayer for peace at the Manaw Field. Participants will march to the centre of Myikyina holding signboards demanding peace and return to the field, she said. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Participants speak at a January 10 civil society event at Yangons Royal We expect she can help us as system, and warned that the much as she can, said U Cho, also conflict in Kachin State, as well as those in Rakhine State and at from Hpakant. Other participants said the Letpadaung, could endanger the conflict between the government transition to democracy. 88 Generation leader Ko Min and KIA was a long-term issue

depends on me. Now Im jobless My family so we are really in trouble.

perpetuated by the lack of trust on both sides. The battles taking place today are the result of unsystematic political negotiations over many years under former governments, they said. Participants agreed a ceasefire should lead to all-inclusive political dialogue as a means of establishing a genuine federal Ko Naing said both sides were putting their own interests first and not considering what is best for the people. There are some people who are using the war as a pretext for occupying territory and doing more business in Kachin State, he said. There are not only Kachin but also many other ethnic people

Rose Restaurant. Pic: Nyein Maung living in [the conflict] area. All have suffered in different ways because of the war, especially women and children. All people must have the right to state their desires while a ceasefire agreement is being made, Ko Min Ko Naing said at the event. Salai Kipp Kho Lian, leader of Chin National Front, said the solution was to go to Pinlon again, a reference to the historic Pinlon Agreement of 1947 that General Aung San brokered with ethnic groups to ensure Myanmars independence the following year. Pinlon is the one way to get genuine peace. Pinlon is the foundation that built the union spirit. If we dont build this foundation again, we will never get genuine peace, he said.

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THE government is preparing to receive almost 30 prisoners of war from the Kachin Independence Army, peace facilitator U Hla Maung Shwe confirmed last week. The KIA, the armed wing of the Kachin Independence Organisation, proposed the handover through the 88 Generation student group when the latter visited the KIO headquarters at Laiza, on the Chinese border, in early January. During their visit to Kachin State from January 1 to 6 this year, 88 Generation representatives met with the KIA deputy commander-inchief, General Gun Maw, and also visited camps for displaced people. The KIA had already planned to hand over these soldiers. I met with them during my visit last July. Twenty-five are soldiers and two are police. The KIA told the government they wanted to return them, and the government agreed to accept them, said Ko Mya Aye, a member of 88 Generation Students Group. The Ministry of Information said on January 5 that government departments are going through the handover the process. Ei Ei Toe Lwin

Hluttaw KIA to release prisoners of war session begins with focus on peace
THE sixth session of parliament opened in Nay Pyi Taw last week, with representatives preparing to tackle the budget, fighting in Kachin State and national planning over the coming months. The Amyotha Hluttaw and Pyithu Hluttaw sessions started on January 9, while the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw opened on January 10. Along with the budget and planning laws for 201314, representatives said they would push to halt some government projects that are not suitable for the current time. Some factories are run at a [financial] loss and some have stopped working altogether. So these should be privatised where possible, said one parliamentarian. U Min Thu, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Ottarathiri, said he does not plan to submit any proposals but will consider asking about the prosecution of farmers in the Nay Pyi Taw area under municipal and forestry laws. The National League for Democracy representative said he will also take part in an important proposal aimed at ending the fighting in Kachin State. Local peace was one of our partys three main objectives when we contested the byelections, he said. Other representatives are also planning to raise the issue of peace in Kachin State during the session. I am scheduled to propose and discuss about Kachin peace during this hluttaw session, said Daw Dwe Bu, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Injanyang in Kachin State. Win Ko Ko Latt, translated by Zar Zar Soe

Comment

Ministry of Mines ends defamation suit against The Voice

By Kyaw Hsu Mon THE Ministry of Mines has withdrawn defamation charges it filed last year against The Voice over an article the weekly journal published about corruption at the ministry, chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe said last week. The Minister for Mines has agreed to withdraw the case against The Voice in the court after negotiating with the Minister for Information and Press Council. We will thank all of them in the coming issue of The Voice, U Kyaw Min Swe said on January 11. The ministry filed the defamation charges in Dagon Township Court against U Kyaw Min Swe, along with the reporter and the journals publisher. However, the charge against the reporter was thrown out because the ministry could not name the person who wrote the article, and the court refused to force the journal to reveal the persons identity. The Voice published a report in its March 1218 edition that quoted unnamed members of parliament as saying that misappropriation of funds and graft had been uncovered by the Office of the Auditor General at six ministries, including the Ministry of Mines. The defendants vowed to fight the charges and received assistance from Pyithu Hluttaw representative U Thein Nyunt, who agreed to represent them in court. This is not the decision of the court but the ministry. We went to court more than 20 times, he said.

Identify causes of Kachin fighting, urges NLD leader

By Soe Than Lynn EFFORTS should be made to identify the cause of the recent surge in violence in Kachin State, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told journalists last week. She also said the apparent intensification of fighting is contrary to President U Thein Seins stated intention of scaling down the violence. The situation suggests a stand-off. Negotiations have not worked. The fundamental cause of the stand-off must be established because it can be remedied only if the cause is identified, she said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Kawhmu in Yangon Region, was speaking before the opening of the sixth hluttaw session on January 9. The Tatmadaw last week defended its use of air strikes against Kachin positions in late December, saying they were launched in self-defence. When asked about speculation that the commander-in-chief of the defence services was failing to comply with the presidents orders not to launch offensives, she said she was not sufficiently familiar with the situation to comment. However, she added: If the commander-in-chief did this on his own judgement, I must say that according to our current constitution he is entitled to do so. Thats why I am reiterating that there is a lot to amend in the constitution. Asked whether MPs should participate in unionlevel peace talks, she said: The hluttaw should study, formulate and approve a platform of how to [resolve] the fighting in Kachin State. However, participation is impossible without a government invitation. Translated by Thit Lwin

have had to We spend a lot of time in court ... [but] because of it even more people know about our journal.

While the journal will not be able to recover any of its expenses, he said the case had been a priceless source of publicity for The Voice. We have had to spend a lot of time in the court that we could have better spent in the office but there is no real damage from this case. Because of it even more people know about our journal, he said.

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Anti-corruption committee formed

By Nan Tin Htwe THE United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Myanmar has welcomed the formation of an anti-corruption committee but expressed concerns over a lack of non-government representatives. UNODC country manger Mr Jason Eligh said the creation of the committee on January 8 showed that in Myanmar corruption is no longer a whispered word. It now can be spoken about openly and without fear, he told The Myanmar Times last week. This is a fundamental requirement if genuine progress is to be made in the national response to corruption. The government formed the action committee against corruption under a presidential order on January 8, saying it was part of efforts for the emergence of a good governance and clean government after the new government took office and would fight the corruption and bribery in governmental organisations. The committee is chaired by Vice President Dr Sai Mauk Kham, with U Hla Tun, director general of the Presidents Office, as secretary. The other members include Minister for Home Affairs Lieutenant General Ko Ko, Minister for the Presidents Office U Thein Nyunt, Minister for the Presidents Office U Soe Maung, Minister for the Presidents Office U Soe Thein, Minister for the Presidents Office U Tin Naing Thein, Attorney-General Dr Tun Shin, and U Than Kyaw, an adviser to the president on legal affairs. The functions and scope of operations of the committee are still unknown. Mr Eligh said he hoped the creation of the committee would contribute to full implementation of the terms of the UN Convention against Corruption, but noted that the convention calls for broad participation in the fight against corruption and the committee lacks civil society representatives. They require also the existence of a body or bodies with the necessary independence to be able to carry out their anticorruption functions without any undue influence, he said. Of course, a country may establish many mechanisms to respond to corruption. Without knowing what is the mandate of this particular committee, or what other bodies will be established once the new anticorruption law is passed, we cannot comment further. 88 Generation leader Ko Min Ko Naing said the committee needed to prove it was really committed to fighting corruption but called for the public to support its work. They need to work for real and we also need to support them. Also people need to support their work, such as by revealing their name when they send in complaint letters, he told journalists on January 10.

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Firefighters battle the remains of a blaze at a factory in Yangon Regions Thanlyin township on the evening of January 11. The fire gutted a seafood processing factory in the Thilawa industrial zone. Pic: Boothee

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Laiza IDPs
The number of IDPs in camps in the Laiza area has increased to about 12,000, said Daw Khon Ja, who helps administer relief camps. Each camp in the area has more than 500 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, she said. U Than Htike Aung said many Kachin people he encountered in KIO areas didnt seem to understand the dynamics of the on-again offagain ceasefire negotiations. While they harboured some resentment towards Burmese people, their first reaction was to question why the fighting had lasted so long. A Kachin man in his 70s from Minedaing 6 asked me who President U Thein Sein stood for. Is he only for Myanmar people, or is he also concerned about ethnic minorities? he said. However, he warned that inter-racial tension will worsen if the conflict is not resolved through dialogue and negotiation. Peace cant be achieved by force or fighting. If you get peace through those means, it is not genuine and wont be sustainable. While people in grassroots communities dont understand the whole situation, they know this point, so why cant educated people in positions of authority grasp the seriousness? U Than Htike Aung said. Another important milestone passed last week, in the form of

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Kachin State Day on January 10. Traditionally accompanied by the Manaw Festival, this year it was most noteworthy for a protest by almost 1500 Kachin people living in Yunnan Province. The Kachin, from Shwe Li, Ku Min, Man Shi and Yin Kyan areas, demonstrated at Nar Pin, on the opposite side of the border to Laiza, calling for an end to the conflict. Marip Di Lar, who helped organise the protest, said it attracted more participants than expected because of the strong feelings the conflict had generated among Kachin people. He said they protesters wanted to not only denounce the fighting but show their solidarity with Kachin on the Myanmar side of the border. We expected about 600 but in the end it was close to 1500, he said, adding that the organisers did not seek permission from the Chinese government. Demonstrators sung, prayed and held posters with messages for the people of Laiza such as, You are not alone, we are all the same spirit. Please be strong. The demonstration was matched by a group who gathered on the Laiza side of the border who waved Kachin flags and held posters saying, We all welcome and appreciated your support. We plan to hold similar events until the war is ended to pray for all the victims of war, Marip Di Lar said. One Laiza resident said he

had never seen solidarity like this before, adding that the conflict had politicised many Kachin in both Myanmar and China.

Peoples dreams
budget deficit, whether unemployment is a growing problem and whether investment and economic growth are satisfactory. We will have to assess whether the amount of money we expect to receive is likely to receive actually or whether taxes which should be levied are actually received. U Khin Aung Myint also highlighted the important role of the Joint Public Accounts Committee, which is responsible for auditing ministries and ensuring the budget approved by the hluttaw conforms to financial rules. He said the committee needed to be able to meet senior ministry officials to get actual statistics, rather than the derived figures provided by the ministries. The by-laws state that the committee is entitled to invite an official who can explain and ask questions in coordination with the relevant departments, he said. Section 58(a) of the Union Government Law also states that a minister or deputy minister should be assigned to answer queries and provide data if requested by the hluttaws or committees, commissions and bodies formed by them. Please invite them and let

them explain. The joint peoples accounts committee should work harder. If there is any obstacle to them, consult with the speaker, he said. Noting that 57 MPs were on leave, U Khin Aung Myint also warned representatives that he would be closely monitoring their performance, particularly in terms of attendance. I will tell you what the people think of MPs who take leave. On the third day of the fifth session November 2, 2012 the number of leavetaking MPs set a record with 168. On November 1, 155 took leave. Some of young men I met on the plane on the way back to Nay Pyi Taw said that they got annoyed when they watched the TV news and heard that [so many MPs] leave on those days. They thought it must have been because they were pursuing their own business interests at the same time as enjoying cash from the public purse, he said. I explained that since the hluttaw was in recess from October 27 to 31 for [Thadingyut] they might have taken a long holiday. However, absentees please consider whether my explanation is reasonable. You should take note that people who are interested in hluttaw politics even know how many MPs take leave, he said. Hluttaw sessions are very important for the people; MPs should attend without fail unless they have a life-threatening excuse. Translated by Thit Lwin

Features
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Letpadaung residents vow to keep up anti-mine campaign

By Naw Say Phaw Waa RESIDENTS of villages near the Monywa copper mine agreed last week to accept the findings of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis Investigation Commission provided it recommends to cancel the planned expansion at the centre of the unrest. About 500 residents from 26 villages met on January 6 and also agreed to continue their peaceful protest campaign, Ko Thaw Lin, second officer of the Myanmar Arts and Sciences University Network told The Myanmar Times. If the commission decides that the company shouldnt keep [developing the mine], that wont be a problem all of the local people just want the project to end, they are not interested in additional compensation, he said. Residents said they also understood that the commission could advise to continue the project against their wishes. Daw Suu said at the press conference on December 6 that [not everyone] will like the final result. If [the mine continues], the company has to be fair and not hurt the interests of the people. If not they will regret it, said U Maung Maung from Sae Taie village. The commission was formed in the first week of December and will submit its finding by the end of January. The Letpadaung project is a joint venture between Chinas Wanbao Mining and army-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL). Following the formation of the investigation commission, Chinas ambassador to Myanmar Li Junhua said at a press conference that the Chinese government would accept the decision of the investigation commission if it impartial. UMEHL project officer U Myint Aung told The Myanmar Times that he could not discuss the investigation until the results are released.

Doubts over Spitfire find

Murky water clouds find in crate 30 feet below ground at Myitkyina, as focus shifts to Yangon
By Kyaw Hsu Mon IS it a bird? Is it a plane? Could it really be a Spitfire? The MyanmarBritish team hunting for the fabled Battle of Britain fighters from the 1940s believes it has found one, buried in a crate near Myitkyina. Excavations begun there on December 12 have revealed a buried object 9 metres, or 30 feet, down. Speaking to journalists at Yangons Parkroyal Hotel on January 9, team leader Mr David Cundall announced: We believe this to be a Spitfire. What we have found in Myitkyina is a man-made thing for sure. Because murky water gushed out from the ground while digging, we faced difficulties, he said. Murky waters indeed. The prospect of unearthing dozens of 70-year-old aircraft has delighted aviation enthusiasts, of which Mr Cundall, a farmer from Lincolnshire, England, is one. The possibility of such a historical treasure trove even prompted British Prime Minister David Cameron to raise the issue with President U Thein Sein during their meeting last year. But many unanswered questions remain. Mr Cundalls team is investigating the possibility that up to 140 Spitfires, believed to be Mark XIV models dating back to 1945, may be buried at three locations. According to Mr Cundall and U Soe Thein, a retired professor of geology department from Yangon University, who is also a member of the group, about 35 of the aircraft are at Mingalardon airport, 18 in Myitkina and six at Meiktila. Following Prime Minister Camerons intervention, the Myanmar government signed a contract with Myanmar company Shwe Taung Paw and Mr Cundall to find and dig up the planes, and to split any resulting profits. Half will go to the government, 20 percent to Shwe Taung Paw and 30pc to Mr Cundall. The aircraft were said to have been buried, in their original packing crates reinforced with local teak, on the orders of Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was Supreme Allied Commander in

Spitfire excavation project leader David Cundall (left) holds a model of a Spitfire aircraft as Tracy Spaight, director of special projects at Wargaming, looks on near Yangon airport on January 9. Pic: AFP/ Wargaming.net Southeast Asia and later Viceroy or no heavy digging machinery, a Spitfire that was found because of India. Another member of Mr how they sealed the lips of the I wasnt at the site when it was Cundalls team is 91-year-old Mr participants, why [the British] found. The project has just started. Stanley Coombe, a veteran who didnt dig up them back after Now our activities are focusing on says he witnessed the fighters they gave us independence, said the site near Mingalardon airport being buried. Exploration of the Mizzima managing editor U Sein but it is too early to say anything exactly, Ms Spaight told The old runways at Mingalardon was Win. Nor is it clear exactly why Myanmar Times. to start on January 9, said U Htoo In a letter published in the Htoo Zaw, managing director of brand-new fighters would be buried in the first place, and why London Times on January 9, Mr Shwe Taung Paw. Lionel Timmins of Chorleywood, If the project is a success, so deep. Mr Cundall said that to the best Hertfordshire, England, cast friendship between Myanmar and Britain will be strengthened, said of his knowledge, the fighters were further doubt on the story. Based U Htoo Htoo Zaw, who declined buried by American engineers at Mingalardon for much of the to estimate how much the search on the orders of the then British period in question as a flight mechanic, he said: I neither colonial authorities. would cost. At that time, nobody wanted saw anything of the burials nor Mr Cundall was quoted by news agency Associated Press to take them back to the UK, they did I hear any rumours, which I as comparing the search for the were surplus to requirements, believe there most certainly would have been had the aircraft been fighters with the hunt for the tomb he said. Funding for the quest has been buried. of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. A spokesperson for the British Amid the enthusiasm, some provided by Belarus-based video observers are sceptical. Its hard games company Wargaming, Ministry of Defence in London told to believe Spitfires were buried whose planning director, Ms The Myanmar Times the ministry here. We wonder how they buried Tracy Spaight, is accompanying had no records relating to the issue of Spitfires in Myanmar in them without anybody knowing, the team. I cant say exactly that it was 1945-1946. at a time when there was little

Indonesia pledges US$1m Rakhine aid

By Zaw Win Than INDONESIAN will provide US$1 million for projects that aim to foster reconciliation in Rakhine State, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said following a two-day visit last week. Mr Natalegawa said in a statement released by the Indonesian embassy in Yangon that the donation was made in the spirit of friendship and solidarity. It will be used to build community youth and sports centres and schools with the aim of promoting reconciliation between violence-hit communities in Rakhine State, the statement said. Mr Natalegawas visit came at the invitation of the government and followed a bilateral meeting between the presidents of Myanmar and Indonesia on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The statement said Mr Natalegawas January 7-8 visit to Myanmar mainly focused on three Rakhine State-related issues: reaching a political settlement, humanitarian assistance, and rehabilitation and reconstruction. The statement said Indonesia follows closely the developments in Myanmar, including Rakhine State, and acknowledges and supports the steps taken by the government to address the communal conflict. The statement said that Myanmar authorities had provided the Indonesian delegation full access to conflict-affected townships and refugee camps in Rakhine State. This has enabled the Indonesian delegation to directly observe the current situation and attain insight information from the Myanmar government and the conflict affected people, it said. During his trip, Mr Natalegawa suggested that the government be more active in disseminating information on the governments plan for reconciliation in Rakhine State and concrete steps being taken to address the communal conflict to increase the international communitys understanding and support. He also exchanged views with the minister for border affairs and Rakhine State chief minister on the root causes of the communal conflict. As a country which went through a similar democratic transition process in Myanmar, Indonesia has first-hand experience of the very complex process and challenges encountered, the statement said, adding that Mr Natalegawa reaffirm[ed] Indonesias willingness and readiness to share best practices with Myanmar in addressing communal conflict in Rakhine State. Meanwhile, Indonesia will organise four capacitybuilding partnership programs this year in the areas of socio-economic development, democracy, small and medium enterprises development and land transportation management, the statement said.

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Myanmar Times January 14 - 20, 2013

Commitment to peace in Kayin State reaffirmed

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE Karen National Union will seek to hold political discussions towards a peace settlement as quickly as possible, an official said following talks with President U Thein Sein. KNU chairman General Mutu Say Phoe said the group wanted to strengthen the ceasefire it has already signed with the government. We have some encounters after the ceasefire but we will continue to discuss until we can shape for a complete agreement, General Mutu Say Phoe said at a press conference in Nay Pyi Taw on January 5, after meeting the president. The three main themes we discussed are strengthening the ceasefire, beginning political process and the Kachin conflict, said KNU secretary 2 Pado Saw Mann Mann. He said the KNU wants to eventually be part of a Pinlon-like agreement that would contribute to achieving its aim of a federal system for Myanmar. He said the KNU delegation also urged President U Thein Sein to bring a swift end to fighting in Kachin State and offered its assistance. We all have a responsibility but the government has to take the most responsibility. The Kachin issue concerns all ethnic groups and we also accept that we all need to work together because it has an impact on the whole peace process, he said. President U Thein Sein reiterated his commitment to bringing about lasting peace during his term and expressed confidence that the KNU shared the same goal. He called for groups to put aside political differences and work together for the granting of equal constitutional rights to all ethnic races. He also said the parliament is the best place for the final stages of political negotiations. The KNU delegation also met Commander-inChief Vice Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy, General Soe Win, on January 6. Vice Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said the peace process with the KNU was about 75 percent complete and pledged the military would do its fair share for peace and stability in Kayin State. He also said the KNU can go and examine what is happening in Kachin State and assess the differences between media reports of the conflict and the real situation. An official from the KNU said the escalation in fighting was a real concern for the group. We have many worries when we saw the battles and operations became more severe even while peace talks are being held. It looks like a barrier for peace, he said. But he also said war cannot take place because of only one side and the KNU is considering how we can be involved constructively. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Vice President Dr Sai Mauk Kham (left) is greeted by Karen National Union officials at Royal Kumudra Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw on January 5. Pic: Win Ko Ko Latt

Constitution a barrier to settlement: KNU

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE Karen National Union has expressed concerns about the difficulties of amending the 2008 constitution following talks with President U Thein Sein last week. KNU secretary 2 Pado Saw Mann Mann said at a press conference in Nay Pyi Taw on January 5 that the issue was an additional problem for the group as it seeks to cement peace with the central government. The government said that if the constitution is to be amended, it shall be done legally or in the hluttaw. We dont object to this but there are many restrictions to amending it. For example, we will have to start by amending the amendment clause in the constitution before changing other things like chapters or clauses, he said. The president said to us [we should] balance amending the constitution from both inside and outside of the hluttaw, he said. He said the constitution is not clear on how power is shared between national and regional governments and legislatures and also does not enshrine equality for all ethnic minorities. It is important to be able to freely determine our own concept of national identity. The most basic thing is education. We believe that this is also something that the government wont find it difficult to allow, he said. He said the government should be patient and sympathetic to the wishes of minorities because they have experienced civil war for more than 60 years. They need to understand this from our perspective. If they respond unnecessarily, without understanding anything, there can be unexpected consequences. We also said this to the president when we met him, Pado Saw Mann Mann said. He also said that if armed groups and groups that have reached peace agreements choose not to run in the 2015 general election or establish a political party they should not be declared unlawful. Political problems should be settled politically, step by step. The constitution states that the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw shall agree to discuss a proposed amendment to the constitution if it is supported by at least 20 percent of all parliamentarians. H o w e v e r , t h e amendment must win the support of at least 75pc of parliamentarians to be considered approved. Additionally, section 436(a) lists a number of chapters where changes must also be put to a national referendum if they are approved by 75pc of MPs. Translated by Thit Lwin

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January 14 - 20, 2013
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Land dispute commission draws fire

In Depth
with Soe Than Lynn CRITICISM is emerging over a parliamentary commission tasked with investigating land disputes. The commission, set up about three months ago with more than 60 members, is led by U Tin Htut of Zalun constituency and has so far examined dozens of cases. But farmers who met the commissions members have been dissatisfied with both the scope and methodology of the investigation, say activists. When they investigated Nattalin Township in western Bago Region, the farmers said that the activities were not satisfactory. The farmers were not allowed to speak openly about all aspects of the case. There are also six major land disputes but they didnt even finish investigating two of them. They havent even visited places where thousands of acres were acquired [from farmers], said U Ye Htin Kyaw of the Civil and Political Rights Campaign Group, which is campaigning on behalf of dispossessed farmers. The commissions members have been divided into state and region subgroups. Based on its investigations, the commission says that land has typically been acquired from farmers to expand urban areas, build industrial zones, expand or establish military sites, carry out state projects, build stateowned factories or provide land to private companies for agriculture or livestock projects. While the commission will continue working for at least one year, U Ye Htin Kyaw said the initial results were not promising. He said he was upset that farmers were unable to use the disputed land while the investigation was being conducted. The farmer can earn money only if he is able to do his farm work. In contrast, people from the other side, whether its a company, military or municipal council, need not do farm work to earn money, he said. He said in Bago and Ayeyarwady regions, farmers had been stopped from harvesting their paddy, fruit trees and rubber plantations until the disputes were resolved. In some cases, the other side involved in the dispute has destroyed farmers crops. One farmer involved in a land dispute in Nay Pyi Taws Dekkinathiri township agreed the current system was unfair. We want to be allowed to continue to use lands that are being cultivated at least until we have been able to harvest them until the ownership has been resolved by the court, he said. But one member of the commission, who asked not to be named, said the criticisms were unfair. While the commission has been established for more than three months, members of its nine sub-groups have only been able to work on land disputes for about one month, since the end of the fifth hluttaw session. They also have to devote time to dealing with issues in their constituencies during the break. He said the groups met in the final week of December to collate their findings and prepare a report to submit during the sixth session of parliament, which began on January 9. Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Hsipaw U Ye Tun said the commission

Protesters outside the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development Office on Bogyoke Aung San Road in downtown Yangon last year. Pic: Boothee companies, they cooperate with the government officers and the companies and some rich men, cronies. So who understands the existing laws? The department officers understand [the law] so they can [arrange December, when 26 farmers in Nay Pyi Taw were charged under municipal laws with trespassing on land that has in some cases been farmed by their families for generations. The land was sold to a company under legal documents to prove their ownership. The lands were listed as vacant on a map in the Settlement and Land Records Department and resold by the City Development Committee to companies with legal ownership, said lawyer U Khin Maung Zaw from Pyinmana township. So the farmers who cultivated the land for many years cant show any evidence of legal ownership. They will be defeated by those who bought the land after the new land law was passed, even though the new law states that it aims to protect the rights of farmers, he said. He said the differences between the ownership maps of the department and the reality on the ground were the main reason for land disputes and eviction of farmers. The speaker of Pyithu Hlutaw, Thura U Shwe Mann highlighted this problem. There are many land cases because of deals between [municipal authorities] and the companies, he said. The law should require the companies and respective governing bodies, including the city development committees, to survey the reality of the land before they conduct a land transaction. Translated by Thit Lwin and Zar Zar Soe, additional reporting by Thomas Kean

Its very difficult to get a fair result for the farmers because government officers cooperate with companies.
did not have the power to resolve the disputes and could only inquire and mediate. Its very difficult to get a fair result for farmers because [in regards to] the land grabbing among to] seize land legally. And then the farmer has no legal documents, they just have the tax receipt. The officers say it is not legal [ownership], he said. This issue was highlighted during the final week of the new Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Law, which was introduced last year. Under the law, the defendant farmers will almost certainly lose because the plaintiffs have

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Myanmar Times January 14 - 20, 2013

Coca-Cola denies done deal on plants

Reports of agreement on four Yangon factories premature
By Tim McLaughlin BEVERAGE giant CocaCola is moving closer to establishing bottling facilities in Myanmar but said reports the company had been given approval to set up factories were premature. Myanmar-language news journal The Yangon Times reported on January 7 that Coca-Cola had been given the green light on December 28 by the Myanmar Investment Commission to set up four bottling plants in Myanmar. However, a Coca-Cola spokesperson told The Myanmar Times on January 9 that a deal is still being finalised. The Coca-Cola Company applied to the Myanmar Investment Commission for a Foreign Investment Licence. Discussions with the MIC continue to advance, with some further steps still required to complete the process, said Karen Thompson, public relations and communications director for Coca-Cola Myanmar. Although imported for decades, Coca-Cola made the first official shipment of its products to Myanmar in 60 years on September 10, 2012. As the worlds largest soft drink manufacturer and one of the worlds most recognisable brands, CocaColas return to Myanmar received considerable media coverage. Coca-Cola chairman and CEO Muthar Kent was on hand for the event, posing with a thanaka-wearing shopkeeper and a case of the beverage. At the time Coca-Cola said that it was working towards establishing a bottling facility with Myanmars Pinya Manufacturing Co Ltd. Pinya produces the popular Max and Max Plus line of soft drinks and distributes them nationally. The prospective collaboration aims to bring the best of Coca-Colas global system business practices to Myanmar and leverage existing local business talent and market insights. The intent is to commence local production as soon as possible, building on an initial distribution agreement established with Pinya to make product available throughout the country immediately, said a press release from CocaCola on September 10. A senior official at Pinya declined to comment on the bottling facility deal because talks are ongoing. A statement posted on the website of President U Thein Seins Office on September 6 projected Coca-Cola would make a US$100 million investment in Myanmar that would create roughly 2000 jobs within the country. A C o c a - C o l a representative did not confirm the exact figures but did say: Our intent is to invest significant capital over the coming years, generating thousands of jobs.

Kayin villagers gesture after hearing the verdict at a Bangkok court on January 10. Pic: AFP

Kayin villagers win pollution case

BANGKOK Ethnic minority villagers at the centre of a nine-year legal dispute over lead pollution from a mine in western Thailand won their fight for increased compensation last week. Thailands Supreme Administrative Court on January 10 ordered the government to pay 3.9 million baht (US$128,000) shared between 22 plaintiffs from a Kayin community living near the Klity Creek in Kanchanaburi province. It said the governments Department of Pollution Control had failed to prepare a contingency plan in case of a leak, while efforts to tackle the problem only made it worse. Both sides had appealed a lower court decision in 2008 to award a total of 783,226 baht ($25,680) in compensation to the plaintiffs for the contamination from a mine operated by Lead Concentrate Ltd until its closure in 1998. Village chief Yasae Nasuansuwan said his community home to 400 people had suffered from lead pollution since 1975. We have had health problems such as stomach ache while many women feel tense because they no longer use water from the creek for their daily activities, he said after the ruling. About six to seven people died when high levels of lead were found in the creek, but I dont know if they all died from the lead because we didnt go to see a doctor. The court ordered the government to regularly test the contamination levels, but villagers expressed disappointment that it did not set a timetable to clean up the creek. AFP

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January 14 - 20, 2013
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Myanmar Times

Mandalay journalists complain about govt informants

Government spies posing as reporters intimidating organisers of press events
By Si Thu Lwin JOURNALISTS in Mandalay have complained about the widespread practice of government informants attending press conferences and other news events, which they say intimidates both those hosting events and reporters. The informants pose as journalists to get entry to the events. Press conferences are held to let reporters know officially about what is happening. But the informants make enquiries before the press conference or event, before we even have a chance to ask questions, said Ko Eain Khine Mye, a television reporter in Mandalay. It makes it difficult for us to ask questions later on. [The organisers are intimidated] so the answers are normally not as good, he said. He said that while government departments had right to know what events were taking place, they should make enquiries more discretely. The informants are able to attend the press conferences because organisers find it hard to know who is a journalist, another reporter said. To weed out the informants, press conference organisers should ask for the name and organisation of all attendees, and reporters who questions should have to introduce themselves, he said. There are two or three informants at each press conference. At protests, they even outnumber the journalists. And we also have to deal with the confusion over whether the informants are journalists, or that we are informants, said a news editor in Mandalay. Pyithu Hluttaw representative Daw Lae Lae Win was recently quoted by Modern Journal as saying that she would ask during the sixth parliament session, which began on January 9, whether the Ministry of Home Affairs had officially appointed the police informants and if not who would take responsibility for their actions. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Private money exchange centre opens in Mandalay

Customers exchange US dollars at Farmer Phoyarzar on January 9. Pic: Phyo Wai Kyaw By Phyo Wai Kyaw SINCE January 9, Mandalay residents can exchange foreign currency at a privately owned centre. Authorised by Myanmar Central Bank, Farmer Phoyarzar is on 30th Street, between 65 th Street and 66th Street in Chan Aye Thar San township. Im planning to open three more centres in Mandalay this year. Ive already opened two centres in Yangon this month. Initially, customers can exchange up to US$10,000, said Farmer Phoyarzar executive director U Kyaw Kyaw on January 9. He said centres would open at Bagan, Taunggyi and Inle this year. The Mandalay centre, which operates from 9am to 6pm, deals in US and Singapore dollars, FEC and Euros.

Power cuts start in industrial zones

By Si Thu Lwin OFFICIALS in Mandalay last week began cutting power to the citys industrial zones for seven hours a day. The cuts, which began on January 10, will allow the Department of Electricity to provide more power during the summer months, when shortages normally occur. We have already received promises from proprietors not to work at night. We will cut power from 4pm to 11pm, a senior official from the Department of Electricity in Mandalay said. The cut is to save water. We will generate power only in summer in order to supply power to the public to fully use it in summer, she said. Authorities will also monitor small- and medium-sized enterprises in residential quarters to ensure they also abide by the ban and take action against those who flout the rules. For the time being, electricity will still be provided to residential quarters but the official conceded there could be some short outages. Residents in the city are enjoying an almost 24-hour supply of electricity but cuts are a regular occurrence during the hot season, when output from hydropower dams declines because of low water levels. Demand for power in the seven townships that make up Mandalay district totals about 200 megawatts, while demand throughout Mandalay Region is 300 megawatts. The city receives electricity from Takuntaing, Aungpinle, Shwesayan and Myaukpyin substations. To cope with increased demand, officials are examining sites in the south of the city for a new substation. U Thaung, the owner of a car workshop in a Mandalay industrial zone, said the new policy would not significantly affect most businesses. Most businesses dont operate at night, so it wont have too much effect, he said. Translated by Thit Lwin

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January 14 - 20, 2013

Myanmar Times

Artists, musicians join forces for earthquake charity performance

By Si Thu Lwin PROCEEDS from a concert held to benefit victims of last Novembers earthquake in Mandalay region will go towards rebuilding schools and providing education, organisers say. The January 5 concert, held at Mandalays National Theatre, brought together a glittering display of local talent who donated their services for free, including music band Myoma and drama group Pwel Tine Kyaw, featuring Twel Tar and Moe Hay Man. Comedians Paw Sein, Htin Paw, Chit Sayar, Choe Tu and Thar Hlaung also performed. Mandalay journalists sang the opening song and performed a oneact play. Mandalay-based businesses also contributed to the fund. We will donate the contributions to education, including school building, school equipment and the establishment of a school fund, said Ko San Yu Kyaw, a Mandalay-based editor of Modern Journal. Well also ask the regional government to help. We journalists will find out directly from the affected areas what kind of help they actually need, said Ko Nyi Nyi Zaw, a Mandalay reporter for 7Day News. Weve received 200 bags of rice from Crown Cement as well as more than K2 million in cash, he said. The earthquake, centred on Thabeikkyin township in Mandalay Region, hit on November 11, killing 10 people and leaving 82 injured. Hundreds of homes in Singu and Thabeikkyin were destroyed, as well as pagodas and schools. Government rehabilitation efforts are only 17 percent complete in Singu and 7pc complete in Thabeikkyin township Total funds collected for rehabilitation amount to K432.4 million, US$171,000 and FEC50,000, according to the Mandalay Region government, or about $730,000. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Smiles all round

Winner of the junior category of the third Miss University contest, Su Mon Thwe (left), 18, and senior winner Myat Su Naing, 22, with their trophies at Mandalay City Hall on January 9. The contest featured 24 participants from 13 universities in upper Myanmar. The two students received K200,000 each for winning their respective categories, although the competition could be tougher in coming years, with Dr Khin Swe Myint from Mandalay University saying organisers plan to add a quiz in future. Pic and cap: Phyo Wai Kyaw

Govt seeks to avoid unrest at Shan dam

residents about how to compensate them for the move. The 3000 households will begin moving to a new site once negotiations have concluded. U Thaung Han, deputy director general of the He said residents would be given new land to cultivate and they will receive K300,000 an acre to cover the costs of preparing the land. However, it is not clear how much each household will receive. Fifty percent of the total compensation will be paid when the villagers begin moving, while the remaining 50pc will be paid in two equal instalments. Officials declined to say when those payments would be made. We will provide compensation for houses based on their value. The villagers have to rebuild their houses by themselves. And we have calculated the cost of excavating new farmland at K300,000 an acre, said U Win Zaw, director general of the department. Residents said the K300,000 would be adequate but they also wanted to see proof that promised services would really be provided before they move. We demanded [that the government] provide free electricity for three years and that the water supply is established before moving, said Ma Gyima from Ywargyi village. U Thaung Han said the department would not only supply water and electricity to the relocated households but also provide free electricity meters. However, he stopped short of promising free electricity. For water supply, we will build water-storage ponds because the new village will be on a hill. But I cant comment on the electricity price; there is nowhere in the country that receives free electricity, said U Thaung Han. Residents have also requested the government provide six acres of cultivable land to each household, provide subsidies because the new fields are unlikely to be as productive as Our farmland can normally produce an average of 80 to 100 baskets of paddy an acre because the soil is fertile, said Ma Gyima. We have demanded to provide subsidies for about two years and then to create job opportunities, she said. difficult because it is hard to find good land in this region, he said. U Win Zaw said the dam would begin storing water in the rainy season of 2014 and electricity would be generated from 2015. According to Burma Rivers Network, construction and design of the Upper Paunglaung Dam is being overseen by Swiss company AF Colenco, while Yunnan Machinery Export Company, which was involved in the Lower Paunglaung Dam, will provide US$80 million of machinery and equipment. A British and German firm are also involved in the project. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Pledges made on electricity, water connections and money for new farmland but residents want more guarantees
By Win Ko Ko Latt RESIDENTS who will be forced to move for a 140megawatt hydropower dam in Shan State will receive farmland as compensation, while their new villages will

will look after the needs of the Ivillagers as much as possible.

those confiscated and issue ownership documents for the land. They are also calling for 10 years worth of compensation for fields lost to the project. But U Win Zaw said the demands are unlikely to be met, as the terrain was not good for cultivation. For each household, six acres is probably going to be

A man gestures at an area of Pinlaung township, Shan State, that will be flooded for the Upper Paunglaung Dam late last month. Pic: Win Ko Ko Latt have electricity and water connections, schools and monasteries, government officials said last week. About 8000 residents from 23 villages will be forced to move for the Upper Paunglaung Dam in southern Shan States Pinlaung township, which is scheduled to begin supplying electricity to the national grid in 2015. About 5500 acres of arable land will be lost. Seeking to avoid the unrest that has plagued other major development projects, the Ministry of Electric Power says it is negotiating with ministrys Department o f H y d r o p o w e r Implementation, said the move would give residents better living conditions in the long run. I will look after the needs of the villagers as much as possible and if something is above my authority I will submit it to the government through the ministry, he told reporters late last month. U Thaung Han said the government would spend more than K9 billion on the relocation, including creating new farmland and other fields and building a school and monastery.

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January 14 - 20, 2013
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Myanmar Times

Migrant rights group increases outreach

By Kyaw Hsu Mon A TRAINING foundation for migrant workers in Thailand has increased its labour rights, education and health awareness outreach programs on the ThaiMyanmar border areas, its founder said last week. Weve been assisting [migrant workers] by sending their children to school and solving their labour disputes in our target areas, Foundation for Education and Dev e lopment founder U Htoo Chit said. Up to four million Myanmar migrant workers live in Thailand, mostly working in the construction, rubber, agriculture and fisheries industries. Foundation for Education and Dev e lopment was established in Phang Nga in 2000 and receives about US$700,000 from the European Union and other Western donors each year to run its programs. While the Myanmar economy h as sh ow n sig ns of g row th in recent years, and many international firms are looking to begin operations, U Htoo Chit said people continued to head to Thailand to look for work. There are still many migrant workers going to Thailand for jobs, so we should educate them about working in Thailand. This is why we operate from inside Thailand, he said. Despite the joint Thai-Myanmar agreement that resulted in migrant workers receiving temporary passports, many migrant workers still enter Thailand illegally, he said. Thailand ended the registration program, known as National Verification, on December 14. Thai business owners prefer illegal workers from Myanmar because they do not need to pay them an equal salary to Thai workers. If illegal Myanmar migrant workers complain to them, then they can threaten the workers by saying they will inform the police. The organisations deputy director, Ma Wai Hnin Po, said the basic salary for Myanmar migrants is about 150 to 200 baht (US$5 to $6.70) a day half the amount a Thai worker receives. Myanmar migrant workers will take their children to work for money instead of sending them to school. Also, even if they sent them to school, they will suffer discrimination from Thai citizens, Ma Wai Hnin Po said. She said the foundation runs a school that is open to the children of Myanmar migrant workers. The FED also has safe homes for women who suffer gender-based violence and are discriminated against at work. FED is also opening centres for vocational training, she added. U Htoo Chit said the government should campaign to restart the National Verification program. The Myanmar government has issued more than one million temporary passports for migrant workers but there are three million migrant workers working illegally in Thailand, according to their own figures. They need to issue more passports we want to encourage the government to do this, U Htoo Chit said.

