myanmar business today - vol 1, issue 45

MYANMAR’S FIRST BILINGUAL BUSINESS JOURNALwww.mmbiztoday.com December 12-18, 2013 | Vol 1, Issue 45

Myanmar Summary

Contd. P 6...

A man carries a sack of rice on the banks of Yangon River. The government has set targets to increase rice export and catch up with neighbouring countries Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Soe Z

eya Tun/Reuters

Myanmar Looks to Double Rice Export

Kyaw Min

Currently the basket case, Myanmar was once the rice bowl of Asia.

From 1961 to 1963, around the time the country was taken over by a Socialist government which depleted the once-thriving economy, Myanmar was the world’s largest exporter of rice, shipping around 1.7

million tonnes per year. By

to 15,000 tonnes, according to

Agriculture (USDA) and while there has been some increase in export – it exported 690,000 tonnes last year, making it the ninth largest exporter in the world – the country still has a

Contd. P 6...

Government to Look to International Companies on DaweiItalian-Th ai Development’s role halted but not over, offi cials say

Oliver Slow

Myanmar will open tenders for interna-tional companies to be

involved in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ), after it was revealed last week that Italian-Thai Development, the group initially responsible for the main development of the site, will no longer be key driv-ers of the project.

Speaking at a press confer-ence in Yangon last week, U Aye Myint, chairman of the Dawei project said that two companies formed by the Myanmar and Thailand governments, named Special Purpose Vehicle (1) and (2), would take a lead role in the multi-million dollar development.

He added that due to the sheer scale of the development, which involves building a deep-sea port and key infrastructure, international companies would be invited to apply for tenders on the project, including ITD.

“They can keep working if they want, but they will have to compete with other interna-tional observers,” he said.

U Set Aung, chairman of the Dawei zone, said that the com-mittee was undergoing a review of the work already completed

by ITD and that once this was

invited to apply for licenses.“No company in the whole

Contd. P 8...

Myanmar Summary

Contd. P 8...

xm;0,ftxl;pD;yGm;a&;ZkefwGif yg0if aqmif&GufEdkif&eftwGuf jrefrmEdkifiHrS tjynfjynfqd kif&mukrÜPDrsm;twGuf wif'gac:qdkoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od& onf/

xm;0,ftxl;pD;yGm;a&;Zkeftm; ,cif u Italian-Thai Development rS pDrHudef;zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufa&;aqmif&GufrIwGif t"duwm0ef,lxm;NyD;,cktcgtajymif; tvJrsm; jyKvkyfcJhum tjynfjynfqdkif&m ukrÜPDrsm;tm; wif'gac:qdkNyD; pDrHudef; wGif yg0ifaqmif&Gufa&;twGuf BudK;yrf;aqmif&GufoGm;awmhrnfjzpfonf/

xm;0,fpD rHude f ;\ Ouú| jzpfol OD;at;jrifhu &efukefü jyKvkyfcJhaom owif;pm&Sif;vif;yGJwGif jrefrmtpdk;& ESifh xdkif;tpdk;&wdkYrS ukrÜPD 2 ckudk zGJUpnf;cJhNyD; tqdkygukrÜPDESpfckrSm Special Purpose Vehicle (1) ESifh Special Purpose Vehicle (2) jzpfNyD; a':vm rDvD,Haygif;rsm;pGm wefzdk;&Sdonfh xm;0,f pDrHudef;zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrItwGuf OD;aqmif í aqmif&GufoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; ajym Mum;cJhonf/

,cifu jrefrmEdkifiHonf tm&SwGif qefwifydkYrIxdyfwef;EdkifiHwpfEdkifiHjzpfcJhonf/ 1961 ckESpfrS 1963 ckESpfqdk&S,f vpftpdk;&vufxufwGif jrefrmEdkifiH\ pD;yGm;a&;onf zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrIrsm;pGm usqif;cJh&onf/,cifu urÇmhxdyfwef;

December 12-18, 2013Myanmar Business Today

www.mmbiztoday.com

2LOCAL BIZ

Myanmar Summary

MYANMAR’S FIRST BILINGUAL BUSINESS JOURNAL

Board of EditorsEditor-in-Chief - Sherpa Hossainy

Deputy Editor - Oliver Slow

Reporters & WritersSherpa Hossainy, Oliver Slow,

Kyaw Min, Shein Thu Aung, Phyu Thit Lwin, Htet Aung,

Su Su, Aye Myat, Daisuke Lon, Yasumasa Hisada

Art & DesignZarni Min Naing (Circle)

DTPMay Su Hlaing

TranslatorsShein Thu Aung, Phyu Maung

AdvertisingTay Zar Zaw Win, Seint Seint Aye, Moe Hsann Pann

Advertising Hotline - 09 7323 6758

Managing DirectorPrasert Lekavanichkajorn

[email protected]

EmailEditor - [email protected]

Special Publications - [email protected]

Advertising - [email protected]

Designer - [email protected]

PhoneEditor - 09 42110 8150

Deputy Editor - 09 3176 9529

Designer - 09 7310 5793

PublisherU Myo Oo (04622)

22A Kaba Aye Pogoda Rd, Bahan Township,

Yangon, Myanmar.

Tel: 951-2301568, 951-2301569, 951-2301570

Fax: 951-8603288 ext: 007

Penbun Distribution Co., Ltd.

Tel: (662) 6158625-33 Fax: (662) 6158634

Distributor (Bangkok)

Subscription & CirculationAung Khin Sint - [email protected]

092043559

Nilar Myint - [email protected]

09421085511

Files

Thein Sein Makes Maiden Philippines Visit

President Thein Sein visited the Philip-pines last week,

his maiden visit to the archipelago.

During his three-day visit, Thein Sein met his Philippine counterpart, Benigno Aquino III, in an attempt to bolster ties and also discuss trade, investment, agriculture and visa-exemptions.

The visa agreement is expected to allow Filipi-nos to enter Myanmar without gaining a visa

can already enter the Philippines visa-free.

The Philippines were

a harsh critic of Myan-mar’s former military government, but the two countries have softened ties since Myanmar began making reforms to tenta-tively work towards a fully democratic system.

Thein Sein also visited areas ravaged by the re-cent Typhoon Haiyan that ripped through the coun-try last month, leaving an estimated 5,000 dead and many others still missing.

Myanmar was one of about 60 countries to give aid to the country in the wake of the crisis, with Philippine Foreign Sec-retary Albert del Rosario saying that Myanmar’s aid had reached about

Su Su $100,000 as well as seven tonnes of food and other relief goods. During his visit, Thein Sein brought additional aid.

During his talks with Aquino, Thein Sein discussed Myanmar’s hosting of ASEAN in 2014 and it is thought that he seeked support for the hosting.

A close ally with China, Myanmar’s navigation of that relationship will be crucial in the near future as a number of ASEAN members are at logger-heads with China over land disputes. According to some reports, the Philippines and Vietnam are expected to bring

up their grievances with China during the ASEAN meetings next year.

jynfaxmifpkor®wjrefrmEdkifiHawmf EdkifiHawmfor®wOD;odef;pdef onf vGefcJhonfhtywfu zdvpf ydkifEdkifiHodkY oGm;a&mufcJhNyD; yxr OD;qHk;zdvpfydkifc&D;pOfvnf;jzpf aMumif; od&onf/

or®wOD;odef;pdefonf zdvpfydkif EdkifiHodkY oHk;&ufwm oGm;a&muf cJhNyD; zdvpfydkifor®w BenignoAquino III ESifh awGUqHkcJhum ESpfEdkifiHqufqHa&;zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufvmap&efESifh ukefoG,frI? &if;ESD; jr§KyfESHrI? pdkufysKd;a&;u@ESifh ADZm uif;vGwfcGifhqdkif&m udpö&yfrsm; udkvnf; aqG;aEG;cJhMuaMumif; od&onf/

ADZmuif;vGwfcGifhoabmwlnDcsuftaejzifh zdvpfydkifEdkifiHom; rsm;tm; jrefrmEdkifiHodkY ADZm rvdktyfyJ vma&mufEdkif&efESifh jrefrmEdkifiHom;rsm;taejzifhvnf; zdvpfydkifEdkifiHodkY ADZmrvdktyfbJoGm;a&mufvmEdkif&e f jzpfaMumif; od&onf/

zdvpfydkifEdkifiHtaejzifh ,cif ppftpdk;&vufxufwGif jrefrm EdkifiH qufqHa&;tajctae raumif;rGefcJhaomfvnf; ,cktcg jrefrmEdkifiH\ jyKjyifajymif;vJrI rsm;aMumifh ESpfEdkifiHqufqHa&;tajctaerSm ydkrdkaumif;rGefvm cJhNyDjzpfonf/ or®wOD;odef;pdef onf cefYrSef;ajcvlaygif; 5000 eD;yg;aoqHk;NyD; rsm;pGmaysmufqHk; aeqJjzpfonfh [dkif,ef;wdkif;zGef;rkefwdkif;oifha'orsm;odk Yvnf; oGm;a&mufcJhaMumif;vnf; od& onf/

3December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Business Todaywww.mmbiztoday.com

Leadership in technology.

The world is growing. Every day, more people, vehicles, homes

and factories are driving an ever-increasing demand for energy.

That’s why ExxonMobil is investing $1 billion annually in research

and development—part of our commitment to developing the

breakthrough technologies and solutions required to meet the world’s

rapidly growing energy needs.

Around the world, we deploy industry-leading technologies—from

extended-reach drilling to advanced visualization and production

techniques—to maximize the value of energy resources.

So whether it’s investing in research and development, delivering

innovative petroleum products or investing in communities,

ExxonMobil is developing more than oil and gas—we are helping

to support global growth and progress.

Learn more about our work at exxonmobil.com


www.mmbiztoday.comLOCAL BIZ 4

Myanmar Summary

Reu

ters

Small and Medium Enter-prise (SME) Centres will open in Myanmar’s major

cities to aid the development of the sector, which is seen as key to the economy’s growth.

open in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, with further openings expected in early 2014.