Miners beaten after tax refusal

Two groups compete for levies from gold miners in Sagaing Regions Homalin township
By Si Thu Lwin GOLD miners in Sagaing Regions Homalin township say they are being forced to pay taxes to two army-linked companies or face being detained and beaten. Gold prospectors at Thahinkyin mine in Homalin are required to pay tax based on the size of their machinery. Originally they paid the tax to Aung Naing Thu Co-op Limited, which they said was formed by disabled former soldiers and businesspeople and is licensed by local officials to collect the charges. However, recently a company named Kon Thiri has also been forcing the miners to pay tax on their equipment. Kon Thiri has also asked for levies. If we have to pay levies to both groups, how can we survive? said U Shwe Ba, who runs a prospecting business at Thahinkyin. Miner Ko San Lwin told The Myanmar Times in an interview in Mandalay in late December that he and a colleague, Ko Thet Naing Soe, were detained and beaten after they refused to pay the tax to Kon Thiri. [Kon Thiri] asked double the amount that Aung Naing Thu did. Making payment to the first company is convenient but [Kon Thiri] is reportedly linked to the army, he said. When we didnt pay we were arrested and beaten up. We had to stay at Mandalay hospital for a long time. When we filed a complaint with the local police station, we got no response. We have sent the president a letter about it and we also sent a letter to both Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the commander-in-chief, he said. Prospecting for gold in the area entails paying levies, or membership fees, based on the size of the equipment used, ranging from K800,000 a year for a one-cylinder engine to K2.1 million for a six-cylinder engine. They must also pay a monthly fee ranging from K35,000 to K65,000. An official from Aung Naing Thu Co-op said his company did not set levies and instead charged the miners whatever they can afford to pay. We have a membership of more than 60 people, he said. The village administrator arranged for the workers to become members. But when another group appeared, he also asked workers to be members of that group. The Myanmar Times was unable to contact the village administrator or Kon Thiri company last week. Translated by Thit Lwin

Scouts make comeback with 18-township trial

By Cherry Thein THE scouts are back. Almost 50 years after the Ne Win government banned the scout movement, the Ministry of Education has reinstated a pilot scout program ahead of a possible broader rollout. The programs resumed at high schools in 18 townships in December, with 100 grade seven participants in each township. Daw Kay Khine Lwin from Basic Education High School 3 Dawei in Tanintharyi Region told The Myanmar Times that the ministry-sponsored program aimed to teach participants to use their initiative, be independent and help others, while learning more about the environment. Five headmasters, one from each school [in Dawei], underwent training at Nay Pyi Taw for a short scout course in November. They then taught the other teachers at the school in December, she said. The BEHS 3 Dawei scout program was launched in December, along with a marching band program, she said. The first scout activity took place on December 28, with 100 students and 12 leaders trekking to nearby Maungmakan Beach. The group left Dawei at 4am, alternately walking and taking the bus to learn about the environment and time management, she said. After arriving at the beach, the students were sorted into 12 teams and competed to build tents, cook rice and clean up. We emphasise the importance of maintaining the environment and natural resources because it is hard to educate people when they get older, Daw Kay Khine Lwin said. We havent had scouts for a long time but I am happy the children can take part now it should have resumed much earlier, she said. The excursion made the students more inquisitive, she said, and they asked numerous questions about the environment, weather and geography on the way to Maungmakan, she said. In the classroom, it is hard for student to ask questions but scouting helps them to do that and build a closer relationship with teachers, she said. As part of the scout program, participants will also get formal training in knot-tying, first aid and environmental issues, such as the benefits of mangrove forests

Students from Basic Education High School 3 Dawei cook rice at Maungmakan Beach in late December under a scouting program being trialled by the Ministry of Education. Pic: Cherry Thein and the impact of humans on natural environments. Another teacher from BEHS 3 Dawei, Daw Than Than Htay, said the scout program should be introduced across the country as it made education more fun for both students and teachers. Sometimes teac hers also get bored just teaching from and stimulating, and come back to the classroom filled with enthusiasm. Ma Yon Mi Mi Kyaw, 11, said she enjoyed the activities at Maungmakan but confessed that she knew little about scout activities I didnt know anything about scouts when we first heard about An official from the Department of Education said the scouts program is being tested this year but will probably continue provided there is satisfactory progress in the 18 trial townships. In Yangon Region, BEHS 1 Lanmadaw has been selected for the trial. IT programmer U Pyae Phyo Tha, 30, said he welcomed the reintroduction of scout programs in the curriculum. We had no chance to do it when I was at school when I read about it I always wished we had been able to do it, he said. It sounds like a fun way to learn leadership and management skills, team spirit, and morality. Books are helpful to enrich students knowledge but practical experiences are also important. Scouting was introduced in Myanmar under a program for British colonies established in 1910. The Union of Burma Boy Scouts was dissolved by the Ne Win government on March 1, 1964.

Were just disappointed the program is only for grade seven we wish it will be for other grades too so we can do it again next year.
textbooks. We also want to teach through practical activities and its enjoyable to see our children having fun outdoors while they are learning, she said. Work without play is painful. I know very well about spending all day studying in the classroom and not have time to play because of the pressure of exams. I want children to have a break, have a chance to do something creative the activities. But my friends and I were so exciting to join the program, she said. We like to learn informally from scouts. Sometimes textbooks are so boring to learn from. Were just disappointed that the program is only for grade seven we wish it would be in other grades too because so we can do it again when we are in grade eight next year.

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Pic: Ko Taik

Myanmar Times

Pipeline companies to investigate new complaints: official

By Aye Sapay Phyu THE major shareholders in the Myanmar-China oil and natural gas pipelines have promised to investigate complaints from nongovernment organisations over land acquisitions, environmental degradation and other issues related to the construction of the pipelines. Representatives of the Myanmar-China Pipeline Watch Committee, a grouping of 14 communitybased organisations, also made nine recommendations concerning the project, including improving transparency and the safety of nearby communities. The director of public relations department at China National Petroleum Corporations South East Asia Crude Oil Pipeline Co Ltd and South East Asia Gas Pipeline Co Ltd, the major shareholders in the two pipelines, said the companies paid much attention to the issues raised by the committee and have started investigating specific complaints. If those issues are true, we will systematically solve those problems in conformity with the law in Myanmar. If there is misunderstanding in those problems, we will provide the actual information, he said. U Tin Thit, president of Seinyaungso environmental group, one of the members of the committee, said last month that the recommendations along with a situation report compiled during November and December will be sent to the president, relevant government departments and companies involved the project. The report was released after the 14 organisations held a meeting in Yangon from December 20 to 22. U Tin Thit said the pipelines owners had already acted on some earlier complaints, while the government had also recently been more forthcoming with information about the terms of the project. The minister for energy discussed the concerns about the pipeline project in the Amyotha Hluttaw on November 9. We also found some repair works had been done by the pipeline company at places in Mandalay Region where roads and drinking water ponds had been damaged during construction. The company also gave compensation for land temporarily taken for the project in Natogyi and Tada Oo townships in Mandalay Region. But there are still many issues happening along the pipeline route, he said.

Excavators at work on a section of the Myanmar-China oil and natural gas pipelines. The study said there are still many problems that need to be resolved, such as land acquisitions, environmental degradation, human rights and labour issues, and transportation difficulties related to roads damaged during construction. The public relations director said some of the concerns on pipeline safety raised in the report are based on misunderstanding. When we met MCPWC in October, they raised questions concerning the depth of the buried pipeline. I answered that the deepest areas are more than 5 metres (15 feet) deep. That doesnt mean the pipeline will be buried 15-feet deep everywhere. The depth will depend on the geological conditions but it is sure that the pipeline will be at least 1.2m (4 feet) below the surface normally 1.2m is a safe depth for pipeline, he said. The committees report expressed concerns that the pipeline is buried at a depth of between 4 and 5 feet in some rocky areas of Kyaukme township, Shan State.

Upper Myanmar
January 14 - 20, 2013
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US senator pushes oil and gas sector with U Thein Sein

By Tim McLaughlin UNITED States oil and gas companies are ready to begin making investments in Myanmar, Republican Senator Jim Inhofe declared last week following a meeting with President U Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw. Senator Inhofe, a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, met the president on January 9. I appreciate the reforms President [U Thein] Sein is making in his country, Senator Inhofe said. I commend him and the people of Myanmar for taking these important steps toward a democratic future, and I will look for ways the US can assist with those reforms. I told President [U Thein] Sein that I believe US companies, especially those in the oil and gas sectors, can play a positive role in demonstrating high standards of responsible business conduct and encourage free market policies, while at the same time protect human rights in this rich land. Senator Inhofe was joined by a Republican delegation that included Senator John Boozman of Arkansas and congressmen Steve Pearce of New Mexico, Vern Buchanan of Florida and Erik Paulsen of Minnesota, as well as US Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell. Senator Inhofe has been a vocal advocate of US oil and gas interests in Myanmar since the government launched its reform agenda. I am very interested in the ability of our American oil and gas industry to compete for business in Burma as soon as possible, Senator Inhofe said in prepared remarks to a senate confirmation hearing for Mr Mitchell on June 27 in Washington. Unfortunately, that is not yet happening, and in the meantime, European Union oil and gas companies have been there since the suspension of EU sanctions against Burma in April. And of course, China and Russia are there. A longtime champion of fossil fuels and the fossil fuel industry, Senator Inhofe feared at the time that US President Barack Obama would block energy firms from investing in Myanmar when he began to ease sanctions. He described this possible exclusion of energy firms as a carve out strategy. I reiterate that this or any other carve out strategy would be a strategic mistake. I believe that US companies, including the oil and gas companies, can play a positive role in the effort by demonstrating high standards of responsible, he said at the hearing. The carve out Senator Inhofe warned against was avoided. In July, President Obama announced all US oil and gas corporations would be allowed to conduct activities in Myanmar, ending 15 years of US restriction on the sector.

Ko Oo Swe, editor of Nyote, at his house in Yangon during an interview in November 2012. Pic: AFP

Publisher to protest ban

By Shwe Yee Saw Myint THE editor of a controversial sex education magazine banned by the government last week has vowed to fight to regain the right to distribute the publication. The Printers, Publishers, Registration and Distribution Supervisory Central Committee, headed by Minister for Information U Aung Kyi, revoked the licence of Nyote (Allure) magazine at a meeting on January 9. The committee also warned six publications for going beyond the genres they had specified when applying for a publishing licence, committee joint secretary U Ye Tint, who is also managing director of the Printing and Publishing Enterprise, was quoted as saying in state-run media. He said Nyote had applied for a licence for a fashion magazine but rather published a near pornography. But editor Ko Oo Swe told The Myanmar Times last week he was going to send an appeal letter to the Ministry of Information over the revocation of the licence. They punished me because I applied for a licence for a fashion magazine so I am going to write to them and explain that sex education is sorely needed in Myanmar. I intend to explain the effects of the lack of sex education, he said. The first issue of Nyote hit stands on November 27. U Ye Tint said the publication of the magazine had met with widespread disapproval. But Ko Oo Swe said it had been very popular among teenagers, with 2000 copies of the first issue distributed. He had been preparing the second issue when the ban was announced, he said. Dr Mei Mei Ko, managing director of healthcare provider Mieko, said better sex education was needed for young people, whether they were married or not. But Myanmar society is quite conservative and perhaps this kind of magazine will not be accepted for some time yet.

Trade Mark Caution

FRUIT OF THE LOOM, INC., a New York Corporation, of One Fruit of the Loom Drive, Bowling Green, KY 42103, U.S.A., is the Owner of the following Trade Marks:-

Outspoken professor resigns over Brunei university censorship

By Nan Tin Htwe A MYANMAR professor and human rights activist has resigned his post with one of Asias top universities, complaining of censorship. Dr Maung Zarni, co-founder of the Free Burma Coalition, quit the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), saying it is impossible to maintain his professionalism and blaming extreme and unprofessional academic censorship. Dr Maung Zarni, who is described on his website as a staunch advocate of unconditional human rights, as well as ethnic and gender equality, is also a visiting fellow with the Civil Society and Human Security Research Unit at the London School of Economics, and the author of Life Under the Boot: 50 years of Military Dictatorship in Burma (Yale University Press). On January 7, he uploaded his resignation letter on his website (www.maungzarni. com) expressing his deep regret at the situation. He says that last June he participated in a human rights and rule of law panel which was joined by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during her European trip. He alleges UBD punished him by withdrawing financial and institutional support 24 hours before his flight to London and forced him to take personal leave and to pay for the US$3000 flight himself. He says UBD also warned him not to use the universitys name during LSEs roundtable discussion and panels, and to be purely academic [s]omething which, given the political role of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, is entirely impossible, he said. Upon his return to UBD, he was warned that everyone is watching you, and told to restrict his work to nonMyanmar issues or purely academic papers. His resignation attracted some attention around the region, with Steve Lai, a presenter at Channel NewsAsia, tweeting: This makes me sad. Similarly, Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim tweeted: Let the world know about the resignation of Dr Maung Zarni. Dr Maung Zarni said that he had never made any secret of his political and human rights activities. I simply could not countenance allowing my employer to intimidate me into professional silence on unfolding human rights atrocities and war crimes against Myanmars Muslims and ethnic minorities in Burma on account of a monthly pay check, he said. In fact I am the only Burmese academic who is researching, publishing and speaking out against what the Organisation of the Islamic Conference/ Cooperation (OIC) officially refers to as genocide against the Muslim Rohingya in western Burma committed by the collaborating political and social forces, namely the Rakhine Buddhists and the government of Burma itself, Dr Maung Zarni added. UBD had also shown displeasure at his writing on Myanmars transition for the National University of Singapore and being invited by Channel NewsAsia to debate democratisation in Myanmar. I feel that with Brunei taking over the chair of ASEAN, my ability to function in the immediate future with professional integrity will be compromised beyond the levels which I am prepared to accept, he said. In an interview with Mawkun magazine, Dr Zarni criticised Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for not taking a stand over Kachin, where, he said, the Kachin Independence Organisation is fighting not for an independent state but equal rights. He has accused the Tatmadaw of engaging in conflict in Kachin State so that Chinese projects could proceed, and said Myanmar people should be aware of Chinas influence in their country. The university did not respond to email requests for comment last week.

Reg. No. 4381/1995

Reg. No. 4382/1995

Reg. No. 4383/1995 in respect of All goods in International Class 25. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Marks will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for FRUIT OF THE LOOM, INC. P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 14 January 2013

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January 14 - 20, 2013

Myanmar Times

New body to tackle Yangon transport problems

By Thiha Toe A PUBLIC transport body has been tasked with finding solutions to Yangons growing traffic congestion. The Presidents Office announced the formation of the 10-member Yangon City Public Transport Authority on January 7. The purpose of the group is to ensure the safety and comfort of commuters by overseeing road, rail, water and other transport services in the city, the office said in a statement. The groups wide-ranging mandate includes everything from assessing air pollution and easing bottlenecks through improved traffic management to commissioning the construction of new infrastructure, the statement said. The group is responsible to the Yangon Region government and will work in collaboration with Yangon City Development Committee. It is led by retired ambassador U Kyi Thein, while the bodys secretary is U Hla Aung, chairman of the Yangon Region Central Supervisory Committee for Motor Vehicles, better known as Ma Hta Tha (Central). Its members are mostly retired civil servants who formerly worked in the ministries of transport, rail transportation, construction and information. So far, few details have been released about how the body will go about tackling transport issues in Yangon, and even its members appear to be in the dark. At the moment I cant give any details about what we will do because I really dont know anything for sure yet, said secretary U Hla Aung. U Win Lwin, another member of the body, called for the public to cooperate with the transport authority. The population in Yangon is six million and the transportation network is not developed enough [for a city of that size]. I want to focus on easing traffic jams and would like to suggest to the public to cooperate with our group, said Ma Nandar, a 24-year-old resident of South Dagon, said traffic congestion is a major concern for all commuters in Yangon. I face terrible traffic jams every day when I commute from my home in South Dagon to my office in downtown. I feel that we are always wasting our time taking the bus and being caught in traffic. If the group can solve this problem, I will be so happy. But I find it hard to believe they can make much of a difference, she said.

Hluttaw approves motion for online peace discussions

By Soe Than Lynn THE Pyithu Hluttaw last week approved a proposal for the government and Kachin Independence Organisation to pursue peace negotiations over the internet, although representatives concede neither side is likely to take up the suggestion. The interim proposal was introduced by U Thein Zaw, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Myitkyina and vice chairman of the Ethnic Affairs and Domestic Peace Making Committee, on January 11. This armed conf lict in Kachin State cannot be solved without a negotiation process. But its difficult to discuss for the representatives of the peace-making groups and KIO to discuss face to face because of the fighting that is currently happening in Kachin State, said U Thein Zaw, a former minister for communications, posts and telegraphs in the military government. Today, representatives from both sides can negotiate their policies, attitudes and requirements through the use of updated technology, such as email and electronic communication and then they can transparently announce and give information to the public about what they are doing. We urge [both sides] to build genuine peace through these methods, taking into account the desire of the public to slow down the fighting. So we propose that the speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw urges the relevant officials from both sides to take up the proposal. The proposal was approved by representatives without any objection. But representatives also said they were skeptical about whether either side would agree to online negotiations.

Although the people are willing to get peace, both armies seem to be choosing the military option.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi opens a National League for Democracy education fundraising event in Yangon on December 27. Pic: Boothee

NLD raises K300m for education

By Yhoon Hnin THE National League for Democracy announced last week it raised about K300 million from a fundraising event in late December. Funds from the December 27-28 event will go towards supporting education, with K150 million to be given to schools in the partys education network and K50 million to schools abroad for the children of Myanmar migrant workers, U Phyo Min Thein from the education network said on January 6. Another K100 million will be put in a bank account, with the interest used to provide scholarships to 40 outstanding students who cannot afford to continue their education. About K500 million was generated by the event, which cost around K200 million to hold, said U Phyo Min Thein. He said an external auditor will be brought in to ascertain the final profit. But donations were still being received last week, said U Aung Htike, also from the education network. People who still want to donate can do so via bank transfer to accounts named NLD Network at Asia Green Development Bank, Kanbawza Bank and CB Bank, he said. Dr Thein Lwin, also from the education network, said prospective scholarship recipients would be screened to ensure the party supported the most needy students. Support to schools outside Myanmar will be carried out in coordination with Dr Cynthia Maung of the Mae Tao Clinic, he said.

This proposal is one way to discuss [peace] while fighting has escalated. But there are some other ways that can also be used effectively to solve the conflict, said U Khine Maung Yi, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Ahlone in Yangon Region. Although the people are willing to get peace, both armies seem to be choosing the military option. Under these circumstances, centrallevel peace talks should be held in a neutral third country. Translated by Win Thaw Tar

First GMA flights scheduled for Jan 17

By Yu Yu Maw NEW low-cost carrier Golden Myanmar Airlines is expected to begin flights between Yangon and Mandalay this week following a recent test flight, an official said. The airline flew the Yangon-Mandalay-Yangon route on January 11 to get its air operator certificate (AOC) and expects to conduct its first flight for paying passengers on January 17, said U Win Kyaw Moe, the airlines assistant general manager. Fares on the route will be available from as little as K27,000 one way, the airline says, although not all seats will be available at that price, which is less than one-third what existing operators charge. However, we will manage our airfares to ensure prices remain low I can definitely say that the airfares will be cheaper than the other domestic airlines, U Win Kyaw Moe said. While Myanmar has five private domestic airlines, all charge essentially the same price. On the YangonMandalay route, fares are about K80,000 for locals and US$130 for foreigners. Golden Myanmar Airlines will fly the YangonMandalay route nine times a week using an Airbus A320 with 180 economyin starting this business, he said. We wont take much profit and primarily want to offer the public flights at a cheap price. The airline, which is a public company established in August, will also begin selling shares to the public on January 14 at K10,000 each, U Khin Maung Aye said. The CB Bank chairman and founder of Kaytumadi Co, Ltd and Kaung Myanmar Aung Group of Companies is one of 15 major investors, along with U Thein Tun of Myanmar Golden Star. Not only do we want everyone to fly cheaply but we also want everybody to have the chance to be involved in this business, U Khin Maung Aye said. To keep prices low, passengers will be charged for some services that are free on most airlines, such as food. But the most expensive meal on Golden Myanmar Airlines will be K3400, the airline says. Passengers will also be charged for baggage over the 10-kilogram limit.

will manage We our airfares to ensure prices remain low.

class seats. A rented Boeing aircraft will arrive by the end of February, U Win Kyaw Moe said. The airline also plans to begin offering flights from Yangon to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand from March, chairman U Khin Maung Aye said last week. The situation has changed tourist arrivals are increasing sharply this year so we are interested

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In the hluttaw, far from home

In Depth
with Thomas Kean THE challenges of life as a parliamentarian in Nay Pyi Taw are numerous: sitting days and committee meetings that take up as much as eight months of the year; a modest salary of K300,000 a month; and none of the resources that are commonplace in other countries, such as an office, staff or even an internet connection. The relative remoteness of the capital also poses a slightly different problem how to keep in touch with constituents, particularly if you represent a rural constituency in Chin State or Rakhine State. It is a problem Amyotha Hluttaw representative J Yaw Wu knows well. Geographically the largest constituency in the country, his seat encompasses sparsely populated northern Kachin State, and includes Sumprabum, Putao, Machanbaw, Nagmung and Kawnglanghpu townships. It takes up about onethird of Kachin State, and in most places there would be at least two or three representatives across that region, the National Unity Party representative said during a recent interview in Nay Pyi Taw. I visited all of the townships during the election campaign but since then I still havent been able to go back to two of them. In Sumprabum travel is difficult because of sporadic fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Tatmadaw. Kawnglanghpu is very hard to reach, because you have to walk 20 days to reach the edge [of the township] and if you tour around the villagers and come back, you have to take at least two months so I couldnt go back yet. There are no proper roads, just jungle tracks, lots of leeches and wild animals. Not many people want to go there; only my relatives are willing to accompany us. But the Kachin conflict has meant even Putao, the most accessible area in his constituency, is reachable only by aeroplane, as the KIA has destroyed bridges along the road from Myitkyina. J Yaw Wu describes his constituents as Myanmars forgotten people. The central government couldnt reach our people. But I did whatever I could do for them here in Nay Pyi Taw, Myitkyina and Mandalay, particularly for health and education. Before entering parliament, J Yaw Wu studied in the Philippines and was a Roman Catholic priest for seven years. He admits to being uncertain as to what life as a parliamentarian would hold for him when he contested the 2010 election but has notched a few impressive achievements. He helped arrange supply flights to Putao to alleviate rice shortages and describes proudly how, by raising the cases with the Kachin State chief minister, he was able to ensure that three military personnel who were responsible for the deaths of civilians were punished. That was really wonderful, I never imagined [that would be possible]. Before I thought that this parliament was also just under the [Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)] and we have to follow whatever we do but there are many things we can raise [in parliament]. J Yaw Wu also lobbied hard against the Myitsone Dam, although he said his proposal to suspend the dam was initially ignored by Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint. But luckily our speaker asked me to attend the Myitsone dam workshop at the Ministry of Electric Power and there I could openly object to the construction. I then wrote a 26-page report to the speaker and he transferred it at once to the president. That very evening [U Thein Sein] congratulated me for writing a good paper on the Myitsone Dam but he asked me to keep quiet for 10 days, not to speak out. After six days he decided to suspend construction. His efforts to stop the dam brought him into conflict with some of the military MPs in the upper house. The military people said we must construct this; its in the national interest. They even accused me: if a war breaks out between China and Myanmar, you will be the reason. I said, Dont worry, you just stay at the back, I will go to the front line, just teach me how to fire the gun. And why do we need to defeat them on our own? We can ask the UN, or India even India and China throughout Myanmar, and ethnic minorities as a whole. For his ethnic group, he is lobbying to ensure that Ministry of Immigration staff do not discriminate against or extort money from Lisu who live outside Kachin State, where they are sometimes referred they ignore them, he said. Like most politicians from Kachin State, the conflict between the KIA and Tatmadaw is an issue of major importance to J Yaw Wu. Speaking before the recent escalation in violence, he offered a rather pessimistic assessment of the chances of a ceasefire and said parliamentarians had found it hard to make a positive contribution to the peace effort. Although the centre of the fighting is far from his constituency, it has still had an impact: the KIAs bombing of the road between Myitkyina and Putao caused severe food shortages, while in Sumprabum the KIA continues to skirmish with an ethnic Rawang Border Guard Force, formerly known as the Rebellion Resistance Force. He is equally critical of the role of both the Tatmadaw and KIA in perpetuating the conflict. We are indirectly victims, indirectly refugees of the fighting down in Myitkyina, Hpakant and Bhamo, J Yaw Wu said. Its very difficult to solve between the military and KIA. We also cannot communicate with the KIA, because they will say we are guilty of contacting the rebels we want to just ask them not to destroy the roads and the bridges. This fighting concerns them and the military, so leave the rest of us out of it. If they want to stop, they will [reach a] ceasefire but up to now it looks like they have no desire to make a ceasefire.

National Unity Party Amyotha Hluttaw representative J Yaw Wu in his room at the Nay Pyi Taw City Development Committee guesthouse, where most non-USDP representatives live when the hluttaw is in session. Pics: Christopher Davy are the old enemies, right? We have to argue with them like that, he laughs. But the military people like us, the NUP party, because we dont talk much about the military and they are also good towards me because my dad and grandfather are also from the military. As a parliamentarian, J Yaw Wu also endeavours to represent the interests of other, non-geographic constituencies: fellow Christians and Lisu to as Lishaw and Lawlaw and Loiyaw names not officially recognised by the government. He laments that the USDP appointed only three people from ethnic minority parties to leadership positions in the more than 30 parliamentary committees. Theres also only one Christian in the government, the deputy attorney general. All [this discrimination is] happening very openly. There are capable people in these nationality parties but

Japanese ODA to fund nations infrastructure

By Aye Thidar Kyaw THE Japanese government will lend official development assistance (ODA) to Myanmar, implement a plan to cancel national debt and help complete the Thilawa special economic zone, Japanese officials announced in Yangon last week. On January 3, Japans former prime minister and recently appointed finance minister, Taro Aso, met with President U Thein Sein and senior government officials in Nay Pyi Taw to discuss bilateral economic relations. According to Reuters, Mr Aso reaffirmed an earlier promise to waive part of Myanmars US$5.74 billion debt to Japan. He said that the Japanese government would absolve about $3.36 billion of the debt in two phases throughout 2013, while a consortium of private Japanese banks led by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group would issue a loan for the remaining $2.24 billion. Masaki Takahara, executive managing director of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in Yangon, said writing off the debt is a necessary step to restart loans to Myanmar. He said these loans will be vital in the investment and implementation of new infrastructure products. The Japanese government plans to loan the country $56.1 million this year in ODA and plans to allocate $22.4 million to infrastructure projects throughout the seven states and regions, Mr Takahara said. He said that $11.2 million will be allocated to the rehabilitation of existing power plants and $22.4 of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Co-operative Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding, while Kanbawza Bank signed an MoU with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Under the agreements, the Japanese banks will provide the domestic banks with technical assistance as they gear up for Japanese investment. Japan lost touch with Myanmar many years ago and we are ready to help. Myanmar is now in its takeoff period with the economy. Japan is indebted to Myanmar because of World War II, so now its our time to give back to the economy, Mr Maruyama said. U Set Aung, deputy minister for National Planning and Economic Development, told businessmen investing in the Thilawa SEZ that Myanmar is yet to guarantee credit for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The comments were made during a workshop at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) on January 9. However, he said the government can ensure credit for domestic business when they borrow from the bank. When the Japanese government provides us with ODA, domestic investors can run their businesses well, with very low interest rates at 0.01 percent, he said. A c c o r d i n g t o the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, Japanese investment to Myanmar stands at about $246 million. The investment stems from 29 projects to date comprising manufacturing factories, banking and the Thilawa SEZ.

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Japanese finance minister Taro Aso during a visit to the Thilawa industrial zone on January 4. Pic: AFP million to the completion of the Thilawa SEZ outside of Yangon. Although a Memorandum of Cooperation between Japan and Myanmar on the construction of the Thilawa SEZ had been postponed last year, Mr Takahara said it was signed last month. The MoC will pave the way for building joint-ventures between the countries private consortiums, he said. As [JETRO] is an organisation that promotes Japanese trade and investment, we have been trying to invite Japanese investment towards Myanmar. But the lack of proper infrastructure is an obstacle for new investment, he said. Mr Takahara said the completion of the Thilawa SEZ will continue towards solving this obstacle, as the project aims to reduce electricity cuts and provide Yangon with an international-standard industrial park. Myanmar and Japan have had two official consultations over Japans ODA for sustainable economic development in Myanmar, Xinhua reported last December. The first consultation was in 1998, when the Japanese government granted Myanmar a loan for the Yangon International Airport; the second was in 2002, when the Japanese government granted a loan for the renovation of the Baluchaung hydro-electric power station. Ichiro Maruyama, minister counselor of the Japanese embassy to Yangon, said that future ODA will support the development of infrastructure, including electricity, transportation and IT. If the [Japanese] government wants to build an electricity plant, the electricity only distributes to the economic zones and not to the people living in the area. We cant call that ODA. ODA is meant to help all people, not just an industrial area, Mr Maruyama told The Myanmar Times. Mr Maruyama said banking is vital to Japanese corporations investment in Myanmar. In December 2012, the Bank

Western Union expands network with seven banks

By Aye Thidar Kyaw SEVEN domestic banks cemented ties with leading global money transfer service Western Union on January 12 during a launch at Parkroyal Hotel in Yangon. Myanmar nationals and permanent residents will be able to receive cash from 200 countries and territories within minutes for the first time, following the easing of sanctions last year, Western Union said in a press release. The seven domestic banks Kanbawza, Co-operative, First Private, Myanma Apex, Myanmar Livestock and Fisheries Development, Myanmar Oriental and United Amara will be linked to about 500,000 Western Union agents around the world, the press release said. Customers in Myanmar can for the first time receive money in minutes from friends and family, regardless of where they are sending the money from, said Ms Drina C Yue, managing director and senior vice president of Western Unions Asia Pacific branch. It is with immense pleasure that we can announce our global agent network has joined with seven of Myanmars leading banks, further expanding Myanmars money transfer network to nearly 250 locations in the coming months. These domestic banks and especially Kanbawza Bank, the largest private bank in Myanmar, will establish Western Union international money transfer services at 90 locations very soon. Through our partnership, people will be able to access cash remittance with speed, reliability and convenience. Many of Western Unions core customers are people from Myanmar, Myanmar working abroad and their families here at home. Some two million people have made a sacrifice to leave Myanmar and make a better life for their families, she said, adding that Myanmar nationals in Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe and the US will now be able to send money home. Our other customers will include travellers to Myanmar and internationals working in Myanmar. As the country opens up, more people will now be able to send money reliably from home for regular support, as a gift on special occasions or for other purposes, she said. U Mg Maung Thein, deputy minister for Finance and Revenue, said, We trust that Western Union and its bank agents will successfully fulfill the needs of our two or three million overseas workers and allow them to send money back home in a fast, reliable, safe and very convenient way, he said. Amid the current social and economic developments in Myanmar, and our governments determination to open up our economy, we encourage Myanmars private banks to work closely with Western Union. We encourage them to take advice from them, and it will be a win-win situation not only for customers, but also for the financial and banking sectors.

A worker walks by Western Union signs in downtown Yangon. Pic: Bloomberg

Business
January 14 - 20, 2013
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Myanmar Times

Govt signs off on new MDY industrial park

CB gets UnionPay
By Ma Ning CHINA UnionPay card holders can withdraw cash from Co-operative Bank ATMs in Myanmar following the launch of the new service on January 1. UnionPay card holders are able to access their accounts on 50 ATMs in eight major cities throughout the country, including Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Mawlamyine, Bago, Taungoo, Pyinmana and Pyin Oo Lwin, U Pe Myint, managing director of CB, told The Myanmar Times on January 10. About 10,000 transactions have been made so far, U Pe Myint said. Customers can withdraw a maximum of K300,000 a transaction; the transaction fee is K5000. The daily withdraw limit is K1 million, about US$1200, he added. U Pe Myint said the increasing number of Chinese tourists and the strong presence of Chinese businesses in Myanmar encouraged the bank to work closely with China UnionPay. Everybody from China carries UnionPay cards with them, he said. More than 62,000 Chinese nationals visited Myanmar in 2011, comprising a 15.85 per cent total of the years tourists making China top the list of international visitors, shows Myanmar Tourism Statistics 2011 released by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourisms. From 2011-2012, China was Myanmars biggest trade partner, with bilateral trade volume exceeding US$5 billion, according to Myanmars Central Statistical Organisation. CBs cooperation with China UnionPay comes after the banks recent deals with other major international payment card issuers: MasterCard, Visa and Japan Credit Bureau. These international cooperations are a substantial move away from Myanmars long-standing restrictions over private domestic banks, U Pe Myint said. The military governments control of the banks was very restricted, which is why we couldnt do anything at that time, U Pe Myint said. But at present theres no military government. The new government is advancing and theyve amended many old laws. U Pe Myint said CB is gearing up for an influx of tourists and a rapidly growing economy with the banks new services: We will host the Southeast Asian Games in 2013 and we are the chairman of the ASEAN community in 2014. In 2015 there will be a stock market in Myanmar and the trade is also growing. Thats why we have a lot of work to do now. Myanmar people in all sectors have to work hard or we will lag behind. CB Bank plans to launch mobile and internet banking service starting from June and will open up to 300 branches in 300 townships throughout the country within the next three or four years, each equipped with a cash withdrawal machine, a cash deposit machine and a passport update machine, U Pe Myint said. Equally ambitious is CBs Chinese partner, China UnionPay. Established in

At present theres no military government. The new government is advancing and theyve amended many old laws.

Ministers witness the signing for the Mandalay-Myotha Industrial Park Project on January 9. Pic: Than Naing Soe By Than Naing Soe and Sithu Lwin THE Mandalay Industry Development Authority, appointed by the Mandalay Regional Government, and the Royal Hi-Tech Group Company signed a contract to build the MandalayMyotha Industry Park project on January 9. Since Myanmars new government, the RHGC has wanted to implement this project. The main purpose of the project is for agriculture export. Following a feasibility study and discussions with the government, we plan to construct a port along with the industrial park. We believe the project will reduce poverty by creating new job opportunities, said U Ye Myint, Mandalay Region chief minister. He continued: We considered four main points before signing for the project. One was how it will provide job opportunities to the public; two was how will this affect the local people; three was how can we develop the area; and four was how will the environment be impacted. After discussing these points, we came to the conclusion that the project should be done. We decided that the project would be built over the whole township of Nganzun and part of Myingyan township. We presented our conclusions to the Union Government and finally signed the contract. The Mandalay-Myotha Industrial Park will comprise 2600 acres. It will include a transportation department, a small industrial enterprise, a middle industrial enterprise, housing projects, an economic and commercial zone, a science and research department, a golf course, a park, high-rises and supermarkets. This is a dry region. Theres very little land to cultivate, no big trees, and little chance of success with farming. So, people who live here are very poor and leave the area to earn money. The government wanted us to change this situation and accomplish something, said U Aung Win Khaing , chairman of the RHGC. There will be 2500 factories and 150,000 staff will be required for the Mandalay-Myotha Industrial Park. We will start the project this month, he added. U Aung Win Khaing said the company has hired a panel of experts to help them prepare before the implementation phase. The experts will help the RHGC draw up a master plan that adheres to international standards, he said. Two are from America, and there is one each from Singapore, New Zealand and France.

Trade Mark Caution

NOTICE is hereby given that Cophar SA of Route de Moncor 10, 1752 Villars-sur-Glne, Switzerland is the Owner and Proprietor of the following trademark: -

Trade Mark Caution

NOTICE is hereby given that Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. a company incorporated in Delaware, United States of America, and having its principal office at 1700 E. St. Andrew Place, Santa Ana, CA 927995162, United States of America is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark: -

March 2002, the Shanghaiheadquartered bankcard association maintains dominance in China and is on its way to become the next global player in the payment business. UnionPay cards are accepted in 135 countries and regions outside China, according to a statement on its website. However, the website has not yet been updated to include Myanmar. UnionPay cards issued by banks rose 22pc in 2011 from a year earlier to 2.9 billion while Visa, which has the worlds largest payment network, rose 4pc to 2.3 billion, shows figures compiled by Bloomberg.

(Reg: Nos. IV/8746/2005, IV/7449/2006, IV/9184/2009 & IV/- - - -/2012) in respect of:- Pharmaceutical, veterinary and sanitary preparations Any fraudulent imitations or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Cophar SA P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 14th January, 2013

(Reg: No. IV/7096/2006) in respect of:- Intraocular lenses Class: 10 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 14th January, 2013

TECNIS

A CB ATM machine on Strand Road that accepts UnionPay, Visa and MasterCard international payment transactions. Pic: Ma Ning

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January 14 - 20, 2013
initial results. At this stage we have launched a very limited number of brands and stock keeping units. We want to get a better understanding of the market first before proceeding in planning a wider assortment, Mr Parodi said. Perfetti Van Melle has a nearly 30 percent market share in neighbouring India and subsidiaries operating in both Vietnam and the Philippines. There is definitely a focus on ASEAN but with different approaches and strategies in the various markets. From a manufacturing point of view obviously we look at ASEAN as a whole, having clear benefits in sourcing from plants located in this area, Mr Parodi said. Mr Parodi said Myanmars lack of trade infrastructure is an obstacle to the distribution of a larger product range, but also said that a measured approach would best fit the companys strategy. Of course we plan to grow further also by enlarging the product portfolio but I believe have affordable prices, Mr Parodi said. Food giant Nestl, the maker of KitKat, Butterfinger and Smarties along with a host of other candy products upgraded its representative office in Myanmar last year in anticipation for an uptick in business. According to a company spokesperson, Nestl works with a number of local distributors who import products directly from other countries, mainly within the ASEAN region. The company scaled back advertising and marketing in Myanmar during the period of economic sanctions but never fully left, maintaining a small office in Yangon. Nestl has kept a lowprofile regarding its future plans for Myanmar, choosing not to comment on possible expansion. But the companys 2011 annual report shows Nestl saw 13pc organic growth in emerging markets, where 40pc of the companys sales were recorded. The growth was driven in part by super consumers India and Chinas

Myanmar Times

Multinationals aim for sweet success

By Tim McLaughlin MULTINATIONAL confectionary companies are looking to satisfy Myanmars sweet tooth as retail growth rates in developing countries are forecast to greatly outpace developed markets. The Dutch-Italian merger Perfetti Van Melle announced on November 20 that it would enter Myanmar with the help of market expansion services group DKSH. We are very proud to be working with Perfetti Van Melle in bringing their renowned brands at affordable price to the people in Myanmar, Preman Mahalda y u a n , g e n e r a l manager of Business Unit Consumer Goods at DKSH Myanmar, said in a statement issued by DKSH at the time. Perfetti Van Melle was formed in March 2001 through a merger of Van Melle of the Netherlands and Prefetti of Italy. In 2006 the company acquired the Spanish lollipop brand Chupa Chups and the Smint line of mint flavoured candies. This addition made

Shops (above, left) stocked with candy in downtown Yangon. Pics: Boothee

RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) is one leading multi-sector group in Vietnam. Our businesses are mainly engaged in real estate, rubber plantation, hydro power, mining and sugar cane processing industry. The company was officially listed in Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange in 2008 with total current market capitalization of USD 700 million. In terms of foreign investment, we have invested in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand with total registered capital of up to USD one billion and have been highly appreciated by the Governments of these countries. The development and investment strategies of HAGL are founded on methodological and critical with the goals of providing the best benefits to the shareholders in particular and society in general. In the Republic of Union of Myanmar, HAGL shall develop one property compound in Yangon City comprising Five Star Hotel, Office Building, Commercial Center and Serviced Apartment. We are now seeking for qualified candidates for the purpose of developing the project successfully as follows: 1 Construction Engineer: 05 persons -Graduated from university of civil engineering or equivalent -At least 5 years of experience in building high-rise building or in relevant job -Fluent in English (both speaking and writing) -Good communication skill -Less than 40 years old Import-Export Executive: 04 persons -Graduated from University of foreign trade or logistics or equivalent -At least 2 years of experience in relevant job -Fluent in English (both speaking and writing) -Active and good communicationskill -Less than 30 years old Senior Human Resource: 02 persons -Graduated from University of Law or related faculties with good knowledge of Labor, Civil issues. Understanding Economics, Property, Investment law shall be an advantage. -At least 3 years of experience in relevant job -Fluent in English (both speaking and writing) -Good communication skill -Less than 40 years old Driver: 03 persons -Myanmar nationality -Having suitable license for cars ranging 4 to 30 seats -Well speaking and understanding English -Knowing Yangon City and Nay Pyi Taws street maps well -Good health and less than 40 years old

2. the company the worlds third largest confectionary group. Along with Chupa Chups and Smint Prefetti, Perfetti Van Melle produces and distributes recognisable products such as Airheads taffy and the Fruittella line of chewy candies. Luca Parodi, executive vice president of Perfetti Van Melle Asia Pacific, told The Myanmar Times on January 8 that the companys products have been available in shops in major cities throughout Myanmar since late December 2012. He said that he was pleased with the at the moment we need to work on a basic stage first with a limited assortment, with clear focus, Mr Parodi said. One major transportation hurdle that Perfetti Van Melle has managed to avoid is the need for refrigerated shipping. The companys confectionary sugar and gum based products are less susceptible to Myanmars tropical heat. Myanmar is a very potential market for confectionery products like ours, which do not require a cold chain in distribution and seemingly insatiable appetite for chocolate. For both Nestl and Perfetti Van Melle, growth in developing countries such as Myanmar is promising. According to data published by market research group Euromonitor International on December 10: Retail growth for confectionery in emerging markets is expected to be three times faster than that of developed regions from 2012 to 2017. []In absolute value terms, some 77pc of global growth will stem from developing markets.

3.

4.

Tech trade touts debut

By Soe Sandar Oo THE first Myanmar Manufacturing Equipment, Components and Engineering Technology Exhibition 2013 to be held from January 16 to 18 at Yangons Tatmadaw Hall has captured the attention of businessmen spanning the EU, ASEAN and America, the shows exhibitors announced last week. Mr A K Kundu, director of India-based Nexgen Material Handling Systems Private Ltd, said it decided to participate in the exhibition to explore Myanmars burgeoning market. He said the exhibition is a golden opportunity for first-time investors. We are confident that we will be one of the first major companies to enter the field we are working in. We expect the representatives and decision makers of Myanmars major industries to attend the exhibition and we expect to be noticed. We expect a large number of enquiries because of our cost effective solutions, he said. The exhibition has special importance to Nexgen, Mr Kundu said, because of Myanmars proximity to India. The three-day exhibition will comprise 150 participants from more than 17 participating countries. The exhibition will benefit many, since Myanmar doesnt often host a one-stop shopping exhibition, said Mr David Chow, director of Singapore-based HQ Bizlink International and the exhibitions organiser. He added that the exhibition will set the standard for the organisation and execution of future exhibitions in the country.

COMMON REQUIREMENTS -Myanmar nationality -Having suitable license for cars ranging 4 to 30 seats -Well speaking and understanding English -Knowing Yangon City and Nay Pyi Taws street maps well -Good health and less than 40 years old HOW TO APPLY If you would like to work in a challenging environment with good opportunities and benefits, please send your CV with a recent photograph (4x6cm), a cover letter in English and copies of qualification certificates to the following address: Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Company Limited 19B Kanbawza Street, Bahan Township,Yangon City, Myanmar. Or by email: E1: myanmar1@hagl.com.vn E2: myanmar1.hagl@gmail.com Note: Phone contact is not accepted during the applying time. Deadline is 25thJan 2013 www.hagl.com.vn

Business
January 14 - 20, 2013
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Job watch
World Vision Myanmar
World Vision is an international non-governmental organization which is focused on improving the well-being of vulnerable children and families in Myanmar. We are seeking dedicated professionals who have a desire to serve others, while building a career in a globally respected organization. POSITION : Zonal Manager (2) LOCATION : Yangon Region / Mandalay Region POSITION : Area Development Program Man- ager(2) LOCATION : Hlaing Bwe and Thayetchaung Townships POSITION : Executive Assistant to National Director (1) LOCATION : Yangon POSITION : Internal Audit Manager (1) LOCATION : Yangon POSITION : Program Finance Coordinator (3) LOCATION : Tarchileik, Kawthaung and Amarapura Please visit www.worldvision.org.mm for more information about each of these positions. Please submit applications to myajobapps@wvi. org by January 25, 2013.

Japanese stocks rise as yen falls on spending; China shares drop

By Richard Frost and Adam Haigh JAPANESE stocks rose for a third day and the yen weakened on January 11 as the government announced stimulus measures. Chinese shares fell after the nations inflation accelerated faster than estimated, limiting room for easing. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average (NKY) jumped 1.2pc at 12:52am in Tokyo on January 11, heading for its longest string of weekly gains since 1988, as the yen retreated 0.3pc to 89.07 a dollar. The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.5pc. Futures on the Standard & Poors 500 Index January 11 showed. There is significant scope for the equity market to outperform in 2013 if Abes promised reforms are undertaken, said Sean Darby, chief global equity strategist at Jefferies Group Inc in Hong Kong. A weaker yen would be beneficial for export-led sectors such as the automobile, electronics and machinery sectors. Exporters led gains on the Nikkei 225, which has rallied 24pc since elections were announced on November 14 amid expectations Abe would win and pursue a more aggressive policy to weaken the yen. The currency has lost 11pc against the dollar during the same period. Sharp Corp, Japans biggest maker of liquid-crystal displays, jumped 9.6pc after the Mainichi newspaper reported it expects to post an operating profit for the first time in five quarters. Honda Motor Co, which gets 81pc of sales abroad, climbed 0.9pc. A weaker yen boosts the outlook for overseas income. Abes package will increase gross domestic product by about 2pc points and create about 600,000 jobs, according to the Cabinet Office. The BOJ is set to adopt the 2pc inflation target advocated by Abe, doubling its existing goal without setting a deadline for achieving it, according to people familiar with central bank officials discussions. The yen touched 89.35 a dollar, the weakest since June 2010. The Japanese currency depreciated 0.2pc to 118.08 a euro, after earlier dropping to

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan will spend 10.3 trillion yen

Shinzo Abe arrives for a conference at the prime ministers official residence in Tokyo on January 11. Pic: Bloomberg 118.59, the lowest level since May 2011. Stocks outside Japan fell as strengthening currencies dragged down exporters, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Excluding Japan Index losing 0.2pc. South Koreas Kospi Index sank 0.9pc as the won rallied 0.4pc against the dollar to its highest level since August 2011 after the countrys central bank kept borrowing costs unchanged. The Hang Seng Index dropped 0.1pc in Hong Kong. Chinas consumer prices rose 2.5pc in December to a sevenmonth high as the nations coldest winter in 28 years pushed up vegetable prices. Price gains may become a concern in the second half, Chen Yulu, a central bank academic adviser, said on January 8. Gold fell 0.1pc to $1,673.95. The metal was 1pc higher this week, poised to end the worst run of weekly losses since 2004. Copper for delivery in three months in London added 0.2pc to $8,162 a metric ton, heading for its third weekly gain. Zinc rose 0.4pc, while aluminum climbed 0.1pc. The US trade deficit probably narrowed in November as exports climbed, economists said before the Commerce Department released in its latest report on January 11. The gap shrank to $41.3 billion from Octobers $42.2 billion, according to the median forecast of 68 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. A Labour Department report at the same time may show import prices were little changed in December, based on responses from economists. Bloomberg

were little changed. Gold headed for its first weekly advance in seven. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan will spend 10.3 trillion yen (US$116 billion) to accelerate a recovery from recession as speculation rose that the Bank of Japan will step up monetary easing. The quickening in Chinas inflation makes further policy loosening less likely, after exports and credit growth underscored the strength of the economic rebound. The US trade deficit probably narrowed in November as exports climbed, data on

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January 14 - 20, 2013
and Capgemini SA said in September. The wealth in India, China and Southeast Asia may exceed the total in the US and Europe by 2030, the Asian Development Bank said in May. Among the worlds top 100 wealthy individuals, 11 are Asians, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Jetsolution, headquartered in Hong Kong, provides consulting services to privatejet owners in Asia and advises on aircraft acquisitions and sales. The company, established in 2009, gets three to five enquiries a day from potential clients, said Jackie Wu, president of Jetsolution. Increased trade as well as development of resources and real-estate projects in Asia are driving demand for private jets as they require traveling to remote areas and flexible time arrangements, Wu said. While demand is growing, private-jet owners face challenges in flying in the region because of a lack of infrastructure, Wu said. Private planes have to
Embassy of Switzerland in Myanmar

Myanmar Times

Millionaires ditch first class for new toys

By Kyunghee Park MILLIONAIRES in search of new toys are set to fuel a fourfold jump in Asias share of private jets in the next five years. Asians may own as much as 20 percent of the global luxury jets fleet by 2017 as economic growth spawns new millionaires, said Singapore-based KK Yong, vice president of Jetsolution International Services Ltd Southeast Asia will create the next wave of demand for private aircraft, benefiting General Dynamics Corps Gulfstream, Embraer SA and Textron Incs Cessna, the aviation consultant said. Rising affluence in Southeast Asia, China and India amid a boom in mining and property projects is boosting demand for private jets to increase business flexibility and cut travel times, according to Jetsolution. The number of people in the Asia-Pacific region with at least $1 million in investable assets rose 1.6pc to 3.37 million in 2011, RBC Wealth Management compete for airport space against airlines carrying more passengers, and may be restricted in their landing or takeoff hours, as governments prioritise tourism as a source of revenue, she said. Cessna opened a regional service center in Singapore in July last year. Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd is building a hangar that will also service business jets, scheduled to begin operating as early as the end of March. Southeast Asia plays a very important role in supporting these aircraft in the region, especially in Singapore, Wu said. Maintenance in Singapore will sort of fuel growth in business aviation in the local region. Bloomberg

A guest takes a picture of a General Dynamics Corp Gulfstream G550 aircraft at Narita International Airport Corps new business aviation terminal. Pic: Bloomberg

The Embassy of Switzerland partners with Myanmar citizens, local and international organizations to reduce poverty, to promote gender and et hnic equality, and to foster good governance. We value accountability, transparency, an active civil society, and democracy. We are a team of highly motivated professionals working in the newly opened Embassy of Switzerland in Yangon that besides the diplomatic representation manages an important development programme. We are looking for a dynamic and outstanding Myanmar national to reinforce our expertise and fill the position of: Human Resources Officer The incumbent to be responsible for the following tasks in relation with local personnel of the Embassy: HR Compliance (expectation: autonomously ensures full compliance of HR processes and records with the Swiss Confederation rules, regulations, policies and strategies and Myanmar Laws. Recruitments (expectation: autonomously organizes and monitors all the recruitment processes with the concerned parties) Administration of Contracts, Benefits and Entitlements: (expectation: autonomously prepares and administer the contracts and the staffs attendance, prepares the payroll, maintains proper filing system for HR files and documents, manages medical claims, informs the staffs on their entitlements and obligations) Salary Surveys (expectation: collects information for interim and comprehensive salary surveys) Staff Development and Training: (expectation: autonomously supports the staff in developing their learning plan and monitors implementation. Requirements: University degree in Human Resources Management, Business Management or any relevant field. Minimum of five years experience in a similar position with an international organization or company Fluency in both written and spoken English Diplomacy and tact, empathy, discretion and sensitivity to different cultures essential. Good communication and inter-personal skills Good organizational skills and attention to details Computer literate, especially in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The position is based in a multi-cultural environment that places a high value on inclusive team work. You will have opportunities to work closely with all levels of Government and non-governmental agencies and interact with local people from all over the country. The position offers opportunities for professional growth. The Embassy of Switzerland in Yangon is a value based equal opportunities employer, appointing on merits by open competition. We highly encourage women and persons from diverse background to apply. Please send Curriculum Vitae (incl. references, certificates and expected salary) and a one page application letter explaining why we should consider you to be the ideal candidate for the position to: Embassy of Switzerland 11, Kabaung Lane 5 mile, Pyay Road Hlaing Township, Yangon You can send a copy electronically to: zarchi.htike@eda.admin.ch Closing date for applications: 23rd of January 2013. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview. No telephone inquiries. We do not return application files.

Vacancy Announcement

Property
January 14 - 20, 2013
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Myanmar Times

Rents under pressure in Hong Kongs Central

By Kelvin Wong HONG Kongs Central district office rental, the most expensive globally, is set to extend its biggest decline since the global credit crisis, according to the worlds two biggest realtors. Leasin g costs in the district where Goldman Sachs Group Inc and HSBC Holdings Plc have offices will likely be little changed in 2013, Rhodri James, executive director for office services at CBRE Group Inc, said. Jones Lang LaSalle Inc sees rents dropping slightly in the first half before picking up in the second, Ben Dickinson, head of Hong Kong markets, said. Banks and brokerages, faced with slowing corporate finance activities, are giving up space in Central for locations in the city where rents can be two-thirds lower. Global financial services firms, including Bank of America Corp, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and UBS AG, have announced a total of more than 300,000 job cuts worldwide since the start of 2011, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Itll be a fairly slow market in 2013, CBREs James said in a December 28 interview. Were going to keep seeing bad news in the banking sector and thats not going away in the first half. If they continue to cut back and hand back space, we could be in a similar situation in the second half. An index compiled by Colliers International that measures confidence in the office leasing markets among brokers in Asia stood at 57.1 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with 62.9pc in the first quarter and 55.1pc in the third quarter. A higher number indicates a more optimistic outlook. The average rent for prime offices in Central dropped 12pc from a year earlier to about HK$98.80 (US$12.75) a square foot a month at the end of the third quarter, according to Seattle-based Colliers. That was the biggest drop since 2008. With financial services companies migrating their back offices and sometimes the entire operations away from Central, almost all other major office districts in Hong Kong posted gains in rental rates and drops in vacancies last year. Centrals grade-A vacancy rate rose to 5.5pc in the third quarter from 3.5pc a year earlier, according to Colliers. Meanwhile, in Island East, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Sheung Wan, all within a 15-minute subway ride from Central, vacancies dropped to below 3pc. In Kowloon East, an industrial and logistics area that is evolving into a back-office hub for banks, vacancies dropped to 9.6pc from 12.9pc. The trend will continue and that wont just be for next year, said Dickinson of Jones Lang LaSalle, the worlds secondlargest commercial real estate brokerage, in a January 8 interview. Were increasingly seeing banks looking very

Bank of America is close to agreeing to lease almost 150,000 square feet of prime office space in Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shings Cheung Kong Center in Central. Pic: Bloomberg seriously at moving frontoffice operations to these locations. Central has such a rental premium against the other sub-districts and Hong Kong is an easy place to get around. Some Central landlords have over the past year lowered their asking rents by as much as 30pc to attract tenants, Simon Smith, Hong Kong-based head of research at Savills Plc, said in an interview on January 9. Bank of America is close to agreeing to lease almost 150,000 square feet of prime office space in Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shings Cheung Kong Center in Central, two people familiar with the transaction said last month. The deal, brokered by CBRE, is the biggest by space in the district since at least 2003. The amount of funds raised in IPOs in Hong Kong in 2012 fell to $7.9 billion, the lowest since 2003, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Still, support for the office market this year could come from the continuing influx of mainland Chinese financial services companies looking to Hong Kong as a gateway to international expansion, said Savillss Smith, who is predicting rents in the city to rise 10pc in 2013. The international investment banks are less brand- conscious and more cost-conscious than people think, he said. But these mainland businesses want good quality premises and at the moment theyre finding it tough to get them. Prime office rents in Tsim Sha Tsui, a hub for trading firms and retail companies with a vacancy rate below 1pc at the end of the third quarter, rose 9.3pc to HK$49 a square foot a month during the year, while the biggest increase among all major office district came from Kowloon East, which gained 11pc to HK$33 a square foot per month. New prime office supply set for Hong Kong over the next nine years wont be enough to meet half of the forecast demand for space, according to a study by CBRE published in October. Bloomberg

Trade Mark Caution

NOTICE is hereby given that SUMIDA CORPORATION of Asahi Building, 3-12-2, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, 1038589 Tokyo, Japan is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademarks: -

(Reg: Nos. IV/741/2009 & IV/13405/2012) in respect of: - Retail store services in the field of electronic parts all provided on line from a global communications network, provision of information relating to the business supply or electronic parts, business services relating to establishment of business abroad, professional business consultancy, marketing research, provision of information relating to product sales, ordering services (for others) in the field of electronic parts via the global communication network, personnel management, consultation for personnel recruitment, rental of office machines and equipment, business management of real estate ( for others) , introduction of the necessary personnel in the manufacture factory of goods, personnel placement services in the field of manufacturing plant of consumers good, agency services of business management in the field of manufacturing plant of consumers goods- Class: 35

coils, antennas, coils and inductors, electric magnetic relays, power supply units, light dimmers, magnetic iron core, ferrite core, printed wire board, electromagnetic shield case, filters for audio and video, direct current inverters, inverters for converting direct current to alternating current, inverter units, chip inductors, transformer for networking and communication equipment, intermediate frequency transformers for radio tuners and television tuners, pickups for audio, video and computer and parts thereof, transformers for driving of discharge lamp, integrate circuit cards, protection device for electric circuit, ignition coils for firing engines of vehicle, coils for anti lock brake systems for automobile and motorcycle, coils for control circuit of airbag systems.

BlackRock buys riskier developers

By Rachel Evans and David Yong BLACKROCK Inc, the worlds largest asset manager, is buying more debt from lower-rated Chinese property developers as a pick-up in the economy cuts junk-bond yields to the lowest in almost eight years. Speculative-grade notes sold by the nations companies pay an average 7.63 percent, down 713 basis points over the past year and the lowest since March 2005, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes. The countrys B rated issuers offer 247 basis points more than their BB peers, the data show. That exceeds the 147 basispoint spread between similar US junk bonds, according to the indexes. The operating environment for property companies and their ability to fund themselves has improved, said Joel Kim, head of Asia-Pacific fixed income in Singapore at BlackRock, which managed US$3.67 trillion as of September 30. Were venturing out a little bit more into single B rated companies within that sector where we believe the fundamentals are good enough. Rising demand from global funds, encouraged by a seven- month increase in new home prices in the worlds second-largest economy, has helped developers in mainland China and Hong Kong sell the most dollar bonds on record, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Unrated CSI Properties Ltd and Hopson Development Holdings Ltd, graded B- by Standard & Poors, both sold notes this week. More than $1 billion of cash flowed into emerging-market bond funds in the week to January 2, according to data provider EPFR Global. Chinese and Hong Kong developers sold $2.8 billion of bonds last week, making this month already the busiestever for these borrowers, with $4.05 billion of sales. Country Garden Holdings Co, the developer owned by Yang Huiyan, Chinas richest woman, and Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd opened the dollar market for Asian issuers in the new year. Bloomberg

(Reg: Nos. IV/740/2009& IV/13407/2012) in respect of:- Anti lock brake apparatus for automobile and motorcycle; airbags ( safety devices for automobiles), coils for anti-lock brake systems for automobile and motorcycle, control unit for anti-lock brake systems for automobile and motorcycle, coils for control circuit of airbag systems, airbag systems and parts thereof, ignition coils for firing engines of vehicle. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for SUMIDA CORPORATION P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 14th January, 2013

(Reg: Nos. IV/739/2009 & IV/13406/2012) in respect of:- Power supply transformers (or transformers for power supply), direct current converters, inductance capacitance filters, line filters for eliminating or suppressing alternating current and direct current noise, duplexer, choke

23
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Property
January 14 - 20, 2013
to spend $700 million to convert the propertys tower into a hotel and mixed-use complex, and create a casino that would incorporate the 45,000-square-foot hall that used to house the printing presses. Blatstein expects the license approval process to take as long as a year, and construction to be completed by 2015. This is the largest parcel in town, Blatstein said in an interview last month. Its very unique and very rare. Genting Malaysia BHD has similar plans for the 14-acre parcel of Miami land, including the Miami Herald building, that it bought from Sacramento, California-based McClatchy Co in 2011 for $236 million. The company plans to raze the waterfront building and turn it into a hotel-condo, mixed-use development with the possibility of an adjacent casino, said Tadd Schwartz, a spokesman. The Miami Herald in May will move into a 158,000 square- foot office building in Doral, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) west of downtown Miami, according to Tere Blanca, president and chief executive officer at Blanca Commercial Real Estate, which helped the newspaper find its new home. In a suburban neighborhood like Doral, gross office rents for higherend buildings range between $18 and $32 a square foot, compared to as high as $45 in downtown Miami, she said. It helps the paper to move into a more modern, new space and to cut costs, Blanca said. More newspaper real estate may become available as the industry continues to shrink, said National Developments Tye. I have been getting a newspaper on my front steps for 40 years, he said. I just went all digital and am reading it off my iPad now. Newspapers will continue to downsize and with that come the opportunities for developers like us. Bloomberg

Myanmar Times

Condos replace newsrooms across US

By Nadja Brandt N ewspaper o w n e r s , struggling with plunging demand and advertising spending at a six-decade low, are squeezing money out of the assets they do have with rising value: buildings and land. AH Belo Corp is trying to sell the main offices of the Providence Journal in Rhode Island and adjacent lots. Gannett Co, owner of USA Today, has put the Iowa building of the Des Moines Register on the market and is evaluating options for its Virginia headquarters, adding to more than 2 million square feet (185,800 square meters) of property divestitures by the company since 2005. Newspaper properties across the country are attracting developers who are looking to overhaul the assets often located in the heart of downtown areas as real estate values rebound. For publishers, which have slashed jobs, closed bureaus and scaled back coverage as demand for print news falls, selling buildings represents another effort to cut costs and generate returns for investors as their space needs shrink. This decline over the last decade has led to major adjustments in the industry, said Mark Perry, an economics and finance professor at the University of MichiganFlint who tracks newspaper advertising. If these companies can somehow offset this unprecedented drop in revenue, they will certainly try to do so and selling off some of their real estate makes perfect sense. Advertising expenditures for print and online media in the US have fallen every

Pages for the Dallas Morning News are fed through a printing press in Plano, Texas. Pic: Bloomberg stock-market value of $113 million. In addition to the Providence Journal site, the publisher is seeking sales of property such as the Press-Enterprise building in Riverside, California, within three years, according to an October presentation posted on the companys website. The company is looking to take advantage of a real estate recovery as its space requirements decline, Chief Financial Officer Alison Engel said. It considers non-core real estate to be office buildings and parking lots, compared with those used directly in operations, such as printing plants, she said. There is a recognition that the business is central spotlight anymore as they used to be in times past, he said. With the rise of online communications you dont need to be in center of town. You can pay down debt, raise capital and get cheaper real estate in the suburbs. Gannett, the owner of 82 daily newspapers, has been actively engaged in finding ways to use our real estate assets more efficiently, Chief Executive Officer Gracia Martore said during the companys third-quarter earnings call in October. The company is considering all options for its real estate, including its 650,000square-foot headquarters building in Tysons Corner, Virginia, she said. declined to comment on the prospect for more sales. Other companies have sought to profit from their property holdings. New York Times Co in 2009 sold the space it occupies in its Manhattan headquarters for $225 million to pay debt and leased it back. The newspaper moved to the building in July 2007 after selling its former headquarters to Tishman Speyer Properties LP for $175 million in 2004. Tribune Co, which exited bankruptcy on December 31, is now in a position to begin asset sales, including real estate, Lance Vitanza, managing director at CRT Capital Group LLC, said that day. Gary Weitman, a spokesman for the Chicagobased publisher, declined to comment. For developers, the real estate can be more valuable as housing or retail sites. In Massachusetts, builder National Development plans to early this year begin the redevelopment of the former home of the Boston Herald, razing the old building and constructing a mixed-use property with 85,000 square feet of retail space and 475 residential units, according to Theodore Tye, a managing partner at the Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts-based company. This is a very unique opportunity to build an iconic project in a very highdensity area in Boston, Tye said in a telephone interview. There arent too many sixacre sites available in prime downtown locations. The Herald is now leasing a smaller office building in the citys Seaport District simply because we did not need all the space, Gwen Gage, a spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. Redevelopment of the buildings is a more profitable option for property owners, said Richard Green, director of the University of Southern Californias Lusk Center for Real Estate in Los Angeles. Today, almost certainly its not the highest and best use of a property to house a newspaper, Green said in an interview. In highbarriers-to-entry markets, like Boston and nowadays Miami, building a new residential or mixed-use development instead will be a very good play. Developer Bart Blatsteins Tower Investments Inc is embarking on the redevelopment of a twocity-block property in Philadelphia with a 526,000square-foot building that served as the former offices of the Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com. He purchased the real estate from Philadelphia Media Network in the fourth quarter of 2011, paying $22.5 million for the building and the second block. The local builder applied for a casino license in November and is looking

certainly its not the highest and best use Today, almost of a property to house a newspaper.
quarter since the start of 2007, according to the Newspaper Association of America. Annual advertising revenue was an estimated US$19 billion in 2012, the lowest since the group started tracking the information in 1950, when adjusted for inflation, according to data compiled by Perry. Daily circulation volume dropped 12 percent between 2007 and 2011. Commercial-property values are on the rise, particularly in the urban areas where newspapers tend to be based. US prices climbed 7pc last year and are, on average, within a few percentage points of their 2007 highs, according to a report this week from Green Street Advisors Inc, a Newport Beach, Californiabased real estate research firm. AH Belo, based in Dallas, estimates the value of its non-core real estate at about $72.5 million almost two- thirds of its transforming, she said in an interview. Now is a good time to pursue opportunities to monetize real estate and redeploy that capital into new revenue initiatives and/or return cash to shareholders. AH Belo, which also publishes the Dallas Morning News, had 1,900 full-time employees at the end of 2011, compared with 3,400 in 2007, according to regulatory filings. Revenue in the third quarter was down 29pc from the same period four years earlier, though the company reported a $1.5 million profit after losses for three of the previous four years. The stock has fallen more than 60pc since its spinoff from Belo Corp in 2008. Newspaper companies are finding they can save money by renting offices outside of urban areas, said Leo Kulp, a New York-based advertising and publishing analyst at Citigroup Inc. Newspapers arent in the As we look to optimize our real estate portfolio, none of our facilities, including our Tysons Corner building, are off the table, Martore said. In October, the company put its Des Moines Register office up for sale and said it plans to lease 86,000 square feet of office space elsewhere in town. It also is trying to sell properties ranging from the Indianapolis Star building to a production facility in Cincinnati. Gannetts Asbury Park Press is putting its headquarters in Neptune, New Jersey, up for sale and will be seeking new space to lease, the newspaper reported on January 12, citing Tom Donovan, its president and publisher. The newspapers manufacturing facility moved to Neptune from nearby Asbury Park in 1980, and its news and business office followed five years later, the paper said. Jeremy Gaines, a spokesman for Gannett,

Technology
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

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Myanmar Times

Health, fitness gadgets grab attention at electronics fair

LAS VEGAS With an app, a game or a gadget, technology startups and major companies are trying to tackle some of the thorniest problems in health and medicine. The Consumer Electronics Show last week was filled with new gadgets to monitor fitness, detect problems and find solutions to health issues ranging from obesity to diabetes to rare medical conditions. One trend is gamification, which uses a model from the video game industry to offer points and rewards to boost health and reduce costs. At CES, the worlds biggest technology show, UnitedHealthcare unveiled a joint effort with Konami Digital Entertainment to reduce childhood obesity through a new dance game that challenges youngsters while monitoring such factors as body mass index and caloric burn rate. The program adds game mechanics and game psychology to make the experience more engaging and immersing, said Arianne Hoyland, game producer for the insurance giant. It turns out gamification of health really works, said James McQuivey, analyst at Forrester Research. People have a competitive urge, and this can bring new people into something. People want peer recognition, they want to outdo other people. James Fujimoto of the

Smile! Your TV is watching you

L A S V E G A S I n t h e users and create a home new world of technology, screen allow programming television is not just for tailored for each. Other manufacturers watching. It is also watching are working on similar you. S o - c a l l e d s m a r t T V s technology which take unveiled last week at the advantage of television over International Consumer internet. This new interactivity Electronics Show offer technologies that watch opens up possibilities for the viewer, in an effort advertisers who will be able to offer more relevant to develop more targeted pitches, but raises some of programming. The idea may sound eerie the same privacy concerns of to those familiar with George data collection on the Web. The concept is not so Orwells novel 1984 but people in the industry say much Big Brother as Big this is the next step in the Marketer, says Thomas Coughlin of the data evolution of TV viewing. Chinese manufacturer consulting firm Coughlin TCL unveiled at the show Associates, who attended the a new TV and set-top box Las Vegas gathering. This could to be sold later be creepy to this year in ome of us the US using The concept is s because it is the Google TV platform which not so much Big making use of data in a way recognises who is watching in Brother as Big that has been done before. order to suggest Marketer. Coughlin potential said consumers programs. will want to The TV developed with Marvell know where the data is Technology Group uses and how it might be shared sensors and voice recognition and says there also may be to determine who is viewing questions about security of and can offer streamed or the data in the cloud. Rob Enderle, an analyst live programs which appear to appeal to an individual and consultant with Enderle Group, said this model or family. This offers a game- will become the norm as changing entertainment television gravitates to experience for consumers internet platforms. Increasingly, TVs will around the world that will drive the smart TV market know who is watching them forward at a rapid pace, and I expect advertisers will said Weili Dai, co-founder know shortly thereafter. This should result in shows and of Marvell. Panasonic also used CES commercials you like more to show its new Viera smart and even better products, television which can recognise but far less privacy. AFP

Filippe Monteiro Da Rocha of Hong Kong-based firm Hapilabs displays wireless computer connected forks that help to control appetite and monitor caloric intake, at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 9. Pic: AFP ANT+ Alliance, which includes some 350 firms that use low-power devices for fitness devices, including many wearable ones, said gamification has grown into a very big initiative that is very popular for training. Other exhibitors at CES showed exercise arm bands and other gadgets to track factors such as heart rates, or real-time monitoring of blood sugar for persons with diabetes. Another showed a digital fork that monitors caloric intake and vibrates if its user is eating too much too fast. Some use low-power Bluetooth-connected patches to transmit data to a smartphone, a godsend for Bastian Hauck, a competitive sailor with type 1 diabetes who attended CES to promote the Continua Health Alliance for mobile wellness. Hauck told AFP the Bluetooth patch he wears transmits to a smartphone and enables him to monitor glucose in real time, helping him determine the best eating and insulin intakes. He shares that information with other diabetics. Treating diabetes, Hauck said, is like a guessing game. You have to do it 24/7. There is no rest. Although he could write down his readings, the wireless app makes it easier and provides extra motivation by being part of a community battling the same disease. AFP

Trade Mark Caution

NOTICE is hereby given that J. Walter Thompson Company of 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY10017, United States of America is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademarks: (Reg: Nos. IV/941/1997 & IV/11325/2012)

J. WALTER THOMPSON

(Reg: Nos. IV/683/1997 & IV/11326/2012) The above two trademarks are in respect of:Advertising, promotional, sales and marketing services; business and business management services; advisory and consultancy services; publicity services; production of advertising matter and commercials; public relations services; market research and market analysis; research and information services relating to business, advertising and marketing; market support services; interactive and social media marketing; statistical analysis and compilation; business administration; office services; media research and consultancy; planning, buying and negotiating advertising space; provision of information relating to the aforesaid.-Class: 35 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for J.Walter Thompson Company. P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 14th January, 2013

TimesWORLD
GUANGZHOU A Chinese newspaper at the centre of protests over censorship said last week that Communist Party regulation of the media must keep pace with the times, in its first edition since the row began. Its fundamental that the party regulates the press, but its method of regulation needs to be advanced to keep pace with the times, the Southern Weekly said in an editorial on January 10, without referring directly to the controversy. The row at the liberal paper, sparked by the replacement of an article urging greater rights protection with one praising the ruling party, led to demonstrations outside its headquarters in the southern city of Guangzhou. At their peak the protests, the first against press censorship in two decades, drew hundreds of people and the campaign built momentum on Weibo, Chinas equivalent of Twitter, backed by celebrities with millions of followers. But the popular newspaper came out on January 10 as scheduled, after reports that staff and authorities had reached a deal that officials would no longer directly interfere in content before publication. There was speculation that as part of the agreement, Southern Weekly would not give its account of the controversy. In the event the editorial on press freedom was printed in small text, as a commentary about another article on media management reprinted from the Peoples Daily, the partys mouthpiece. The Southern Weekly said that because of the rising popularity of the internet, China needed an updated method of managing public opinion. It called for reasonable and constructive media to be protected, but did not directly criticise the governments handling of the controversy. Chinese media can never be independent of the government... but the

January 14 - 20, 2013

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Myanmar Times

Chinese paper sends party a message on censorship

propaganda department should not censor in advance, said Min Jiang, a professor of journalism at Beijing Foreign Studies University. The deal seemed to mark progress in setting limits for government censorship, he added. Reports said Hu Chunhua, the top communist official in Guangdong province where the newspaper is based and a rising star in the party, had mediated in the row. Southern Weeklys investigative reports have made it one of the countrys biggest-selling papers with a keen following among urban intellectuals, but also left it subject to periodic purges. All Chinese media organisations receive instructions from government propaganda departments, which suppress news seen by the party as negative. But the censorship of Southern Weekly was seen as unusually direct, although the original article soon emerged on Chinese social media. AFP

China wrong to target Japanese business: Abe

TOKYO China was wrong to deliberately target Japanese business interests as part of a state campaign in a row over disputed territory, Japans new prime minister Shinzo Abe said on January 11. For political ends, harming Japanese companies and individuals in China that contribute to the Chinese economy and society I want to say it is wrong for a responsible nation state in the international community, Abe said. It not only harms bilateral relations, it has a significantly negative influence on Chinas economy and its society, he told a news conference in his latest barb aimed at China. Japans ties with Beijing have remained tense for months as the two nations repeatedly face off in waters around the Tokyocontrolled Senkaku islands, which China claims as the Diaoyus. Chinese government ships have been seen off the islands many times since Japan nationalised three of them in September. Japans purchase prompted violent rallies across China, with protesters attempting to storm Japanese diplomatic missions and vandalising Japanese stores, factories and shops selling Japanesebrand goods. The riots and an unofficial Chinese consumer boycott of Japanese products cost firms more than US$100 million, the Japanese government estimated. Analysts noted the apparent unwillingness of Beijing to stop the violent demonstrators over the summer, as the Communist Party managed a delicate power transfer from President Hu Jintao to Xi Jinping. Since Japan nationalised the islands, China has increased its activities around the archipelago, sending official vessels to waters around them many times. Abe came to power in December with pledges he would reverse what he said was Nodas pliant conduct in the face of a confident China. Regarding Senkaku, there is no change to my position to resolutely protect this water and territory. There is no room for negotiation on this, Abe told the news conference. Abes posture towards South Korea, with which Japan is also involved in a territorial row over islands, is in marked contrast to his attitude on Beijing. Abe said he planned to build a relationship of trust with the neighbouring US allies, noting that they shared common values: liberty, democracy, basic human rights and rule of law. AFP Related reports P. 32, 33

US will stand by Afghanistan, vows Panetta

WASHINGTON The United States sought to assure Afghan President Hamid Karzai on January 10 that it would remain committed to his country even as US officials consider a major withdrawal of American forces. After ceremony outside the Pentagon on the eve of Karzais White House talks, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told his distinguished visitor that more than a decade of war had paved the way for Afghanistan to stand on its own. After a long and difficult past, we finally are, I believe, at the last chapter of establishing a sovereign Afghanistan that can govern and secure itself for the future, Panetta said. Since US-led troops toppled the Taliban in 2001 after the September 11 attacks, the Afghan president has had a stormy relationship with his US allies. Karzais meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House was expected to focus on how many American troops will remain in Afghanistan after the 2014 drawdown. Obama, newly elected to a second term, is charting a plan to pull most of the 66,000 US troops out of Afghanistan well down from a high of about 100,000. The United States and its NATO allies have already agreed to withdraw combat troops by the end of 2014, but questions remain on a US training and security role after that. AFP Wreckage left after a twin suicide bombing attack that killed at least 81 people at a snooker hall used by Shia Muslims in Quetta, Pakistan, on January 10, hours after a bomb targeting a vehicle used by security forces killed 11 people elsewhere in the city. A bomb at a religious gathering in the northwestern Swat valley the same day killed 22 people. The snooker hall bombing was the deadliest such attack in Pakistan since twin suicide bombers killed 98 people on May 13, 2011. Pic: AFP

World
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

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Myanmar Times

Icon celebrates its sesquicentenary

LONDON The London Underground, the worlds oldest metro system, celebrated its 150th anniversary last week, still rumbling along and carrying four million passengers a day throughout the British capital. On January 10, 1863, after three years of privatelyfunded construction work, Londons first underground railway line opened to the public. Long queues formed at each of the seven stations for the chance to ride the line, in carriages lit by gas lamps and pulled by a steam locomotive. Passengers could travel in first, second or third class, and from 1874 onwards, in smoking or non-smoking carriages. For the first time in the history of the world men can ride in pleasant carriages, an d w i th c o n si d e r able comfort, lower down than gas pipes and water pipes... lower than the graveyards, enthused the Daily News newspaper at the time. William Hardman, one of the first passengers, said: We experienced no disagreeable odour, beyond the smell common to tunnels. The carriages... are so lofty that a six footer may stand erect with his hat on. That first line, designed to relieve congestion in what was then the worlds biggest city, linked three of Londons railway terminuses (Paddington, Euston and Kings Cross) with the heart of the city. The Metropolitan Railway ran for five kilometres (three miles) and had seven stops. A century and a half inside and, to avoid chaos for commuters, white lines were painted on the platforms to mark out the dividing line between passengers and sleeping families. Six decades later on July 7, 2005, the Tube itself was attacked, when four suicide bombers blew themselves up on three Underground trains and a bus, killing 52 innocent victims. Throughout its history, the Tube has been cherished and derided a tourist may have a very different view from a commuter who has just spent half an hour sweating in a crammed carriage held up by signal failures. There is a love-hate relationship between Londoners and the Underground, Green said. They all complain about it due to its breakdowns, endless upgrade works and costly fares 116.80 (US$187.60) a month to cover only the most central zone but they have to use it. Due to chronic underinvestment over several decades, the Underground has become a monster, sclerotic and tangle-limbed, said The Daily Telegraph newspaper, struggling to respond to the ever-increasing growth in passenger numbers. The 1987 fire at Kings Cross station, which killed 31 people, served as a wakeup call, said Green. The government began to reinvest in the Tube in the 1990s and a big modernisation program began in 2003. Due to be finished in 2020, it is costing 1.4 billion pounds a year. AFP

later, the Tube runs for 402 kilometres (250 miles), linking 270 stations and carries passengers on 1.1

of the Tube became the symbol of London, said Oliver Green, who co-wrote Underground: How the Tube

in 1931 and first issued two years later, it was inspired by electronic circuit boards and only roughly resembles

During the Blitz the World War II Nazi bombardment of London and other cities tens of

We experienced no disagreeable odour, beyond the smell common to tunnels.

billion journeys a year. It became the lifeblood of London, David Waboso, Transport for Londons capital programs director, told AFP. Furthermore, the symbol Shaped London. The roundel a red circle with a horizontal blue bar first appeared in 1908 and is as much an indelible London icon as the Tube map. Designed by Harry Beck the actual layout of the Tube lines. The Tube has had to adapt to the rhythm of London life and live through some of the British capitals defining moments. thousands of Londoners slept in Tube stations to shelter from the air raids. Some 177,500 people were recorded on September 27, 1940. Hospitals were installed

Garlic smugglers made a fortune, court told

STOCKHOLM Two British men are believed to have made millions of euros in just over a year by smuggling Chinese garlic from Norway into Sweden, a prosecutor in Gothenburg said on January 9. Something didnt smell right for authorities in June 2010, when a truck full of garlic was intercepted in the Bohuslaen region, near the Norwegian border. The trail led them to a garlic smuggling duo which is believed to have made millions of euros by avoiding European Union tariffs. You bring the garlic into Norway saying its for your own consumption, and then you take it into Sweden, said prosecutor Thomas Ahlstrand. Between February 2009 and June 2010, the men are believed to have skirted 10.6 million euros (US$13.8 million) in tariffs and fees by bringing garlic into the Scandinavian country from Norway, which is not a member of the EU. However, the amount of money pocketed by the two men would have been lower, since they had to pay Norwegian duties as well as higher transportation costs than if the product had been brought straight into the EU, he added. The prosecutor has asked a Gothenburg district court to remand the men in custody in absentia, but so far no international arrest warrant has been issued for the two men, whose names were not disclosed. This sometimes happens with different types of food, he said, citing rice as another product that had been smuggled into Europe. Last month, British customs officials named a garlic smuggler as one of the countrys worst tax cheats of 2012. Murugasan Natarajan was sentenced to six years in prison after evading about two million pounds ($3.2 million) in customs duty while importing Chinese garlic, the agency said on a list published on photo sharing website Flickr. The man, who absconded, claimed to be importing ginger but investigators found that the containers he used were the wrong temperature, it said. AFP

27
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World
January 14 - 20, 2013

Myanmar Times

Briefs
Peace envoy biased, says Damascus
DAMASCUS Damascus on January 10 accused joint UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi of flagrant bias against it. The criticism of the veteran Algerian diplomat, who has tried since September to quell the violence in Syria, revealed rising diplomatic tensions over the countrys 21 months of violence. It followed Brahimis comments that a three-stage road map President Bashar al-Assad proposed on January 6 to negotiate a political solution with approved elements of the opposition was one-sided.