“SMEs do not only play a key role in the state’s progress, but

SME Centres to Open to Aid GrowthKyaw Min and Htet Aung than also support local em-

ployment,” said U Win Aung, chairman of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and In-dustry (UMFCCI). “Therefore, the growth of SMEs is vital,” he said, before adding that a key role for the government is to establish an SME law.

SMEs make up more than 90 percent of registered companies within Myanmar, and local businesspeople involved in the sector are urging the govern-

ment to encourage their growth. “For the development of our

country’s economy, allowing

term is vital,” said U Mya Theik an entrepreneur with an SME-

employ fewer than 25 people should be allowed tax exemp-tion,” he added.

The SME law is expected to be implemented in early 2014, sources say.

tao;pm;ESif h tvwfpm;pD;yGm;a&; vkyfief;rsm; zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufa&; taxmuf tuljyKap&ef tao;pm;ESifhtvwfpm;zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufa&;pifwmudk jrefrmwpf EdkifiHvHk;&Sd NrdKUBuD;rsm;wGif wdk;csJUzGifhvSpf oGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

,if;odkYwdk;csJU&eftwGuf pufrIBuD;Muyf a&;ESifh ppfaq;a&;OD;pD;XmewdkY yl;aygif; aqmif&GufoGm;rnfjzpfNyD; aejynfawmf aumifpDwdkif;a'oBuD;? jynfe,fNrdKUrsm;

ESifh c½dkifrsm;wGif wdk;csJUzGifhvSpfoGm;rnf jzpfaMumif; od&onf/

tao;pm;ESif htvwfpm;zGHUNzdK;wdk;wuf a&;XmerS wm0ef&SdolwpfOD;u ]]tiftm; wdk;csJUzGJUpnf;rIu 2014 ESpfqef;ydkif;rSm pwifrSmyg/vuf&Sdtiftm;&JU ESpfqeD;yg; avmufjzpfvmrSmyg}}[k ajymonf/

,if;uJhodkY yl;aygif;vdkufjcif;tm;jzifhtao;pm;ESifh tvwfpm;vkyfief;rSwfyHkwifjcif;? enf;ynmtultnD&,ljcif; rsm;udk aqmif&GufoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/ukefonfpufrIvkyfief;&Siftoif;

Ouú| OD;0if;atmifu ]]tao;pm;ESifhtvwfpm;vkyfief;awGuwdkif;jynfpD;yGm; a&;wdk;wufrItwGuf t"dutcef;u@ rSm yg0ifaewJhtjyif jynfwGif;tvkyf tudkif&&Sda&;twGufvnf; ta&;ygwJh ae&mrSm yg0ifaewJhtwGuf SME vkyfief;awG zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufzdkY ta&;BuD; w,f/ SME Oya'udkvnf; wdkif;jynf wdk;wufzdkY ta&;BuD;Oya'wpfcktaeeJYapmvsifpGm jy|mef;ay;zdkY vdktyfygw,f}}[k ajymonf/

Siam Cement Group (SCG) last week awarded educa-tion assistance to 100 high

school students in Mon State as part of its SCG Sharing the Dream Programme, which is in its second year in the country.

The award ceremony, which was hosted at the Strand Mawlamyine Hotel, recognised students, SCG said, who had proactively contributed to their communities and exhibited good academic records, with each student receiving funding of up to K200,000 ($$200), to cover their school fees and supplies.

“Education is essential to-wards ensuring that children will grow up to form new generations of ASEAN citizens who are ethical and knowledge-able in the future,” said Chana Poomee, country director, SCG Myanmar. “On behalf of SCG, I would like to congratulate our young scholars who received the grants today. I believe that they deserve a bright future and hope that they will pursue higher education and use their talents to support their families and communities,” he added.

Last year’s programme of-fered 99 grants to students from Yangon, Mawlamyine and Kyike Mayaw, but that number has doubled in 2013, in what is SCG’s centenary year.

In October, SCG invited high school students in 9 Standard (Grade 10) and 10 Standard (Grade 11) and living in Yangon and Mon state to apply for the chance to be included in the scholarship, with students se-lected from Mawlamyine, Kyike Mayaw, Mudone, Paung and Chaung Sone townships in Mon

SCG Provides Education Assistance to Students

Oliver Slow State.SCG also rewarded students

who received scholarships in 2012, and went on to do well in the following academic year, with additional grants in recognition of their academic achievements.

SCG Sharing the Dream is SCG’s ASEAN sustainable de-velopment initiative and it has granted scholarships to more than 5,000 students in ASEAN countries, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Laos.

Myanmar SummarySiam Cement Group (SCG)

onf vGefcJhonfhtywfu rGefjynfe,f &Sd xl;cRefausmif;om;aygif; 100 tm; ynmoifMum;rIqdkif&m taxmuftyHh rsm;udk ay;tyfcJhNyD; SCG Sharing the Dream Programme tpDtpOf\wpfpdwfwpfydkif;tjzpf taxmuftyHh rsm; ay;cJhjcif;jzpfaMumif; od&onf/

ynmoifaxmufyHhaMu;qkay;yGJtcrf;tem;tm; Strand Mawlamyine [dkw,fwGif jyKvkyfusif;ycJhNyD; xl;cRef ausmif;om;rsm;taejzifh wpfOD ;vQif jrefrmusyfaiG 200000 txd &&SdoGm; rnfjzpfNyD; ausmif;p&dwfESifh tjcm; taxmuftyHhrsm;twGufjzpfaMumif; SCG rS ajymMum;cJhonf/

tem*wfwGif udk,fusif hw&m;aumif;rGef NyD; A[kokw<u,f0aom rsKd;qufopf rsm;tjzpf jzpfwnfvma&;twGuf ynm a&;rSm vGefpGmta&;ygaMumif; SCG Myanmar rS tBuD;tuJjzpfol Chana Poomee u ajymMum;cJhonf/ vGefcJhonfhESpf\ tpDtpOfwGif &efukef?

armfvNrdKif? usKdufra&mwdkYrS xl;cRef ausmif;om;rsm;twGuf ynmoifqkaMu; rsm;udkvnf; ay;tyfcJhNyD; 2013 ckESpf wGif ynmoifqkaMu;ta&twGufrSm ESpfqrQ ydkrdkrsm;vmcJhaMumif; od&onf/

LOCAL BIZ 5December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


A worker outside the Wunna Teikdi Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw.

Reu

ters

Myanmar ‘Ready’ to Host SEA Games

Oliver Slow

Myanmar is “100 percent ready” to host the

Southeast Asian Games, -

way in the capital Nay Pyi Taw on December 11.

Htay Aung, sports min-istry director, told AFP

had successfully been held and that the country, which is only just emerg-ing from 50 years of military rule, is ready to hold the event - the big-gest sporting event in the country’s history.

The tournament, which brings together athletes from Southeast Asia’s ten-member countries, was handed to Myanmar in 2010, shortly before the government began introducing a range of economic and political reforms aimed at pulling the country from decades of stagnation.

It left a country with little infrastructure that has struggled to cope with the sudden surge of interest from overseas visitors who have been intrigued by the unique changes taking place in the country.

However, the tourna-ment has given the government an incentive to invest heavily in infra-structure in the capital.

One example is the newly built Wunna Theikdi Stadium, located in Nay Pyi Taw, a 30,000 seat football and athletics stadium, which hosted the opening ceremony.

According to Htay

Aung, 6,000 athletes and 3,000 journalists are due for the games, as well as “hundreds of thousands” of local fans. The majority of events will take place in Nay Pyi Taw, while for-mer capital Yangon will host some events such as Chess and Weightlifting, and Sailing events will take place in Ngwe Saung. Mandalay will also host some football matches.

The Games, which are the 27th version of the event, are seen as an op-portunity for Myanmar to showcase that it is able to cope with the increased at-tention that it is receiving.

Vice President Nyan Tun has urged athletes to “strive for a golden age of Myanmar sports… im-proving the reputation of the country and making history to be regarded as sporting heroes.”

Despite the overall opti-mism, some government

concerned about the country’s ability to host the event, according to the AFP report.

“There are many things to be done even though many ministries are in-volved,” said one govern-

not to be named. “Hotel rooms cannot be enough because many foreigners and visitors will come,” he told AFP.

Myanmar’s hosting of the Games has already

from rival countries who have criticised the deci-sion to drop some more mainstream sports and replace them with ob-

scure Myanmar pursuits such as Chinlone, while some international ob-servers remain concerned about ethnic violence that

continues to take place in the country.

It was announced that eleven new hotels had opened in Nay Pyi Taw last week, in time for the games. The hotels were named as Mya Nan Yang, ACE, Thurizza, Jade Royal, Aye Chan Thar, Pearl Thiri, Excel Capital, Mahn Myanmar, Mingalar Thiri, New Ayar and Jade City.