US outlines faster pace for Afghanistan pullout

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama said last week NATO troops would speed up a transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces this spring, in a sign the pace of US troop withdrawals could quicken. After meeting Afghan President Hamid Karzai on January 11, Obama said NATO forces would have a very limited role in the country after 2014 and insisted that Washington had achieved its prime goal of decapitating al-Qaeda. The leaders met at a crucial moment in the final chapter of a long, bloody war, and as Obama balances the future security of Afghanistan with US combat fatigue and a desire to spend Americas dwindling resources at home. Starting this spring, our troops will have a different mission training, advising, assisting Afghan forces. It will be a historic moment and another step toward full Afghan sovereignty, Obama told a joint news conference. NATO plans previously called for foreign forces to transfer the lead in fighting the Taliban by the middle of this year. Obama was careful to stress, however, that US troops will still fight alongside Afghans. Karzai added that from the spring, the Afghan forces will be fully responsible for providing security and protection to the Afghan people. International forces, the American forces, will be no longer present in the villages... it will be the task of the Afghan forces to provide for the Afghan people in security and protection. Obama, planning the withdrawal of most of the 66,000 US troops left and terror suspects to Afghan control, starting soon after he returns home. But he would not be drawn on the size of the foreign troop garrison he believes is necessary to support Afghan forces. The White House has ordered the Pentagon to come up with plans for a smaller future Afghan presence than generals had expected, perhaps numbering 3000, 6000 or 9000 US troops. Obamas domestic political opponents, however, charge he is in a rush for the exit and warn that a minimal force could squander gains hard won in a war that has killed more than 3000 coalition troops. The White House even suggested last week that Obama would not rule out the possibility of leaving zero American boots on the ground. This has compounded Afghan fears the country could be abandoned again by the international community as it was after the end of the Soviet occupation in 1989. The power vacuum led to the rise of the Taliban and a safe haven for al-Qaeda to plot the September 11 attacks, which drew the United States into an Afghan war in 2001. Obama said on January 11 that despite the huge human and financial cost of the 12-year war, it was important to recognise that it had been waged in response to those attacks and had achieved its central goals. There is no doubt that the possibility of peace and prosperity in Afghanistan today is higher than before we went in, he said. AFP

Mali launches offensive against rebels

BAMAKO Backed by French airpower, Mali last week unleashed a counterattack against Islamist fighters, recapturing a town lost to the rebels as they advanced south from their northern strongholds. Malian troops recaptured the central town of Konna on January 11, a military spokesman told AFP a day after it fell to the Islamists. In a speech to the nation on January 11, Malis interim president Dioncounda Traore vowed to crush the countrys enemies. Our choice is peace... but they have forced war on us. We will carry out a crushing and massive retaliation against our enemies, Traore said. In Paris, French President Francois Hollande confirmed that French forces were supporting the Malian offensive aimed at repelling the al-Qaeda-linked radicals who control northern Mali. While he gave no indication of the scale of French involvement he said it would last for as long as necessary. In a letter to the United Nations, France called on the body to speed up the deployment of an African-led force to Mali. Malis army is considered too weak to tackle the Islamist groups who seized the north last year, taking advantage of the power vacuum created by a coup in Bamako. AFP

Gun rights groups criticise Biden

WASHINGTON The top US firearms lobby emerged from talks with Vice President Joe Biden on curbing violence on January 10 saying he cared more about stamping out gun rights than protecting school children. Biden met a representative of the National Rifle Association along with other gun rights groups as part of a policy review that he said will deliver its recommendations to President Barack Obama by January 15. Obama called for the review after 20 children and six adults were killed by a gunman in Connecticut on December 14.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the joint news conference with US President Barack Obama at the White House on January 11. Pic: AFP in Afghanistan, said that after 2014, American forces would have a very limited mission in training Afghan forces and preventing a return of alQaeda. But he warned that Karzai, with whom he has had a somewhat testy relationship, would have to accept a security agreement, still under discussion, granting legal immunity to US troops who remain behind. Karzai announced progress on another sticking point between the sides, saying the leaders had agreed to a complete return of detention centres

Rhino toll rises 220 in 2012

JOHANNESBURG Poachers slaughtered a record 668 rhinos in South Africa last year, up from 448 in 2011, as demand for their horns continued to surge on the black market in Asia, the government said on January 10. Over 60 percent of the slaughtered pachyderms were from the vast Kruger National Park, South Africas largest wildlife reserve and the countrys top safari destination. The number of rhinos poached in South Africa has risen sharply from 13 in 2007. Poaching-related arrests climbed from 165 in 2010 to 267 in 2012.

Clinton spurns the R word

WASHINGTON US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on January 9 she was looking forward to stepping off the very fast track for a while, but wouldnt necessarily call it retirement. Appearing at her first public engagement before the cameras after being taken ill more than a month ago, Clinton said she was thrilled to be back. I have to say, I really missed you all. I wouldnt say that under normal circumstances, she said. She was taking part in a retirement ceremony for US ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney, on only her third day back at work in the State Department since she caught a stomach virus, which led to a concussion and blood clot. But when it came to her own plans as she prepares to step down in several weeks and hand over the baton, most likely to Senator John Kerry, Clinton was a little more coy when asked if she was heading towards retirement. I dont know if that is a word I would use, but (Im) certainly stepping off the very fast track for a little while, she said. Clinton said she was focused on preparing to hand over to Kerry, whose nomination by President Barack Obama still has to be confirmed by the Senate. Obviously, its somewhat

Trade Mark Caution

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Rolls-Royce sets sales record

LONDON Luxury British carmaker Rolls-Royce said on January 10 its sales rose in 2012 despite global economic uncertainty to hit a new record. The brand, owned by Germanys BMW, said it sold 3575 vehicles in 2012 which represents the third consecutive record and the best sales result in the marques 108-year history. That represents an increase of about one percent from 2011 sales. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said that the United States overtook China to regain the number one regional position. AFP

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets journalists at the State Department on January 9 during her first appearance before the media for more than a month. Pic: AFP bittersweet because I have had the most extraordinary experience and Ive worked with an amazing team of people, Clinton said. But I am very much looking forward to doing everything we can these last few weeks to resolve and finish up wherever possible and then to have a very smooth seamless transition to Senator Kerry to continue the work. Clinton is stepping down after four years in office, during which she has been largely credited with helping to restore Americas image abroad. The former first lady and New York senator has said she is exhausted and wants to rest, before deciding what to do next. But despite repeated denials, many people believe she could run again for the White House in the 2016 elections. AFP

Reg. No. 1159/1995 in respect of Class 11: Cooler Boxes, Bath Amenities, Cooking Apparatus, Lightings and Household Appliances. Reg. No. 1160/1995 in respect of Class 14: Watches, chronometric and horological instruments, clocks, jewellery ornaments and pens made of precious metal, watch and clock cases, straps and bracelets leather watch straps, parts and fittings. Reg. No. 1161/1995 in respect of Class 9: Radio apparatus, audiovisual apparatus and instruments for recording and reproducing, TV apparatus, electrical and electronic apparatus instruments and parts, computer programmes, magnetic tapes and cards, photographic apparatus, sound recording and sound producing apparatus, cassettes video recorders. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for FUMIYAMA CORPORATION PRIVATE LIMITED P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 14 January 2013

World
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

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Myanmar Times

US feels the heat during warmest year on record

WASHINGTON Last year was the warmest on record for the United States and was also the second most extreme, the US government agency charged with monitoring weather events said on January 8. The hot weather contributed to a record drought which, at its peak, parched 61 percent of the nation, destroyed crops worth billions and slowed shipping on the mighty Mississippi River as water levels reached historic lows. Those dry conditions helped spark massive wildfires that charred 9.2 million acres, the third highest annual figure on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. The nation suffered through 11 weather disasters that each caused US$1 billion in damage or more, including hurricanes Sandy and Isaac and deadly tornado outbreaks in the Great Plains, Texas and the Ohio Valley. This disturbing news puts the heat on President (Barack) Obama to take immediate action against carbon pollution, said Shaye Wolf, climate science director with the Center for Biological Diversity. Science tells us that our rapidly warming planet will endure more heat waves, droughts and extreme weather. The president needs to start making full use of the Clean Air Act to fight greenhouse gas emissions, before its too late. Sandy proved the most destructive disaster of 2012 after it made landfall near New York, killing 131 people, knocking out power to eight million people and destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Obama signed a bill on January 6 approving $9.7 billion in emergency disaster aid for victims of the superstorm, which is just a small wedge of the comprehensive $60.4 billion package sought by the White House. 2012 was the third year in a row with 19 named tropical storms, 10 of which packed hurricane strength. One was a major hurricane. Every one of the 48 states in the continental United States had an above-average annual temperature in 2012 and 19 of those broke records. The average temperature for 2012 was 55.3 F (12.9 C), which is 3.2 F above the 20th century average, and 1.0 F above 1998, the previous warmest year. July also broke records with an average temperature of 76.9 F (24.9 C), which was 3.6 F above average and the hottest month ever observed for the contiguous United States. AFP

Confirmation fight looms over Hagels Pentagon nomination

WASHINGTON US President Barack Obama named Chuck Hagel on January 7 to lead the Pentagon, setting up an ugly confirmation battle as Republican opponents said he was too hard on Israel and too soft on Iran. Obamas choice of John Brennan to replace scandal-tainted David Petraeus as CIA chief was seen as more straightforward despite the counterterrorism czars defence of enhanced interrogation techniques and the US drone war. The second term revamp of the presidents national security team was expected to eventually win approval but several leading Republicans signaled they would make it tough for Hagel even though he is one of their own. Obama paid particular tribute to retiring Pentagon chief Leon Panetta before giving ringing endorsements to the outstanding Hagel and Brennan and urging the Senate not to dally in confirming the important appointments. Chuck Hagel is the leader that our troops deserve. He is an American patriot, the president said, heaping praise on a war hero whose wounds earned him two Purple Heart medals as a soldier in Vietnam. Some Republicans have never forgiven him for his outspoken criticism of expresident George W. Bushs handling of the Iraq war, and his closeness to the Democratic president has seen him branded as a traitor by others. But Obama, who wants to be remembered as a leader who ended wars abroad to set about the tricky task of building at home following a crippling recession, described Hagel as someone perfectly fitted to that mould. Maybe most importantly, Chuck knows that war is not an abstraction. He understands that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, thats something we only do when its absolutely necessary, he said.

White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan (right) speaks at the White House on January 7 after being nominated by President Barack Obama (centre) to be the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Former senator Chuck Hagel (left) was nominated to be Secretary of Defence. Pic: AFP Administration appointments are often tense affairs in the United States as confirmation hearings provide senators with opportunities to turn away unwanted candidates or score cheap political points, or both. Hagel, 66, known for a fiercely independent streak and a tendency to speak bluntly, is expected to get particularly rough treatment due to his criticism of Americas Jewish lobby and opposition to some Iran sanctions. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Hagel would be the most antagonistic defence secretary towards the state of Israel in our nations history. But in an interview with The Lincoln Journal Star, a newspaper in his home state of Nebraska, Hagel hit back at his critics. There is not one shred of evidence that Im anti-Israeli, not one vote (of mine) that matters that hurt Israel, he said. If confirmed by the Senate, Hagel will have to manage major cuts to military spending while wrapping up the US war effort in Afghanistan and preparing for worst-case scenarios in Iran or Syria. In his typical straight-shooting fashion, Hagel has called the Defence Department bloated and said that the Pentagon needs to be pared down. Obama, smarting from watching Susan Rice reportedly his first choice to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state fold her bid in the face of Republican opposition, pressed hard for the Senate to approve Hagel. He would be the first person of enlisted rank to serve as secretary of defence. One of the few secretaries who had been wounded in war and the first Vietnam veteran to lead the department, Obama said, calling his appointment historic. Brennan, 57, may get an easier ride but is sure to face questions over his support for the use of certain enhanced interrogation techniques under the Bush administration and for his staunch defence of the US drone program. Brennan, a 25-year Central Intelligence Agency veteran, replaces Petraeus, who resigned in November after confessing to an extramarital affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell. AFP

Trade Mark Caution

Annam Myanmar Co., Ltd. of 11(B), Kabaraye Pagoda Rd., Bahan Township, Yangon is Myanmar authorized agent and Sole Proprietor of the following Trade Mark:-

Reg.No. IV/11381/2012 in respect of Class 3: Soaps; Dedorants for personal use; Fragrances; Essential oils; Shaving and aftershave cosmetic products; Toothpaste; Bath and shower cosmetic products; Hair care cosmetic preparations; Skin face and body care cosmetic preparations; Face and body suntanning cosmetic products; Hand and foot care cosmetic products; Cosmetic make-up products; Room fragrances (sprays, incense, potpourris, and scented wood); Scented products for use with linen and lingerie; Nutritional supplements for cosmetics purposes, for face and body skin care, for hair care and for nail care; Cosmetic preparations for face and body skin care, for hair care, for nail care. Class 35: Retail and wholesale services by mail-order or franchised stores or Internet or home-selling; Sales promotion for cosmetic products via mail-order or franchised stores or Internet or home-selling; Presentation of cosmetic products on communication media for retail purposes; Advertising by mail order; Advertising by way of

communication of radio, television, Internet (Internet and Extranet), displays, electronic mail, shop window dressing, mailings, catalogues, advertising leaflets; OnLine advertising on a computer network; The bringing together, for the benefit of others, of a variety of cosmetic goods, enabling customers to view and purchase those goods in retail franchised stores, or in a general catalogue of goods or in direct mail advertising for mail order, or by home selling, or on a website (internet) or on television or any other form of electronic telecommunication medium; Retail services connected with cosmetic goods; Business management assistance in relation to franchised stores; Horticulture and forestry services; Sales promotion by development of customer loyalty with customers discount card. Class 44: Hygiene and beauty care for humans, hairdressing salons, beauty salons; Manicuring salons, massage, beauty skin care consultancy, make-up consultancy, nutritional consultancy and perfumery consultancy; Health care and fitness services, aromatherapy, thalassotherapy, balneotherapy, chromatherapy and sound therapy services; Fitness services using saunas, hammams and beaths fitted with pressure jets. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Trade Mark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt according to law. Khine Khine U, Advocate LL.B, D.B.L, LL.M (UK) For Annam Myanmar Co., Ltd. #205/5, Thirimingalar Housing; Strand Rd., Yangon. Dated. January 14, 2013

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January 14 - 20, 2013
children between 1992 and 2010. But over the years, she said, things became more difficult and expensive. Finally we had to close the program. Several adoption experts said that child death and abuse in American adoptive homes were extremely rare and had been sensationalised in Russia. They also said there was misunderstanding and unfair criticism of US policies that offered tax credits to adoptive families. There were only about 19 serious incidents of abuse or death out of 50,000 adoptions, said Tom de Filippo, an official with the Joint Council on International Childrens Services in Alexandria, Virginia. Moreover, he said, many American families were willing to take older, troubled or disabled children that Russians did not want to adopt. What drove this ban was simply nationalism, he said. Many adoptive families said their Russian wards arrived with medical problems or were withdrawn at first, but had developed into happy and healthy children. Some couples returned to adopt a second Russian child and others helped adoptees with disabilities achieve remarkable success. Tatiana McFadden, 23, was born in Moscow with spina bifida and was not expected to have a long life. A Maryland family adopted her in 1995 and she grew up to be a champion athlete, winning many medals in Special Olympics and other international sports competitions. Alina has an eye problem that was never treated in Russia. Ziemian says it might have been the reason her parents left her in a public stairwell with her birth certificate pinned to her blouse, or the reason several Russian families rejected her before she was made available for overseas adoption. But the little girl has already made herself at home in the townhouse that Ziemian filled with toys, art supplies and a miniature piano. Last week, Alina smiled impishly as she picked out crayons and practised saying each colour in English. Puppal, she said, looking up at Ziemian for approval. The new mom beamed with pride and gave her a hug. Shes learning English so fast, Ziemian said. I just keep thinking, what would have become of her if that visa hadnt come through? When Ziemian got up to turn off a kettle, Alina followed, clinging to her skirt. For a while, they glued leaves onto a poster and Alina giggled with delight. Then she tugged at Ziemians hand, wanting to dance. Spotting Ziemians photo ID on the floor, she picked it up and brought it over with a huge smile on her face. Mama, she said. The Washington Post

Myanmar Times

Russias bewildering adoptions ban

By Pamela Constable WASHINGTON Joelle Ziemian sat biting her nails in a waiting room at the US embassy in Moscow. She had flown to Russia to sign final adoption papers for a three-year-old orphan named Alina. Then, all she would need was a US visa to bring the girl home to Washington. But a few blocks away, the upper house of the Russian parliament had just passed a bill banning all further American adoptions and Russian President Vladimir Putin was threatening to sign it. Ziemian and 12 other American families waited for hours, terrified that they would lose the children they had worked for years to adopt. There was so much anxiety and tension in the room. It felt like the last days before the Berlin Wall fell, said Ziemian, 50, a public relations specialist. Ziemian had spent several years navigating the slow, expensive Russian adoption process. She had appeared before judges, answered hundreds of questions about her home and habits, filled out endless paperwork and spent more than US$60,000. She had journeyed three times to a grim orphanage in Krasnoyarsk, a remote Siberian city where the girl had been abandoned by her parents as an infant. With each brief visit, she said, the silent, sombre child grew more talkative and excited to see her and Ziemians heart melted. I realise its a cliche, she said, but I just knew this was meant to be. Putin signed the law on December 28, barring all American adoptions from Russia. But miraculously, Alinas visa came through just before the ban went into effect on New Years Day. Ziemian rushed to pick her up, then headed straight for the Moscow airport, fearful they might be stopped. The immigration inspector seemed to take forever, but finally he waved them through. Fourteen hours later, Ziemian landed at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, carrying a sleepy little girl one of the last Russian orphans to come to the United States. Many other prospective adopters in the United States, and the Russian children waiting for them, are in limbo. The unexpected ban caught hundreds of adoptions mid-process, causing confusion and panic. The State Department announced that it would try to persuade Russian officials to permit a final batch of long-pending adoptions to be completed, but there has been no official response. One couple in Virginia, who asked not to be identified for fear of jeopardising their adoption case, said they were terrified of losing the little boy they have journeyed to Russia five times to visit. Theyve spent more than

Joelle Ziemian with her adoptive daughter, Alina, at their home in Washington this month. Pic: The Washington Post

US seeks to aid families in limbo

WASHINGTON Washington is trying to help hundreds of American families whose dreams of adopting a child from Russia are in limbo after the passage of a controversial Russian law, a top US official said on January 8. Calling it tragic for the families and children involved, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said some 500 to 1000 US families already had made progress in their adoption plans before the new ban came into force. In many cases the families have met the children they planned to offer a new home in the United States and already bonded with them. We are continuing our conversations with the Russian government. We would obviously like to see those adoptions be able to move forward, Nuland said. But, you know, we have now been informed by the Russian government $100,000 on travel, adoption fees and other expenses and they think of the child as their son. We first met him five years ago and the process dragged on for a long time, said the wife, adding that the couple had been told last month that their case was looking positive and that they might get a court hearing soon. After their repeated visits, she said, he that they are going to formally suspend our agreement, but were going to continue to try to work on these pipeline cases. US families have adopted more than 60,000 Russian children during the past 20 years, but the annual figures have dropped to just under 1000 in 2011 from a high of over 5800 in 2004. Families who were already in the process of adopting a Russian child should contact the US government via a special website www.adoption. state.gov so that we can have a full picture, Nuland told journalists. Earlier, the US State Department described the ban on adoption of Russian children by Americans as politically motivated and said Washington deeply regretted the move. In a Christmas message on January 7, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, urged Russians to adopt orphans. I would like to talk especially about children in these days, said the Patriarch in a Christmas message posted on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church and broadcast on national television. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7 according to the Julian calendar. We have a lot of children who dont have parents. Even when their parents are still alive. And how important it is that our people should gladly, with a special feeling of gratitude to God, take orphans into their families. As it is Christmas time, I would like to ask everyone who could take an important step in life of adopting orphans, of supporting orphans. Take this step: we should not have orphans in our country, said Kirill. Those who dont have parents should find parents among good, honest, caring people. AFP extended waits. After Russia opened its doors to American adoptions in the 1990s, demand soared and peaked in 2004 with 5800 children brought to the United States, making it one of the most popular countries for overseas American adoptions. But by last year the number had fallen to fewer than 1000 and some agencies said the process had become

in cases where the children and parents have met and formed attachments. But other area families who successfully adopted Russian children in recent years said they were appalled and angered. The ban was partly a response to US sanctions on Russian human rights abusers and followed reports that a handful of children, among more than 50,000 Russian

child we met over there, said Joan Brierton, 45, of Washington, who brought home a year-old boy from Moscow last year. She and her husband have enjoyed watching him thrive and they feel sorry for families who might have lost that chance. Every day we think: It could have been us. Adoptions from Russia have become increasingly complex and controversial

because it hits the most innocent victims. It makes me wish This is a tragedy, I could have scooped up every child we met over there.
is very bonded with us and he calls us Mama and Papa. People who have visited him say he keeps asking when we are coming to get him. Adoption advocates have been counselling such families not to speak out publicly against the Russian legal action or adoption process, in hopes of saving as many adoptions as possible orphans who came to the United States over the past decade, had died in accidents or cases of abuse. Some adopters called the ban a callous political stunt that would harm needy children. This is a tragedy, because it hits the most innocent victims. It makes me wish I could have scooped up every in the past several years because of growing nationalist sentiment, increased efforts to spur in-country adoptions and the reports of fatalities in American homes. Several recent adopters, including Ziemian, said they had been grilled by Russian judges, asked to provide extra documentation and told of so onerous that they stopped handling Russian adoptions. At first it was relatively simple. You went to Russia, met the child, did some paperwork and brought the child home, said Irene Jordan, an official with Adoptions Together in Baltimore, which placed more than 700 Russian

Asia
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

32
Myanmar Times

Territorial row hits Japans economy

BEIJING The last time a dispute between Japan and China erupted in 2010 over eight uninhabited islands, the economic fallout lasted less than a month. This time, the spat is prolonging a recession in the worlds third-largest economy. Four months after Chinese consumers staged a boycott of Japanese products over the islands in the East China Sea, sales of Japanese autos in China have yet to recover, Chinese factories began to favour South Korean component suppliers and the United States has displaced China as Japans largest export market. The spats have become increasingly costly as Japans dependence on China as an export market has risen, said Tony Nash, a Singapore-based managing director at IHS Inc, which provides research and analytics for industries including financial companies. Nationalism around the issue has resulted in lower demand for Japanese products in China and even Chinese firms sourcing products from Korean suppliers. As Chinas confidence in asserting its territorial claims has grown and trade between the two nations has tripled since 2000 to more than US$300 billion, the commercial cost of failing to resolve the dispute keeps rising. The latest flare-up came after property developer Kunioki Kurihara sold three of the islands to the Japanese government for 2.05 billion yen (US$23 million) in September, a transaction Xi Jinping, the new head of the Chinese Communist Party, called a farce. The fallout from the sale may have cut Japans growth in the latest quarter by 1 percentage point, JPMorgan Chase & Co. estimated. That would be enough to keep the economy in recession after two quarters of contraction up to September 30. Gross domestic product may have shrunk an annualised 0.5 percent in the final three months of 2012, based on the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey. The standoff over the islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China contributed to declines in Japans shipments to China for six months until November. Japans industrial output fell 1.7pc in November, to the lowest level since the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake. With each round of political disputes, the economic effect has grown. In 2005, when then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited a Tokyo shrine where war criminals are among those honoured, the Chinese protested. Yet bilateral trade rose more than 12pc that year. The situation deteriorated in 2010, when a Chinese fishing boat and a Japanese Coast Guard vessel collided in contested waters. China stopped granting export licences to Japan for rare earth metals, necessary for automobile and electronics industries. The licences were resumed about a week later

Disputed islands
Claimed by China and Taiwan, under Japanese control
5 km

Named Senkaku in Japanese, Diaoyu in Chinese

Sekibi-Sho Chiweiyu Kobi-Sho Huangweiyu

Okinokita-Iwa Dabeixiaodao Uotsurijima Diaoyudao Okinominami-Iwa Danaxiaobao Kitakojima Beixiaodao Minamikojima Nanxiaodao TAIWAN
400 km
Source: EIA

CHINA

JAPAN PACIFIC OCEAN

Tobi-Se Feiyandao

Boundary claimed by Japan Boundary claimed by China Approximate extent of oil and gas field
push its claims to sovereignty until Beijing gets what it wants. The islands offer the prospect of rich fishing grounds, potential oil reserves and a strategic military outpost in the sea between China, Japan and Taiwan. Thats

the national government stepped in to buy the islands instead, in a failed attempt to defuse Chinese anger. The row has changed the landscape of China-Japan relations, said Taylor Fravel, a professor

This has really changed things, unquestionably; it is not a blip.

after Japan released the detained captain of the vessel. The latest row has had the biggest effect so far, said Professor June Teufel Dreyer, a specialist in Chinese politics at the University of Miami in Florida. After the Japanese government bought the three islands, angry Chinese boycotted Japanese products and smashed Japanese shops in China. This has really changed things, unquestionably; it is not a blip, said Dreyer. China will continue to overshadowed economic ties that Jesper Koll, head of equity research at JPMorgan in Tokyo, called a match made in heaven. Japan has intellectual property, brands and capital, while China has people, markets and purchasing power, said Koll. The latest spat began in April when then-Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said he planned to use public money to buy Kuriharas islands. Ishihara, 80, is a longstanding critic of China, so at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who specialises in Chinese politics. As a territory dispute, its prone to spirals of escalation. Decembers landslide victory of Shinzo Abes Liberal Democratic Party stoked the conflict. Two days before the election, China sent an 11-page report to the United Nations arguing that the geology of the continental shelf makes the islands a natural part of China.

Japanese automakers share of the Chinese market slumped to 14pc in November from about 23pc before September, Xu Changming, a director at Chinas State Information Center, said on November 29. Toyota, Japans biggest carmaker, said in November that output in China fell the most in at least a decade, while Nissan reported the biggest output decline since at least 2009. All Nippon Airways had 46,000 seat cancellations on flights between September and November because of the dispute, spokesman Ryosei Nomura said. In Hunan Province, protesters attacked three department stores run by Heiwado, forcing the supermarket operator to close its stores there for more than a month and incur losses of about 500 million yen, said spokesman Tomoharu Tsuda. While Japan has administrative control over the islands, they were largely ignored from the end of World War II until 1969, when a United Nations commission said the surrounding seabed may be extremely rich in oil. That brought sovereignty claims in the following years by China, Japan and Taiwan. Japanese companies have spent or plan to spend more than $10 billion since January 2011 on acquisitions in ASEAN, shows data compiled by Bloomberg. Decades of investment in China make it unlikely that Japanese companies will withdraw, said Nash at IHS. This is not an either-or issue, Nash wrote in an e- mail. Firms will stay in China and they will invest in Southeast Asia and other places. Its hard for Japanese exports to move totally away from China and its hard for Chinese OEMs to move totally away from Japanese components. Bloomberg News

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Tokyo plans $1.15b rise in military spending

TOKYO Japan will raise military spending this year for the first time in over a decade under a ruling party plan, an official said on January 8. The national defence task force of the newly-elected Liberal Democratic Party will increase the defence budget request by more than 100 billion yen (US$1.15 billion) in response to an emboldened China, a party official told AFP. The relatively small amount just over two percent of the total military budget is largely symbolic, but reflects anxiety at what Japan sees as an increasingly hostile region in which China appears happy to assert itself. We have decided that the additional budget will be used for research into a new radar system as well as fuel and other maintenance costs for early-warning aircraft, the official said on condition of anonymity. The news came as the foreign ministry called in Chinas ambassador to protest at the latest dispatch of official vessels into waters around the Tokyocontrolled Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims as the Diaoyus. Beijing rebuffed the move, with the foreign ministry saying the patrols were normal because the islands are Chinese territory.

Asia defence projections

Expected budget 2015 $ billions, research by IHS Janes Defence Budgets

Japan will increase military spending in 2013 for the first time in more than a decade, the ruling party said Tuesday

OGILVY

Budget changes at the top 2011 Japan S.Korea

Combined annual growth rate 2015 18.8%

OGILVY & MATHER

(Reg: Nos. IV/ 1244/1997 & IV/11328/2012) (Reg: Nos. IV/1245/1997 & IV/11330/2012) The above three trademarks are in respect of:Advertising, promotional, sales and marketing services; business and business management services; advisory and consultancy services; publicity services; production of advertising matter and commercials; public relations services; market research and market analysis; research and information services relating to business, advertising and marketing; market support services; statistical analysis and compilation; business administration; office services; media research and consultancy; planning, buying and negotiating advertising space; provision of information relating to the aforesaid.- Class: 35 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for The Ogilvy Group, Inc. P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 14th January, 2013

66.6

35.5

Taiwan

13.5
Vietnam

200 billion dollars 150

3.9
Pakistan China

Malaysia

4.6

7.1

238.2

China 100

India

44.9

Thailand

5.6

New Zealand Singapore

2.2

12.3

Japan 50 India S.Korea Australia Taiwan

2.5 6.1 3.2 3.9 10.0

Indonesia
Source: IHS Janess defence budget

8.8

Australia

27.5

The military is bound by the countrys US-imposed pacifist constitution, which restricts its ability to project power or to wage aggressive war. However, commentators say it is a modern, wellfunded and well-equipped force. The proposed increase in funding comes after declines over 10 consecutive years as Tokyo grappled with its huge public debt. The initial defence budget for fiscal 2012, which ends in March, stood at 4.65 trillion

yen. This compares with a budget for fiscal 2002 that peaked at 4.94 trillion yen. Kazuhiko Togo, director at the Institute for World Affairs of Kyoto Sangyo University, said the planned rise in defence spending was a direct result of Chinas more hostile attitude, specifically over the disputed islands. China has publicly said it would seize the islands by force if necessary and acted as such. To avoid a possible armed clash, Japan has no choice but to possess

deterrence by boosting its defence budget, he said. Hitoshi Tanaka, former diplomat and chairman of the Institute for International Strategy at the Japan Research Institute said at about 0.9 percent of GDP, Japans defence budget was comparatively small. Given the fact that there is a rather difficult security environment these days, it is only natural for the government to think about increasing this, he said. AFP

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Myanmar Times

Japan wants stronger ties with Manila, says Kishida

The Philippine side wants to acquire Japans dispute is over a group of MANILA Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida called on January 10 uninhabited islands in the East China through loans 10 new patrol boats from for stronger ties with the Philippines to Sea known as the Senkakus in Japan Japan to guard its territorial waters, after buying two refurbished coastguard help ensure regional peace, amid tense and the Diaoyus in China. The row between the Philippines vessels from major military ally the territorial disputes by both countries and China is over rival claims to parts United States. with a rising China. Kishida was also scheduled to meet In his first foreign trip as top diplomat of the South China Sea, with two of since last months election of hawkish the hotspots the Spratly islands and President Benigno Aquino later on January 10. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kishida Scarborough Shoal. In another development on January Asked if Kishidas comments were said such cooperation was dictated by big changes in the regions security references to increasingly assertive 10, Tokyo said that Abe would visit Chinese territorial claims in these three Southeast Asian countries this equation, though he did not elaborate. As the strategic environment in areas, Philippine foreign department week, after abandoning a plan to make the region is greatly changing, it is spokesman Raul Hernandez said he did Washington the first destination of his term as prime minister. necessary for us foreign ministers to not wish to add anything. Chief Cabinet share recognition of Secretary Yoshihide the situation, Kishida we agreed on strengthening policy dialogue Suga said Abe will visit said after meeting Vietnam, Thailand Philippine Foreign and enhancing maritime cooperation and Indonesia from Secretary Albert del January 16 to 19, his Rosario. Neither foreign minister took first foreign tour since taking office late Kishida said this also made it last month. necessary to enhance the strategic questions. It is important that we strengthen Del Rosario did not comment directly partnership between the two countries and cooperate in shaping (a) peaceful on the maritime tensions either, but said relations of cooperation with ASEAN and prosperous Asia-Pacific region. he and Kishida discussed Japanese help countries to secure the peace and In todays meeting we agreed on this in improving the Philippines coastguard prosperity of this region, as the strategic environment changes, Suga said. capability. point. Japan has courted the 10-member The acquisition of multi-role He added: On the political and security front we agreed on strengthening policy response vessels is undergoing serious Association of Southeast Asian Nations, dialogue and enhancing maritime consideration, del Rosario said, with which has served as a major economic talks also under way to improve its growth driver in the region, as something cooperation and other measures. Both countries are locked in separate communications equipment and train of a counterbalance to the rising might of China. AFP its personnel. territorial disputes with China.

A model poses with a snake during an event in Hong Kong on January 10 to promote responsible pet ownership and breeding. Snakes were featured at the event because February 10 will mark the start of the year of the snake in the Chinese new year, also called the Lunar new year. Pic: AFP

Cold weather kills dozens in Bangladesh

DHAKA A cold snap which saw temperatures drop on January 10 to their lowest point in Bangladeshs post-independence history has killed about 80 people, officials said. The weather office said the lowest temperature was recorded at three degrees Celsius (37.4 Fahrenheit) in the northern town of Syedpur and the Red Crescent said hospitals were packed with patients suffering respiratory illness. Shah Alam, deputy head of the weather office, said the last time the temperature had dropped below three degrees Celsius was in February 1968 when Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan. The temperature is the lowest in Bangladeshs history, he said. The Red Crescent Society said poor rural areas had been worst hit as many people could not afford warm clothing or heating. AFP

Journalists slam move to restrict information

HONG KONG Journalists in Hong Kong on January 10 slammed a government bid to restrict access to information about company directors, after a series of investigative reports into the hidden wealth of Chinese officials. Under the proposals put forward by the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau, corporate directors could apply to have their residential address and identity card or passport numbers blocked from public view. Such information can presently be accessed with a small fee, and has been used by reporters to unravel a web of secret assets showing the true wealth of Chinas ruling elite and their families. We believe that the ability of foreign correspondents and journalists to legally access information about individuals and their companies is vital to our role of reporting on issues of public interest, the Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong said in a letter addressed to the citys leader Leung Chun-ying. We call on the government to withdraw this amendment and to maintain its support for the free flow of information in Hong Kong. In September last year, financial newswire Bloomberg used publicly available records to compile a list of investments made by Chinas new leader Xi Jinpings extended family, which the agency said totalled US$376 million. A month later, the New York Times said financial records showed outgoing premier Wen Jiabaos relatives had control of assets worth at least $2.7 billion, a report Beijing branded as a smear. Access to the websites of both Bloomberg and New York Times in China have since been blocked. A copy of the proposed amendments to the companies ordinance posted on the legislature website showed the aim is to have the new law become effective in the first quarter of 2014. AFP

Hong Kong leader survives historic impeachment bid

HONG KONG Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers failed in an unprecedented bid on January 9 to impeach the citys embattled Beijingbacked leader, after they accused him of breaking housing laws and urged him to quit. The citys first impeachment motion, which accused Leung Chun-ying of lying, dereliction of duty and serious breaches of the law in a row stemming from illegal structures at his luxury home, was denied after eight hours of debate. The 27 pro-democracy lawmakers who signed the joint motion which they said was a symbolic move voted in favour, while 37 voted against in the 70seat legislature which is dominated by pro-Beijing members. Leung took office in July after he was picked by a 1200strong election committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites, amid rising anger over what many perceive to be Chinas meddling in local affairs. China has said the chief executive could be directly elected in 2017 at the earliest, with the legislature following by 2020. Unauthorised structures are a politically sensitive issue in the space-starved city of seven million and demonstrators have used the scandal to press for universal suffrage in choosing Hong Kongs leader. Leung secured the chief executive role after criticising his rival Henry Tang over illegal structures at Tangs home. But he has since acknowledged and apologised for structures at his own home which were built without planning permission. Maverick lawmaker Long Hair Leung Kwok-hung, wearing a T-shirt reading We topple a tyrant, accused the new leader of lying about his own structures during campaigning when he presented the impeachment motion earlier on January 9. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, second in command in Leungs administration, said the motion was unnecessary and urged lawmakers to work together on policy and livelihood issues. Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau said the motion was a symbolic gesture to show the deepening public mistrust toward Leung, claiming the leader had cheated his way to power. This is the first time we have a motion in the legislature to impeach a cheating chief executive, she said. If the motion had been passed, the citys highest court would have had to initiate an investigation. At least two-thirds of the legislature would need to endorse a guilty finding before Leung could be removed from office. AFP

As infernos rage, fire survivors brace for trauma

SYDNEY Australians who fled for their lives from bushfires faced the trauma last week of returning to see if they still had a home, as firefighters battled worsening conditions to extinguish about 100 blazes. After two days of cooler weather, heat and high winds returned to much of the country on January 11 as fire crews tackled the infernos that have been burning for a week, 18 of them out of control in the most populous state of New South Wales. The southern island state of Tasmania has been hardest hit, with more than 100 homes razed, most in the fishing village of Dunalley which was cut off by the fires, forcing some residents to make dramatic escapes by boat. The worst-affected areas have been in virtual lockdown since the fastmoving flames wreaked devastation a week earlier and Dunalley townspeople were beginning to make the harrowing journey to inspect the damage. Many have no idea whether their houses are still standing and with smoke still billowing overhead, police warned fires remained active in the area as emergency crews worked to clear roads and restore electricity supplies. Counselling services were available as families come to terms with what they might find, while media were asked to stay away to protect residents privacy. It can be very traumatic when you go back and see the house you lived in, the street you lived in, the town you lived in, has been so fire affected, said acting Tasmanian police commissioner Scott Tilyard. Total fire bans were in place on January 11 throughout New South Wales and Victoria states, as well as the Australian Capital Territory which surrounds Canberra, with the mercury forecast to hit the low to mid-40 degree Celsius range (above 104 F). The bans prohibit the lighting of any fires in the open air and any other activities that may spark a blaze. Weve obviously got severe fire danger, NSW Deputy Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said. On the back of those very warm days the vegetation is very dry and all we need is sparks and we will have a fire going. Authorities main concerns remain focused on big blazes near the towns of Yass, Cooma and Deans Gap in New South Wales. They are very large, all either in excess or very close to 10,000 hectares (and) in some cases 100 kilometres of fireline, Rogers said of the three key blazes. Despite fires raging throughout southeast Australia, only a handful of homes have been destroyed outside of Tasmania, although thousands of head of livestock have died and more than 350,000 hectares (865,000 acres) of land scorched. Bushfires are a fact of life in arid Australia, where 173 people died in the 2009 Black Saturday firestorm, the nations worst natural disaster of modern times. AFP

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Power fault shuts down Singapore metro system

SINGAPORE A busy stretch of Singapores metro system broke down for several hours on January 10 due to a power fault, in the latest of a series of disruptions that have riled the public. Operator SBS Transit said in a press statement that a power fault in overhead wires between the underground Outram Park and Harbourfront stations caused the breakdown. The affected stretch covers a third of the S$4.6 billion (US$3.75 billion), 16-station North East Line that opened in 2003. It typically carries thousands of commuters during the morning, lunch and evening rush hours. SBS said train services were stopped at 10.14am local time to enable repair work. Services were expected to resume before the evening peak hours. Singapores metro service has been roundly lambasted after a series of breakdowns since December 2011, including three disruptions in as many days in April. An 11-hour disruption along the North East Line in March 2012 left 90,000 commuters stranded. The January 10 disruption coincided with an announcement by the Land Transportation Authority (LTA) that it intends to raise the maximum penalty for each train incident currently pegged at S$1.0 million. A high-level inquiry after the December 2011 breakdowns found that Singapores metro system has been plagued by outdated equipment and poor maintenance for years. AFP

Briefs
Rape case police accused of assault
NEW DELHI A defence lawyer in the New Delhi gang-rape and murder case accused police on January 10 of beating confessions out of the suspects as they appeared in court for a second time. Speaking ahead of the closed hearing before a city magistrate, lawyer M.L. Sharma told AFP the five adult suspects aged from 19 to 35 had been forced to confess following their arrest soon after the December 16 crime. A spokesman for Delhi police refused to comment on the allegations. Officers have said they have strong forensic evidence against the accused. South Korean special warfare troops participate in a winter season drill at Pyeongchang, about 180 kilometres east of Seoul, on January 9. The Korean peninsula is the worlds last Cold War frontier with Stalinist North Korea and democratic South Korea having been technically at war since the signing of a ceasefire at the end of the 1950-53 war. Pic: AFP

Police in Taiwan probe death patient gambling

TAIPEI Police in Taiwan said last week they have launched an investigation into a report that gamblers are betting tens of millions of dollars on the life expectancy of terminally ill cancer patients. The investigation comes after Taipei-based Next magazine claimed that gamblers including the families and doctors of cancer sufferers in the central city of Taichung are placing bets as high as T$1.0 billion (US$34.5 million) on when patients will die. The report told of betting stations masquerading as non-profit organisations where punters are paid three times their bets if targeted patients die between one and six months of a prediction. Weve been looking at the media report, a Taichung police officer told AFP on January 8, declining to provide details. Punters are allowed to visit cancer patients before placing their bets, which start at a minimum of T$2,000, losing to the bookies if their selected patients die within a month, Next reported. The expose identified a road with more than 10 betting shops which is known as death gambling street. A member of staff at one of the suspected organisations denied that it was a front for a betting station when contacted by Taiwans China Television Company. He claimed that the group helped poor families to pay for funerals which they are otherwise unable to afford. AFP

Aquino opposes total gun ban

MANILA Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on January 9 that civilians had the right to carry guns for self-defence, after a series of deadly shootings prompted calls for a total firearms ban. Total gun ban would be a nice headline, but a kneejerk reaction. Its not in my nature to humour people. We should look for means to really solve the issue, Aquino told reporters. There have been calls in the Philippines for stricter gun laws, or an outright ban on civilians owning them, after a series of shootings starting on New Years Eve left 23 people dead.