jrefrmEdkifiHtaejzifh ,cktcg ta&S U awmiftm&Stm;upm;yGJ awmftm; {nfhcHusif;y&eftwGuf 100 &mcdkifEIef;tjynfh tqifoif h jzpfaeNyDjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

aemufqHk;tprf;avhusifrIrsm;taejzifh atmifjrifpGm jyKvkyfEdkifcJh aMumif;? ppftpdk;&tkyfcsKyfrIvuf atmufwGif ESpfaygif; 50 eD;yg; MumjrifhcJ hNyD; tajccHtaqmufttHk

ydkif;wGif tm;enf;aeao;aom jrefrmEdkifiHtaejzifh zG HUNzdK;wdk;wufrIvrf;aMumif;ay:odk Y a&muf&SdvmcJhum ,cktcg qD;*drf;NydKifyGJBuD; tm; usif;yjyKvkyf&ef tqifoifh jzpfaeNyDjzpfaMumif; tm;upm; 0efBuD;Xme 'g½dkufwmOD;aX;atmif u AFP odkY ajymMum;cJhonf/

qD; *dr f;tm;upm; NydKifyGJwGif ta&SUawmiftm&StzGJU0ifEdkifiHrsm; rS tm;upm;orm;rsm; a&muf&Sd vmrnfjzpfNyD;vuf&Sdtpdk;&\pD;yGm; a&;ESifh EdkifiHa&;jyKjyifajymif;vJrI rsm;udk jyKvkyfum zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrI &yfwefYaeaom jrefrmEdkifiHtm; ouf0ifEdk;xvmEdkifap&ef BudK;yrf;csufrsm;aMumif h qD;*drf;tm;upm; yGJawmftm; jrefrmEdkifiHwGif usif;yjyKvkyfcGifhudk &&SdcJhjcif;yifjzpfonf/ zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrIydkif;wGif tm;enf; cJh&aomjrefrmEdkifiHtaejzif h tajccH taqmufttHku@wGifvnf; vdktyfcsufrsm;pGmudk &ifqdkifae& NyD; jrefrmEdkifiHtm; pdwf0ifpm;ae aom &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;udk qGJ

aqmifEdkif&eftwGufvnf; tajccHtaqmufttHkvdktyfcsufrsm;udk jznfhqnf;&ef BudK;yrf;aqmif&Guf aeonf/

qD;*drf;tm;upm;yGJawmftm; atmifjrifpGmusif;yEdkifa&;twGuf tpdk;&taejzifh tajccHtaqmuf ttHku@wGif &if;ESD;jr§KyfESH&ef twGuf wGef;tm;udk jzpfapcJh onf/zGifhyGJtcrf;tem;udk usif;y cJhonfh xdkifcHkaygif; 30000 txd &Sdonfh 0PÖod'dtm;upm;uGif;BuD; udkvnf; aejynfawmfü aqmuf vkyfcJhonf/OD;aX;atmif\ ajym Mum;csuft& tm;upm;orm; aygif; 6000 ESifh *sme,fvpf aygif; 3000 wdkYonf tm;upm; NydKifyGJwGif yg0ifrnfjzpfNyD; jynfwGif;rS tm;ay;olrsm;pGmudkvnf; awGUjrif&rnfjzpfaMumif;? t"du tm;upm; tpDtpOf rsm;tm; aejynfawmfwGif jyKvkyfusif;y oGm;rnfjzpfovdk &efukef?aiGaqmif ESifh rEÅav;NrdKUrsm;wGifvnf; jyKvkyf usif;yoGm;rnf[k od&onf/



Myanmar Summary

Will Thai Protests Impact Myanmar Tourism?Regional observers say yes, but skepticism within country

The anti-government protests that took place in Bangkok and other

cities in Thailand last week could boost visitor numbers in Myanmar in 2013, industry observers say.

According to Southeast Asia trade newspaper TTR Weekly, countries like Myanmar and Vietnam could attract tourists who do not want to travel to Thailand due to fears around the violence.

Late last month, protestors took to the streets in the capi-tal city of Bangkok in protest against an amnesty bill that would mean that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra can return to the country, despite being sought for corrup-tion charges within the country.

That bill was introduced by the current government, which is headed by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck – who many believe acts as a puppet for her brother - and, while the proposal has

opposition, protestors took to the streets calling on Yingluck to stand down.

After heated protests, at the time of publication quiet had largely been restored to the capital, in part due to the King’s Birthday celebrations which took place on December 5.

“Travel industry leaders have voiced deep concern over the current political unrest, point-ing out that if it continues another week, the trade should brace for cancellations and a

said TTR Weekly.However, travel observ-

ers within Myanmar remain skeptical as to what impact

Oliver Slow

Reu

ters

the protests could have on the country’s tourism market.

“Myanmar is too much of a niche destination at this stage to appeal to the throngs that head to Thailand – frankly, many of the beach-and-beer crowd won’t even know where Myanmar is,” said Marcus Al-lender, founder of travel website Go-Myanmar.com. He added that the most recent protests to hit Thailand in 2010 led to an upsurge in tourist bookings in Bali, Indonesia.

While skeptical about the short-term impact Thailand’s situation can have, Allender did

from long-term instability in the neighbouring country.

“The whole issue between the rural poor and urban elite in Thailand has rumbled on for years. If the problems continue

for a long time, or there was an-other coup, then over the years you could potentially see Myan-

Thet Zin, founder of Living Irrawaddy Travel Service, also expressed reservations on the long-term impact of the Thai-land situation on Myanmar’s tourism, adding that it could have a negative impact on tour-ists to Myanmar getting visas.

“Myanmar doesn’t position itself as a cheap country to visit [like Thailand], so we do not think that Thailand’s is-sue will have a big impact on Myanmar. In fact, we are quite disappointed that this whole incident could actually delay the visa agreement between Thailand and Myanmar, which was supposed to begin this month,” she said, referring to an agreement touted to begin in

xdkif;EdkifiH befaumufNrdKUESifh tjcm;NrdKU rsm;wGif tpdk;&qefYusifa&;qE´jyrIrsm; jzpfyGm;aejcif;aMumifh 2013 ckESpfü urÇmvSnfhc&D;oGm;rsm;taejzifh jrefrm EdkifiHodkY ydkrdkvma&mufEdkifaMumif; c&D;oGm; vkyfief;ydkif;qdkif&m apmifhMunfhavhvmol rsm;u ajymMum;Muonf/

ta&SUawmiftm&SukefoG,frIowif;pm jzpfonfh TTR Weekly rS azmfjy csuft& jrefrmEdkifiHESifh AD,uferfEdkifiHwdkYtaejzifh xdkif;EdkifiHwGif vuf&SdjzpfyGm; aeaom EdkifiHa&;rwnfrNidrfrIrsm;aMumifh urÇmvSnfhc&D;oGm;rsm; ydkrdkvma&mufEdkifonfh EdkifiHrsm;tjzpf tusKd;cHpm;&rnf jzpfNyD; tMurf;zufrIrsm;udk aMumuf&GHU

December,whereby citizens of Thailand and Myanmar could visit their neighbouring country visa-free.

Muaom c&D;oGm;rsm;taejzifh xkdif;EdkifiH tpm; jrefrmEdkifiHESifh AD,uferfEdkifiHwdkYuJhodkYEdkifiHrsm;odkY oGm;a&mufEdkifaMumif; od&onf/

vGefcJhonfh vaESmif;ydkif;u xdkif;EdkifiH \NrdKUawmf befaumufNrdKUwGif qE´jyrI rsm; jzpfay:cJhNyD; tusifhysufjcpm;rIrsm;EdkifiHwGif;ü jzpfay:aecJhonf/qE´jyol rsm;taejzifh ,cif0efBuD;csKyf oufqif tm; EdkifiHwGif;odkY jyefvmEdkifonfh vGwf Nidrf;csrf;omcGif hrlMurf;ESif hywfoufí qefYusifjycJ hMujcif;jzpfaMumif; od& onf/

tqkdyg rlMurf;tm; vuf&dStpdk;&rS pwifvkyfaqmifcJhjcif;jzpfNyD; 0efBuD;csKyf a[mif; oufqif\ nDrjzpfol &ifvwf &Sifem0yfu OD;aqmifí aqmif&GufcJhjcif; jzpfaMumif; od&onf/

tqdkygrlMurf;tm; jyif;jyif;xefxef a0zefqefYusifcJhMuNyD; &ifvwf&Sifem 0yftm; &mxl;rS EkwfxGufay;&eftwGuf qEjyrIrsm;udk jyKvkyfcJhaMumif; od&onf/ 0efBuD;csKyf&ifvwf&Sifem0yftm; &mxl;rS z,f&Sm;rI rjyKvkyfEdkifrcsif; qufvufí qEjyrIrsm;udk jyKvkyfoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; vnf; qEjyolrsm;u ajymMum;Muonf/ c&D;oGm;vma&;vkyfief;ydkif;rS tBuD;tuJ rsm;u vuf&Sd EdkifiHa&;rwnfrNidrfjzpfrI rsm;tay: pdk;&drfrIrsm;pGm&SdaeNyD; aemuf xyf&ufowåywftxd qufvufjzpfyGm; cJhrnfqdkvQif ukefoG,frIqdkif&m zsufodrf; rIrsm;vnf; jzpfay:vmEdkifovdk xdkif;EdkifiH tay: ,HkMunfrIrsm;vnf; qHk;½HI;&Edkif aMumif; TTR Weekly rS ajymMum; cJhonf/

jrefrmEdkifiHtaejzifh xdkif;EdkifiHwGif vuf&SdjzpfyGm;aeaom EdkifiHa&;rwnf rNidrfjzpfyGm;rIrsm;aMumifh urÇmvSnfhc&D; oGm;rsm; ydkrdka&muf&SdvmEdkifonfhtaetxm;wGif&Sdaeaomfvnf; tcuftcJ t[efYtwm;rsm;rSm jrefrmEdkifiHtwGuf &Sdaeao;aMumif; od&onf/2010 ckESpf wGifvnf; xdkif;EdkifiHü qEjyrIrsm; jzpfay: cJhNyD; c&D;oGm;rsm;taejzifh tif'dkeD;&Sm; odkY ydkrdkoGm;a&mufcJhMuaMumif; od&onf/

long way to go before it catches up with neighbouring countries Thailand and Vietnam, which exported 7 million and 7.2 million tonnes respectively last year.

In an interview with Bloomb-erg last week, Toe Aung Myint, director general of the depart-ment of trade promotion for the Ministry of Commerce, revealed that the government plans to see 2.5 million tonnes in export in 2014-2015, almost doubling to 4.8 million tonnes in 2019-2020.

Myint pointed to an increase in demand around the world, in particular neighbouring China, as one reason for the expected

surge in growth.“We see promising oppor-

tunities in the sector because the global rice market grows and China demand increases,” he said, before adding that Myanmar has the resources to expand their production to the desired level for export.

Other factors however ques-tion how quickly Myanmar can adapt to the increased demand. In a World Bank study, which looked at the study of logistics in country’s around the world, with a particular focus on in-frastructure, Myanmar ranked 129th in the world in 2012. Thailand was placed 38th, Viet-nam 53rd and Cambodia 101st.