Google chief urges North Korea to unlock the internet

BEIJING Google chairman Eric Schmidt told North Korea it will not develop unless it embraces internet freedom, he said on January 10 as he returned from a controversial visit to the communist state with US politician Bill Richardson. Richardson, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who led the trip, said he called on Pyongyang to adopt a moratorium on ballistic missiles and nuclear tests following its widely criticised rocket launch last month. Speaking at Beijing airport, he said efforts by Schmidt to strongly urge North Korea, a highly secretive and tightly-controlled country, to increase the use of the internet were the main success of the visit. Schmidt said he told North Korean officials they should open up the countrys internet or they will remain behind. As the world becomes increasingly connected, their decision to be virtually isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth and so forth, and it will make it harder for them to catch up economically, he said. Once the internet starts, citizens in a country can certainly build on top of it. The government has to do something. It has to make it possible for people to use the internet which the government in North Korea has not yet done. Richardson, also a former governor of New Mexico, said: We strongly urged the North Koreans to proceed with a moratorium on ballistic missiles and possible nuclear test. The delegation did not meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un but had a series of very frank discussions with officials on the current level of tension in the peninsula, he said, adding: The North Koreans need to temper their nuclear development. North Korea angered the US and others in December by launching a long-range rocket which it claimed was part of a program to put a scientific satellite into orbit. Washington and other nations called it a disguised ballistic missile test. The US State Department has voiced concern about Richardsons trip, saying it was ill-timed in the wake of the rocket launch. The high-profile delegation visited North Koreas largest library and paid respects to its late leaders, said the official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA, which described the visitors as a Google delegation, said they went to reading and lecture rooms at the Grand Peoples Study House and a mausoleum housing the bodies of late leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. AFP

Skytrain charge for Bangkok governor

BANGKOK Thai authorities charged outgoing Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra on January 9 with extending the multi-billion-dollar contract to run the citys elevated train network without government permission. Sukhumbhand, who has stood down from his post to campaign for re-election in March, failed to consult the Interior Ministry before renewing the contract of Skytrain operator BTSC last year, the Department of Special Investigation said. Sukhumbhand denied violating any laws.

Trade Mark Caution

KAO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (also trading as Kao Corporation), a joint-stock company duly organized under the laws of Japan, of 14-10, Nihonbashi Kayabacho 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, is the Owner of the following Trade Marks:-

Reg. No. 10125/2009 in respect of Intl Class 3: Soaps; perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions.

Vietnam sends activists to jail

HANOI Vietnam on January 9 jailed 13 activists convicted of plotting to overthrow the communist regime. The accused including Roman Catholics, bloggers and students were handed sentences ranging from three to 13 years, defence lawyer Ha Huy Son told AFP. Another defendant received a threeyear suspended sentence, which in Vietnam equates to house arrest. Many of the accused have been held in pre-trial detention for extended periods. The court in north-central Nghe An province ruled that all of the accused had links to the US-based Viet Tan opposition group, which the communist country considers a terrorist organisation. The latest convictions are part of a disturbing human rights trend in Vietnam, the US embassy said in a statement released after the verdict. Critics say charges of spreading antistate propaganda and attempting to overthrow the regime are routinely laid against peaceful dissidents in Vietnam, where the Communist Party forbids political debate. The court did not have objective evidence to find them guilty of the charge, lawyer Son said. Last month Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung ordered a new crackdown on online dissent, telling authorities to fight against anyone using the internet to defame and spread propaganda against the party and state. AFP

Drone strike kills six militants

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan US drones fired missiles into a compound and a motorbike in Pakistans northwestern tribal belt, killing at least six militants on January 10, security officials said. It was the fifth American drone strike reported in Pakistan in a week, the heaviest concentration since last August, according to an AFP tally. The strike brought to 36 the number of militants reported killed in Pakistan in five drone strikes since January 3. AFP

Reg. No. 10126/2009 in respect of Intl Class 1: Chemical preparations for use in the manufacture of cosmetic products. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Marks will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for KAO KABUSHIKI KAISHA P. O. Box 60, Yangon. Email: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 14 January 2013

Time out
Local metal band welcomes you to their Nightmare
By Lwin Mar Htun AFTER several years of work, local underground metal band Nightmare plans to finally release their first solo album before April, members of the group said last week. The bands guitar player, Aung Myo Linn, told The Myanmar Times that the group has been preparing the 12-song album titled Nga Dto Thamine (Our History) since 2010, but every time they recorded a song they were dissatisfied with the result. So we played the songs again and again, which is why weve spent so much time on the album, he said, adding that all the songs were original tunes written by band members. N i ghtm a re v oc a l i s t N ov e m Htoo said most of the songs were extremely explosive but there were also some softer, slower moments on the album. Metal is a branch of rock music, but with metal the style is extremely explosive and the singers scream very loudly to express their feelings, he said. Aung Myo Linn said most people in Myanmar were unfamiliar with metal music, so the band did not expect to make a profit from album sales. After listening to our album, people who already know our music can enjoy our new songs, and those who dont know our songs will become familiar with our music style. Thats our only expectation from the album, he said. He added that the band members produced the album themselves, since most music producers were not interested in their music style and they did not have a sponsor. We produced the album ourselves to document our music, he said. Aung Myo Linn said all the music for the album has already been recorded and the band is now mixing the songs, after which they

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Members of the metal band Nightmare (left to right): bassist Nyi Phyu, drummer Squeeze, vocalist Novem Htoo, and guitarist Aung Myo Linn. Pic: Boothee will have to be submitted to the censors. If the censors give us permission, we can finally release our album, he said. We hope this will be an easy step because the rules are changing in our country and the censorship board is also changing. Nightmare was formed in 2007 with Aung Myo Linn, Novem Htoo, bassist Nyi Phyu and drummer Squeeze. Weve spent a lot of time and money on our music, said Aung Myo Linn. To produce a good song, guitarists must spend a lot of time learning to play, vocalists must train their voices, and everything else. Were very tired but we like to play music and some people want to listen to our songs. Weve put a lot of effort into creating metal music for a very small audience. He added that there was no plan to release a VCD with music videos, but one video will be included on the CD as a bonus track.

Kyaw Thu returns to film after six years

By Zon Pann Pwint AFTER an absence of nearly six years, actor and director U Kyaw Thu is planning on returning to the film industry by directing a movie based on real-life stories he encountered while working with the Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS). U Kyaw Thu founded the society in January 2001 to provide free funerals for poor families. His dedication to humanitarian work left little time for acting, and in 2007 the government banned him from working in the film industry after he donated food to monks who took part in the so-called Saffron Revolution. U Kyaw Thu told The Myanmar Times he was inspired by the lives of the people who were in need of help from the FFSS. Every day, the stories of the people we helped really touched my heart, he said. He recounted one tragic incident in particular: In one family, the son left for school after saying goodbye to his mother. A few minutes later the mother heard her son screaming outside. She went out and saw her son lying in a puddle of water. She thought he had slipped and fallen so she tried to lift him from the puddle, but in reality he had killed by an electric shock. So when she tried to lift him, she was also killed by the shock. U Kyaw Thu said he did not want to make films with the sole purpose of entertaining audiences, because doing so reaps more demerit than merit. Instead, I want to film real-life stories and real incidents that can educate and teach the audience, he said. U Kyaw Thu started his film acting career in 1968. He won Best Actor at the Myanmar Academy Awards for Tapyi Thu Ma Shwe Htar (Ma Shwe Htar from a Faraway Land; 1994) and Best Director for Amae No Pho (A Charge for Mothers Breastfeeding; 2003). He said a regular contributor to the FFSS has donated K15 million towards making a film about the lives of volunteers for the society and ordinary people whom they help. I have been doing social work and I was brought up in the film industry, since my father owned Amyothar (Nation) Film Company, so I have decided to make the film myself, said U Kyaw Thu. Although the new movie will mark his return to feature-length filmmaking, he has not been completely idle in that department: In the past several years he has made short films about social work, and he submitted a short film entitled Freedom for the Art of Freedom Film Festival held in Yangon in January 2012. U Kyaw Thu said he was able to connect with people for the upcoming film because of his devotion to helping those who cannot afford the costs of cremation for deceased family members. Last April a father and son were killed in a car incident on the way from Mandalay to Yangon, after the son had requested his father to celebrate Water Festival in Yangon, he said. When I saw the remains of the son, he still had a water pistol clutched in his hand. The story of that child really tugged at my heartstrings. He said that while such incidents might be included in the film, the story will highlight the selflessness of the doctors and social workers who volunteer at FFSS, as well as the happiness and hardships of ordinary people he has met as part of his daily routine. Actors and actresses have offered to donate their acting to this film. I will make the film with their help, including Miss Myanmar International Nang Khin Zay Yar, said U Kyaw Thu. He added that he will start filming once he gets permission from the Myanmar Motion Picture Enterprise.

Human rights film festival announced for Yangon

By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe SUBMISSIONS are being sought from filmmakers throughout the world to take part in an international film festival to be held in Yangon from June 15 to 19, under the theme Human Rights, Human Dignity. Filmmakers can submit works about human rights in three categories: documentary, short film and animation. Separate prizes will be given for local and international entries, the festivals organiser, Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, told The Myanmar Times. He said he got the idea to hold a film festival with a human rights theme after attending the One World Film Festival in Prague in the Czech Republic last March. After I came back from Prague I decided I was less interested in organising a festival about freedom and more interested in one that would highlight human rights, said Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi. T h e C z e c h Re p u b l i c changed from a communist country to a democracy with leadership from writer Vaclav Havel around 1990, he said. Even those countries that changed to democracies 20 years ago are still raising awareness about human rights, so as a person with some knowledge about filmmaking, Id like to hold that kind of festival in Myanmar. He said he chose June 19 as the closing date for the festival because it is the birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and he wanted to honour her efforts to fight for human rights. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi used the word human rights during the 1988 uprising, and she has always used it together with the word democracy, he said. I first heard phrases like, There are violations of human rights in Myanmar and People should enjoy human rights completely from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Id never heard these words from anyone or found them in books. Id like to honour this person who is always struggling for human rights. Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi said that currently, the judges for the festival are himself and 88 Generation students leader Ko Min Ko Naing. I asked Ko Min Ko Naing to be a judge because he understands about art, and there will also be three international judges, said Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi. Im not sure which foreign countries well be submissions from. We have contact with the One World Film Festival, so I think the countries that are within reach of that group will participate. Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi said one important aspect of the festival is that it will be completely organised by locals. I attended one film festival in Laos and was surprised to find that all of the organisers were foreigners. When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Ko Thura [Zaganar] and I organised the Art of Freedom Film Festival [in Yangon in January 2012], we did it all locally, and it will be the same with the upcoming festival. Films must be submitted to the Human Rights, Human Dignity Film Festival no later than May 10. Applications can be found online at www. hrhdiff.org. Translated by Thiri Min Htun

Mraz concert Asias most successful: MTV Exit

By Nuam Bawi AMONG the 30 concerts that MTV Exit has organised in Asia to raise awareness about human trafficking, the Jason Mraz show held in Yangon last month was by far the most successful, the organisers said last week. MTV Exit representative Bram Steenhuizen said they had received good feedback from previous concerts held in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal and Taiwan, but the one in Myanmar was the best of them all. This is the 31st concert MTV EXIT has done in Southeast Asia, and we found that the one in Myanmar led to the greatest improvement in peoples knowledge and awareness of human trafficking, Mr Steenhuizen said at a press conference held at Royal Rose Restaurant in Yangon on January 8. He said that before the concert, held at Peoples Square on December 16, MTV Exit sent teams of young people to Yangon to gauge local awareness of human trafficking, and the survey was repeated following the concert to determine whether there were gaps in the information. He also said that editing was underway on a twohour special about the Mraz concert, which will see initial broadcast on Channel 7 on February 2, from 7pm to 9pm. Repeat broadcasts will be featured on Channel 7 and MRTV-4, and the international debut will occur on MTV on March 8. We d e c i d e d n o t t o broadcast the concert live because we wanted to create a video that would feature additional information on human trafficking that we needed to share, said Mr Steenhuizen. While Jason Mraz was in Myanmar, he and Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein recorded a studio version of a song about human trafficking for broadcast on local radio. Lyrics for the song were written by Linn Linn.

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Reading contest promotes love for Myanmar books

By Zon Pann Pwint THE first round of a reading and writing contest was held at Taw Win Centre on January 6 and 7, with 20 candidates selected to advance to the next round later this month. The contest, sponsored by Taw Win Family Company and aimed at promoting love of Myanmar literature, attracted 198 applicants in the 18 to 30 age group, who last year submitted essays to the organisers. From these applicants 49 candidates were selected, each of whom was handed a copy of Daw Ma Ma Lays novel Thu Lo Lu (A Man Like Him) last October. They met at Taw Win Centre last week to answer questions about the book they had read. We a s k e d q u e s t i o n s related to character traits, descriptions of events, and a line of dialogue from the novel, which would prompt the candidates to think about different aspects of the story, said U Myo Myint Nyein, one of the judges. Others on the judging panel included writers Ma Sandar, Chit Oo Nyo and Lynn Thite Nyunt, and actress Swe Zin Htike. After the contest they will learn to pay close attention to historical facts in novels, to discover the meaning that lies beneath the characters traits and to evaluate the story after finishing the book rather than reading only for pleasure, said U Myo Myint Nyein. Each of the 20 finalists will be awarded K100,000, and first place will get K3 million, second place K2 million and third place K1 million. But U Myo Myint Nyein said that for the contestants, the prize money seemed to be beside the point. I found that they arent competing to win the grand prize, but because they are excited and eager to write and discuss the novel. The candidates said they have never participated in such contests at their schools and colleges, he said. Some told me that the judging panel fired questions from different angles that they never thought would be asked. They have asked us to hold such contests every year. Ma Wutyee Htwe, managing director of Taw Win Centre and organiser of the contest, said she wanted to help young readers who love to read Myanmar literature, to develop their literary talents in reading and writing. The prize is high because

A contestant (centre) answers questions from a panel of judges about Daw Ma Ma Lays novel Thu Lo Lu. Pic: Zon Pann Pwint it will help the winner to be able to publish a book if they want, she said. Contestant Ma Shun Lae Thar said she wanted to take part because, as an avid reader, she wanted to test how well she could read and write. In the age of knowledge, everyone from the lower class to the higher class should read. We need more contests where everyone is included, she said.

Bowie returns with first song in decade

LONDON British rock icon David Bowie broke a decadelong musical silence last week, unveiling a new single to coincide with his 66 th birthday and announcing that he will release an album in March. The flamboyant star surprised the music world by posting a video for the moody track, entitled Where are We Now?, on his website (www.davidbowie. com) without any prior announcement. The new album, The Next Day , will be released on March 11. Critics hailed the song as a major comeback, while fans took to social media to welcome the return of an artist who had appeared to have retired from public life amid rumours about his health. Bowie has been a relative recluse in recent years, having released no new music since his last album, Reality, in 2003, and he has not performed live since 2006. January 8 is of course David Bowies birthday, a timely moment for such a treasure to appear as if out of nowhere, a statement on his website said. Throwing shadows and avoiding the industry treadmill is very David Bowie despite his extraordinary track record. The song was written by Bowie and recorded in New York with his longtime producer Tony Visconti, who has worked with the star on a string of his top-selling albums. The single is available to download on iTunes and the new album can be preordered. The album will contain 14 tracks and there will be a deluxe version with three bonus tracks. The video for the single harks back to Bowies time in Berlin in the 1970s and features his face projected onto the body of a puppet. A young womans face appears on another puppet next to him. He is seen looking at an auto repair shop beneath an apartment where he lived in the German city during a period that produced the trilogy of albums Low, Heroes and Lodger. The video was directed by a long-term Bowie collaborator, artist Tony Oursler. T h e Tw i t t e r h a s h t a g #DavidBowie was still trending on the social networking site worldwide hours after the release of the single. British music critics meanwhile lapped up Bowies return. David Bowies elegiac new single may be the most surprising, perfect and welcome comeback in rock history, said the Daily Telegraphs Neil McCormick, describing it as lush, stately, beautifully strange. The Guardian s Alexis Petridis said Bowies voice sounded gorgeously fragile, adding that it was incredible in the internet age for one of the worlds biggest stars to make a new album with no one knowing. The main reason its created such a fuss is simply because no one knew, he wrote. AFP

Berlin museum spotlights Scorsese

By Deborah Cole BERLIN A Berlin museum last week opened what it called the first exhibition worldwide dedicated to the work of veteran US filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who opened his vast archive for the show. Featuring relics such as Robert De Niros shirt drenched in fake blood from Cape Fear and his battered boxing gloves from Raging Bull, the show at the Museum for Film and Television offers an in-depth look at Scorseses half-century of cinema. The 70-year-old Oscar winner was unable to attend the gala opening because he is editing The Wolf of Wall Street, his fifth picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio, whose filming was delayed by Hurricane Sandy in October. But he said in a video message shown to reporters that he was honoured to be the subject of a show at a museum whose permanent collection is devoted to the work of icons such as Marlene Dietrich, Fritz Lang and F W Murnau. Some of the objects you will see have literally been taken off the walls of my house and my office, said Scorsese, who also narrates the shows audio guide. I hope these objects and the exhibition help give you an idea or convey my lifelong passion for film. Scorsese made available his personal collection of scripts covered in handwritten notes, vintage posters and photographs for what the museum called the first exhibition devoted exclusively to Scorseses monumental output. The show offers up crowd-pleasers such as Cate Blanchetts mustardyellow evening gown from her Academy Award-winning turn as Katharine Hepburn in Aviator and DiCaprios ragged 19th century suit from Gangs of New York. But it also gives aficionados a chance to scrutinise the masters notoriously exacting method with the help of letters between De Niro and Scorsese about developing indelible characters, and hand-drawn storyboards from Taxi Driver and Mean Streets. The one bit of direction he gave us for the exhibition was not to focus too much on violence because his work is often reduced to that [by critics], cocurator Nils Warnecke said. And its true if you look at the entire body of work, it really represents only a minority of the films. The show is broken into three sections starting with a focus on Scorseses home neighbourhood of Little Italy in Manhattan where family was a source of orientation in a rough world as well as the nucleus of organised crime. His parents kitchen table, curios and wedding pictures are among the highlights. The second section looks at Scorsese as a passionate curator of cinema history who has worked tirelessly to restore classic pictures. The final chapter focuses on the Scorsese aesthetic in his feature films and music documentaries. The exhibition, which will run until May 12 then continue on to Turin and Geneva, opened just weeks before next months 63rd Berlin film festival. AFP

The boxing gloves and shorts used in the film Raging Bull (1980) are displayed at the Martin Scorses exhibition at the Museum for Film and Television in Berlin, Germany, on January 9. Pic: AFP

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dentist turned bounty hunter, embarking on a killing spree typical of the Pulp Fiction director. Tarantino justifies relentless use of the N word as historically accurate, but that hasnt stopped critics slamming it for linguistic exaggeration, as well as shooting overload, notably after last months school massacre. Ben Afflecks Iran hostage crisis drama Argo tells the story of a CIA agent played by the actor-director himself bidding to free six American diplomats who take refuge in the Canadian a m b a s s a d o r s r e s i d e n c e i n Tehran. Critics have included then C a n a d i a n e n v o y Ke n Ta y l o r, depicted as playing a clearly supporting role in the plot to get them out of the country disguised as a Canadian film crew. The movies fun, its thrilling, its pertinent, its timely, Taylor told Canadas Star newspaper recently. But look, Canada was not merely standing around watching events take place. The CIA was a junior partner. Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelows Zero Dark Thirty also focuses on a CIA agent: the female one credited with tracking down bin Ladens hideout in Pakistan, where US special forces killed him in May 2011. The movie includes graphic scenes of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, widely seen as torture, and portrays their role in pinpointing the Al-Qaedas chiefs courier who eventually led to his compound in Abbottabad. That has earned it criticism from lawmakers including former presidential candidate John McCain and from acting CIA chief Michael Morell, claiming the film exaggerates the importance of information obtained by such techniques. A rights group joined those voicing concern last week, after the movies five Oscar nominations. The Centre for Constitutional Rights said it was profoundly disappointed to see that Hollywood is prepared to bestow its highest honour upon a film that glorifies one of the darkest periods in our nations history, it said. This should be a moment of national shame and a commitment never to repeat the horrors depicted in the film. We hope that members of the Academy will vote their consciences and withhold their votes from this film. Bigelow failed to pick up a best director nod last week, in what was seen by many as a snub. But her Zero Dark Thirty producer and screenwriter Mark Boal who worked with her on 2008s Oscar-winning Hurt Locker paid tribute to her reacting to the films other nominations. None of us would be so honoured today without the genius and remarkable talent of Kathryn Bigelow, and to her we are forever grateful, he said. AFP

Myanmar Times

Oscars favourites highlight US history

By Michael Thurston LOS ANGELES Do you want a US history lesson? Look no further than the frontrunners for the best film Academy Award, announced on January 10. Nearly half the movies nominated for best picture Oscar are about key events in Americas past, from the abolition of slavery to the post 9/11 hunt for Osama bin Laden. S t e v e n S p i e l b e r g s d r a m a Lincoln could also offer a lesson to current US politicians, as the 16th US president schemed to get bipartisan support in Congress. Slavery and the American Civil War era also provide the backdrop for Quentin Tarantinos latest blood-fest Django Unchained , about a slave-turned-bounty hunter seeking to free his wife from Leonardo DiCaprios clutches. Historical accuracy is not necessarily guaranteed: Argo allegedly takes liberties with facts about the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, and the CIA has blasted the depiction of torture in the bin Laden flick Zero Dark Thirty. Spielbergs latest movie, which led the field with nominations in 12 categories, tells the story of Abraham Lincolns drive to secure crucial votes to pass the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States. Played with uncanny realism by Daniel Day-Lewis frontrunner for best actor the Republican president stops at little beyond

outright financial bribery to twist Democrats arms into backing the constitutional amendment. Non-Americans might learn a thing or two as well: that it was the Democrats who opposed abolition seems surprising from

the modern point of view, as are the political machinations that eventually ended the Civil War. Django Unchained is set a few years before the Civil War, when Jamie Foxxs title character is freed by a wandering German

Man Asian literary prize Twilight tops anti-Oscar Razzies unveils 2012 shortlist
By David Watkins HONG KONG A debut novel and a work by a Nobel laureate were among five books shortlisted for Asias most prestigious literary prize last week, with entries across the region from Turkey to Japan. The shortlist for the US$30,000 Man Asian Literary Prize was drawn from a longlist of 15 published works, after 108 entries were submitted to a panel of judges led by literary critic and journalist Maya Jaggi. Professor David Parker, executive director of the Asian Literary Prize, the organising body of the award, hailed what he called a remarkable selection of books that bring together regional publishers with larger international houses. Several of these writers have been celebrated in their own countries and recognised internationally, but never before have we viewed them collectively as Asian writers, said Parker. Silent House, an early work from Turkish writer and 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Orhan Pamuk, made the list despite being first published nearly 30 years ago. It qualified for the prize because it appeared in English for the first time in 2012. Turkey and Iran are among the 35 countries eligible for the prize, which is looking for a new sponsor with London-based Man Group ending its funding for the Asian prize after this edition of the event. This book written 30 years ago still spoke to us and spoke to some very present issues to do with the way individuals experience the drive for modernity and rapid urbanisation, Jaggi said at a press conference in Hong Kong via video link from London. Other works include two books that were shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, which was won by record-breaking British author Hilary Mantel for Bring up the Bodies in October. Jeet Thayils Narcopolis is his debut novel, a sprawling exploration of opium addiction and its impact on Old Bombay over three decades, described by Jaggi as a stylistic tour de force with great originality. The Garden of Evening Mists by Malaysias Tan Twan Eng was also shortlisted for the Booker prize and follows a young law graduate who discovers the only Japanese garden in Malaya and its secretive owner and creator. Another text appearing in translation is The Briefcase by Hiromi Kawakami, which traces the relationship between an office worker nearing 40 and her former literature teacher, a retired widower. Between Clay and Dust by Pakistani author Musharraf Ali Farooqi is set in an unnamed Pakistani city after the partition of India and follows the story of a former champion wrestler. Farooqis tale is more moving for the spareness and restraint with which it is told, said Jaggi, who is joined on the judging panel by award winning Vietnamese-American novelist Monique Truong and Indian writer Vikram Chandra. She added that Thayil, Eng and Farooqi embodied Asian writers of a new generation turning to the past in a different way all younger writers who are looking not simply at the history of their own nations but regional history. The winner will be announced on March 14. Winning translators are awarded $5000. AFP LOS ANGELES The last installment of the blockbuster Twilight franchise has won the dubious honour of being nominated in every category for Hollywoods anti-Oscar Razzie awards. Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 topped the shortlist of the Golden Raspberries, handed out each year as an alternative to Tinseltowns annual back-slapping awards season, which moves into top gear this week. Others tipped for Razzie shame include veteran diva Barbra Streisand for worst actress in mother-son road movie The Guilt Trip, while Nicolas Cage, Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler are all up for worst actor. Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are nominated for worst actor and actress, while the films director Bill Condon was tipped for worst filmmaker, in shortlists for all 10 Razzie categories unveiled on January 8. The tongue-in-cheek dishonour award will not matter much to the makers of the Twilight films the fifth and final installment of the wildly popular franchise has taken

Adam Sandler has made his nearly annual appearance on the Razzies shortlist. Pic: Franz Richter

nearly US$800 million at the box office worldwide, according to the IMDb movie industry website. The other films shortlisted for worst movie of 2012 were Battleship , family movie The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, Adam Sandler comedy Thats My Boy and A Thousand Words starring comedy veteran Murphy. The Razzie winners will be announced on February 23, the day before the Academy Awards. Here are the full shortlists in the main Razzie categories: Worst director: Sean Anders, Thats My Boy ; Peter Berg, Battleship ; Bill Condon, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2; Tyler Perry, Good Deeds/ Madeas Witness Protection; and John Putch, Atlas Shrugged II. Worst Actress: Katherine Heigl, One for the Money; Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil: Retribution ; Tyler Perry, Madeas Witness Protection; Kristen Stewart, The Twilight Saga/Snow White and the Huntsman. Worst Actor: Nicolas Cage, Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance / Seeking Justice; Eddie Murphy, A Thousa n d Words ; Robe rt Pattinson, The Twilight Saga ; Tyler Perry, Alex Cross / Good Deeds; Adam Sandler, Thats My Boy. Worst Supporting Actress: Jessica Biel, Playing For Keeps/ Total Recall; Brooklyn Decker, Battleship/What to Expect When Youre Expecting; Ashley Greene, The Twilight Saga; Jennifer Lopez, What to Expect When Youre Expecting; Rihanna, Battleship. Worst Supporting Actor: David Hasselhoff, Piranha 3-DD; Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga; Liam Neeson, Battleship/Wrath of the Titans ; Nick Swardson, Thats My Boy; Vanilla Ice, Thats My Boy. AFP

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Global warming causes headache for winemakers

By John Mariani TO paraphrase Shakespeare, in the vineyards of the world, something worrisome this way comes. Over the past decade, global warming has started affecting those narrow zones best suited for growing wine grapes. Warmer temperatures are a mixed blessing for winemakers. In colder climates like Bordeaux and Burgundy, more heat can increase sugars in the grapes. Richard Snyder, a biometeorology specialist at the University of California, Davis, speaking at last years Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, said a 3 degrees Celsius increase in temperature would create more carbon dioxide in the air, aiding photosynthesis and prolonging frost-free growing seasons. The bad news, said Snyder, is that higher temperatures can bring more droughts to the Mediterranean and California. Unlike so-called broad acre crops such as soybeans and wheat, wine grapes are a niche crop that can only been grown in certain areas, said Gregory V Jones, professor and research climatologist in the Department of Environmental Studies at Southern Oregon University. The issue today is, when we talk of global warming, we talk about humans contribution, which is occurring at a much faster rate than in recorded history, he said. Axel Heinz, director of production for Super Tuscan wine Ornellaia, said the prolonged European heat wave in the summer of 2003 was what alerted first producers to what was going on. The weather is now getting more and more extreme and unpredictable with sudden heat spikes, long lasting drought periods and violent and unpredictable rainfalls, he said. Such spikes are forcing winemakers to adapt. Heinz has observed an accelerating trend of increased sugar levels leading to higher alcohol levels in the past five years. Whereas conventional vineyard techniques had evolved in northern growing areas where optimal ripening

Risky pursuit of Philippine vodka

By Jason Gutierr TAYABAS, Philippines With their huge copper vats and open fires, little-known backyard liquor makers have toiled for generations on Philippine coconut farms to distill their equivalent of Russian vodka. Once considered a lowly p e a s a n t s d r i n k w h o s e potency is said to put other liquors and spirits worldwide in the shade, the lambanog is the Philippine version of coconut arrack also made in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Many have compared it to Russian vodka or English gin but what sets our lambanog apart is that you dont get a hangover, said 65year-old distiller Isabelita Capistrano. The family-owned Capistrano Distillery in coconut-rich Tayabas is one of two leading Philippine makers of lambanog, which it sells to the countrys biggest supermarket chain. It is a very hard drink. Japanese and South Korean [tourists] especially like it. Americans find it too strong, but smooth, said the former high school teacher. But if drinking it is a challenge, making it is a highrisk pursuit that can lead to the death of those charged with climbing coconut trees to collect the frothy sap that is fermented to produce the drink. People have fallen and died or had broken bones, said Eugenio Andaya, who has been climbing the trees since he was a teenager. It is a very difficult job but I just pray and leave my fate to the Lord, he said in a recent early morning visit to Tayabas, a sleepy, picturesque rural town about three hours drive from Manila. Workers climb the trees without protective harnesses to prune the coconut flowers before they turn into fruits. The sap is allowed to drip into bamboo receptacles. Like high-wire performers, the tappers navigate a network of bamboo bridges connecting the trees 9 metres (30 feet) above the ground, with blades on their waists and bags tightly strapped to their shoulders. Pruning is mostly done in the afternoon, and the climbers return at dawn to collect the liquid even before the roosters crow, said Andaya, 53. Farmhands then deliver the sap to the distillery in big plastic containers that are carried behind their backs or on pack horses. The sap is fermented into a local wine called tuba, which if distilled further, yields the colourless lambanog, with methanol as a by-product. Capistrano said the process of distilling the equivalent of coconut vodka was first recorded in Tayabas in the early 19th century. Founded by Spain in the 1580s as part of its move to Christianise its Asian colony, Tayabas lies in the shadow of Mount Banahaw, a spiritual place where shamans live and where rainwater rushing down the slopes keeps the land fertile. According to local lore, the first known Tayabas distillery was owned by a Spanish soldier named Alandy who settled in the area. A l a n d y s l i n e i s n o w produced by the rival Mallari Distillery, whose owners trace their ancestry to the soldier and who still maintain the original recipe of a drink with a 90 proof grade, which means it contains 45 percent alcohol. Lambanog remains a cheap, popular drink across the Philippines. But official data on how much income it generates domestically remains sketchy, with the beverage sold locally through neighbourhood shops that do not remit any taxes or reports. In 2001 the government approached the Mallari and Capistrano houses and 14 other smaller lambanog distillers with a plan to develop the product for export. It provided packaging expertise, introduced modern bottling operations and sponsored alcohol tasting tours for foreign buyers. Capistranos best-seller is lambanog spiked with local wild blackberries called liputi, which offer a slightly sweet, tangy taste. We want the world to know that lambanog is the official Philippine liquor, she said. AFP

Terraced vineyards meander along the Douro River in Portugal. Pic: Fladgate Partnership Vinhos SA was a struggle, now ripeness is achieved more easily and quickly. In Burgundy, where sun and heat can be a boon, there is some cautionary optimism about global warming. The vines flower very early now, said Marie-Andree Mugneret, co-owner of Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg in Vosne-Romanee. If I told my grandfather we were picking grapes in early September, he would say its impossible. For now, it seems a good thing; the concentration of flavours is there. But we just dont know what the future will hold. Burgundians worry that alcohol levels may rise high above 14 percent in pinot noir, the dominant grape there. Possible soil damage is also a nagging concern for oenologist Gautier Romani of Chateau de Pommard. I fear that global warming will affect the soil underneath the top layer. It will become compacted and microorganisms in the soil will be affected, he told me. The vineyards will change but we dont know how. In Portugals Douro Valley, home of Port, winemakers are confident that hundreds of years of experience will enable them to cope, said Robert Bower, sales and export manager for the Fladgate Partnership Vinhos, maker of Taylor, Croft and Fonseca Ports. Though theres no definitive evidence yet, if global warming comes to the Douro, the Port producers can adapt with the variety of elevations and various aspects to the sun available in a port vineyard, he said. Jones of Southern Oregon University urges vineyard owners to pay close attention to every aspect of their micro climate. We have to be good stewards of the land, looking at micro fungi in the vine roots, what kind of fertiliser should be used, how the elimination of pests affects everything, he said. With niche crops like chocolate, coffee and wine grapes, small changes can have a large impact. The most magical things happen when a grape ripens at the margin of the climate. Bloomberg News

Taste of Burgundy comes from anywhere

By Dave McIntyre YOU dont have to know Burgundy to know wine, but the more you know wine, the more you will want to know Burgundy. Thats the blessing and the challenge of modern wine. We dont have to start at the top, seeking out and tasting rare vintages of Echezeaux, Romanee-Conti or other fine Burgundies to understand pinot noir and chardonnay. Nor need we mortgage our future for a taste of first-growth Bordeaux to experience wonderful cabernet sauvignon and merlot. The globalisation of wine, especially technological advances in the vineyard and the winery, has made it possible to produce good wine just about anywhere, and the global economy allows us to try wine from anywhere without leaving home. Good pinot noir is produced in California and Oregon, of course, but also in New Zealand, Chile and Argentina. By concentrating on these regions, a budgetminded wine fan can gain an understanding of pinot noir before tackling Burgundy. Cabernet and merlot fans can explore Chiles Colchagua and Aconcagua valleys before shelling out for Napa or Bordeaux. But that globalisation has also led to similarity. As Paul Lukacs argues compellingly in his new book, Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the Worlds Most Ancient Pleasures (2012), modern technology and a global marketplace have helped create an international style that, at a certain level at least, trumps place of origin. The international style emphasises ripe fruit flavours, lush textures and forceful levels of alcohol in a word, flamboyance, Lukacs writes. So when we go into a store or restaurant and ask for a chardonnay, it doesnt matter whether it comes from California, France, Australia or just down the street as long as it tastes like our idea of what a chardonnay should be. So we are awash in wellmade, technically sound wines from around the world that tend to taste alike. We could stop there and be happy with the reliability of todays inexpensive wine. Yet many wine lovers want more. We explore the regional expressions that do persist, finding differences in pinot noir from New Zealands Central Otago and the Sta Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County. We move on from our favourite gulpable malbec and discover the nuances that Argentinas cutting-edge winemakers achieve with grapes grown in alluvial soils at everhigher altitudes in the Andean foothills. There are winemakers around the world who rebel at the sameness of the international style and take pride in creating wine that expresses its place of origin. The problem, of course, is that those wines are harder to find and cost more. But they are worth seeking out. Many wine drinkers try to escape the confines of the international style by experiencing unfamiliar regions and grape varieties. Mencia from Spain, gruner veltliner and blaufrankisch from Austria, wines fermented and aged in clay pots buried in the ground; all these are populating lists at wine bars and restaurants. Modern winemaking has helped improve these wines and made them available across the globe. It also has helped spur the dramatic rise in regional wine in the United States, including impressive growth in Virginia and Maryland over the past decade. Riesling is in vogue among sommeliers, writers and adventurous consumers, despite a lingering misperception among some that it is always sweet. In fact, dry Riesling achieves impressive finesse in New York, concentration and power in Washington states Columbia Valley and a fullthroated roar in Australia. In Austria, it achieves an intense mineral quality. Perhaps Riesling is the antichardonnay: It delights us precisely because it challenges our idea of what a Riesling should be. The Washington Post

Distiller Isabelita Capistrano holds bottled lambanog at her distillery in Tayabas, Quezon Province, Philippines, on November 14, 2012. Pic: AFP

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Food & Drink

Delicious pumpkin, dressed to grill
PUMPKIN salads are among the most popular dishes at Australian BBQ meals people just love the sweetness of caramelised, roasted pumpkin and the texture of the crunchy nuts in fresh green salad leaves. In Myanmar, we use pumpkin (shwe pha yone thee) in curries as a main dish as well as side dishes. From this you can see that pumpkin is a versatile vegetable, and exploring new ways of preparing it is very enjoyable. There are many varieties of pumpkin and squash, and my personal favourites are Japanese pumpkin (with green and yellow patches) and golden pumpkin. As many people, I love pumpkin salads with nuts and green leaves, so here are a couple of my favourites. 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Myanmar Times

Phyos Cooking Adventure

January 14 - 20, 2013

Phyo cuts through culture to reveal lifes true taste

Dressing 1 teaspoon of chili paste (Shan chili paste) 2 tablespoons of lime juice 1 tablespoon of fish sauce 1 tablespoon of jiggery, palm sugar or brown sugar 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil PREPARATION Discard the seeds from the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin into pieces 2cm thick and 5-6cm long without peeling the skin. Brush olive oil (1 tablespoon) on both sides of the pumpkin pieces and grill them by lying them on the rack above the gas flame. Turn to cook evenly. When they are soft and cooked through, remove them from the heat and allow to cool. Prepare the dressing and set aside. De-shell and de-vein the prawns, then use a knife to butterfly them. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a pan and fry the prawn for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, toss with 1 tablespoon of dressing to coat the prawn well, and set aside. When the pumpkin and prawn have cooled down, place them in a large bowl along with the salad leaves. Sprinkle the remaining dressing over top and toss.

Main Tips
Dont cut the pumpkin into pieces more than 2cm thick if you are grilling them. This thickness is easy to handle, and the pieces will cook through quickly. If you like feta cheese, you can add some pieces to the grilled pumpkin and rocket salad for added taste.
Quaffing Quote Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie. Jim Davis, American actor (1915-1981) Next Week Yummy pumpkin custards and more.

Pic: Phyo Salt and black pepper to taste a rack above the gas flame. Turn to cook evenly. When they are soft and cooked through, remove from the heat and allow to cool. For the dressing, mix the wholegrain mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a jar and shake well. If you dont want to make your own dressing, you can use 1 tablespoons of balsamic vinagrete instead. Peel the skin off the grilled onions and cut them into wedges. Place the grilled onion, grilled pumpkin, roasted seeds and rocket leaves in a large bowl and toss them with the dressing. Salt and black pepper to taste.

Bernard Magrez Chateau Perenne 2009 Be warned: This delicious red Bordeaux blend (91 percent merlot, 9pc cabernet sauvignon) has a warm, smooth taste that could easily lead to overconsumption.

Red Wine

Grilled pumpkin and rocket salad INGREDIENTS (6 servings) 700g of pumpkin (Asian) 2 onions 2 tablespoons of roasted sunflower seeds 2 tablespoons of roasted pumpkin seeds 2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons of olive oil 3 cups of rocket leaves

PREPARATION Grill the onion directly on the gas stove flame without peeling the skins, until the whole onion is soft. Cool and set aside. Cut the pumpkin into pieces 2cm thick and 5-6cm long without peeling the skin. Brush olive oil (1 tablespoon) on both sides of the pumpkin pieces and grill them by lying them on

Pumpkin and chili prawns with Asian dressing INGREDIENTS (6 servings) 700g of pumpkin 18 prawns 3 cups of small salad leaves

Food Review
THE exact address of Escape gastro pub is a mere formality. The cars in the parking lot and clusters of lingering drivers leave no doubt that youve arrived at the newest spot of choice for Yangons young, wellheeled set. The two-storey venue is filled with female patrons sipping designer cocktails with ingredients like Earl Grey-infused gin, alongside their male counterparts who appear to have gleaned their sartorial inspiration from Psys Gangham Style video. First the positive: The service is mostly excellent. Whether a hopping Friday night or a laidback Wednesday dinner, a patron never has to wait for a table, and the black t-shirt clad staff place themselves strategically around the room so that any and all requests are answered promptly. Food and drink are also brought out in a timely fashion, although one may be left wishing the kitchen took a few extra minutes, but more on that later. As far as atmosphere, Escape straddles the line between night club and restaurant in ways that

Flee the food, head for the bar

Pic: Boothee

Ks 20,700

White Wine
Marques de Caceres Satinela Semi-Dulce 2011 Semi-Dulce means medium sweet, but the sweetness is subtle and complements Asian cuisine. The label assures us that the screwcap presentation guarantees an optimum preservation of its bouquet.

Score BOX

/10

takes a try at some daring recipes but largely falls flat. The nachos are nothing more than a small serving of Doritos chips and watery salsa. The dried mutton appetiser was a greasy disappointment. The kitchens single highlight was the chicken with Thai spices. A perfectly crisp serving with lemongrass was almost enough to make one forget the previous dishes. BOT

Escape

31D Kan Yeiktha Street, Mayangone township, Yangon. Tel (95-1) 660-737

Food: Drink: Atmosphere: Service: X-factor: Value for money:

are not always smooth, especially for diners seated later in the evening. Low lighting makes for a romantic atmosphere, but this is somewhat undercut by speakers pumping club hits at volumes that make intimate chats difficult. The outdoor seating area is the best option for dining, as it offers a break from both the music and the maniacally cold airconditioning. Hookahs are also available with a variety of sisha flavours. The restaurants menu

5 8 6 9 9 8

Ks 11,700

Score BOX

/10

Score BOX

/10

Socialite
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Daw Han Thein @ Ayro

Blood donor @ Sein Gay Har Blood Donation Program

Dr Thein Than Oo

@ SkyNet Lucky Draw

Customer @ ABC Store Opening

Naing Zaw and Zaw Win Htut @ Soe Pyae Thazin New Album Launch

Marina @ Mango

Fashion Shop Promotion Sales

Ar-T @ Mango

Fashion Shop Promotion Sales

Lucky Draw Actor Naing Naing @ SkyNet

Group photo of traditional legendary singers

@ Legendary singers Show at Ngwe Saung

ABC Store marketing group

@ ABC Store Opening

U Tun Win Oo @ Ayro

Daw Tin Tin U Mg Mg Win, Kyaw Pyin Set and Program Aye @ Sein Gay Har Blood Donation

Soe Pyae Thazin

@ Soe Pyae Thazin New Album Launch

Nawarat @ Mango Fashion

Shop Promotion Sales

Wint Yamhone Hlaing @ Mango

Fashion Shop Promotion Sales

Customers @ Precious Gems Promotion Sales

Customers @ Precious Gems Promotion Sales

Thanda Lin and Daw Tu Tu Myint Thein @ Ayro

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January 14 - 20, 2013

Myanmar Times

SOCIALITE stepped into the New Year 2013 by attending exciting events started from January 2. The first event was the Premier Lucky Draw at Traders Hotel, followed by the SkyNet Lucky Draw WITH NYEIN EI EI HTWE at Chatrium Hotel. On January 4, she enjoyed the blood donation program organised by Sein Gay Har at the Blood Donation Centre, and after that she continued to the ABC Store opening ceremony in Hlaing township. On the following day, she attended the launch ceremony for actress and singer Soe Pyae Thazins new album at Central Hotel. She attended the Politics Journal launch ceremony at City Star Hotel on January 7, and the next day she departed Yangon for a trip to Bagan and Ngwe Saung Beach to enjoy free concerts with local traditional legendary singers.

SOCIALITE

Kyaw Pyin Set, Yadana and Win Phyo Han @ Sein

Gay Har Blood Donation Program

Nanda Aung, Thet Htut Naing and Thant Aung Zin

@ SkyNet Lucky Draw

Thiri Thein Kyaw @ Ayro

Dr Ye Ye Myint @ Ayro

Sales Customers @ Precious Gems Promotion

Dr. Khin Maung Nyo @

Politics Journal Launch

ABC Store marketing group @ ABC Store Opening

Lucky Draw

U Thant Zaw Aung @ Premier

Promotion Sales

R Zarni and One @ Mango Fashion Shop

Wai Wai Aung and Phyu Phyu @ Ayro

U Kaung Thant (writer)

@ Politics Journal Launch

Thae Aung @ Politics Journal Launch

New Album Launch

Director Lu Min Khaung @ Soe Pyae Thazin

Draw Ma Khine Mi Mi Kyi @ Premier Lucky

@ Precious Gems Promotion Sales

Nansu Yati Soe

Aung Kyaw Moe, Aung Zaw Moe and Thura Zaw @ Premier Lucky Draw

Travel
DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES
Days Flight
MON 6T 111 UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 TUE UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 WED UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 THUR UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 FRI 6T 111 UB-A1 UB-B1 UB-C1 SAT UB-A1 SUN UB-A1 MON 6T 112 UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 TUE UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 WED UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 THUR UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 FRI 6T 112 UB-A2 UB-B2 UB-C2 SAT UB-A2 SUN UB-A2

42
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf

January 14 - 20, 2013

Dep Arr
07:00 07:45 11:30 16:00 07:45 11:30 16:00 07:45 11:30 16:00 07:45 11:30 16:00 14:15 07:45 11:30 16:00 08:00 15:30 08:15 09:15 13:00 17:30 09:15 13:00 17:30 09:15 13:00 17:30 09:15 13:00 17:30 17:05 09:15 13:00 17:30 10:00 17:00 07:55 08:45 12:30 17:00 08:45 12:30 17:00 08:45 12:30 17:00 08:45 12:30 17:00 15:10 08:45 12:30 17:00 09:00 16:30 09:10 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 10:15 14:00 18:30 18:00 10:15 14:00 18:30 11:00 18:00

Days Flight
SUN W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 W9 143 W9 011 8M 6603 W9 251 YJ 211 W9 014

Dep Arr
07:25 08:15 08:30 08:25 08:10 08:40 09:05 08:30 10:10 11:55 11:55 12:00 12:55 13:25 13:40 13:25 15:30 17:10 17:40 09:45 10:15 10:25 10:30 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 13:20 17:50 18:10 17:30 18:00 18:05 18:05 19:15 19:15 19:45 09:35 09:45 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 13:20 17:50 17:30 18:00 18:05 18:30 19:15 19:30 19:00 19:45 19:25 19:25 09:45 10:15 09:55 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 18:05 18:05 18:30 19:15 18:50 19:15 20:00 09:45 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 13:20 17:15 17:55 17:50 19:15 18:30 20:00 19:25 19:55 09:45 10:40 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 12:25 13:20 17:50 18:10 17:30 18:45 19:15 18:45 19:45 19:10 19:05 19:15 09:45 09:50 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 14:00 17:30 18:00 18:05 18:30 19:10 19:15 19:45 19:25 09:45 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:45 10:30 11:05 10:45 13:20 16:55 17:50 18:05 19:15 18:30 18:45 18:45 18:50 19:00 19:15 20:00

Days Flight
MON YJ 901 W9 205 YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 6T 351 K7 222 W9 141 YH 909 W9 143 YH 731 W9 211 TUE W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 YH 909 6T 351 W9 143 YH 731 YJ 791 W9 211 WED YJ 901 W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 YH 909 K7 242 W9 143 YJ 911 6T 351 YJ 791 YH 731 W9 129 THUR YJ 901 W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 6T 351 YH 909 W9 143 YH 711 YH 731 W9 129 FRI W9 205 YH 909 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 K7 242 W9 143 YJ 791 YH 731 W9 211 SAT YJ 711 W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 341 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 YH 909 W9 143 6T 451 W9 009 YH 731 W9 211 SUN YJ 901 W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 K7 222 W9 141 6T 351 YH 909 W9 143 K7 224 YH 731 W9 129 MON YJ 902 YH 918 6T 401 W9 141 6T 351 W9 205 W9 143 YH 910 K7 225 YJ 792 YH 732 W9 211 TUE YJ 891 YH 918 6T 401 W9 141 6T 351 W9 205 W9 143 YH 910 YH 732 YJ 792 W9 211 WED YJ 902 YH 918 YJ 891 6T 401 W9 141 W9 205 W9 143 YH 910 YJ 911 6T 351 K7 225 YJ 792 YH 732 W9 129 THUR YH 918 YJ 902 YJ 891 6T 401 W9 141 6T 351 W9 205 W9 143 YH 910 YH 712 YH 732 W9 129 FRI YH 918 YJ 891 6T 401 W9 141 W9 205 W9 143 YH 910 K7 225 YJ 792 YH 732 W9 211

Dep Arr
06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 15:00 16:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 15:00 15:45 16:00 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:45 07:00 09:15 10:15 15:00 15:00 15:45 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 10:30 15:00 15:45 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:45 07:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:00 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 10:15 11:00 15:00 16:00 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 14:15 15:00 15:45 07:35 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:05 08:25 08:35 08:55 16:40 17:55 17:55 18:25 07:45 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:05 08:25 08:35 08:55 17:55 18:10 18:25 07:35 07:45 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:25 08:35 08:55 11:40 11:50 16:40 17:20 17:55 18:40 07:45 07:35 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:05 08:25 08:35 08:55 12:50 17:55 18:40 07:45 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:25 08:35 09:20 16:40 17:25 17:55 18:25 07:20 08:10 07:45 07:30 07:40 07:50 07:50 07:50 08:55 08:20 17:55 18:10 08:10 07:30 07:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 08:55 07:50 08:20 17:55 17:55 18:10 07:20 08:10 07:30 07:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 08:55 08:05 08:20 11:25 11:35 17:05 17:55 18:25 07:20 08:10 07:30 07:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 07:50 08:55 08:20 12:50 17:55 18:25 08:10 09:20 07:30 07:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 08:05 08:20 17:10 17:55 18:10 07:20 08:10 07:30 07:45 08:15 07:40 07:50 07:50 08:55 08:20 11:35 11:55 17:55 18:10 07:20 08:10 07:30 07:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 07:50 08:55 08:20 16:25 17:55 18:25 08:55 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:10 09:45 10:45 10:15 18:00 19:15 19:15 19:45 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:10 09:45 10:45 10:15 19:15 19:30 19:45 08:55 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 09:45 10:45 10:15 14:45 14:55 18:00 18:40 19:15 20:00 10:25 08:55 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:10 09:45 10:45 10:15 14:45 19:15 20:00 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 09:45 10:45 10:40 18:00 18:45 19:15 19:45

Days Flight
SAT YJ 911 YH 918 YJ 891 6T 401 W9 141 W9 205 W9 143 6T 342 YH 910 6T 451 W9 009 K7 225

Dep Arr
10:40 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 09:45 10:45 09:50 10:15 14:55 14:00 18:00 19:10 19:15 19:45 09:40 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:10 09:45 10:45 10:15 18:00 19:15 20:00

Days Flight
MON W9 141 6T 352 YH 918 YJ 892 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 912 W9 109 YJ 762 W9 120 YH 732 K7 829 6T 502 YH 728 TUE YJ 902 W9 141 YJ 892 YH 918 6T 352 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YH 712 W9 109 YJ 762 YH 732 6T 502 K7 823 WED W9 141 K7 243 YJ 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YH 712 YJ 912 6T 352 W9 120 6T 501 YJ 791 YH 732 K7 827 YH 738 W9 129 THUR W9 141 6T 352 YJ 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YH 712 W9 113 YH 732 K7 829 6T 502 YJ 762 W9 129 FRI YH 910 W9 141 6T 404 YH 918 K7 243 YJ 892 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YJ 212 6T 502 W9 109 YH 732 W9 117 YH 728 SAT YJ 912 W9 141 YJ 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YH 506 6T 452 W9 109 YJ 762 W9 120 6T 501 YH 732 K7 827 SUN YJ 902 W9 141 6T 352 YJ 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 YH 506 6T 502 YH 732 W9 117 YH 738 W9 129 MON 6T 611 W9 309 TUE K7 422 W9 309 6T 611 W9 311 WED 6T 611 W9 309 THRU 6T 611 W9 309 W9 311 FRI 6T 611 W9 309 SAT 6T 611 W9 309 SUN K7 422 6T 611 W9 309 MON 6T 612 W9 310 TUE K7 423 W9 310 6T 612 W9 311

Dep Arr
09:00 09:00 09:15 09:20 09:35 09:35 09:50 12:35 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:00 08:25 09:00 09:15 09:15 09:00 09:35 09:35 09:50 11:55 15:45 15:50 16:25 16:40 17:10 09:00 09:15 09:15 09:15 09:35 09:35 09:50 10:30 12:35 12:45 15:55 16:10 16:25 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:10 09:00 09:00 09:15 09:15 09:35 09:35 09:50 11:55 11:55 16:25 16:30 16:40 16:45 17:10 08:25 09:00 09:05 09:15 09:15 09:15 09:35 09:35 09:50 11:15 16:40 15:45 16:25 16:35 17:00 08:30 09:00 09:15 09:15 09:35 09:35 09:50 11:55 12:45 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:10 16:25 17:10 08:30 09:00 09:00 09:15 09:15 09:35 09:35 09:50 11:55 16:40 16:25 16:35 16:40 17:10 11:30 11:30 06:45 11:30 11:30 14:00 11:15 11:30 11:30 11:30 14:00 11:30 11:30 11:15 11:30 06:45 11:30 11:30 13:15 13:30 08:55 13:30 13:15 15:40 11:05 11:10 10:25 10:30 10:30 10:45 11:05 14:45 17:35 18:00 18:05 19:15 17:45 17:50 18:10 09:35 11:05 10:25 10:25 11:10 10:30 10:45 11:05 14:00 17:35 18:00 19:15 17:50 19:25 11:05 11:30 10:25 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:05 11:55 14:45 14:55 18:05 18:30 18:40 19:15 17:45 18:50 20:00 11:05 11:10 10:25 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:05 14:45 19:55 19:15 17:45 17:50 17:55 20:00 10:40 11:05 10:15 10:25 11:30 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:05 12:25 17:50 17:35 19:15 18:45 18:10 10:40 11:05 10:25 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:05 14:00 14:55 17:35 18:00 18:05 18:30 19:15 18:25 19:40 11:05 11:10 10:25 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:05 14:00 17:50 19:15 18:45 18:50 20:00 12:55 13:15 08:40 13:15 12:55 15:25 12:40 13:15 12:55 13:15 15:25 12:55 13:15 12:40 13:15 08:40 12:55 13:15 14:40 15:15 10:50 15:15 14:40 17:25

Days Flight
WED 6T 612 W9 310 THUR 6T 612 W9 310 W9 311 FRI SAT SUN 6T 612 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 K7 423 6T 612 W9 310

Dep Arr
13:00 14:25 13:30 15:15 13:15 14:40 13:30 15:15 15:40 17:25 13:15 14:40 13:30 15:15 13:00 14:25 13:30 14:25 08:55 10:50 13:15 14:40 13:30 15:15 07:00 09:05 11:30 13:35 07:00 09:05 07:00 09:05 11:30 13:35 07:00 09:05 10:00 12:10 07:00 09:05 07:00 09:05 11:30 13:35 07:00 09:05 11:30 13:35 15:50 17:55 11:30 13:35 11:30 13:35 15:50 17:55 11:30 13:35 14:25 16:35 11:30 13:35 11:30 13:35 15:50 17:55 11:30 13:35 06:30 06:30 06:45 10:30 11:30 15:00 06:30 06:45 06:30 10:30 11:30 15:00 06:30 10:15 10:30 11:30 15:15 06:30 06:30 06:45 10:30 11:30 15:00 06:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 06:30 10:15 10:30 11:30 15:30 06:30 06:30 06:45 10:30 15:00 11:30 07:55 10:25 10:15 11:35 14:25 16:10 09:55 10:25 10:15 13:10 14:25 16:10 10:25 13:10 13:50 14:00 14:25 16:25 07:55 10:15 10:25 16:10 13:55 14:25 10:25 10:35 12:05 11:55 14:25 09:45 10:25 10:35 13:10 14:00 14:25 16:40 09:55 10:15 10:25 16:10 14:25 10:00 10:00 07:40 11:35 12:20 15:55 10:00 07:40 10:00 13:10 12:20 15:55 10:00 13:45 13:10 12:20 16:10 10:00 10:00 07:40 13:55 12:20 15:55 10:00 11:40 12:05 12:20 10:00 13:45 13:10 12:20 16:25 10:00 10:00 07:40 13:10 15:55 12:20 08:50 11:05 11:10 12:25 15:15 17:05 10:50 11:05 11:10 14:00 15:15 17:05 11:05 14:00 14:45 14:55 15:15 17:20 08:50 11:10 11:05 17:05 14:45 15:15 11:05 11:30 12:55 12:50 15:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 14:00 14:55 15:15 17:35 10:50 11:10 11:05 17:05 15:15

The bount
By Tom Sietsema THERE are dozens of other boats chugging leisurely across the jadegreen water of Ha Long Bay toward the ancient limestone rock formations, hundreds of craggy towers strong, that became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. I cant help thinking that the vessel Im on, christened Cong Nghia, is the choicest of all transportation. The boat is clean, the crew is genial and theres no bumping into anyone. While the vessel can carry nearly 50 passengers, today there are just two paying customers and our chaperone, Quynh, on board. We are free to roam around; the cheery blue top deck offers sun, breeze and an ever-changing postcard view. (Are those tourists jumping from their sloop in their birthday suits?) Vietnamese legend has it that the bay and its many islands were created by a dragon whipping its tail in a frenzy. Mere coincidence that the bow of Cong Nghia, named for its original owner, sports a dragon head carved from wood? We eventually dock and make our way to a trail that takes us deep inside one of a nearby islands caves, illuminated throughout with coloured spotlights to show off its many nature-made sculptures. Paradise is the contemporary (and apt) name of the enormous cave. However, Quynh points out a particularly voluptuous formation near the end of the 35-minute visit that prompted the local fishermen who discovered it 13 years ago to call it Fairys breast. No male seems to be able to resist having his photo snapped with the Marilyn Monroe of rocks. (Guilty!) Spelunking gives everyone an appetite. No sooner do we return to Cong Nghia than lunch is served on the windowwrapped main deck in a wide booth, the table draped in a blue cover that almost disappears amid the flurry of dishes. First, a little dip of black pepper, red chillis, salt and kumquat juice appears. Next, some ocean crab, which a cook cracks at the table, and a plate of shrimp, which she deftly peels for us as well.

YANGON TO NAY PYI TAW

06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 09:00 10:30 10:30 11:00 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 737 11:15 W9 116 11:45 K7 622 12:00 6T 501 13:30 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45

YANGON TO NYAUNG U

SUN

NAY PYI TAW TO YANGON

MON W9 205 YH 917 YJ 891 6T 401 YJ 909 YH 909 K7 222 W9 143 W9 011 YJ 911 W9 119 W9 014 YJ 761 YH 727 K7 622 W9 109 6T 501 YJ 791 YH 731 W9 211 TUE YJ 901 W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 W9 143 W9 011 8M 6603 W9 251 W9 014 YJ 761 YH 729 K7 822 K7 622 6T 501 W9 109 YH 731 YJ 791 W9 211 WED W9 205 YJ 891 YH 917 6T 401 YH 909 K7 222 6T 331 W9 143 W9 011 YJ 911 W9 119

06:00 06:10 06:15 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 09:15 10:30 11:00 11:00 11:15 12:00 14:30 13:30 15:00 15:00 16:00 06:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 09:00 10:30 11:00 11:00 11:15 11:30 12:00 13:30 14:30 15:00 15:45 16:00 06:00 06:10 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 06:45 07:00 07:30 09:15 10:30 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 737 11:15 K7 622 12:00 6T 501 14:45 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45 THUR W9 205 06:00 YJ 891 06:10 YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 YH 909 06:30 K7 222 06:30 W9 143 07:00 W9 011 07:30 8M 6603 09:00 W9 112 10:30 W9 014 11:00 YJ 761 11:00 YH 729 11:15 K7 226 12:00 6T 501 13:30 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45 FRI W9 205 06:00 YH 909 06:00 YJ 891 06:10 YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 YJ 211 06:30 6T 403 06:30 K7 222 06:30 W9 143 07:00 W9 011 07:30 W9 014 11:00 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 727 11:15 W9 116 11:45 K7 824 13:00 W9 255 13:00 6T 501 13:30 W9 109 14:30 YJ 791 14:30 YH 731 15:00 W9 211 16:00 SAT W9 205 06:00 YJ 891 06:10 YH 917 06:10 6T 341 06:00 6T 401 06:20 YH 909 06:30 K7 222 06:30 K7 244 06:45 W9 143 07:00 W9 011 07:30 W9 119 10:30 YJ 601/W97601 10:45 W9 009 11:00 YJ 761 11:00 YH 729 11:15 W9 109 14:30 6T 501 14:45 YH 731 15:00 W9 211 16:00

YANGON TO MANDALAY

07:25 08:30 08:20 08:25 07:55 08:10 08:40 09:05 08:30 10:40 12:55 12:00 12:55 13:25 13:25 16:10 15:30 16:55 17:10 17:25 07:25 07:25 08:15 08:30 08:25 08:10 08:40 09:05 08:30 10:10 11:55 12:00 12:55 14:15 12:55 13:25 15:30 16:10 17:10 17:10 17:25 07:25 08:15 08:30 08:25 08:10 08:40 08:10 09:05 08:30 10:40 12:55 12:55 13:25 13:25 16:45 17:10 17:40 07:25 08:15 08:30 08:25 08:10 08:40 09:05 08:30 10:10 12:25 12:00 12:55 14:15 13:25 15:30 17:10 17:40 07:25 07:40 08:15 08:30 08:25 07:55 07:55 08:40 09:05 08:30 12:00 12:55 13:25 13:40 14:25 14:25 15:30 16:10 16:25 17:10 17:25 07:25 08:15 08:30 07:25 08:25 08:10 08:40 08:10 09:05 08:30 12:55 12:10 12:40 12:55 14:15 16:10 16:45 17:10 17:25

MON W9 205 YH 910 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 W9 011 K7 223 W9 143 W9 015 6T 502 YH 728 W9 109 YJ 762 K7 623 W9 120 YJ 792 YH 732 W9 211 TUE YJ 901 W9 205 YH 910 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 W9 011 K7 223 W9 143 W9 015 6T 502 W9 109 YJ 762 K7 623 8M 6604 YH 732 YJ 791 W9 252 W9 211 YH 730 K7 823 WED W9 205 YH 910 6T 332 YH 918 YJ 892 6T 402 W9 011 K7 223 W9 143 W9 120 K7 623 6T 502 YH 732 YH 738

MANDALAY TO YANGON

07:40 08:10 08:30 08:35 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 12:20 15:50 16:15 16:30 16:35 16:40 16:40 17:10 17:10 17:40 07:40 07:40 08:10 08:30 08:30 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 12:20 15:50 16:30 16:35 16:40 17:20 17:10 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:00 07:40 08:10 08:30 08:30 08:30 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 16:40 16:40 17:05 17:10 17:25 YJ 752/W97752 17:50 W9 129 17:55 THUR W9 205 07:40 YH 910 08:10 YH 918 08:30 YJ 892 08:30 6T 402 08:45 W9 011 08:50 K7 223 09:00 W9 143 09:20 W9 015 12:20 K7 227 15:50 YJ 762 16:00 6T 502 15:50 YH 732 17:10 8M 6604 17:20 W9 129 17:55 YH 730 18:00 W9 113 18:30 FRI W9 205 07:40 YH 910 07:40 6T 404 08:15 YH 918 08:30 YJ 892 08:30 6T 402 08:45 W9 011 08:50 K7 223 09:00 W9 143 09:20 YJ 212 10:30 W9 015 12:20 6T 502 15:50 YH 728 16:15 W9 109 16:30 YJ 792 16:40 YH 732 17:10 W9 117 17:20 W9 211 17:40 W9 256 17:45 K7 825 17:40 YJ 752/W97752 17:50 SAT W9 205 07:40 6T 342 07:45 YH 910 08:10 YH 918 08:30 YJ 892 08:30 6T 402 08:45 W9 011 08:50 K7 223 09:00 W9 143 09:20 W9 009 13:00 W9 109 16:30 YJ 762 16:35 W9 120 16:40 6T 502 17:05 YJ 602/W97602 17:05 YH 732 17:10 W9 211 17:40 YH 730 18:00 SUN W9 205 07:40 YH 910 08:10 YH 918 08:30 YJ 892 08:30 6T 402 08:45 W9 011 08:50 K7 223 09:00 W9 143 09:20 W9 015 12:20 YJ 212 15:30 6T 502 15:50 K7 623 16:40 YH 732 17:10 8M 6604 17:20 K7 823 17:20 W9 117 17:20 YH 738 17:25 W9 252 17:35 YJ 752/W97752 17:50 W9 129 17:55

07:35 07:45 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:25 08:35 08:30 08:55 11:50 12:15 16:40 YJ 602/W97602 17:50 YH 732 17:55 W9 211 18:25 YJ 901 07:35 YH 918 07:45 YJ 891 07:45 6T 401 07:55 W9 141 08:05 6T 351 08:05 W9 205 08:25 W9 143 08:35 YH 910 08:55 K7 225 16:40 YH 732 17:55 W9 129 18:40

HEHO TO YANGON

MON K7 319 W9 333 TUE K7 319 WED K7 319 W9 333 THUR K7 319 YJ 301 FRI SAT SUN K7 319 K7 319 W9 333 K7 319

YANGON TO MYEIK

MON K7 622 TUE

YANGON TO MYITKYINA
12:00 14:55 10:30 13:25 12:00 14:55 12:00 14:55 10:30 16:40 13:00 15:55 10:30 13:20 10:30 13:25 12:00 14:55 15:10 18:05 16:05 19:00 15:10 18:05 15:10 18:05 17:00 19:55 16:15 19:10 13:35 16:55 16:05 19:00 15:10 18:05 09:15 09:20 08:45 08:45 09:15 11:15 11:40 12:10 12:40 14:40 15:30 15:25 16:10 16:25 08:10 09:15 09:20 08:45 08:45 09:15 11:55 12:10 13:45 15:25 14:40 16:25 09:15 09:20 08:45 09:15 12:20 12:30 11:40 11:55 12:10 12:40 13:45 15:30 15:55 16:10 16:25 16:55 09:15 09:20 08:45 08:50 09:15 11:15 11:40 11:55 12:10 14:40 16:25 16:55 08:25 09:15 09:20 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:15 12:10 12:40 12:55 14:40 15:30 15:25 15:40 16:25 08:15 09:15 09:20 08:45 09:00 09:15 12:30 11:15 11:40 12:10 13:45 15:30 15:25 15:55 16:25 08:15 09:15 09:20 08:45 08:45 09:15 11:15 12:10 12:40 13:45 12:55 14:40 15:30 16:25 16:55 W9 251 K7 622

WED K7 622 THUR W9 112 FRI SUN W9 255 YJ 211 W9 251 K7 622

MYEIK TO YANGON
MON K7 320 W9 334 TUE K7 320 WED K7 320 W9 334 THUR K7 320 YJ 302 FRI SAT SUN K7 320 K7 320 W9 334 K7 320

MON K7 623 TUE

MYITKYINA TO YANGON
W9 252 K7 623

WED K7 623 THUR W9 113 FRI SUN W9 256 YJ 212 W9 252 K7 623

MON YH 917 6T 401 W9 141 6T 351 W9 011 K7 828 W9 119 YJ 761 YH 727 6T 501 K7 224 W9 109 YJ 791 YH 731 TUE YJ 901 YH 917 6T 401 W9 141 6T 351 W9 011 YH 711 YJ 761 K7 822 W9 109 6T 501 YH 731 WED YH 917 6T 401 W9 141 W9 011 YJ 911 6T 351 W9 119 YH 711

NYAUNG U TO YANGON

06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 07:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:15 13:30 14:15 14:30 15:00 15:00 06:00 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:30 07:30 10:30 11:00 11:30 14:30 13:30 15:00 06:10 06:20 06:30 07:30 09:15 10:15 10:30 10:30 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 737 11:15 K7 826 12:30 K7 224 14:15 6T 501 14:45 YJ 791 15:00 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45 THUR YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 W9 141 06:30 6T 403 06:30 W9 011 07:30 K7 828 10:00 W9 112 10:30 YH 711 10:30 YJ 761 11:00 6T 501 13:30 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45 FRI YH 909 06:00 YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 W9 141 06:30 6T 403 06:30 K7 242 06:45 W9 011 07:30 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 727 11:15 W9 116 11:45 6T 501 13:30 K7 224 14:15 W9 109 14:30 YJ 791 14:30 YH 731 15:00 SAT YJ 911 06:00 YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 W9 141 06:30 K7 224 06:45 W9 011 07:30 6T 451 10:15 YH 505 10:30 W9 119 10:30 YJ 761 11:00 K7 826 12:30 K7 224 14:15 W9 109 14:30 6T 501 14:45 YH 731 15:00 SUN YJ 901 06:00 YH 917 06:10 6T 401 06:20 W9 141 06:30 6T 351 06:30 W9 011 07:30 YH 505 10:30 YJ 751/W97751 11:00 YH 737 11:15 K7 822 11:30 W9 116 11:45 6T 501 13:30 K7 224 14:15 YH 731 15:00 W9 129 15:45

YANGON TO HEHO

MON W9 141 6T 351 K7 420 YH 503 W9 309 6T 601 TUE W9 141 K7 422 6T 351 YH 711 W9 309 6T 601

YANGON TO THANDWE

WED W9 141 6T 351 YH 711 W9 309 6T 601 THUR W9 141 6T 351 K7 420 YH 711 W9 309 6T 601 FRI W9 141 6T 601 YH 503 W9 309 W9 141 6T 451 YH 711 W9 309 6T 601 W9 141 6T 351 K7 422 YH 711 6T 601 W9 309

SAT

SUN

MON K7 421 W9 141 6T 352 YH 504 W9 310 6T 602 TUE K7 423 W9 141 6T 352 YH 712 W9 310 6T 602

THANDWE TO YANGON

YANGON TO SITTWE

SITTWE TO YANGON

WED W9 141 YH 712 YJ 912 6T 352 W9 310 6T 602 THUR K7 421 6T 352 W9 141 6T 602 YH 712 W9 310 FRI W9 141 K7 243 YH 504 6T 602 W9 310 SAT YJ 912 W9 141 K7 245 YH 506 6T 452 W9 310 6T 602 SUN K7 423 6T 352 W9 141 6T 602 W9 310

Marvellous on its own, the sweet seafood, culled from the water were gliding on, becomes electric after a dunk in the citrusy hot sauce: big flavours from a wisp of a galley. Vietnamese cooking emphasises the balance of flavours and textures as well as the principles of yin and yang, or the heating and cooling characteristics of ingredients. The perfume of fresh ginger (considered hot) announces a big bowl of steamed elephant trunk clams (cool), so named for the long white meat inside the shells. Tender squid with crisp bok choy, and finely shredded cabbage glistening with oil and biting with black pepper, keep our chopsticks moving, too. A plate of carved, sliced cucumbers refreshes the palate between bites of the seafood and (theres more?) herb-scattered butterfish. Only three hours have

Domestic Airlines
Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)
56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Fax: 525937. Airport: 533222~3, 09-73152853. Fax: 533223.

Asian Wings (AW)

Air KBZ (K7)

33-49,Corner of Bank Street & Maha Bandoola Garden Street, Kyauktada Tsp,Yangon, Myanmar Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (Airport) Fax: 372983

No.34(A-1), Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Township,Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: 951 516654, 532253, 09-73135991~3.Fax: 951 532333

Domestic
6T = Air Mandalay W9 = Air Bagan YJ = Asian Wings K7 = AIR KBZ YH = Yangon Airways UB = FMI UB Charter

Yangon Airways(YH)
166, MMB Tower, Level 5, Upper Pansodan Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (+95-1) 383 100, 383 107, 700 264, Fax: 652 533.

Subject to change without notice

Air Mandalay (6T)

146, Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon Tel : (Head Office) 501520, 525488,

43
January 14 - 20, 2013
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf
Days Flight
MON PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 TUE PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 WED PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 THUR PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 FRI PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 SAT PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306 SUN PG 706 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 TG 306

ty of Ha Long Bay
The kissing rocksof Ha Long Bay, which, according to Vietnamese legend, were created by a dragon whipping its tail in a frenzy. Pic: Edward A Lichorat

Travel
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES
Days Flight
SUN AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 TUE WED THUR SAT SUN CA 906 CA 906 CA 906 CA 906 CA 906

Dep Arr
07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 07:15 08:40 09:50 10:45 14:45 16:30 18:45 19:40 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35 09:30 10:25 11:45 12:40 16:40 18:15 20:40 21:35

Dep Arr
08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 14:15 14:15 14:15 14:15 14:15 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 21:55 21:55 21:55 21:55 21:55

Days Flight
MON 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 TUE 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 WED 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 THUR 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 FRI 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 SAT 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705 SUN 8M 336 TG 303 PG 701 TG 301 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 PG 705

Dep Arr
06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 06:40 08:00 09:05 13:00 17:05 17:55 19:20 20:15 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30 07:25 08:45 09:55 13:45 17:55 18:40 20:05 21:30

Days Flight
TUE DE 2368

Dep Arr
12:40 04:25+1 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45 08:00 11:15 15:00 16:45

YANGON TO BANGKOK

BANGKOK TO YANGON

FRANKFURT TO YANGON
06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40 06:55 10:05 14:00 15:40

YANGON TO BEIJNG

WED DE 2369 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN CZ 3056 8M 711 CZ 3056 8M 711 CZ 3056 CZ 3056 8M 711

YANGON TO FRANKFURT
17:40 08:40 11:20 08:40 17:40 11:20 08:40 10:50 10:50 11:35 10:50 10:50 10:50 11:35 10:50 11:35

05:35 16:40 22:15 13:15 15:50 13:15 22:15 15:50 13:15 16:10 16:10 17:20 16:10 16:10 16:10 17:20 16:10 17:20 18:00 17:35 18:00 17:35 18:00 17:35 18:00 18:00 17:35 18:00 17:35 18:00

YANGON TO GAUNGZHOU

MON CI 7916 TUE CI 7916 BR 288 WED CI 7916 THUR CI 7916 FRI CI 7916 BR 288 SAT CI 7916 BR 288

YANGON TO TAIPEI

MON MU 2032 TUE CA 906 MU 2032 WED CA 906 MU 2032 THUR CA 906 MU 2032 FRI MU 2032 SAT CA 906 MU 2032 SUN CA 906 MU 2032 MON AI 234 FRI AI 234 AI 228

YANGON TO KUNMING
14:40 14:15 14:40 14:15 14:40 14:15 14:40 14:40 14:15 14:40 14:15 14:40

MON AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 TUE AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 WED AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 THU AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 FRI AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 SAT AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 SUN AK 1424 MH 740 8M 502 AK 1420 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN CZ 3055 8M 712 CZ 3055 8M 712 CZ 3055 CZ 3055 8M 712

KAULA LUMPUR TO YANGON

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
14:45 14:15 08:40 14:15 14:45 08:40 14:15 07:00 07:00 07:30 07:00 07:00 07:00 07:30 07:00 07:30

16:35 15:50 10:30 15:50 16:35 10:30 15:50 09:50 09:50 10:35 09:50 09:50 09:50 10:35 09:50 10:35 14:00 13:15 14:00 13:15 14:00 13:15 14:00 14:00 13:15 14:00 13:15 14:00

YANGON TO KOLKATA

13:40 16:55 13:40 16:55 18:45 19:45 16:50 18:40 14:50 16:20 21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30 21:30 17:10 17:10 17:10 17:10 11:50 15:00 11:50 11:50 15:00 11:50 11:45 11:45 11:45 11:45 11:45 11:45 11:45

THUR W9 7607 SUN W9 9607 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN TUE THUR SAT SUN VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 956 VN 942 VN 942 VN 942 VN 942

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI YANGON TO HANOI

19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10 19:10 14:25 14:25 14:25 14:25

MON CI 7915 TUE CI 7915 BR 287 WED CI 7915 THUR CI 7915 FRI CI 7915 BR 287 SAT CI 7915 BR 287

TAIPEI TO YANGON

passed, but between boarding and disembarking, I feel as if Ive been to the dawn of time and back, a journey punctuated by the most memorable meal of a year that has been packed with them. A three-to-four-hour tour of Ha Long Bay on Cong Nghia costs US$120 for up to 48 passengers; lunch is an additional $20 per person. To make reservations, email quynh@ vietnamnowtravel.com. If you have time for only one meal in Hanoi, make it at Quan An Ngon. There are finer restaurants, and less crowded ones, but none that match the sheer number of dishes (200) or variety found in this aromatic and animated collection of 20 food stalls. Quan An Ngon pays homage to rural food peddlers whose stands play the role that restaurants fill in the city. Although

the dining destination, modelled after the shacks found in the Red River delta, offers seating inside a two-story building, the fun takes place outdoors, where booths staffed by dozens of cooks ring an open-air courtyard packed with row upon row of dark wooden tables. (Grab one; they go fast.) You get a menu, but better to have your guide, in my case the Mighty Quynh again, show you around the perimeter and point out the selections. Each stall posts a woven bamboo sign announcing its specialty in Vietnamese. But you probably dont require a translator to tell you that the tiny grilled birds at one stop are sparrows and that the fleshy steamed attraction at another stall is pigs ear, wrapped in rice paper with lettuce, mint, scallions and noodles. Talk about one-stop

shopping! All of Vietnam north, south, central appears to be represented at Quan An Ngon. Ive slurped better beef noodle soup, or pho, at Eden Centre in suburban Virginia. But smoky grilled pork on a bed of vermicelli noodles with a tuft of fresh herbs makes me sad to be saying goodbye to Vietnam, as do steamed snails enlivened with garlic, fish sauce and lemon leaves. As we put a small dent in the menu, giant fans suspended from the trees help us keep our cool and steer fragrant cooking aromas our way. Before heading to the airport and home, I manage to squeeze in some boozy fermented black rice and yogurt and make a friend of it. Quan An Ngon, 18 Phan Boi Chau St., Hoan Kiem str, Hanoi. 011-844-39428162138. The Washington Post

MON FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 TUE FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 WED FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 THUR FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 FRI FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 SAT FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754 SUN FD 2752 FD 2756 FD 2754

YANGON TO DON MUENG

08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 08:30 12:50 17:35 00:25 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:30 16:40 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:40 11:40 16:40 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:30 16:40 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:40 11:40 16:40 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:40 11:40 13:45 16:40 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:30 13:45 16:40 00:25 08:30 10:25 11:30 11:40 11:40 13:45 16:40 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15 08:30 08:55 12:15 17:15

10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 10:20 14:40 19:25 05:00 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:25 16:25 21:15 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:25 16:25 21:15 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:25 16:25 18:15 21:15 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:05 18:15 21:15 05:00 13:00 14:45 16:05 16:25 16:25 18:15 21:15 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30 12:45 12:55 16:30 21:30

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH

MON 8M 601 AI 234 WED 8M 601 FRI 8M 601 AI 234 SAT 8M 601 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN QR 619 QR 619 QR 619 QR 619 QR 619 QR 619 QR 619

YANGON TO GAYA
10:30 13:40 10:30 10:30 13:40 10:30 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00

YANGON TO DOHA

International Airlines
Air Asia (FD)
33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Ground Flr, Parkroyal Hotel, Yangon. Tel: 251 885, 251 886.