This perception is supported in practice. In Myanmar, load-

ing a 20,000 tonne vessel with rice takes eight days, double the amount of time in Thailand or Vietnam, Kiattisak Kanlayasiri-vat, director at Ascend Com-modities SA told Bloomberg.

“Myanmar certainly has the potential to become one of the leading rice exporters, if not the leading one in the medium run,” said the report. “It is one of the few countries in the region that faces no land, water or labour constraints – and it is strategi-cally located, having China and India as neighbours.”

More than 70 percent of My-anmar’s population is employed in the agricultural sector and the rice industry contributed 13 percent to gross domestic product in 2011.

qefwifydkYonfh EdkifiHwpfEdkifiHjzpfaom jrefrmEdkifiHonf wpfESpfvQif qefruf x&pfwefcsdef 1.7 rDvD,Htxd wifydkY cJh&onf/ 1997 ckESpfwGif qefwifydkYrIrSm wpfESpfvQif rufx&pfwefcsdef 15000 om wifydkYcJh&aMumif; tar&duefEdkifiH\pdkufysKd;a&;Xme (US Department of Agriculture) rS tcsuftvufrsm; t& od&onf/

vGefcJhonfhESpfwGif qefrufx&pfwef csdef 690000 wifydkYcJh&NyD; urÇmh 9 EdkifiH ajrmufxdyfwef;qefwifydk YonfhEdkifiH tjzpf &yfwnfvmEdkifcJhonf/jrefrmEdkifiH taejzifh tdrfeD;csif;EdkifiHrsm;jzpfonfh xdkif;EdkifiHESifh AD,uferfEdkifiHwdkYtm; qef wifydkYrIwGif ,SOfNydKifEdkif&eftwGuf

BudK;yrf;oGm;&OD;rnfjzpfaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

xdkif;EdkifiHtaejzifh wpfESpfvQif qef rufx&pfwefcsdef 7 rDvD,HESifh AD,uferf EdkifiHrSm wpfESpfvQif qefrufx&pfwef csdef 7.2 rDvD,HtoD;oD;wifydkYaMumif;od&onf/ bvGrf;bwfowif;XmeESifh awGUqHkar;jref;rIwGif pD;yGm;a&;ESifhul;oef;a&mif;0,fa&;0efBuD;Xme? ukefoG,frIzGHUNzdK; wdk;wufa&;tpdk;&XmerS ñTefMum;a&;rSL; csKyfjzpfol OD;wdk;atmifjrifhu tpdk;& taejzifh 2014-2015 b@ma&;ESpf wGif qefrufx&pfwefcsdef 2.5 rDvD,H wifyd k YvmEdkif&eftwGuf pDpOfxm;NyD; 2019-2020 b@ma&;ESpfwGif qef rufx&pfwefcsdef 4.8 rDvD,Htxd ESpfqrQwdk;í wifydkYvmEdkif&ef tpDtpOf &SdaMumif; ajymMum;cJhonf/

7December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary

LOCAL BIZ Myanmar Business Todaywww.mmbiztoday.com

Myanmar is planning to improve the quality of its rubber in order to increase the income from exports.

Plans to Upgrade Rubber Quality for Export

The production of rubber lacks quality control in Myanmar at present,

higher prices in the world mar-ket, according to sources from the Myanmar Rubber Planters

Phyu Thit Lwin

File

s

and Producers Association (MRPPA).

“Since the high quality rubber cannot currently be produced within Myanmar, the price it is sold for when exported abroad is low,” said U Khaing Myint, secretary of MRPPA. He added that the amount of high-quality

rubber being produced within the country had doubled from last year and that now, an esti-mated 20 percent of the rubber produced is of high quality.

He added that while the cur-rent equipment being used

high-quality rubber, many local

entrepreneurs are not trained

up to the required standards. Earlier this year, the EU lifted

all remaining sanctions against Myanmar, meaning that the number of countries Myanmar could export its rubber to increased. However, U Kha-ing Myint said that European customers only purchase the international-standard rubber, so it is crucial for Myanmar to ensure better production of the product.

Myanmar exports its RSS1, RSS3, RSS5 and MSR20 rubber materials, with the bulk of ex-ports being sent to China, India, Malaysia and Singapore. In the

tonnes were exported, bringing in $260 million, and MRPPA aims to increase the export to 950,000 for 2013-2014.

Vietnam Group Eyes Kyaiktyo Cable Car

AVietnamese company has expressed interest in investing in a cable car project at Mount Kyai-ktyo, the site of one of Myanmar’s most famous

sites, the Golden Rock in Mon State, source say. Oman Investment Fund has already held meetings

with members of the government including members of

Twin and Electric and Industry Minister U Naing La We Aung.

“Vietnam wants to invest in running a cable car at Kyaiktyo and establish factories in Mon State,” said Truong Hoang, adviser for Oman Investment Fund. He added that the Mon State government had informed the company that if they wished to make an invest-

the project. Located just a few hours from Yangon, the Golden

Rock is one of Myanmar’s most popular tourist destina-tions, particularly for domestic Buddhist tourists.

Kyaw Min

Myanmar Summary

jynfwGif;a&mfbmxkwfvkyfrIrSm t&nf taoG;xdef;csKyfrIedrf husvsuf&Sdjcif;aMumifh t&nftaoG;jrifh a&mfbmtqifhxkwfvkyfrIrsm;jym;vmrSom urÇmha&mfbm aps;uGuftwGif; aps;ydkrdk&&SdEdkifrnf[k jrefrmEdkifiHa&mfbmpdkufysKd;xkwfvkyfolrsm;

toif;rS od&onf/]]t&nftaoG;aumif;aumif;rxkwf

Ekdifawmh aps;uGufudk wifydkYvdkY&ayr,fh aps;ESdrfcH&wmyg/jynfwGif;xkwf a&mfbm u urÇmha&mfbmaps;uGufeJY,SOf&if wpf wefudk 300? 400 tMum; aps;ESdrfcH ae&w,f/'gayrJh NyD;cJhwJhESpfuxufpm &if t&nftaoG;aumif;wJha&mfbm 20 &mcdkifEIef;avmuf wdk;wufxkwfvm EkdifygNyD/t&ifwkef;uqdk 90 &mcdkifEIef; avmufu pepfwusxkwfvkyfxm;jcif; r&S dwJh a&mfbmawG jzpfaew,f}}[k jrefrm EdkifiHa&mfbmpdkufysKd;xkwfvkyfolrsm;toif; twGif;a&;rSL; OD;cdkifjrifhu ajymonf/omrefenf;ynmrsm;jzifhom t&nf

taoG;jrifha&mfbmrsm; xkwfvkyfEdkif&ef vkyfudkifaqmif&GufEkdifaomfvnf; jynfwGif;vkyfief;&Sifrsm;taejzifh pepfwusvkyfudkifaqmif&GufrI tm;enf;aeao;

jrefrmEdkifiHa&mfbmpdkufysKd;xkwfvkyfolrsm;toif;taejzifh RSS 1 wpf wefvQif uef a':vm 2300 ESifh 2400? RSS 3 ESifh wpfwefvQif 2200? 2300? RSS 5 ESifh wpfwefvQif uefa':vm 2100? 2200 Crepe Rubber wpf wefvQif a':vm 2000? 2100 aps; rsm;ESifh wifydkYcGifhjyKcJhaMumif; tqdkjyK xm;onf/

rGefjynfe,f usKdufxdkNrdKUe,f&Sdordkif;0ifusKdufxD;½dk;apwDawmfawmifajcESih f&ifjyifawmfay:odk Y Cable Car ajy;qGJa&;vkyfief;udkAD,uferf ukrÜPDu vkyfudkifvdkaMumif; od&onf/

,if;uJhodkY Cable Car ajy;qGJEdkif&eftwGufAD,uferfEdkifiHrS OmanInvestment Fund tzGJUu rGefjynfe,ftpdk;&tzGJU½kH; {nhfcef;rü ,ckv&uf ydkif;twGif; rGefjynfe,ftpdk;&tzGJU0ifArmwdkif;&if;om;a&;&m0efBuD; OD;ouf0if;?b@ma&;0efBuD; a'gufwmcifarmifoGif? vQyfppfESihf pufrIvufrI0efBuD; OD;Edkifv0DatmifwdkYESihf vma&mufawGUqkHaMumif; od&onf/



How Much Would It Cost to Immunise All Children in 2014?

Thin Lei Win

According to two recent reports by the children's agency UNICEF, it

would take a mere 0.9 percent of revenues from two new pro-jects to immunise all children in Myanmar in 2014 – some 1.5 million under two years of age.

It would cost an estimated $11.4 million for 6.76 million doses of vaccines covering a wide range of preventable dis-eases and this could be funded entirely by government revenue from the Shwe project in west-ern Myanmar and Zawtika in the south, said UNICEF.

Released in November, the reports take an interesting look at how income from natural resource projects could

rich but impoverished country, which has emerged from half a century of brutal military rule.

Analysts and observers have long criticised Myanmar's management of its immense re-serves of gas, oil, gemstones and timber as “opaque” – the kind of environment in which klep-tocracies thrive as leaders and

their own , leaving the rest of the country in poverty.

Despite its natural riches, My-anmar is Southeast Asia's poor-est country. About one-third of its 60 million people live on less than $1.25 a day.

“Myanmar is blessed with an abundance of natural resources which can be turned into mean-ingful, sustainable, impactful social investments right now, starting with children,” one of the reports said.

As income from natural resources grows, there’s “an opportunity” for the Myanmar government to channel it into social development and this could be done “for a relatively small amount” of government money, it added.

Ongoing reforms may have made Myanmar a darling of the West – a far cry from a couple of years ago when it was a pariah state – but the country’s spend-ing on education, health and social welfare is still measly.

as a percentage of GDP, the government spent 0.76 percent on health, 1.46 percent on education and 0.01 percent on social welfare, according to UNICEF. Almost all vaccines are currently purchased with donor funds.

Social spending has seen in-creases in recent budgets but it’s important to remember the base was extremely low. Aid workers said in 2007 that the government spent only $0.70 per person on health.

“Despite improvements, the country’s under-5 and infant mortality rates are the highest among ASEAN (the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations) member countries, and many of these deaths are preventable,” it added.

Around 56,000 children

year, a huge majority of them younger than one month, said the aid agency.

The current immunisation rate in Myanmar is fairly high – around 80 percent, although UNICEF says data isn’t always reliable – but there’s no reason

According to reports, less than 1 percent in revenues from two projects, the Shwe pipeline in the west of the country and Zawtika in the south, would allow all children in the country to be immunised against deadly diseases.

Reuters

why every single child couldn’t be vaccinated, considering the amount of money Myanmar is earning and could earn from natural resource projects.

“Children are the most precious resources of the country. They must be the

reforms,” said Bertrand Bain-vel, UNICEF’s representative in Myanmar, in a report. Reuters

Myanmar Summary

world can do this project as the sole developer. We need to de-termine how much the Italian-Thai company has invested in this project by a due diligence assessment,” he said.

International audit compa-nies Ernst & Young, Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) have been invited to submit proposals for the due diligence assessment said Set Aung, with the work expected to be completed by April 2014.

According to reports, ITD has said it invested around $189 million in Dawei and expected a full reimbursement of those costs, plus interest.

how much ITD spent on this SEZ,” said Set Aung.

Due to the cease of operations

brought about by the review, an estimated 1,200 local workers will be out of work until the work begins, labour leaders have said.

The project has been hit by

issues since plans were an-nounced. The Myanmar government has attempted to convince the Japanese gov-ernment to play a role in the project, although it is thought that Japan is more interested in the Thilawa project closer to Yangon.

Villagers in the region have also complained about the con-tamination of their water due to mining in the area.

,leDqufzfuav;oli,frsm; at*sifpD rS rMumao;rDu xkwfjyefcJhaom ppfwrf; 2 ckt& 2014 ckESpfwGif jrefrmEdkifiH&Sd uav;i,frsm;tm; umuG,faq;xdk;&ef

twGuf pDrHudef;topfESpfck\ 0ifaiGrS 0.9 &mcdkifEIef;om ukefusoGm;zG,f&Sd aMumif; od&onf/

uav;i,frsm;tm; umuG,faq;xdk; ay;&eftwGuf umuG,faq;yrmP 6.76 rDvD,HtwGuf tar&duefa':vm 11.4 rDvD,Hom ukefusoGm;rnfjzpfNyD; tqdkygukefusp&dwftm; a&TpDrHudef;ESifh aZmwdupDrHudef;rsm;\ tpdk;&0ifaiGrS toHk;jyKoGm;EdkifaMumif; ,leDqufzfrS ajymMum;cJ honf/

ppfwrf;rsm;udk Edk0ifbmvwGif xkwfjyef cJhNyD; ,if;ppfwrf;rsm;onf obm0o,H ZmwpDrHudef;rsm;rS&&Sdonfh0ifaiGu zGHUNzdK; wdk;wufrIaemufusaeaom jrefrmEdkifiH &Sd uav;oli,frsm;tm; rnfokdYtusKd;

&Sdonfqdkonfhtcsuftm; taotcsm oHk;oyfxm;aMumif; od&onf/

pdppfolrsm;ESif h avhvmolrsm;u jrefrm EdkifiH\a&eHESifhobm0"mwfaiGU? ausmuf rsuf&wemESifh opftp&Sdonfh obm0 o,HZmwrsm;tm; pDrHcef YcG JrIESifhywf oufí a0zefoHk;oyfrIrsm; jyKvkyfcJ h onf/tzdk;xd kufwefvSaom obm0 o,HZmwrsm;tm; EdkifiHacgif;aqmifrsm; taejzif h aumif;rGefpGm pDrHcef YcGJum jynfolrsm;twGuf tusKd;cHpm;vm&ap &eftwGuf toHk;jyKoGm;&rnf jzpf NyD; wdkif;jynftm; qif;&JEGrf;yg;rItajctae rSvnf; qGJxkwfEdkif&eftwGuf BudK;yrf; oGm;&rnfjzpfonf/

Workers at an industrial site in Dawei region.

Khe

ttiya

Jitt

apon

g/R

eute

rs

xm;0,fpDrHudef;rSm tvGefBuD;rm;NyD; a&eufqdyfurf;wpfckESif h tajccHtaqmufttHkwdkYudkvnf; azmfaqmifoGm;&rnfjzpf

onfhtwGuf tjynfjynfqdkif&mukrÜPDrsm;udkvnf; yg0ifaqmif&Guf&eftwGuf wif'gac:qdkoGm;rnfjzpfNyD; ITD yg tygt0ifjzpfaMumif; OD;at;jrifhu xyfavmif; ajymMum;cJhonf/

ITD taejzifh pDrHudef;wGif qufvuf í yg0ifEdkifaMumif;ESifh tjcm;tjynf jynfqdkif&mvkyfief;BuD;rsm;ESif h ,SOfNydKif

Mum;cJhonf/xm;0,fZkef\Ouú|jzpfaom OD;qufatmifu aumfrwDtaejzifhITD rS aqmif&GufcJhNyD;aom vkyfief; udpö&yfrsm;udk jyefvnfoHk;oyfrI jyKvkyf aeaMumif;ESifh ukrÜPDrsm;tm; vdkifpifcs ay;&eftwGuf wif'gac:qdkoGm;zG,f&SdaMumif;vnf; ajymMum;cJhonf/

ppfwrf;rsm;t& ITD onfxm;0,fpDrHudef;wGif tar&duefa':vm 189 rDvD,H &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHcJhNyD; tqdkyg ukefusp&dwfr sm;tm; tjynf ht0 jyefvnf &&Sd&efESifh twdk;udkyg &&S d&ef arQmfrSef;xm; aMumif; od&onf/

9December 12-18, 2013




Myanmar Summary

The Oyu Tolgoi mine, located in the Gobi Desert, is one of the largest copper projects under development.

WM

The Surprising Potential of Myanmar-Mongolia Relations

Brandon Miliate

In November, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbe-

to Myanmar as part of his tour of Southeast Asia. This was the

of state to Myanmar since dip-lomatic relations were estab-lished in 1956. While in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw, Elbegdorj met with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein, following which they released a joint statement of cooperation.

Elbegdorj also met with Aung San Suu Kyi, gave a well-received speech at the Univer-sity of Yangon, and met with the newly established Mongolian-Myanmar Business Council. This visit will likely serve as a starting point to increased Mongolia-Myanmar coopera-tion, and support the deepening of diplomatic and economic ties.

Mongolian-Myanmar rela-

Any comparison of the two countries would point to a myriad of potential avenues for cooperation. Most importantly, however, is ample scope for mutual cooperation and policy learning between Ulaanbaatar and Nay Pyi Taw on democratic governance, natural resource

management and foreign

Mongolia is widely recognized as a post-communist success story, having pursued economic and political opening simultane-ously, surviving the transitions intact, stable and distinctly democratic. Today, Myanmar continues to pursue political liberalisation, and has been able to quickly reap the international

transition, including sanctions relief and increased economic and diplomatic ties with the US and Europe. In this regard, Myanmar may be able to learn from Mongolian successes and pitfalls in how to manage politi-cal opening and economic lib-eralisation. In fact, Thein Sein congratulated Mongolia on its successful democratisation and presidency of the Community of Democracies in 2012-2013. Likewise, Elbegdorj noted Myanmar’s unprecedented ef-forts at democratisation, and extended his country’s support

rule of law and human rights.Mongolia and Myanmar are

leading emerging markets for natural resources. Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi mine is one of the largest copper deposits current-ly under development, while Myanmar’s largely untapped

supplies of natural gas and metals has already attracted the attention of international businesses, not to mention gov-ernments eager to access these reserves. However, as I pointed out in a previous article, both governments are also keen to balance international inves-

and both have had to respond to public demands for trans-parency and environmental protections. The potential for Mongolia and Myanmar to not only learn from each other in the

but also to coordinate their policy decisions, was pointed out by recent pushes for an “M3 alliance” between Mongolia, Myanmar and Mozambique as three countries with quickly growing economies, bordering BRICS nations, keen to balance resource investment against political and societal concerns.

Mongolia and Myanmar al-ready share important foreign policy and security concerns. Both are relatively small states when compared to their large neighbors. Mongolia has to contend with its two powerful neighbors: China and Russia. Myanmar also borders two great power neighbors – India and China – but also a number of smaller states – Thailand,

Bangladesh, and Laos – that give it more options than Mongolia has in this regard. Both Mongolia and Myanmar

-ence of their larger neighbors by cultivating relations with other states, including North America, Europe and Australia. Mongolia has been pursuing this course quite successfully since the 1990s, and Myanmar has been leveraging its own newly established democratic credentials to improve ties with the West after decades of isola-tion. Mongolia and Myanmar are likely to travel similar paths in this regard.

Notwithstanding all that potential, there are important

countries that could ultimately limit cooperation. Dr Julian Dierkes has produced a handy table comparing Mongolia and Myanmar on a number of meas-ures, which highlights their

internal security challenges, while Myanmar is still trying to manage ongoing inter-ethnic strife in its territory. Myanmar is a country of 60 million peo-ple, while Mongolia has only 5 percent of that number (about 3 million). As a landlocked state, Mongolia’s trade is limited by port access and international infrastructure; Myanmar, as a coastal state, has more freedom in this regard. Finally, the sheer physical distance between them will limit some aspects of their potential cooperation.

-ences between these two coun-tries, but there are also many potential venues for increased cooperation and mutual policy learning and coordination.

-ences, the space between them,

Mongolian-Myanmar relations ultimately remains to be seen, but recent developments sug-gest cause for optimism.