MON MI 509 8M 231 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 TUE 8M 231 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 WED 8M 231 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 THUR 8M 231 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 FRI 8M 231 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 3K 586 8M 233 MI 517 SAT 8M 231 SQ 997 8M 6232 3K 586 8M 233 MI 517 MI 509 SUN 8M 231 SQ 997 3K 586 8M 6232 3K 586 8M 233 MI 517 MON AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 TUE AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 WED AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 THUR AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 FRI AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421 SAT AK 1425 8M 501 MH 741 AK 1421

YANGON TO SINGAPORE

MON FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 TUE FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 WED FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 THUR FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 FRI FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 SAT FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753 SUN FD 2751 FD 2755 FD 2753

DON MUENG TO YANGON

07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20 07:15 11:35 16:20

08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05 08:00 12:20 17:05

MON MU 2031 TUE CA 905 MU 2031 WED CA 905 MU 2031 THUR CA 905 MU 2031 FRI MU 2031 SAT CA 905 MU 2031 SUN CA 905 MU 2031 MON AI 227 FRI AI 227 AI 233

KUNMING TO YANGON
13:30 13:00 13:30 13:00 13:30 13:00 13:30 13:30 13:00 13:30 13:00 13:30

KOLKATA TO YANGON

10:10 12:55 10:10 12:55 13:30 16:00

THUR W9 9608 SUN W9 9608 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN TUE THUR SAT SUN VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 957 VN 943 VN 943 VN 943 VN 943

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON HANOI TO YANGON

16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35 16:35 11:40 11:40 11:40 11:40

19:40 20:30 17:20 17:50 18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10 18:10 13:25 13:25 13:25 13:25

Bangkok Airways (PG)

Air Bagan Ltd.(W9) Air China (CA)

#0305, 3rd Fl, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 255122, 255 265, Fax: 255119

Silk Air(MI)

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, 2nd Floor, Sakura Tower, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 255 287~9, Fax: 255 290

56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Building (2), corner of Pyay Rd and Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Hotel Yangon, 8 miles, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : 666112, 655882.

Condor (DE)

Thai Airways (TG)

MON SQ 998 07:55 09:20 3K 585 09:10 10:40 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 WED 8M 403 16:45 19:10 8M 232 14:10 15:40 SAT 8M 403 16:45 19:10 MI 518 14:20 15:45 YANGON TO SEOUL TUE SQ 998 07:55 09:20 MON KE 472 00:05 08:00 3K 585 09:10 10:40 TUE KE 472 00:05 08:00 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 WED KE 472 00:05 08:00 8M 232 14:10 15:40 THUR KE 472 00:05 08:00 MI 518 14:20 15:45 FRI KE 472 00:05 08:00 WED SQ 998 07:55 09:20 SAT KE 472 00:05 08:00 3K 585 09:10 10:40 SUN KE 472 00:05 08:00 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 8M 232 14:10 15:40 YANGON SIEM REAP MI 518 14:20 15:45 MON 8M 401 17:05 19:15 THUR SQ 998 07:55 09:20 FRI 8M 401 17:05 19:15 3K 585 09:10 10:40 YANGON TO TOKYO 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 WED NH 914 22:00 06:40+1 8M 232 14:10 15:40 MI 518 14:20 15:45 YANGON TO HONGKONG FRI SQ 998 07:55 09:20 MON KA 251 01:00 06:00 3K 585 09:10 10:40 TUE KA 251 01:00 06:00 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 THUR KA 251 01:00 06:00 8M 232 14:10 15:40 SAT KA 251 01:00 06:00 MI 518 14:20 15:45 8M 234 19:15 20:45 MANDALAY TO DON MUENG MI 520 22:10 23:35 MON FD 2761 11:05 13:30 SAT SQ 998 07:55 09:20 TUE FD 2761 11:05 13:30 3K 585 09:10 10:40 THUR FD 2761 11:05 13:30 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 SAT FD 2761 11:05 13:30 8M 232 14:10 15:40 MANDALAY TO KUNMING MI 518 14:20 15:45 MON MU 2030 14:40 17:20 8M 234 19:15 20:45 MU 7524 18:20 21:00 SUN SQ 998 07:55 09:20 TUE MU 2030 14:40 17:20 8M 6231 09:10 10:40 WED MU 2030 14:40 17:20 3K 585 09:10 10:40 MU 7524 18:20 21:00 8M 232 14:10 15:40 THUR MU 2030 14:40 17:20 MI 518 14:20 15:45 FRI MU 2030 14:40 17:20 8M 234 19:15 20:45 MU 7524 18:20 21:00 MI 520 22:10 23:35 SAT MU 2030 14:40 17:20 BEIJNG TO YANGON SUN MU 2030 14:40 17:20 TUE CA 905 8:05 13:15 MANDALAY TO GAYA WED CA 905 8:05 13:15 TUE 8M 603 11:10 12:15 THUR CA 905 8:05 13:15 THUR 8M 603 11:10 12:15 SAT CA 905 8:05 13:15 11:10 12:15 SUN 8M 603 SUN CA 905 8:05 13:15

SINGAPORE TO YANGON

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

HO CHI MINH TO YANGON

MON 8M 602 WED 8M 602 FRI 8M 602 AI 233 SAT 8M 602 TUE 8M 604 THUR 8M 604 SUN 8M 604 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN QR 618 QR 618 QR 618 QR 618 QR 618 QR 618 QR 618

GAYA TO YANGON
12:50 12:50 12:50 15:00 12:50

16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00

GAYA TO MANDALAY

13:15 16:20 13:15 16:20 13:15 16:20 21:05 21:05 21:05 21:05 21:05 21:05 21:05 06:29+1 06:29+1 06:29+1 06:29+1 06:29+1 06:29+1 06:29+1

DOHA TO YANGON

WED 8M 404 SAT 8M 404 MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN KE 471 KE 471 KE 471 KE 471 KE 471 KE 471 KE 471

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON SEOUL TO YANGON

18:40 18:40 18:40 18:40 18:40 18:40 18:40

20:10 21:35 20:10 21:35 22:55 22:55 22:55 22:55 22:55 22:55 22:55

MON 8M 402 FRI 8M 402

SIEM REAP TO YANGON TOKYO TO YANGON

21:20 21:20 21:20 21:20 09:10 09:10 09:10 09:10

20:15 21:25 20:15 21:25 11:10 17:05 23:35 23:35 23:35 23:35 10:35 10:35 10:35 10:35

WED NH 913 MON WED FRI SUN KA 250 KA 250 KA 250 KA 250

HONGKONG TO YANGON

Unit 10-05, 10th Floor, La Pyayt Wun Plaza, 37, Alanpya Pagoda Road, Dagon Township, Yangon, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Tel: + 95 1 -370836 up to 39 (ext : 810)

Room No. 1101, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255491~6, Fax : 255223

International
FD & AK = Air Asia TG = Thai Airways 8M = Myanmar Airways International PG = Bangkok Airways MI = Silk Air VN = Vietnam Airline MH = Malaysia Airlines CZ = China Southern CI = China Airlines CA = Air China KA = Dragonair IC = Indian Airlines Limited W9 = Air Bagan 3K = Jet Star AI = Air India QR = Qatar Airways KE = Korea Airlines NH = All Nippon Airways SQ = Singapore Airways DE = Condor Airlines MU=China Eastern Airlines BR = Eva Airlines DE = Condor

Vietnam Airlines (VN)

Air India

Myanmar Airways International(8M)

#1702, Sakura Tower 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Fax 255086. Tel 255066/ 255088/ 255068.

MON TUE THUR SAT MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN

DON MUEANG TO MANDALAY

FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760 FD 2760

75, Shwe Bon Thar St, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 253597~98, 254758. Fax: 248175

08-02, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255260, Fax: 255305

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

335/357, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 387648, 241007 ext : 120, 121, 122 Fax : 241124

KUNMING TO MANDALAY
MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 MU 2029 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00

Subject to change without notice

13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50 13:50

Timeout
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

44
Myanmar Times

Yangon literary festival tickets on sale

By Zaw Win Than MYANMARS first international literary festival, scheduled to be held in Yangon from February 1 to 3, is expected to attract a number of highprofile authors from home and abroad, organisers said at a press conference at Inya Lake Hotel on January 6. The festival is the brainchild of Ms Jane Heyn, who is the wife of the British ambassador to Myanmar and who has lived in Yangon since 2009. When we arrived in Rangoon in July 2009, everywhere we went we heard people saying, Where do you come from? Where are you going? It was nice to hear Burmese speaking English but the conversations usually stopped there because the people were afraid and probably knew a lot more English, she said. Ms Heyn said that the idea of organising a literary festival to introduce novelists and poets to Myanmar came out of a conversation she had with a friend based in Bangkok who works for BBC. It was a coincidence that soon after that we were privileged to meet The festival aims to provide a catalyst for the exchange of ideas across cultures and literary genres, and will reflect the extraordinary cultural vibrancy of a country in the midst of immense change, the organisers said in a press release. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said at the press conference on January 6 that she was glad to personally support and participate in the festival. Literature has always been a big part of my life and I hope everybody will profit greatly from this event, she said. Im grateful to Jane for making it possible for us to bring in writers from other countries who will share their ideas and experience with writers from our country.. Ms Heyn said the organisers will try to spread the festival as widely as possible, but they have also decided to impose a K1500 fee to attend. We did consider having the festival without entrance fees, but sometimes if things are completely free they are considered valueless, she said. If people buy a ticket, there is a commitment to show up on that day. We definitely hope to see as many people on that day as possible, which is why there will be many outdoor activates like Mandalay Theatre marionettes, book stalls, a large market and more. The organisers also announced the inaugural Yoma FMI Short Story Prize, open to writers aged 25 and younger. Stories must be fictional and adhere to the theme Changing Lives. The word limit is 2000. There will be two awards of US$1000 each one for the best story written in English, and one for the best story written in Myanmar. Interested writers can send their entry to info@ irrawaddylitfest.com by January 18. The festival is also being supported by the British Embassy, British Council and the Orwell Prize, the latter of which is running a Buy a Book from Burma program through its website (www. theorwellprize.co.uk). We will see how this years festival goes, and depending on that we hope it is something we can run annually, said Ms Heyn. Festival tickets are now on sale at Inya Lake Hotel, the British Council and Today bookstores.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at a press conference held at Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon on January 6, to announce the Irrawaddy Literature Festival scheduled for February 1 to 3. Pic: Thiri Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who agreed that a literary festival would be a very nice thing to do here, she said. We asked her to be patron of the event, and I think the fact that she agreed to be patron will be a huge attraction for both international and Burmese authors. Among the authors lined up to take part are Vikram Seth, Jung Chan, William Dalrymple and Fargal Keane. The festival has also secured the attendance of Sudha Shah, Pascal Khoo Thwe, Thant Myint-U and Akash Kapur, alongside eminent local literary and cultural figures such as Zarganar, Dr Tin Hlaing, Dr Kin Aye, Dr Soe Naing, Dr Ma Thida, and celebrated librarian U Thaw Kaung and his son, Dr Than Thaw Kaung.

Events Flash
Final Exhibit 2012
Gallery 65 (65 Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon township, Yangon ) is presenting its year-end show, the Final Exhibit 2012, from December 15 to January 15. The gallery will showcase paintings across a wide range of styles, from contemporary to traditional. Gallery 65 is open 10am to 6pm daily. Gallery 65 (65 Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon township) from January 26 to 30.

YOUR STARS
By Astrologer Aung Myin Kyaw
Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Use your knowledge to realise that situations are rarely as good or bad as they seem, and you will be inspired to build a better world through your own visions. You will soon enjoy good fortune and happiness in family relations. Look to nature to set you on the path to spirituality. Build your love life on the foundation of mutual understanding. Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Maintaining optimism in your friendships is a good way to increase your social circle, and you will find that positive communication is reciprocal. Quick action is not suitable for taking advantage of opportunities that will soon come your way. Instead, take an interest in hidden opportunities that will bear fruit from steady, thoughtful action Aries (March 21 - April 19) One should not harass anxiety nor be disinclined if luck does not yet prevail. Life is more enjoyable if you approach it with a sound plan and right action, as well as with the belief that a persons destiny is dependent on their virtue. Keeping your eye on the opposite direction from which everyone else is looking will pay dividends. You will receive an unexpected gift this week, and love will be favourable. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Ignorance of good and evil is the most upsetting fact in human life. Love, friendship and respect do not unite people as much as a common hatred of something that you should know clearly. If you expect sympathy from your partner, avoid turning love into an exercise in egotism. Your social relations will enter a period of change. Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Dont think that a quiet man is always a harmless ghost, but understand the benefits of occasionally staying invisible and maintaining silence. The correlation of matter and mind must be in good balance to make right decisions and pursue right actions. Business affairs will start looking up despite signals to the contrary. Good luck in social affairs could lead to love and marriage. Cancer (June 22 - July 22) Never make a verbal commitment without adequate consideration. A word to the wise is sometimes enough, and the whole truth is not always told. Make a decision about your

action plan, which should not start until you ascertain the lay of the land. The natural attitude of a very fastidious person can win nothing. When your ideas are not received well by others, do your best not to take it personally. Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Never settle for just one idea. At times when creativity is running high, opportunities are unlimited and the potential for growth is outstanding. Link your endeavours with those of others with whom you collaborate. Be cautious in communication this week, and be sure to maintain your mental balance to make the right decisions. Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Get a record of your successful achievements and experiences before you tackle new challenges. Never puff up your pride and never end up being pretentious. Perform good deeds on your own as soon as possible. You are entering a favourable period to pursue your interest in movies and music. Use a soft and silky approach to open the soul of the one you love. Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Justice must be given freely in order to justify itself. What a lover gives transcends justice, as long as it is based on an understanding of the essence of love. A decent but burdensome duty will make it difficult to maintain balance in your life. Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) A calm and peaceful state of mind is conducive to mental and physical well being. You are your own enemy and no external foe can harm you as much as your own fears, jealousies and angers. Adjust your mind accordingly and understand the source of your deepest thoughts. Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet; it is a way of entering into the quiet and tranquility that lead to wisdom. Use communication not to let everyone know something you know, but to learn something that you dont know. Not everyone understands the value of art, but art can help people see the value of life. Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Use your courage to do good not only for yourself but also for others. All human beings share the same blood and basic characteristics; never forget that despite surface appearances, you are always living among your brothers and sisters. Strive for understanding rather than hatred. You can live happily with others, and you can love everyone with sincerity. For a personal reading contact Aung Myin Kyaw, 4th Floor, 113, Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: 0973135632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com

Book fair
The Myanmar Publishers and Distributors Association will hold book fairs at Taw Win Centre on Pyay Road from January 26 to 28, and at the National Theatre (Myoma Kyaung Road) from January 31 to February 3.

Book club
The American Centre (14 Taw Win Road, Dagon township) will celebrate the fifth anniversary of its book club with lectures, workshops and other festivities from January 14 to 16.

Calle de la Salsa
Tuesday is salsa night at 50th Street Bar, featuring free dance classes (salsa, bachata, mambo, meringue and more), plus dance shows and drink specials. With music by DJ Mani and special guests.

Min Htet Aung

Artist Min Htet Aung will show his paintings at Lokanat Art Gallery (62 Pansodan Street, First Floor, Kyauktada township) from January 14 to 19.

Wednesday wine
The Wednesday Wine Club meets every (you guessed it) Wednesday at the QP Inya Shop (30 Inya Road). Taste four or five wines for K10,000 a person. Contact chad.quarto@gmail.com or 09-7321-8711.

Photo exhibition
Photographer Kyaw Kyaw Win will exhibit his work in a show titled The Yinn at Gallery 65 (65 Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon township) from January 18 to 20.

Live music
Friendship Band belts out classic rock tunes at 50th Street Restaurant every Wednesday and Friday night. If you would like your event listed in Event Flash, please email editors@ myanmartimes.com.mm.

Ngwe Phyoe show

Artist Ngwe Phyoe will hold a solo exhibition at

General
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Language
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Employment
Ingo Positions
medecins du Monde (MDM) is seeking Nurse 1 post : Diploma in Nursing, B.N.Sc degree. 1 year experience as a nutritional nurse. 1 year working experience in the field of HIV, preferably with SWs, MSMs. Basic English (Speaking, writing). Interested and qualified applications should submit their CV and a cover letter to MDM Country Coordination Office, Yangon : 47-B, Po Sein St, Bahan, Ph: 542830, Email: hr. mdmmyanmar@ gmail. com Medical Doctor - Mon & Kayin State. Qualifications: Qualified medical doctor with registration card (SAMA) , Team leader - Ability to ensure supportive staff supervision & coordi nation; Ability to work independently, provide prompt and accurate data collection & reporting; Interest and motivation to work in remote areas at field and mobile health facilities; Ability to live and work under demanding work environments with minimum available basic facilities; Language skills: Myanmar, English. Previous experience with a humanitarian organization (INGOs); Computer literate in MS Office Package; Familiarity with community-based approaches. Pls submit Cover letter explaining how their education, skills and experience meet the requirements for the position; CV including dates and detailed descriptions of all current and previous work education & training experiences and reference contact details. Pls send application to Int'l NGO-MAM : 32 (A/1), Kokkine Swimming Club Lane Saya San Rd, Thar Tha Na Yeiktha Quarter, Bahan (or email: mamya. o ff m n g @ g m a i l . c o m ) Tel:544537. Closing date: 18th January 2013 solidarites Int'l (SI) is seeking Admini strative & Finance Manager in Bhamo: University level or equivalent in accounting/ manage ment/ administration. 2 years experience in a similar position with NGO. Excellent knowledge of Word & Excel, know ledge of accounting software SAGA & HR software HOMERE is a plus. Fluent spoken and written English and Myanmar. 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Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) to: Win Htay, Logistic Coordinator - Solidarites Int'l office : 44-A, Tharyarwaddy Lane, Bahan, or per email: recruitment @ solidaritesmyanmar. org & cc to ygn. log. coordo@ solidaritesmyanmar. org . general database and web applications. All candidates must submit their application (send by personal, by post or by email) with one photo not later than January 31st to address mentioned above. Journeys Adventure Travel, No.53, Nagayon Pagoda Lane, Mayangone (Near Mayangone Labor Office) Phone: 656259, 656307, 09-73066079. Email: admin@ journeysmyanmar. com kelvin chia Yangon Ltd is a foreign legal consultancy firm. We invite motivated and committed individuals to join us as: Admini strative Executive. Requirements: Good written and spoken communication skills in English. Interested applicatns are invited to send their full resume stating their current and expected salaries, together with a recent photograph to klm@ kcyangon.com We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. KELVIN CHIA Yangon Ltd, Unit 1508-1509, 15th Flr, Sukura Tower, 339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada, Ph: 255399, 255033, . Email: csg@ kcyangon. com Chinnery Assets Limitled 1 of the subsidiaries of China National Petroleum Corporation Internatio nal (CNPCI) is looking for (1) Contract & Procurement Asst: - M/F1post:University graduate, above 30 years (2) Admin & General Service Asst: 1post:University graduate, all above positions are at least 10yrs experience in relevant aspects. Please send your CV to Mr. Xu Hao, Admini stration & HR Officer before 17:00 pm on 25th January ,2013, Email: xuhao@ cal. net. mm; xuhao@ ccnpcint. com; Ph:01-534461, 532097 Ext: 132, Add: 44, Inya Myaing Rd, Golden Valley-2, Bahan, Yangon. L egendary Myanmar Co., Ltd. (1) Office Staff (Export/ Import) - F 2 Posts. (2) Marketing Staff (Export/ Import) - F 2 Posts. (3) Tour Operator (Travel & Tours) - F 2 Posts (4) Office Staff (Travel & Tours) - F 2 Posts: 1 year experience in office. All applicants must be University graduate, Spoken & written English, must have excellent interper sonal skill and good computer knowledge. Pls apply CV with one recent photo, other certificate NRC copy, Labour registration card, Police recommen dation letter to 9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung. Closing Date: 30-1-2013. Subject: Vacancy Announcement from Business Development Team, Creation (Myanmar) Co.,Ltd (1). HR Manager/Asst HR Manager (2 Posts, Yangon Tsp.) Age above 35, Degree holder are preferable (Professio nal Degree or equivalent). At least 3 years experience in related field, Able to work under pressure and time frame, Honest and well organized person and must be able to travel. As an experien ced HR generalist, with previous multi-site responsibility you will have a proven track record of working closely with the business in order to offer commercial solutions. Having worked within a Retail/ FMCG/ Distribution environ ment. (2). Chief Auditor (2 Posts, Yangon Tsp.) Age above 35, Degree holder are preferable (Professional Degree or equivalent). At least 3 years experience in related field, Able to work under pressure and time frame, Honest and well organized person and must be able to travel. Applicants must be willing to work in Retail business. (3) . Management Trainee (For Bonia & Sembonia Brand) (3 Posts, Yangon Tsp.) Age 20 ~ 27, Graduate with (B.Com/B.Econ/B.B.A/ B.B.M), Must have good practice on Mathematic & Knowledge of Micro soft office software package. All Candidates above the lists must have: Good Communication skill, Strong negotiation skill, Analytical skill, Initiative skill, Willingness to travel & Work in difficult setting, Able to work as gracefully under pressure, Be Proficient in both English and Myanmar, Computer literate. Pls send CV with copies of academic certificates, Original & Update Police clearan ce form, A copy of family registration. Form (10), 1 passport sized photo and a copy of NRC to HR Manager : Business Development Team Creation (Myanmar) Co., Ltd : 15~18, Thamain Bayan Rd, Myittar Yeik Mon Housing, Tarmwe , Ph: 09-202-7605, Email: bdthrmanager@ goldenland.com.mm OrangeTee, a real estate consultancy from Singapore, is looking for motivated candidates to join us in our fast growing company in the areas of real esate business development, research & consultancy services, marketing services, legal, office admini stration. Interested applicants, pls email resume to kk.tan@ orangetee.com by 21st January. Amara Group Co., Ltd is looking for (1) Chief Account 1 Post (Ngapali). (2) Accountant 1 Post (Ngapali). (3) Restaurant 1 Post (Kalaw), (4) Accountant 1 Post (Kalaw). (5) Chef de partie 1 Post (Kalaw). (6) Ground Manager 1 Post (Mandalay). (7) Reservation Manager 1 Post (Yangon). (8) Sales Manager 1 Post (Yangon). Be part of a young dynamic team and contribute to the hotels success with your expertise & experience. Therefore we offer an interesting work environment, accom modation and an attractive package. We look forward receiving CV in English. Contact: amaragroup.mmw@ gmail.com, Ph: 663347, 652191. English Language Teacher cum Coordinator - M1post /F1 post : Age between 18 ~ 32, Must have good command of English, Good communication skills, (2) Secretary cum Assistant Teacher M1/ F1 : Age 18 ~ 32, Must have good command of English, Good commu nication skills. Pleasant personality. Ph : 221677, 09 - 507-9896, 09500-5219. Annam Myanmar Co.,Ltd. (1) Human Resource and Admin Executive - M/F1 post: MBA (or) DMA degree preferable, Age under 40, 3 years experience. (2) Inventory Controller - M 1 post : Any graduate (or) preferable accounting background (B.Com/B.Act/ LCCI level 3), Age under 40, over 3 years experience. (3) Assistant Inventory - M/F 1 post : Any graduate, Age under 30 over 1 years, experience. (4) Senior Accountant F1 post : B.Com , LCCI level (3), Age under 35, Experience in retail business over 3 years. (5) Accountant F 1 post : Age under 30, B.Com (or) LCCI level (3),over 1 year experience. (6) Shop Manager (Wine Shop) - M/F 1 post: Preferable general knowledge in wine, 3 years experience in shop management and F & B Field preferable. (7) Cashier - M/F 1 post: Any graduate, Age under 25. (8)Sales - M 2 posts : Any graduate, 1 year experience in sales. (9) Delivery + Driver - M 1 post : Driving license at least 3 years, Age under 35. Pls apply Annam Myanmar Office to : Curriculum vitae, copy of qualification documents or relevant certificates, one recent color photo, copy of NRC & contact number. Pls send application to Annam Myanmar Co. Ltd : 11 B, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan. Tel: 01-545705 Email: yamin.paing @ annam-group.com , nono.annam@gmail. com A chicago based American company is hiring its Myanmar staff. We are looking for a Yangon based manager with excellent commu nication skills to manage our work in Burma. Excellent hospitality skills and good customer service record is a plus. Send your resume if you think you can handle a fast paced growing company. Email your resume to jobs@ Buramco.com Web Developer M/F - 1 Post : Experience in Drupal CMS (Content Management System). Proficient in PHP, HTML, CSS, Ajax, JavaScript. At least 3 years professional experience in developing & imple menting Burmese websites. Ability to continuous learning. Ability to communicate in English effectively. Good interpersonal and communication skill. Ability to handle urgent assignments as required. Must be able to work with team as well as independently. amkyaw1@gmail.com we are hiring: (1) Ticketing Officer: (International & Domestic) - 4 Posts. (2) Tour Operator: (Inbound & Outbound) - 3 Posts. (3) Sales & Reservation - 2 Posts : 1-2 years relevant experience.Experience in travel industry. Have good command of English. Proficient in Microsoft Office. If interested call 378181/ 378180 for interview. No.121, Upper Sint Oh Dan St, Latha. For English Learning Center: (1) Experienced 4 skills English Teachers (Native Speaker). (2) Experienced Pre-School Teachers (Local). (3) Experienc ed Marketing Persons. (4) Reception :Must be Bachelor Graduates. Must know Basic Computer. Email: tun.john@. gmail.com, Ph: 09-524-1687. dream Paradise Travels & Tours is seeking (1) Language Guides - M/F : Hold the Guide Licance. (2) Operation Staff - F: Must able to use ticketing software e.g Galileo, Amadeus, Abacus. Good commu nication skill. Must have any graduate. No(84), Rm(13), Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada, Ph: 951-37437000, 09-730-43408, Email: dreamparadise.sale@ gmail.com Myanmar Agri-Tech Ltd. is seeking (1) Senior Accountant / Accountant : Degree in Finance/ Accountancy or equivalent qualificat ion. 2 years experience. Good command in English & Myanmar. Results oriented & performance driven with strong analytical skills. Excellent inter personal, communicat ion & leadership skills. Multitasking, good communication, administrative, planning & organizatio nal skills are essential. Ability to excel under work pressure. Pls submit CV with 2 recent photos, copies of relevant qualifications, labor registration & copy of NRC to Rm 504, 5th Flr FMI Centre, 380, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan. Ph : 240363, 240373 ext :1524. Marketing Do you like challenging? Do you want to get paid without going to the work? Do you interest in marketing? Do you want freelance job? Join Neuslab Software Solution send your CV to info@neuslab.com E stablished multinational Co is seeking : Business Development Manager Job Description: Responsible for Strategic Planning, Business Development, Sales and Marketing, channel Management, customer relationship management. To plan Advertising and Promotional activities. Experienced in working outthepricingmechanism. Managing team and overseeing operations for smooth functioning. Required experience & Academic Background. M.B.A. specializing in market ing. 5 ~ 8 years experience in Automo bile or machinery or correlated areas. Should possess good business acumen, dynamic & result oriented. Willing to travel extensively within the country. Prefer candidate to be in 30s or early 40's. Fluent in written as well as spoken English. B.E. or Diploma in engineer ing will be an added advantage. Salary : will commen surate with the experience of the candidate. Pls submit the resume along with relevant documents to sandarstar@gmail.com or call 09-512-4850 for appointment. We are looking for qualified maid. For more information, please call Mr. Je (09-43164169) ( 1 ) R eceptionist cum Admin Assistant - F : Minimum Diploma Holder, 3 years experience. (2) Corpo rate Consultant - M/F : Degree Holder, 3 years experience, For all posts : Excellent written & verbal communicat ion skills in English, Computer literate with MS Office Applications. Pls submit detailed CV in person or by email, stating your current & expected salary, date of availability, reason for leaving and a recent passport size photo to Inter Consulting Co., Ltd : 30(B-1), 6th Flr, Yadanar Innya Condo, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan, Tel: 09-7310 5353, 09-7310 5340. Email: hr@ icononline. net. Pls state the Job Title that you are applied for in the subject of your email. ICS Travel Group is looking for two new colleagues for Airline Ticketing and Hotel Reservations : Good communication and inter-personal skills, fluent in spoken and written English, travel business / airline ticketing experience of at least 2 years, excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office, Internet & Email), must possess ability to work under pressure, highly motivated & outgoing personality. Pls submit CV with photo and other certificates personally . ICS Travel Group : 11 (A), Maharmyaing St, Sanchaung, Tel: 511658, 511701. A leading local tour operator is looking to employ skillful people for the following positions: Sales Manager, Assistant Sales Manager, Sales Assistant, Reservat ion Manager, Asst: Reservation Manager. Requirements: university graduate with very good English skills. 3 years of experience in hotel and travel industry is preferred. Attractive salary package will be offered to the best candidates. Interested candidates should send their CV and a short cover letter to mareklenarcik @ ymail.com. Closing date: January 31, 2013 edulink is seeking Study Abroad Counsellor. Selection Criteria: Professional presentation.Reasonably proficiency in English Presentation skills. Able to use MS Word, Excel & Power point. Able to use Gmail. Personal values consistent with those of EduLink Australia (honesty, integrity, client focus). Pls send a short cover letter & CV to info@ edulinkaustralia. com with the subject Study Abroad Counsellor. Pls call 09-4211-19895 for more information. Edu Link Australia, Bldg 6, Junction Square, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut, Ph: 500 464,09-731-6 2586, Email: info@ edulinkaustralia.com www.edulinkaustralia. com executive Search: (1) Project Engineer/ Manager - M BE (Civil) 5 years Experience, (2) Site Engineer - M : BE/ AGTI (Civil) 2 year experience. (3) Sales Engineer - M/F : BE/ME (Mechanical), 2 years experience (4) Engineer - M/F : BE/ ME (Electrical) - 5 years experience (5) Finance Director - M/F : B.Com, (CPA)/ ACCA - 7years experience. (6) Chief Accountant - F B.Com, (CPA)/ ACCA - 5 years experience (7) Admin Manager - M/F : BBA/ DMA/ Any Graduate, 5 years experience. (8) Admin Executive - M/F : BA/ BSc/ BB, 3 years experience.(9)Computer Operator - F : BA/ BSc , 2 years experience. (10) Driver - M : 5 years experience. Tel: 222963, 229406, 229437.Email: esearch @yangon.net. mm.

Local Position
we are one of the leading Adventure Tour Operators in Myanmar seeking for dynamic, energetic and self motivated staff to enhance our existing operations in Myanmar. (1) Finance & Accounting Manager (Male/ Female) 1 Post (US$ 700 - 800)Candidate must possess strong written and verbal communication skills: Must be (35) years and above with minimum (3) years post qualification experience of CA, CPA or equivalent. Must possess high level of knowledge in Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets. (2) Sales Supervisor (Male/ Female) (2) post (US$ 500-600)Candidate must be age (25) years and above computer literate and familiar with Microsoft Office applications. Must have good knowledge in English and able to understand the language. (3) Operation Supervisor (Male) (2) Post (US$ 300 - 400)Candidate must be (30) years and above with minimum (2) years of field experience in travel related industry. Must possess excellent communication in both-verbal and written in English and able to communication with foreigners independently. Must be computer literate and familiar with Microsoft Office applications,

Call for CVs: USAID/OTI Program COMMUNICATIONS/OUTREACH OFFICER

Please read the entire advertisement.

Background : DAI, an international consulting firm based in the United States, is currently accepting applications from candidates for a Communications/Outreach Officer position to support the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI)-funded program. The USAID/ OTI program will work with civil society, the Government, and other stakeholders to foster more participatory and inclusive reform and peace processes. Responsibilities : The Communications/Out reach Officer will: Manage project information and communication needs Oversee collection of anecdotal information and other evidence of achievement Use information in Activity Database and M&E reports to compile quick results reporting on project status and impact, including press releases and success stories Report project status and impact to a number of audiences and through a variety of formats Provide guidance and support to media components of activities and to media grantees Qualifications: Bachelors degree or higher in relevant field required. Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in an equivalent position required Relevant experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role and with demonstrated supervisory experience Strong computer skills (MS Office suite) required. Experience with grants or small grants under contract programs highly preferred. Excellent verbal and written communication skills required English language fluency required. Interested and qualified candidates should e-mail CV and cover letter to DAIRecruit@dai. com by January 25th. No phone inquiries will be accepted.

We are looking for a person who can work independently, make decisions, possess good interpersonal skills, and with office management experience and is between 30 and 35 years of age. He or she must be a Myanmar national who has: Experience with accounting and processing payroll. Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite of products Experience managing a website and using online communication media Good oral and written communication skills both in English and Myanmar A positive attitude. Salary and incentives will depend on experience and qualifications. Please submit a hand written letter of application with CV by 31st January 2013 to : The Managing Director, Worldview Myanmar Limited Room 101, 1st Floor, Yaw Min Gyi Condo, Yaw Min Gyi Street, 11191, Yangon. Fax: (01)375292 Only short listed applicants will be contacted.

Vacancy Announcement

Job Wanted
Economic Research AGE : 26 - Female Contact : Bldg 12 , 7th flr, 153rd st, Tamwe Yangon. Near Tamwe Market Name ; TELC Post : Manager candlelight295@gamil. com

The Essentials
EMBASSIES Australia 88, Strand Road, Yangon. tel : 251810, 251797, 251798, 251809, 246462, 246463, fax: 246159 Bangladesh 11-B, Than Lwin Road, Yangon. tel: 515275, 526144, fax: 515273, email: bdootygn@mptmail.net. mm Brazil 56, Pyay Road, 6th mile, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 507225, 507251, 507482. fax: 507483. email: Administ.yangon@ itamaraty.gov.br. Brunei 317/319, U Wizara Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 526985, 524285, fax: 512854 email: bruneiemb@ bruneiemb.com.mm Cambodia 25 (3B/4B), New University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 549609, 540964, fax: 541462, email: RECYANGON @mptmail. net.mm China 1, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 221280, 221281, 224025, 224097, 221926, fax: 227019, 228319 Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 222886, 222887, fax: 222865, email: egye mbyangon@mptmail. net.mm France 102, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 212178, 212520, 212523, 212528, 212532, fax: 212527, email: ambaf rance. rangoun@ diplomatie.fr Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 548951, 548952, fax: 548899 email: info@rangun. diplo.de India 545-547, Merchant Street, Yangon. tel: 391219, 388412, 243972, fax: 254086, 250164, 388414, email: indiaembassy @mptmail. net.mm Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 254465, 254469, 229750, fax: 254468, email: kukygn @indonesia.com.mm Israel 15, Khabaung Street, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 515115, fax: 515116, email: info@ yangon.mfa.gov.il Italy 3, Inya Myaing Road, Golden Valley, Yangon. tel: 527100, 527101, fax: 514565, email: ambyang.mail@ esteri.it Japan 100, Natmauk Road, Yangon. tel: 549644-8, 540399, 540400, 540411, 545988, fax: 549643 Embassy of the State of Kuwait Chatrium Hotel, Rm: No.416, 418, 420, 422, 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe Tsp, Tel: 544500. North Korea 77C, Shin Saw Pu Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 512642, 510205, fax: 510206 South Korea 97 University Avenue, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 527142-4, 515190, fax: 513286, email: myanmar@mofat.go.kr Lao A-1, Diplomatic Quarters, Tawwin Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. tel: 222482, fax: 227446, email: Laoembcab@ mptmail. net.mm Malaysia 82, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 220248, 220249, 220251, 220230, fax: 221840, email: mwkyangon@mptmail. net.mm Nepal 16, Natmauk Yeiktha, Yangon. tel: 545880, 557168, fax: 549803, email: nepemb @mptmail.net.mm Pakistan A-4, diplomatic Quarters, Pyay Road, Yangon. tel: 222881 (Chancery Exchange) fax: 221147, email: pakistan@ myanmar. com.mm Philippines 50, Sayasan Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 558149-151, fax: 558154, email: p.e. yangon@gmail.com Russian 38, Sagawa Road, Yangon. tel: 241955, 254161, fax: 241953, email: rusinmyan@mptmail .net.mm Serbia No. 114-A, Inya Road, P.O.Box No. 943Yangon. tel: 515282, 515283, fax: 504274, email: serbemb@ yangon.net.mm Singapore 238, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 559001, fax: 559002, 559922, email: singemb_ ygn@_ sgmfa. gov.sg Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Road, Yangon. tel: 222812, fax: 221509, email: slembassy. yangon@gmail.com, info@slembyangon.org, www.slembyangon.org Thailand 94 Pyay Road, Dagon Township, Yangon. tel: 226721, 226728, 226824, fax: 221713 United Kingdom 80 Kanna Road, Yangon. tel: 370867, 380322, 371852, 371853, 256438, 370863, 370864, 370865, fax: 370866 United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Yangon. tel: 536509, 535756, 538038, fax: 650306 Vietnam Building No. 72, Thanlwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. tel: 511305, fax: 514897, email: vnemb myr@ cybertech.net.mm Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia No.287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel : 01-536153, 516952, fax : 01-516951 UNITED NATIONS ILO Liaison Officer Rm (M1212~1220), 12 Fl-A, Traders Hotel. 223, tel: 242 393, 242811. fax: 242594. IOM 12th Flr, Traders Hotel, 223, tel: 252560 ext. 5002 UNAIDS Rm: (1223~1231), 12 Fl, Traders Hotel. tel: 252361, 252362, 252498. fax: 252364. UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St, Mayangone tsp. tel: 666903, 664539. fax: 651334. UNDP 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tel: 542910-19. fax: 292739. UNFPA 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tsp. tel: 546029. UNHCR 287, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung tsp. tel: 524022, 524024. fax 524031. UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl, Traders Hotel.tel: 254852, 254853. UNIC 6, Natmauk St., BHN tel: 52910~19 UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders Hotel. P.O. Box 1435, KTDA. tel: 375527~32, fax: 375552 email: unicef.yangon@unicef. org, www.unicef.org/myanmar. UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward 7, MYGN. tel: 666903, 660556, 660538, 660398, 664539, fax: 651334. email: fo.myanmar@unodc.org www. unodc.org./myanmar/ UNOPS Inya Lake Hotel, 3rd floor, 37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 951657281~7. Fax: 657279. UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O. Box 650, TMWE tel: 542911~19, 292637 (Resident Coordinator), fax: 292739, 544531. WFP 3rd-flr, Inya Lake Hotel, 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 657011~6 (6-lines) Ext: 2000. WHO 12A Fl, Traders Hotel. tel:250583. ASEAN Coordinating Of. for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force, 79, Taw Win st, Dagon Township. Ph: 225258. FAO Myanma Agriculture Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel: 641672, 641673. fax: 641561.

General Listing
ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS
Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe. tel: 544500. fax: 544400. Winner Inn 42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387. email: reservation@winner innmyanmar.com Yangon YMCA 263, Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung Tsp. tel: 294128, Yuzana Hotel 130, Shwegondaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600, 543367 Yuzana Garden Hotel 44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp, tel : 01-248944

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

Charted Certified, Certified Public Accountants. tel: 09-5010563. drtinlatt@matglobal.com

AIR CONDITION
Chigo No. 216, 38 Street (Upper), Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 373472

No.7A, Wingabar Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : (951) 546313, 430245. 09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01) 546313. www.cloverhotel.asia. info@cloverhotel.asia Confort Inn 4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd & U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut, tel: 525781, 526872 Hotel Yangon No. 91/93, 8th Mile Junction, Mayangone. tel : 01-667708, 667688. Inya Lake Resort Hotel 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 662866. fax: 665537.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (Nay Pyi Taw)

(Nay Pyi Taw)

Reservation Office (Yangon) 123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon Township Tel : 951- 255 819~838 Royal Kumudra Hotel, (Nay Pyi Taw) Tel : 067- 414 177, 067- 4141 88 E-Mail: maxhotelsreservation@ gmail.com

The First Air conditioning systems designed to keep you fresh all day GUNKUL Engineer supply Co., Ltd. No.437 (A), Pyay Road, Kamayut. P., O 11041 Yangon, Tel: +(95-1) 502016-18, Mandalay- Tel: 02-60933. Nay Pyi Taw- Tel: 067-420778, E-mail : sales.ac@freshaircon. com. URL: http://www. freshaircon.com General 83-91, G-F, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 706223, 371906

ACCOMMODATION LONG TERM

No. 205, Corner of Wadan Street & Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3, 229358 ~ 61, Fax: (95-1) 212854. info@myanmarpandahotel .com http://www. myanmarpandahotel.com Panorama Hotel 294-300, Pansodan Street, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 253077. Parkroyal Yangon, Myanmar 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 250388. fax: 252478. email: enquiry.prygn@ parkroyalhotels.com Website: parkroyalhotels. com. Savoy Hotel 129, Damazedi Rd, Kamayut tsp. tel: 526289, 526298, Seasons of Yangon Yangon Intl Airport Compound. tel: 666699. Sweet Hotel 73, Damazedi Road, San Chaung Tsp, Ph: 539152 Sedona Hotel Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin. tel: 666900. Strand Hotel 92 Strand Rd. tel: 243377. fax: 289880. Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. fax: 227995. Thamada Hotel 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon. tel: 243639, 243640, 243641. Traders Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel: 242828. fax: 242838. Espace Avenir No 523, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut. tel: 505213-222. Golden Hill Towers 24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 558556. ghtower@ mptmail.net.mm.

ASTROLOGER
Saya Min Thoun Dara Astrologer No(2), Maha Wizaya Pagoda North Stairway, Dagon Tsp. tel: 296184

BARS

Happy Homes
Real Estate & Property Management

50th Street 9/13, 50th street-lower, Botataung Tsp. Tel-397160.

Tel: 09-7349-4483, 09-4200-56994. E-mail: aahappyhomes@ gmail.com, http://www. happyhomesyangon.com Marina Residence 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630. MiCasa Hotel Apartments 17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp. tel: 650933. fax: 650960. Sakura Residence 9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 525001. fax: 525002. The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residence 372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp. tel 951-256355 (25 lines).

Green Garden Beer Gallery Mini Zoo, Karaweik Oo-Yin Kabar.

Emergency Numbers
Ambulance tel: 295133. Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022. Police emergency tel: 199. Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764. Red Cross tel:682600, 682368 Traffic Control Branch tel:298651 Department of Post & Telecommunication tel: 591384, 591387. Immigration tel: 286434. Ministry of Education tel:545500m 562390 Ministry of Sports tel: 370604, 370605 Ministry of Communications tel: 067-407037. Myanma Post & Telecommunication (MPT) tel: 067407007. Myanma Post & Tele-communication (Accountant Dept) tel: 254563, 370768. Ministry of Foreign Affairs tel: 067-412009, 067-412344. Ministry of Health tel: 067-411358-9. Yangon City Development Committee tel: 248112. HOSPITALS Central Womens Hospital tel: 221013, 222811. Children Hospital tel: 221421, 222807 Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital tel: 543888. Naypyitaw Hospital (emergency) tel: 420096. Workers Hospital tel: 554444, 554455, 554811. Yangon Children Hospital tel: 222807, 222808, 222809. Yangon General Hospital (East) tel: 292835, 292836, 292837. Yangon General Hospital (New) tel: 384493, 384494, 384495, 379109. Yangon General Hospital (West) tel: 222860, 222861, 220416. Yangon General Hospital (YGH) tel: 256112, 256123, 281443, 256131. ELECTRICITY Power Station tel:414235 POST OFFICE General Post Office 39, Bo Aung Kyaw St. (near British Council Library). tel: 285499. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Yangon International Airport tel: 662811. YANGON PORT Shipping (Coastal vessels) tel: 382722 RAILWAYS Railways information tel: 274027, 202175-8.

No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Reservation Office (Yangon) 123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon Township Tel : 951- 255 819~838 Hotel Max (Chaung Tha Beach) Tel : 042-423 46~9, 042-421 33, E-mail: maxhotelsreservation@ gmail.com

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, sales@thestrand.com.mm www.ghmhotels.com

Lobby Bar Parkroyal Yangon, Myanmar. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

MT Quick Guide
January 14 - 20, 2013
Advertising
WE STARTED THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR SINCE 1991

48
the

Myanmar Times

CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE HEAVEN G-A, Ground Floor, Pearl Center, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon. Tel: 09 500 6880 Email: chocolateheaven. sale@gmail.com

Cosmetics

The Uranium Dance Studio Pearl condo Bldg (C), 2nd flr, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 09731-42624, 09-514-0404.

GAS COOKER & Cooker Hoods

M a r k e t i n g & c o mm u n i c a t i o n s

A d v e r t i s i n g

SAIL Marketing & Communications Suite 403, Danathiha Center 790, Corner of Bogyoke Rd & Wadan Rd, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 211870, 224820, 2301195. Email: admin@ advertising-myanmar.com www.advertising-myanmar. com

Spa & Boutique Fashion No. 24, Inya Road, Kamaryut Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 951 534 654, 09-73200147 theredscarf99@gmail.com

La Source Beauty Spa

FASHION & TAILOR

Yangon : A-3, Aung San Stadium (North East Wing), Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel : 245543, 09-730-37772. Mandalay : Room No.(B,C) (National Gas), 35th St, Btw 80th & 81st, Chanayetharzan Tsp. Tel : 09-6803505, 02 34455, 36748, 71878.

cold storage

~80(A), Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp, tel: 512 380, 511 252. ~Sedona Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, tel: 666 900 www.lasourcebeautyspa.com

Vibhavadi Hospital 214. 1st Floor, Waizayanter Rd, Thingangyun Tsp.Email: vibhavadimyanmar @gmail. com, Hot line: 09-2011-772, 09-731-650-45, 09-86-250-86 PHIH-Specialist Clinic FMI Centre (4th Floor) #380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp. tel: 243 010, 243 012, 243 013

DUTY FREE

BOOK STORES
Est. 1992 in Myanmar Cold Storage Specialist, Solar Hot Water Storage Solutions. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com Duty Free Airport Shopping Yangon International Airport Arrival/Departure Tel: 662676 (Airport) Office: 17, 2nd street, Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.

Sein Shwe Tailor, No.797 (003-A), Bogyoke Aung San Road, Corner of Wardan Street, MAC Tower 2, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Ph: 01-225310, 212943~4 Ext: 146, 147, E-mail: uthetlwin@gmail.com

Gems & Jewelleries

24 hours Laboratory & X-ray No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, (951) 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

Art & Craft

Innwa Book Store No. 246, Rm.201/301, GF, Pansodan Street (Upper Block), Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 389838, 243216, 374324, 514387 MYANMARBOOKCENTRE Nandawun Compound, No. 55, Baho Road, Corner of Baho Road and Ahlone Road, (near Eugenia Restaurant), Ahlone Township. tel: 212 409, 221 271. 214708 fax: 524580. email:info@ myanmarbook.com

FITNESS CENTRE

Construction

25-B, Thirimingalar Street, (8) block, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel/Fax: 95-1-504290 Tel: 09-541-9459, 505409. Email: augustine@ myanmar.com.mm.

EDUCATION CENTRE
From Singapore, one-stop construction service No.22, U Chit Mg Housing, U Chit Mg Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: +951554046, 09-421142233. Fax: +951554048 Email: cnqcmyanmar@ gmail.com Max 123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon Tsp. Ph : 951-255819 ~ 838 Est. 1992 in Myanmar Electrical & Mechanical Contractors, Designers, Consultants. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com MHR 905, 9th floor, Modern Iron Market(Thanzay Condo) Lanmadaw St. Tel: 707822. NLEC 82 Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 250225.

Sports & Fitness Grand Meeyahta Executive Residence. Shop 4-5, Ph: 256355, Ext: 3015, 3204 09 731 94684 email: natraysports@gmail.com

sales@manawmaya.com.mm www.manawmayagems.com

Ruby & Rare Gems of Myanamar No. 527, New University Ave., Bahan Tsp. Yangon.

Tel: 549612, Fax : 545770.

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

CAFS
Traders Hotel, 5 Floor Tel: 242828, Ext: Coreana. Beauty Plan, Corner of 77th St. & 31st St., Mandalay. Tel: 02-72506.
th

Electrical

Cafe de Angel No.24, Baho Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel : 703449.

Mr. Betchang No.(272), Pyay Rd, DNH Tower, Rm No.(503), 5th flr, Sanchaung Tsp, Tel: 095041216 The Yangon GYM Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. Traders Health Club. Level 5, Traders Hotel Yangon#223 Sule Pagoda Rd,Tel:951242828Ext:6561

24 hours Cancer centre No. 330, Yangon International Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

Natural Gems of Myanmar No. 30 (A), Pyay Road (7 mile), Mayangone Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 01-660397, 654398~9. E-mail: spgems.myanmar @gmail.com

GENERATORS

La Source Beauty Spa

La Brasserie (International) Parkroyal Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388.

~80(A), Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp, tel: 512 380, 511 252. ~Sedona Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, tel: 666 900 www.lasourcebeautyspa.com

Zamil Steel No-5, Pyay Road, 7 miles, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (95-1) 652502~04. Fax: (95-1) 650306. Email: zamilsteel@ zamilsteel.com.mm

ENTERTAINMENT

FLORAL SERVICES

Lemon Day Spa No. 96 F, Inya Road, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476. E.mail: lemondayspa.2011 @gmail.com

No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519

CONSULTING

Myanmar Research | Consulting | Technology

Shwe Hinthar B 307, 6 1/2 Miles, Pyay Rd., Yangon. Tel: +95 (0)1 654 730 info@thuraswiss.com www.thuraswiss.com

Dance Lessons Mon-Fri 12:00 to 23:00. Sat-Sun 10 am to 8 pm Fun dancing Friday nights with Filipino musicians No.94, Ground Floor, Brookin Street, (Bogalay Zay Street), Opposite YWCA, Botataung Tsp, Yangon, Tel: 392625.

FloralService&GiftShop No. 449, New University Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN. Tel: 541217, 559011, 09-860-2292. Market Place By City Mart Tel: 523840~43, 523845~46, Ext: 205. Junction Nay Pyi Taw Tel: 067-421617~18 422012~15, Ext: 235. Res: 067-414813, 09-49209039. Email : eternal@ mptmail.net.mm

Winning Way No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

24 Hour International Medical Centre @ Victoria Hospital No. 68, Tawwin Rd, 9 Mile, Mayangon Township, Yangon, Myanmar Tel: + 951 651 238, + 959 495 85 955 Fax: + 959 651 398 24/7 on duty doctor: + 959 492 18 410 Website: www.leo.com.mm One Stop Solution for Quality Health Care

Heavy mechinary

HEALTH SERVICES
ATC Co., Ltd. 27 (A), Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin TSP:, Yangon, Myanmar. T & F : 665610, 667498
atc-admin@wimaxmail.net.mm

81, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 548022, 542979, 553783, 09-73216940, 09-730-56079. Email: asiapacific. myanmar@gmail.com.

Flora Service & Gift Shop No.173(B), West Shwegonedaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.731 800 30 No.75/77, Yaw Min Gyi St. Dagon Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.431 432 34. Home: 01-577 387, Email: rosanafloral.ygn@ gmail.com

ATC Co., Ltd. 27 (A), Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin TSP:, Yangon, Myanmar. T & F : 665610, 667498
atc-admin@wimaxmail.net.mm

Professor Doctors, (Made in USA) Equipment Physio-therapists, Fully Aircon, At China Town. 96, Latha Street , Latha Tsp, Yangon. Ph : 01-395544, 246365

Home Furnishing

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 660769, 664363.

Floral Service & Gift Centre 102(A), Dhamazaydi Rd, Yangon.tel: 500142 Summit Parkview Hotel, tel: 211888, 211966 ext. 173 fax: 535376.email: sandy@ sandymyanmar.com.mm.

Acupuncture, Medicine Massage, Foot Spa Add:No,27(A),Ywa Ma Kyaung Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-511122, 526765.

LEGAL SERVICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. uminsein@mptmail.net.mm

Foam spray Insulation

Piyavate Hospital (Bangkok) Myanmar Represent ative (Head office) Grand Mee Yahta Executive Residences. No.372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, PBDN. Ph: 256355, Ext: 3206. Hotline: 09-7377-7799. Email: piyavate@cnt.com. mm, piyavate.cnt@gmail. com, Website: www. piyavate.com

Marine Communication & Navigation

Foam Spray Insulation No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazuntaung Road, Pazuntaung Tsp, Yangon. Telefax : 01-203743, 09730-26245, 09-500-7681. Hot Line-09-730-30825.

Top Marine Show Room No-385, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597

49
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MT Quick Guide
January 14 - 20, 2013
Traders Gallery Bar Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6433 Traders Lobby Lounge Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6456 Western Park Thakhin Mya Park, Ahlone. Tel: 225143 Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916. No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: salesikon@myanmar.com.mm Junction Mawtin Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Cor of Wadan St. Lanmadaw. Ocean Supercentre (North Point ), 9th Mile, Mayangone Tsp. Tel: 651 200, 652963. Pick n Pay Hyper Market Bldg (A,B,C), (14~16), Shwe Mya Yar Housing, Mya Yar Gone St, Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 206001~3, Fax: 9000199 Sein Gay Har 44, Pyay Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 383812, 379823. Super 1 (Kyaikkasan) 65, Lay Daunt Kan St, Tel: 545871~73 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. Tel : 515136. TOP MARINE PAINT No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 09-851-5202 Schenker (Thai) Ltd. Yangon 59 A, U Lun Maung Street. 7 Mile Pyay Road, MYGN. tel: 667686, 666646.fax: 651250. email: sche nker@mptmail.net.mm. Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-4210-34875 operayangon@gmail.com www.operayangon.com

Myanmar Times

Media & Advertising

Intuitive Design, Advertising, Interior Decoration Corporate logo/Identity/ Branding, Brochure/ Profile Booklet/ Catalogue/ Billboard, Corporate diary/ email newsletter/ annual reports, Magazine, journal advertisement and 3D presentation and detailed planning for any interior decoration works. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing, Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

Printing
MAHARBANDULA
Printing House

No. 177, U Chit Maung Road, Zay Kwayt Bus Stop, Bahan Tsp. Tel: (959) 4200 56166 Fax: (951) 860 3866 maharbandula1@gmail.com

Bo Sun Pat Tower, Bldg 608, Rm 6(B), Cor of Merchant Rd & Bo Sun Pat St, PBDN Tsp. Tel: 377263, 250582, 250032, 09-511-7876, 09-862-4563.

SOLAR SYSTEM
Monsoon Restaurant & Bar 85/87, Thein Byu Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653. Pansweltaw Express Cafe: 228, Ahlone Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel: 215363 (1)-Rm-309, 3rdflr,Ocean, East Point Shopping Center, Pazundaung Tsp. Tel:397900 Ext: 309. (2)G-Flr, Ocean North Point Shopping Center. Tel:652959, 652960, Ext: 133. Royal Garden Nat Mauk Road, Kandaw Gyi Natural Park, Bahan Tsp. tel: 546202 Signature Near U Htaung Bo Round, about Bahan Tsp. tel: 546488, 543387. Spicy Forest Thai, Korean and European Food Rm-051/Basement-1 (B1), Taw Win Center, Pyay Rd Tel: 09-7320-9566, 01-8600111 (1151). Summer Palace (Chinese) Restaurant Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223, Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242828. ext:6483 1. WASABI:No.20-B, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp,(Near MiCasa), Tel; 666781,09-503-9139 2. WASABI SUSHI:Market Place by City Mart (1st Floor). Tel; 09-430-67440 Myaynigone (City Mart) Yankin Center (City Mart) JunctionMawtin(CityMart) The Brightest AC CFL Bulb 21, 9th St, Lanmadaw Tsp. Ph: 212243, 216861, 216864. spsolarstation@ gmail.com. www. spsolarstation.com

RESTAURANTS

PLEASURE CRUISES
Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174 Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd. Islands Safari in the Mergui Archipelago 4 Days, 6 Days, 8 Days Trips Tel: 95 1 202063, 202064 E-mail: info@islandsafari mergui.com. Website: www. islandsafarimergui.com

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

Office Furniture

SCHOOLS

Monday to Saturday (9am to 6pm) No. 797, MAC Tower II, Rm -4, Ground Flr, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lamadaw Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 212944 Ext: 303 sales.centuremyanmar@ gmail.com www.centure.in.th

No.430(A), Corner of Dhamazedi Rd & Golden Valley Rd, Building(2) Market Place (City Mart), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 01-523840(Ext-309), 09-73208079. Black Canyon Coffee & International Thai Cuisine 330, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 0980 21691, 395052.

Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401.

PEB Steel Buildings 21/5, Thirimingalar Avenue, Kabaaye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 653410, 09-7325-7042, 09-5150332, 09-4016-01948. marketing@pebsteel.com. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

TRAVEL AGENTS

SUPERMARKETS
Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd.tel: 294074, 294083. Capital Hyper Mart 14(E), Min Nandar Road, Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136. City Mart (Aung San Branch) tel: 253022, 294765. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (47th St Branch) tel: 200026, 298746. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Junction 8 Branch) tel: 650778. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (FMI City Branch) tel: 682323. City Mart (Yankin Center Branch) tel: 400284. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Myaynigone Branch) tel: 510697. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Zawana Branch) tel:564532. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar Branch) tel: 294063. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Chinatown Point Branch) tel: 215560~63. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Junction Maw Tin Branch) tel: 218159. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Marketplace) tel: 523840~43. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (78th Brahch-Mandalay) tel: 02-71467~9. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) IKON Mart IKON Trading Co., Ltd. No.332, Pyay Rd, San Chaung P.O (11111), Yangon,

Asian Trails Tour Ltd 73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 211212, 223262. fax: 211670. email: res@ asiantrails.com.mm Tour & Car Rental Service English Speaking Driver Ph:09-510-7461,09-73046093.

Bld-A2, Gr-Fl, Shwe Gabar Housing, Mindama Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. email: eko-nr@ myanmar.com.mm Ph: 652391, 09-73108896

Road to Mandalay Myanmar Hotels & Cruises Ltd. Governors Residence 39C, Taw Win Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 229860 fax: (951) 217361. email: RTMYGN@mptmail.net.mm www.orient-express.com

Water Treatment

REMOVALISTS

Heaven Pizza 38/40, Bo Yar Nyunt St. Yaw Min Gyi Quarter, Dagon Township. Tel: 09-855-1383

ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: info@ilbc.net.mm www.ilbcedu.com International School Yangon 20, Shwe Taung Kyar St, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 512793.

Commercial scale water treatment (Since 1997) Tel: 01-2300086. H/P: 09-5161431, 09-43126571. 39-B, Thazin Lane, Ahlone.

Bld-A2, Gr-Fl, Shwe Gabar Housing, Mindama Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. email: eko-nr@ myanmar.com.mm Ph: 652391, 09-73108896

Relocation Specialist Rm 504, M.M.G Tower, #44/56, Kannar Rd, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 250290, 252313. Mail : info@asiantigersmyanmar.com

No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Indian Fine Dining & Bar Bldg No. 12, Yangon Intl Compound, Ahlone Road. Tel: 01-2302069, 09-43185008, 09-731-60662. sales@corrianderleaf.com

Water Heaters

Paint
Crown Worldwide Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702, 7th Flr Danathiha Centre, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lanmadaw. Tel: 223288, 210 670, 227650. ext: 702. Fax: 229212. email: crown worldwide@mptmail.net.mm The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244

Admissions Office: Than Lwin Campus: 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951535433, 959-8503073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg Website: www.rvcentre. com.sg

The Global leader in Water Heaters A/1, Aung San Stadium East Wing, Upper Pansodan Road. Tel: 251033, 09-730-25281.

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

Bangkok Phuket Yangon www.paintfx.asia

WEB SERVICES

Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231

Sole Distributor For the Union of Myanmar Since 1995 Myanmar Golden Rock International Co.,Ltd. Level 6, FJV Commercial Center, Botahtaung Tsp Yangon. Ph-202092-96, Fax: 202079 Worlds No.1 Paints & Coatings Company

Legendary Myanmar Intl Shipping & Logistics Co., Ltd. No-9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 516827, 523653, 516795. Mobile. 09-512-3049. Email: legandarymyr@ mptmail.net .mm www.LMSL-shipping.com

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel 541997. email: leplanteur@ mptmail.net.mm. http://leplanteur.net YKKO 28, Saya San Road, Bahan Tsp. tel:01-541998

The Emporia Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp. Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6294 Traders Gourmet Corner Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel : 242828 ext : 6503

Yangon International School Fully Accredited K-12 International Curriculum with ESL support No.117,Thumingalar Housing, Thingangyun Township, Yangon. Tel: 578171, 573149 www.yismyanmar.net Yangon International School New Early Childhood Center Pan Hlaing Golf Estate Housing & U Tun Nyo Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. Tel: 687701, 687702

World-class Web Services Tailor-made design, Professional research & writing for Brochure/ Catalogue/e-Commerce website, Customised business web apps, online advertisement and anything online. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing. Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

Sport
January 14 - 20, 2013
the

50
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Green issues weigh increasingly on sport

PARIS The Dakar rally got under way in South America on January 5, amid concern about the potential damage that the 8,400-kilometre (5,200-mile) trek through Peru and Chile could cause to the local environment. Organisers at the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) have already had to reject claims that the 459 cars, bikes, trucks and quad bikes taking part in this years edition will cause irreparable harm to ancient archaeological sites. ASO, which also organises cyclings most prestigious and gruelling race, the Tour de France, is becoming used to dealing with such questions, as sport in general is increasingly scrutinised about its green credentials. The Dakar rally first revealed its carbon footprint in 2007, trumpeting the fact that the 43,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases it produced was nearly a quarter of that emitted by the French Open tennis tournament (156,000 tonnes). Motorsport and in particular Formula One -- long demonised because of its reliance on fossil fuels thought to contribute to global warming -- has led the way in publicising environmental attributes. Weve got this image of waste but we dont pollute any more than other events, said Bernard Niclot, technical director at the International Automobile Federation (FIA) governing body. Motorsport has always contributed to the development of road cars. Even today, we still want it to help make cleaner, more fuel efficient cars and to respond to the challenges of diminishing oil supplies and protecting the environment. FIA president Jean Todt, who formerly led the Ferrari F1 team, has been at the forefront of attempts to use

Italian biker Alessandro Botturi competes during Stage 4 of the Dakar 2013 between Nazca and Arequipa, Peru, on January 8. The rally will take place in Peru, Argentina and Chile from January 5 to 20. Pic: AFP renewable energy sources and staging quieter, more fuel efficient races. Next year will see the launch of Formula E, with single-seater electric cars racing at speeds of up to 180 kilometres an hour on city circuits such as Rome. F u e l l i m i t s will also be introduced in 2014 in endurance racing, following on from existing restrictions on wind tunnel tests, plus the number of engines and gearboxes available for drivers. The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) aims to reduce its overall carbon footprint by 15 percent in the coming years. The use of artificial snow, tree felling and soil erosion in ski resorts or heavy water consumption on golf courses have long been targets for environmental campaigners. But even apparently green sports cannot afford to rest on their laurels. In 2009, there was outrage after images were shown of some 20 tonnes of rubbish left on Mont Ventoux after the advertising caravan on the Tour de France came through, distributing free gifts to the tens of thousands of fans parked by the road. Some 50 tonnes of rubbish was produced during the 2011 New York Marathon while about 20,000 of the 47,000 participants came from abroad, most of them by high polluting air travel. A c c o r d i n g t o campaigners, serious thought has to be given to big sporting events, no matter how much organisers claim to be meeting environmental targets on use of sustainable materials or recycling. Tens of thousands of spectators pollute more at an autosports competitions than the racing cars, said Edouard Donnelly, a sustainable development expert at Paris-based sports consultancy firm Keneo. Theres no difference between the Tour de France and a motorsport race. In France, an estimated 50 percent of 260,000 sports venues are said to be poorly insulated, overusing water and electricity or not readily accessible by public transport. Yachtswoman Isabelle Autissier, who is also head of the French branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said environmental damage was the paradox of the modern day sports industry. Were building more and more big structures. Were getting people to come from farther afield, she said. By attracting more people we obviously generate more waste and damage because transporting sportsmen and women and spectators has more of an impact. French Green Party lawmaker Jean-Luc Bennahmias said any steps taken were currently no more than a smokescreen, highlighting world football governing body FIFAs decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup. The Gulf state is building 12 new air-conditioned stadia. Foreign fans will all travel by plane while the venues will become white elephants after the competition, he said. AFP

Cubas sports stars wont score unrestricted travel

HAVANA Cubans this week will have the right to travel without government permission for the first time in decades, although sports stars will still require permission to leave, an official said on January 8. Professionals who are deemed essential, technicians, sports people, and (Communist Party) staff and leaders have been informed that they still face curbs on foreign travel, said Lamberto Fraga, a highranking official at the Migration and Foreign Nationals Ministry, who said they will need a special permit. This group of people will be told why they cannot leave the country, and they likely understand that they are essential, which should keep them from going to seek a passport, unless they have authorization to travel abroad, Fraga said on state television. It was announced on January 7 that doctors were not included in the group of professionals the government considers essential, but authorities did not immediately list all professionals who would be. Cuba, the Americas only Communist-ruled nation, is a regional sports power. Havana came in 16th place in the London Olympics in terms of total medal take, the most of any Latin American or Caribbean nation. It also faces a constant loss of its sports stars, deserting at international meets or on foreign trips. In some of the most recent defections, three Cuban soccer players fled at a tournament in Toronto last year. In 2011, the island lost several of its top stars in baseball, the national past time, and in football. Nevertheless, the government announced last October that beginning January 14, Cubans no longer will need the reviled exit visas that have kept most in this country from ever traveling abroad. The visas, and invitation letters from a host, cost up to US$200 in a country with an average monthly salary of less than $20. Cubans are intensely and emotionally keen for migration reform, which has been promised but not yet delivered by President Raul Castro, 81, who took over from his brother revolutionary icon Fidel Castro in July 2006. Since the Cold War era, travel has been painfully limited. Separation from family and friends makes the issue a highly emotional one here, given that about one in six Cuban nationals lives abroad. The current system also has drawn criticism from some rights groups about Cubans basic freedom of movement. Since 2006 Raul Castros government has ended several unpopular restrictions. Among the things Cubans are now allowed to do is rent rooms in hotels geared to international tourism, sign cell phone contracts, and buy electric appliances. The new system also has allowed Cubans to buy and sell cars and private homes. But the change coming into force on January 14 -- Raul Castros most dramatic to date -- could be a stunning wake-up call to the United States, since it has the potential to set off a bilateral migration crisis. As part of a held-over Cold War policy, the United States still grants any Cuban who reaches US soil legal US residency on request. Washington does not have this policy for nationals of any other country. With the US economy weak and the US election cycle just over, the United States has not been planning a welcome for many thousands of new Cuban immigrants who soon may be calling, legally, by sea and by air. The cost of the passport needed for travel has been doubled to $100, prohibitive for most Cubans without access to hard currency. Those who can often earn such funds in the tourist trade, while others have remittances sent from relatives living abroad. Despite travel restrictions in place since the 1960s, Cubans have emigrated illegally in droves, often using rickety boats to embark on dangerous sea voyages to nearby Florida. Around two million Cubans have left the country in the last half century. About a million Cubans and Cuban-Americans live in the US state of Florida alone. The population of the island stands at 11.2 million. AFP

Rising star Rogic set for Celtic trial

Rising Australian star Tomas Rogic will have a trial with Scottish giants Glasgow Celtic at their midseason training camp in Spain this month, his Central Coast Mariners club said January 9. The 20-year-old midfielder, who recently made his international debut, left for Europe on January 10. The club said that as yet no offer had been tabled for Rogic, who had been a target for English Premier League club Reading. Celtic are in Spain preparing for the second half of the Scottish Premier League season as well as their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie against Italian giants Juventus starting in February. This is a great opportunity for Tomas to train with Celtics first team squad, Mariners football general manager Lawrie McKinna said. Tom will undoubtedly learn a lot from the experience. AFP

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January 14 - 20, 2013
In the interview, to be shown in a primetime slot January 17, Winfrey will speak with Armstrong at his home in Austin, Texas. Armstrong has vehemently denied doping. It is not known if Armstrong will admit to doping on Winfreys show. The show used words like alleged doping scandal, accusations of cheating and charges of lying in its publicity statement. The announcement came on the same day that 60 Minutes said US AntiDoping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart told them in an interview to be aired Wednesday that Armstrong attempted to donate around US$250,000 to the agency. Tygart said he was bowled over by the totally inappropriate donation offer from one of Armstrongs representatives in 2004, which he immediately refused. I was stunned, Tygart said in the interview. It was a clear conflict of interest for USADA. We had no hesitation in rejecting that offer. Asked if the offer was in the range of $250,000, Tygart said: It was in that ballpark. most sophisticated doping program in the history of the sport. The UCI effectively erased Armstrong from the cycling history books when it decided not to appeal sanctions imposed on Armstrong by USADA. The massive report by USADA included hundreds of pages of eyewitness testimony, emails, financial records and laboratory analysis of blood samples. We have an obligation to clean athletes and the future of the sport. This was a fight for the soul of the sport, Tygart said. US federal officials investigated Armstrong and his cycling team for two years but failed to charge him. The decision not to charge Armstrong stunned Tygart. He was also upset when the US Justice Department refused to share the results of their probe with him. Asked why he thought the Justice Department refused to bring charges, Tygart said: Its a good question, and one that if you finally answer, let me know. Late last year, cancer survivor Armstrong resigned as chairman of the Livestrong foundation he created. AFP

Myanmar Times

Armstrong to address doping

LOS ANGELES The disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong will discuss the doping scandal that dramatically brought down his cycling career during an interview with Oprah Winfrey this week. The famed talk show host said that a 90-minute special show would address years of accusations of cheating, and charges of lying about the use of performanceenhancing drugs throughout Armstrongs storied cycling career. The interview will be Armstrongs first since being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year and will air on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It will also be streamed live on her website, a publicity statement said. On January 4 The New York Times reported that Armstrong, 41, was considering publicly admitting that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs, in an apparent bid to return to competitive sport in marathons and triathlons. Looking forward to this conversation with @ lancearmstrong, Winfrey posted on her Twitter site on January 8. Armstrong re-tweeted the comment 15 minutes later.

Lyon sign Japans World Cup winner Ohno

LYON, France French club Lyon on January 10 signed Japans World Cup striker Shinobu Ohno and American midfielder Megan Rapinoe, two of the hottest properties in international womens football. Ohno, 29, who played in Japans 2011 womens World Cup winning side, penned a one and a half year deal with an option for another season. A veteran of 101 internationals, with 38 goals, Ohno joins Lyon from INAC Kobe, the reigning Japanese champions. Rapinoe, 27, who was nominated for the 2012 womens player of the year award, has joined until the end of the season. Rapinoe has played 68 times for the United States, scoring 19 times and joins from the Seattle Sounders. Lyon currently lead the French league and have been champions for the last six years. They are also the reigning European champions. AFP

Tygart, who described Armstrongs heavy-handed tactics as being similar to the Mafia, denounced a $100,000 donation Armstrong made previously to the International Cycling Union (UCI). But Armstrongs lawyer, Tim Herman, told USA Today on January 8 that there was never a donation attempt from the cyclist.

No truth to that story, Herman told the newspaper. First Lance heard of it was today. He never made any such contribution or suggestion. USADA stripped Armstrong of his Tour de France titles and slapped him with a lifetime ban in October after releasing a damning report that said he helped orchestrate the

Tway Ma Shaungs KO captures title

By Kyaw Zin Hlaing TWAY Ma Shaung knocked out opponent Poe K in the first round of their bout on January 6 to capture the first division title in the Dagon Shwe Aunglan Tournament at Yangons Thuwana indoor stadium. Tway Ma Shaung, a golden belt champion, stopped Poe K just two minutes into the match. Im very happy with this win and would like to thank boxing fans for their encouragement, said Tway Ma Shaung after the match. The quick knockout left some fans disappointed with Poe Ks showing and perceived lack of effort. Before this match, Poe K was my favourite fighter but after this match I am really frustrated with his attitude towards the sport. I have no plans to see his matches in the future because he is not faithful to his profession, said one fan. The second division finale was a much more spirited affair. Two Two and Poe Thar Gyi battled in a brutal display that brought spectators to their feet. Two Two delivered repeated kicks to Poe Thar Gyis face and head, but despite being visibly injured, Poe Thar Gyi hung in the fight until the final bell. Two Two won the match on points. Junior kick boxers Ye Myint Aung and Myar Htut Aung squared off in the third division. Ye Myint Aung was victorious in the third round. Three undercard matches saw Aung Thurain and Ye Yint Htun, Zwe Mg Mg and Thet Ko and Sulukar and Shan Lay Thay fight. Aung Thurain was the only to emerge with a victory. The others ended in draws. Two international boxers took on Myanmar opponents in exhibition matches. Htun Htun Min clashed with German boxer Philip, and former tournament champion Htun Htun fought Iranian boxer Ash Khanmantidarbi. The Myanmar sides were victorious in both fights.

Australian fastbowler Clint Mckay reacts after taking the wicket of Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal during the first one-day international between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 11. Pic: AFP

Myanmar archers take aim at Indonesia

By Pyae Thet Phyo MYANMAR archers see Indonesia as their biggest rival at the 5 th Southeast Asia Archery Championship, said Myanmar archer Ma Aung Ngein on January 10. The event began on January 9 in Nay Pyi Taw and is due to finish on January 14. Our main rivalry is with Indonesia more so than with other opponents in this championship, said Ma Aung Ngein. She added that the national team would be more confident heading into the SEA Games, which begin on December 11, if they were to win this tournament. Myanmar fielded 24 archers for the event. About 100 archers from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia are competing.

tIMESSPORT

January 14 - 20, 2013

Brazil tour cancelled

By Aung Si Hein AN exhibition match between legendary Brazilian soccer players and a Myanmar allstar team has been cancelled due to logistical issues. The Brazil Masters 94.02 Southeast Asia Tour, which was scheduled for stops in five nations, was cancelled on January 7. The team was to take on Myanmar on January 23 at Yangons Thuwanna stadium. The match will not be rescheduled. BEC- Tero Entertainment Public of Brazil citied problems organising the players who were scheduled to appear as the reason for cancellation. The roster was to feature players from Brazils 1994 and 2002 World Cup champion teams including Dunga, who was the captain of 1994 World Cup team, former Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos, Bebeto, Ricardo Rocha, Marcos Santos and Edison. Their Myanmar counterparts were drawn largely from the 1993 Southeast Asian Games squad Than Toe Aung, Myo Hlaing Win, Kyi Lwin, Win Aung, Soe Myat Min, Aung Aung Oo and Lwin Oo had begun training together last week in anticipation for the exhibition. Lothar Matthaus, who captained West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup championship was to join the Myanmar side for the match. The cancellation is the latest in a string of disappointments for Myanmar soccer fans. The national team was quickly dismissed from Decembers AFF Suzuki Cup in Thailand after failing to win a single match. The team was unable to secure a preparation match against a national team in the lead up to the Cup. Fans were instead forced to settle for two matches against Fagiano Okayama of Japans second division.

Cambodia, the Philippines, Brunei and Laos did not send teams. Lee Saung Bon, coach of the Myanmar National Archery Team said his squad will aim to win the most gold medals. We have practised hard so we hope each individual will win a gold medal, said Ma Aung Ngein. Dr Khin Shwe, vice chairman of Myanmar Olympic Committee said that he expected Myanmars streak of winning at least one gold medal in every Southeast Asia Championship would continue. Other countries will test their skills here because it is the preliminary competition before the SEA Games. We expect to win 7 gold medals at least, Dr Khin Shwe told The Myanmar Times. He also hoped that hosting the competition in the Nay Pyi Taw would

Myanmar archers at the opening ceremony of the 5th Southeast Asia Archery Championship in Nay Pyi Taw on January 9. Pic: Pyae Thet Phyo provide an opportunity to showcase the capital to visiting athletes. The others teams dont know much about Nay Pyi Taw but I believe the participants will share that they experienced fine weather conditions in the city and saw its current development when they return home, said Dr Khin Shwe Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Myanmar National League opens 2013 season

By Aung Si Hein THE 2013 Myanmar National League (MNL) got underway on January 5 but is two clubs fewer than last year after the relegations of 2012s last place finishers. Chin United FC and Mawrawadi FC found themselves at the bottom of last years standings and were cast off to a yet to be formed second tier league. Twelve teams will compete for this years championship. In Yangon Zeyar Shwe Myay FC beat 1-0 Hantharwady United at Thuwanna Stadium on the seasons opening day. Zeyar Shwe Myay FC held the edge in ball position during the matches early minutes before turnovers saw them narrowly avoid two shots from within their own box hitting the back of the goal. In the 72nd minute, Zeyar Shwe Myays Rankovic Sasa came forward with the ball on the right wing and passed it inside where striker Si Thu Wins one touch between two defenders produced the matchs lone goal. Despite the loss Hantharwady United coach U Win Tin was positive in his comments following the match. I am satisfied with my players. We wasted sure scoring chances, so we lost, U Win Tin said. In a sign of the MNLs increasingly international make up Zeyar Shwe Myay has three foreign players on its roster while Hantharwady United only has one. African player Clifford is playing his first season for Hantharwady United, which is surprising given owner U Aung Moe Kyaws dislike of African players. The African players are making a mess here [in the MNL]. So I only wanted to hire a qualified African for the team and I have been looking for one. As for Clifford, he is a goodquality footballer, U Aung Moe Kyaw told a press conference at Sedona Hotel on January 5.