The Diplomat

Edk0ifbmvwGif rGef*dkvD;,m;rS or®w Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj onf ta&SU awmiftm&Sc&D;pOf\ wpfpdwfwpfydkif; tjzpf jrefrmEdkifiHodkY w&m;0ifvma&muf vnfywfrI jyKvkyfcJhonf/,ckuJhodk YrGef*dk vD;,m;or®wvma&mufrIonf 1956 ckESpfuwnf;u jrefrmEdkifiHESifh rGef*dkv D ;,m;E d k i fi Hw d k Yt Mum; oHwref qufqHa&;udk pwifjyKvkyfNyD;csdefrSpí yxrOD;qHk;tBudrftjzpf rGef*d kvD;,m;

EdkifiHawmftBuD;tuJrS jrefrmEdkifiHodkY a&muf&Sdvmjcif;jzpfonf/

&efukefESifh aejynfawmfodkY rGef*dkvD;,m; or®w a&muf&SdvmcJhNyD; jrefrmEdkifiHawmf or®wOD;odef;pdefESif h awGUqHkum yl;aygif; vkyfaqmifa&;udpö&yfrsm;udk aqG;aEG;cJh Muonf/xdkYjyif Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj onf a':atmifqef;pkMunfESifhvnf; awGUqHkcJhNyD; topfwnfaxmifvdkufonfh rGef*dkvD;,m;-jrefrm pD;yGm;a&;aumifpD ESifhvnf; awGUqHkcJhaMumif; od&onf/

,ckuJhodkY rGef*dkvD;,m;acgif;aqmifrS jrefrmEdkifiHodkY a&muf&SdvmrIonf jrefrm EdkifiHE Sif h rGef* dkvD;,m;EdkifiHwdk YtMum; yl;aygif;aqmif&GufrIrsm; wdk;wufvmap &efESif h oHwrefqufqHa&;ESifh pD;yGm;a&; qufEG,frsm;udk ydkrdkcdkifrmvmap&efjzpf aMumif; od&onf/

rGef*dkvD;,m;ESifh jrefrmEdkifiHwdkYtaejzifh tvm;tvmaumif;rGefaom qufqH a&;tajctaewpf&yf&SdaeNyD; yl;aygif;aqmif&GufrIrsm;taejzifhvnf; tusKd; aus;Zl;rsm;pGm &&SdEdkifonhf taetxm;wGif&Sdaeonf/rGef*dkvD;,m;EdkifiHtaejzifh pD;yGm;a&;ESif h EdkifiHa&;wdk;wufzGHUNzdK;vmrI &SdcJhNyD; ,cktcsdefwGif jrefrmEdkifiHtae jzifhvnf; EdkifiHa&;wGif ydkrdkvGwfvyfyGifhvif;vm&eftwGuf tpGrf;ukefBudK;yrf; aeNyD; EdkifiHa&;jyKjyifajymif;vJrIrsm;aMumifhtjynfjynfqdkif&mrS tultnDrsm;udk vnf; &&S dxm;onf/tqdkygtaxmuf tyHhtultnDrsm;wGif pD;yGm;a&;ydwfqdkY rIrsm;udk z,f&Sm;ay;jcif;? tar&duefESifh tD;,lwdkYrS pD;yGm;a&;qufEG,frIESif hoHwref qufqHa&;udk wdk;jr§ifhaqmif&Gufvmjcif;tp&Sdonfhtcsufrsm;vnf; yg0ifonf/

jrefrmEdkifiHtaejzifh rGef*dkvD;,m;\ atmifjrifrIrsm; &&SdcJhyHkudk twk,lavhvm EdkifaMumif; od&onf/ jrefrmEdkifiHESifh rGef*dkvD;,m;EdkifiHwdkYonf obm0o,H Zmwrsm; aygrsm;<u,f0aom zGHUNzdK;qJ aps;uGufrsm;jzpfNyD; aMu;eDtrsm;tjym;xGuf&S dEdkifonfh tBuD;qHk;owåKwGif;wpfck jzpfaom rGef*dkvD;,m;\ Oyu Tolgoi owåKwGif;onf ,cktcg pwiftaumiftxnfazmfaqmif&GufaeNyDjzpfNyD; jrefrm EdkifiHtaejzifhvnf; obm0"mwfaiGUESifh owåKwGif;xGufrsm;u tjynfjynfqdkif &m vkyfief;rsm;tm; qGJaqmifEdkifcJhonf/ ESpfEdkifiHpvHk;\tpdk;&rsm;taejzifh tjynf jynfqdkif&m &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;\ pD;yGm; a&;tay:wGif vTrf;rdk;vmrIESifh trsm; jynfolrsm;twGuf yGifhvif;jrifomrIESifh obm0ywf0e f ;u si fumuG,fapmif h a&SmufrIrsm;udk [efcsufnDpGm aqmif&Guf oGm;&rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

jrefrmEdkifiHESif h rGef*d kvD;,m;EdkifiHwdk Y taejzifh tjyeftvSef twk,lavhvm p&mrsm; jyKvkyf&mwGif o,HZmwrsm; tm; pDrHcefYcGJrIomru ay:vpDqHk;jzwfcsufrsm;qdkif&mudkvnf; avhvmoGm;& rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

LOCAL BIZ 11December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


BBC to Open Myanmar Bureau

Oliver Slow

Banned during the country’s military rule, British Broad-

casting Corporation (BBC), one of the world’s most recognised media companies, will open a bureau in the country next year.

It was announced last week that the Ministry of Information had given permission for the company to return to the country.

“There are many BBC bureaux across the world. But few are as hard fought-for as this one,” said Peter Horrocks, BBC’s director of global news on his blog.

The BBC was an un-

military junta that ruled the country until 2011, but the decision to allow

operations within the country is the latest in a raft of changes to the country’s media landscape.

In August 2012, a long-standing pre-censorship board was disbanded and formerly exiled media outlets including Demo-cratic Voice of Burma and The Irrawaddy have returned to the country to begin operations.

HR Development Key for 2015 AEC: AdviserMyanmar should focus

on boosting its human resources capacity to

prepare itself for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, according to Dr Aung Tun Thet, the presidential economic adviser.

“In preparation for the up-coming AEC in 2015, companies should promote the technology sector and increase its human resource capacity,” said Dr Aung Tun Thet, before adding that measures should also be taken to enhance the skill set of employees.

“Our country is full of natural resources. If we have enough money, then the technological

Htoo, an entrepreneur. “In this situation, we face a big chal-lenge when it comes to compet-ing with foreign companies, so at the present time workers should focus on being compe-tent in their jobs,” he added.

Employment agencies have also revealed that they are expecting an increase in em-ployment fairs in the coming years, as an increasing number

Htet Aung

of foreign companies look to-wards Myanmar as a business destination.

“Before 2015, we will arrange a number of discussions and shows that are hosted with the

aim of giving Myanmar youths job opportunities in foreign companies,” said Ko Kyaw Zan, from a Yangon-based employ-ment agencies. “I would like to advise Myanmar youths to use

these opportunities carefully, otherwise we cannot compete with foreign workers who will come to Myanmar in 2015,” he added.

jrefrmEdkifiHtaejzifh 2015 ckESpf tmqD,HpD;yGm;a&;todkuftNrHK AEC twGuf BudKwifjyifqifrIrsm; jyKvkyf&mü jynfwGif;ukrÜPDrsm;ESif h tzGJUtpnf;rsm; bufrS tvkyform;rsm;\ vkyfudkifEkdif pGrf;tajctaersm;udk jznfhpGuf&ef vlU pGrf;tm;t&if;tjrpfrsm; jynfh0apa&; twGuf t"duaqmif&GufoifhaMumif; EdkifiHawmfor®wtBuHay; a'gufwm atmifxGef;ouf\ ajymMum;csuft& od&onf/

vmrnfh 2015 ckESpf AEC twGuf BudKwifjyifqif&mü ukrÜPDrsm;taejzif h enf;ynmydkif;qdkif&mu@rsm; zGHU NzdK; wdk;wufa&;OD;wnfaqmif&Gufaeonf ESifhtwl vkyfief;cGifrsm;&Sd tvkyform; rsm;\ vkyfief;qdkif&m uRrf;usifrItydkif; rsm;twGuf vlUpGrf;tm;t&if;tjrpfrsm; jynfh0aeap&ef BudKwifaqmif&GufrIrsm; jyKvkyfxm; oif h a Mumif ; a'gufwm atmifxGef;oufu ajymonf/

vmrnfh 2015 ckESpf AEC twGuf jynfwGif;ukrÜPDrsm;taejzifh EdkifiHjcm; ukrÜPDrsm;ESif hwef;wl ,SOfNydKifEd kif&ef vdktyfcsuf 22 csuf&SdfaeaMumif;udk MHR oifwef; ausmif;tkyfBuD; OD;at;ausmfrS axmufjy cJhonf/

Myanmar Summaryppftpdk;&vufxufwGif ydwf

yifwm;jrpfxm;cJ haom urÇmrS trsm;qHk;todtrSwfjyKxm;onfhrD'D,mukrÜPDrsm;xJrS wpfckjzpf

onfh British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) onf vm rnfhESpfwGif jrefrmEdkifiHü rD'D,m Xmeudk zGifhvSpfoGm;awmhrnfjzpf aMumif; od&onf/

jyefMum;a&;0efBuD;XmerS tqdk ygukrÜPDtm; jrefrmEd kifiHwGif vkyfief;rsm; jyefvnfaqmif&Guf Ed kif&eftwGuf cGif hjyKcsufay;cJh aMumif; od&onf/

urÇmwpf0ef;wGif bDbDpDowif;Xmeaygif;rsm;pGm&SdaeaMumif;ESifh tcsKdUrSm vkyfief;vkyfudkifaqmif&Guf&eftwGuf cufcJaomtae txm;wGif&SdaeaMumif; bDbDpD owif;Xme\'g½dkufwm PeterHorrocks u ajymMum;cJhonf/

Coca-Cola is just one of many international companies moving into Myanmar.

Reuters


www.mmbiztoday.comFEATURE 12

Automotive: A New Booming Sector in Myanmar?

Pongsak Kiatpathomchai

Myanmar is the second largest country in Southeast Asia after

Indonesia but it is one of the poorest nations in this region.

The country has experienced changes over the past 50 years of military rule. The most

election in 2010.

Relaxing regulations The vehicle import regulation

was relaxed after the election during 2010-11 by making easier the import of com-mercial vehicles; trucks over three tonnes and buses over 15 seats. However, major lifts started from September 2011 when the breakthrough rule implemented – the “Old car substitution program” – allow-ing the application for car im-port permits to substitute older cars (initially those 20-40 years old) for newer models (those manufactured after 1995).

From May 2011, any Myan-mar citizen aged 18 years and up could import one unit of passenger car under his/her own name, only for personal usage. The imports of passenger car for commercial purposes were still limited. As a result, the latest lift was implemented from May allowing individuals or companies to import light trucks less than three tonnes. Currently, in Myanmar there is no import limits on any kind of vehicle for commercial purpose.

The changes in import regula-tions resulted in the number of total vehicle registration jump from around 2 million units (before 2010) to 3.8 million units up to July, according to the Road Transportation Administration Department (RTAD). However, within the four wheelers population, all of the vehicles are still used cars imported mostly from Japan.

Growth segments According to the data released

by the RTAD, around 85 percent of total vehicles are motorcycles which mainly are Japanese and Chinese brands. Motorcycles have a steady growth rate of 8-10 percent per annum and are expected to continue with this growth rate in the future. How-ever, passenger car and com-mercial vehicles which received

import regulation are expected to have 15 percent growth per annum in the coming years

compared to only 4-5 percent growth before 2012, as analysed by Solidiance, an Asia-focused

From 1998-2008, Suzuki formed a joint-venture com-pany with the government and produced 4,800 vehicles. After that, the permit was cancelled by the government. Ap-proximately 8,500 units were produced during 2008-12 by JVs with the government and Cherry, Tata and Isuzu.

In 2013, the automotive pro-duction industry has started to

global players foreseeing higher demands of passenger cars have planned to build either show-rooms and/or manufacturing sites in Myanmar of which the market’s key players are the Japanese brands.

On the other hand, Nissan is partnering with Tan Chong Motors to build the largest automobile assembly plant in Myanmar. The new plant will open in the Bago region in 2015 to produce Nissan Sunny cars. With 300 workers, it will have a capacity to assemble more than 10,000 vehicles a year.

TTAS, a joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Corp and lo-cal Aye and Sons has recently opened its second service center in mid-2013 in Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone in Hlaing Thar-yar township. By the end of this year, there will also be a Toyota service centre in Mandalay.

showroom by a consortium of four companies in May 2013: Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi Corp, Yoma Strategic Holding and First Myanmar Investment. The group also plans to estab-lish service centres in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw in the future.

Other global car makers are also jumping into Myanmar. Ford Motor Co partnered with RMA Group and Capital Dia-mond Star group to open a new

Ford show-room provides a full range of activities from sales and service to spare parts.

General Motors has recently

Pte Ltd, an existing exclusive dealer of Chevrolet and Opel

Motor Ltd, a local distributor of pharmaceutical products, in mid-2013 for the distribution, sales, and service of Chevrolet vehicles in Myanmar. No clear dates have been announced as of when it will operate.

The most recent move is Volkswagen which opened its

October through a partnership – although non-exclusive – with Yoma Strategic Holdings.

More carmakers from China, India, and Korea are also eye-ing the Myanmar market. All investments from car makers will be developing the market to speed up the growth in the years to come.

Given that the automotive industry has only just begun, the selection of a good local

in this initial stage as they un-derstand market characteristics and consumer behaviour in a way that most newcomers do not. Not only foreseeing a lot of sales promotional campaigns in the short term, Solidiance also expects to see all players educating the market about the importance of after sales ser-vices by coming to authorised service centres and/or using

genuine parts in the long term. As a result, marketing com-munication about maintenance costs can be seen when local car sales is reaching to a limit.

Automotive lubricants gain interests

Thanks to the potential growth of the auto industry, the related products like lubricants have drawn high attention from global brands. Currently, there are more than 200 lubricant brands registered in the market.

Solidiance projects that the market size of automotive lubricants which was 52 mil-lion litres in 2012 would reach 80 million litres in 2016 as a consequence of vehicle growth.

The majority of Myanmar people go for cheap lubricants (non-synthetic), but updating cars to newer car models would

A seller waits for customers at a saloon for newly imported cars in central Yangon. Saloons with newly imported vehicles recently mushroomed across the country offering everything from Indian micro cars to super expensive Rolls Royce models. It is much easier and cheaper to import cars nowadays. The incredibly complicated and expensive procedure has been replaced with something more affordable. As Myanmar opens up, the most immediate physical changes are on its streets, as new cars begin plying roads long dominated by rattletrap buses and rusting taxis.

“The changes in import regulation resulted in the number of total vehicle

registration from around 2 million units (before 2010) to 3.8 million units

up to July.”

Dam

ir Sagolj/R

euters

Myanmar Summaryta&SUawmiftm&SEdkifiHwpfEdkifiHjzpfonfh

jrefrmEdkifiHonftif'd keD;&Sm;EdkifiHNyD;vQif ta&SUawmiftm&Sü 'kwd,tBuD;qHk;EdkifiH wpfEdkifiHjzpfonf/odkYaomfvnf; jrefrm EdkifiHonf ta&SUawmiftm&Sa'owGif tqif;&JqHk;EdkifiHrsm;xJrS EdkifiHwpfEdkifiH jzpfNyD; ESpfaygif; 50 eD;yg; ppftpdk;&tkyf csKyfrIvufatmufwGif a&muf&SdcJh&onf/

2010 ckESpfwGif a&G;aumufyGJudk jyKvkyfusif;ycJhNyD;aemufwGif xifomjrifom aomtajymif;tvJrsm;udk awGUjrifvmcJh &onf/um;wifoGif;cGifhqdkif&mrl0g'pnf; rsOf;pnf;urf;tm; avQmhcsay;rIudk jyKvkyf ay;cJhNyD;aemuf um;rsm;wifoGif;&ef ydkrdk tqifajyvG,fulvmcJhonf/2011 ckESpf pufwifbmvrSpí t"du pnf;rsOf; pnf;urf;BuD;rsm;tm; avQmhayghz,f&Sm; ay;cJhNyD; um;a[mif;rsm; vJvS,fcGifh tpDtpOfwpf&yfudk jyKvkyfcJhonf/ESpfaygif; 20 rS 40 oufwrf;&Sdaom um;a[mif; rsm;udk vJvS,f&eftwGuf um;wifoGif; cGifhygrpfrsm;udk avQmufxm;&ef cGifhjyKay; cJhonf/

2011 ckESpf arvrSpí touf 18

trnfaygufjzifh um;wpfpD;wifoGif;Edkif N y D ;t dr fo H k ;twGufomjzp fa Mumi f ; od&onf/vkyfief;oHk;twGuf um; wifoGif;cGif htm; tuef Ytowfjzif hom &&SdEdkifcJhonf/,cktcg jrefrmEdkifiHwGif

FEATURE 13December 12-18, 2013


make the market aware of better quality. Owners of vehicles from 2007 and after are now no long-er using mineral as they used to. Asian brands particularly from Singapore, Thailand, China and Korea are the strongest players in Myanmar’s lubricant market, but the global brands have now entered the market to sell their products through joint ventures with the local distributors, as opposed to establishing their own operations in the country.

However, strong players in au-tomotive lubricants are mostly Asian brands particularly from Singapore, Thailand, China and Korea.

An obvious challenge encoun-tered in the lubricant market is

tion on promotional campaigns such as free gifts and lucky

tions are getting more prevalent to the eyes of customers, it is

cant companies particularly in

its brand positioning.

Still some time to boom Overall, the Myanmar auto-

motive market outlook is posi-tive – thanks to the loosening of regulations, growing industry and investments from global players. However, high-end vehicles and related products will not be growing anytime soon and will remain a small market when compared to the other ASEAN countries. Used vehicles and entry-level level cars will remain the majority of the market. Players of after sales products like auto parts and lubricants are still playing on pricing and promotions. From a business perspective, the few years from now are the years to set up the automotive businesses in Myanmar until the real boom takes place in the next 10 years.

Cars at an auto showroom in Myanmar.

Reuters

“The market size of automotive lubricants which was 52 million

litres in 2012 will reach 80 million litres in 2016 as a consequence of

vehicle growth.”

the Senior Consultant at Solidi-ance, an Asia-focused growth

expertise centred on automo-tive/industrial application, technology, healthcare and green technology.

vkyfief;oHk;twGufrnfonfharmfawmf um;trsKd;tpm;rqdk wifoGif;cGifh tm;

uefYowfcsufr&SdawmhaMumif; od& onf/

xdkodkYarmfawmf,mOfwifoGif;cGifhqdkif&m rl0g'rsm; ajymif;vJrIaMumifh armfawmf um;rsm; ydkrdkwifoGif;EdkifcJhNyD; trsm;pk tm; *syefEdkifiHrS wifoGif;jcif;jzpfaMumif; vnf; od&onf/ukef;vrf;ydkYaqmifa&;

ñTefMum;rIOD;pD;XmerS xkwfjyefcJhaom tcsuftvufrsm;t& armfawmf,mOf pkpkaygif;\ 85 &mcdkifEIef;eD;yg;onf *syefEdkifiHESifh w½kwfEdkifiHxkwf armfawmf

um;rsm;jzpfaMumif; od&onf/armfawmfum;wifoGif;rIrSm wpfESpfvQif

8 &mcdkifEIef;rS 10 &mcdkifEIef;wdk;wufEIef; &SdaeNyD; vmrnfhtem*wfwGif ydkrdkwdk;wuf vmEdkif&efvnf; arQmfrSef;xm;onf/ armfawmf,mOfwifoGif;cGif hrl0g'rsm; avQmhcsrI\wdkuf½dkuftusKd;aus;Zl;tjzpf c&D;onfwif ESifh vkyfief;oHk; um; rsm;onf vmrnfhESpfrsm;twGif; wpf ESpfvQif 15 &mcdkifEIef; wdk;wufvmrnf[k arQmfrSef;xm;onf/

2012 ckESpf rwdkifcifwGif 4 &mcdkifEIef; rS 5 &mcdkifEIef;om wdk;wufcJhaMumif; Solidiance rS pdppfavhvmrIt& od& onf/1998 ckESpfrS 2008 ckESpftxd qlZluD;onf jrefrmtpdk;&ESifh tusKd; wlyl;aygif;í um;tpD;a& 4800 txd xkwfvkyfc Jhonf/ xdk Yaemuf tpdk ;&rS cGifhjyKcsuftm; zsufodrf;cJhonf/2008 ckESpfrS 2012 ckESpftwGif; Cherry , Tata ESifh Isuzu wdkYESifh yl;aygif;í armfawmfum;tpD;a&aygif; cefYrSef;ajc

For more than 12 years, Archetype Group has proven experience as a consultant to the construction industry throughout the region.

Fully integrated services in Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Project Management and Cost Management

Extensive experience across all sectors, including commercial, residential, industrial, mixed-use high-rise and other types of buildings

Thorough knowledge of local markets to provide innovative, seamless and cost-effective solutions

A deep understanding of fast-growth markets and rapidly changing environments

Strong regional network with offices in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, India, Qatar, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and France.

Y a n g o n O f f i c e : S h w e H i n t h a T o w e r B , R o o m 3 0 6 , N o . 5 1 . P y a y R o a d , 6 1 / 2 M i l e s , Y a n g o n , M y a n m a r | + 9 5 -1 5 0 7 3 4 4 e x t . 1 5 9 | w w w. a r c h e t y p e - g r o u p . c o m

INTEGRATED CONSTRUCTION SERVICES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

8500 eD;yg;udk xkwfvkyfcJhonf/ 2013 ckESpfwGif armfawmfum;vkyfief;

rSmodompGm ajymif;vJvmcJhNyD;urÇmharmfawmfum;vkyfief;BuD;rsm;taejzifhvnf; jrefrmEdkifiH\ armfawmfum; 0,fvdk tm; jrifhrm;vmrIudkawGUjrifcJhNyD; armfawmf um; ta&mif;jycef;rsm;? xkwfvkyfrIvkyfief;rsm;udk vkyfaqmif&eftwGuf pDpOf cJhMuonf/jrefrmEdkifiH\ um;aps;uGuf wGif *syefEdkifiHxkwfum;rsm;u t"du ae&m,lxm;aMumif;vnf; od&onf/

Nissan onf Tan Chong Motors ESifh tusKd;wlyl;aygif;í jrefrmEdkifiHwGif tBuD;qHk ; arm fawmfum;wyfqifa&; vkyfief;BuD;udk xlaxmif&efBudK;yrf;cJ honf/ tqdkygvkyfief;opftm; 2015 ckESpf wGif yJcl;wdkif;a'oBuD;ü zGifhvSpfxlaxmifoGm;rnfjzpfNyD; Nissan Sunny um; rsm;udk xkwfvkyfoGm;rnfjzpfonf/tvkyf orm;aygif; 300 ESifh wpfESpfvQif armfawmfum;tpD;a&aygif; 10000 udk wyfqifxkwfvkyfoGm;Ed kifvdrf hrnfjzpf aMumif; od&onf/

Toyota Tsusho Corp ESifh jynfwGif; vkyfief;jzpfonfh Aye and Sons wkdY\ tusKd;wlyl;aygif;vkyfief;jzpfaom TTAS onf rMumao;rDu vdIifom,mNrdKUe,f

'kwd,ajrmuf0efaqmifrIpifwmudk zGifhvSpfcJhonf/,ckESpfukefwGif rEÅav;NrdKU üvnf; wdk,dkwm0efaqmifrIpifwmtm; zGifhvSpfoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

Mitsubishi Motors , Mitsubishi Corp , Yoma Strategic Holding ESif h First Myanmar Investment wdkY aygif;pyfzGJUpnf;xm;aom pD;yGm;a&; tiftm;pkBuD;rS yxrOD;qHk;ta&mif;jycef; udk zGifhvSpfcJhNyD; rEÅav;ESifh aejynfawmf wd k Yüvnf; 0efaqmifrIpifwmrsm;udk zGifhvSpfoGm;&ef pDpOfaeaMumif; od&onf/

tjcm;urÇmharmfawmfum;vkyfief;BuD; rsm;taejzifhvnf; jrefrmhaps;uGufodkY 0ifa&mufvmcJhonf/Ford Motor Coonf RMA Group, Capital Diamond Star group wdkYESifhyl;aygif;í atmufwdk bmvwGif ta&mif;jycef;opfwpfckudk zGifhvSpfcJhonf/


www.mmbiztoday.comREGIONAL BIZ 14

Myanmar Summary

Martin Petty

As anti-government pro-tests roil Bangkok, the president of Thailand’s

largest petro-chemical com-pany is already seeing scattered disruptions to business.

"We have taken into account the possibility of prolonged political problems and we think it could hurt our businesses next year," said Bowon Vongsi-nudom, president of PTT Global Chemical Pcl, after days of pro-tests including the occupation of the Finance Ministry.

While Thailand’s economy, Southeast Asia's second largest, typically shows remarkable re-silience to political turbulence, there are factors this time around that suggest the unrest could exacerbate already sof-tening business conditions.

Consumer spending has slumped this year and exports, worth 60 percent of Thailand's

-ging amid weak global demand. The government had pinned its

with record 22.3 percent growth from January to October in tourism, a sector accounting for 9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and big infra-structure spending.

That could be wishful thinking.

Images of streets crammed with whistle-blowing demon-strators seeking to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra jar with "Amazing Thailand" tourist advertisements. About 16 billion baht ($497.82 million) has been lost through holiday cancellations this month alone, just as peak season begins, says the Tourism Ministry.

The protests could also add to delays in the injection of 2 tril-lion baht ($62 billion) into the economy through infrastruc-ture projects that have been on ice for months, bogged down in legal limbo from an opposition party challenge.

"Real concerns come via further delays in infrastructure spending and impact on tour-ism, the two most likely drivers of Thai GDP next year," Credit Suisse economist Santitarn Sathirathai wrote in a research note.

"These two components are likely to be sensitive to political and government stability," he said, adding that a snap election could return a weaker coalition that would struggle even more to push through big spending plans.

Thailand's baht currency, now the fourth-weakest in Asia, is another factor. Even before the

protests, it looked vulnerable to the US Federal Reserve's expected winding down of its $85 billion a month monetary stimulus measures.

The monthly correlation between the baht and 2-year US Treasury yields has been at record highs, which means the currency already looks ripe for a fall when the Fed eases its stimulus measures. So foreign investors who poured into Thailand over the past six months as they avoided more troubled markets such as Indo-nesia and India now have two reasons to leave: higher U.S. rates and domestic political concern.

Political turmoil isn't always a drag on Thailand's economy which has weathered eight

has seen governments toppled, protesters shot, buildings and buses set ablaze, and airports and shopping malls seized by demonstrators.

-cial markets typically swoon and rebound.

The bloodiest political vio-lence in a generation erupted in April and May 2010, but

that year; stocks rocketed 40.6 percent and the economy bounded ahead by 7.8 percent, its best growth in 15 years. Private investment jumped 14 percent and exports rose nearly 30 percent.

Tourists returned to Thai beaches in near-record num-bers, up 12 percent that year.

"The majority of foreign investments are not in Bang-kok," says Teeranan Srihong, president of Kasikornbak Pcl, referring to the manufactur-ers at the heart of Thailand's economy whose factories stud surrounding provinces.

Anti-government protestors march through downtown Bangkok.

Reuters

"Thailand will be an attractive destination for foreign inves-tors over the long term."

There's a nickname for

Thailand"."Those who follow Thailand

are aware how it has bounced back and right now, I don't see any major negative impact," said Rahul Bajoria, an economist at Barclays Capital in Singapore, referring to six days of anti-

government demonstrations.But Bajoria acknowledges

there are some risks."If there's an escalation or

a snap election called, then it would create uncertainty that would certainly make people edgy for a while," he said.

Thailand's latest economic data - a snapshot of the economy before the protests - have been largely worse than economists expected, with factory output declining for a seventh succes-sive month in October, down 4.08 percent from a year earlier and a month-to-month decline of 0.85 percent.

Exports fell 0.7 percent in Oc-tober from a year earlier and the central bank on Wednesday cut its 2013 GDP growth forecast to 3 percent, from a scaled down

befaumufwGif tpdk;&qefYusifa&;qE´jyrIrsm; jzpfyGm;aeaomaMumifh xdkif; EdkifiH\ tBuD;qHk; a&eH"mwkukrÜPDBuD; taejzifhvnf; vkyfief;aqmif&GufrIrsm; &yfem;xm;&aMumif; od&onf/

,ckuJhodkY EdkifiHa&;jyóemrsm; BuHK awGUae&aomaMumifh tusKd;quftae jzifh vmrnfhESpfwGif pD;yGm;a&;vkyfief; rsm;tm; xdcdkufEdkifaMumif; PTT Global Chemical Pcl rS Ouú| Bowon Vongsinudom u ajymMum; cJhonf/

ta&SUawmiftm&S\ 'kwd,pD;yGm;a&;tiftm;BuD;EdkifiHjzpfonfh xdkif;EdkifiHtae jzifh EdkifiHa&;oufa&mufrI'Pfudk cHEdkif onfhtoGif&SdcJhNyD; ,cktajctaewGif pD;yGm;a&;tajctaeudk xdcdkufapNyD; zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrIudkvnf; tvm;wl xdcdkuf vmEdkifrnf[k oHk;oyf&onf/pm;oHk;ol oHk;pGJrIrsm;taejzifh ,ckESpfwGif usqif; cJhNyD; xdkif;EdkifiH\ tar&duefa':vm 366 bDvD,H wefzdk;&Sdonfh pD;yGm;a&; tiftm;\ 60 &mcdkifEIef; yg0ifaeaom ydkYukefwifydkYrItajctaerSmvnf; urÇmh 0,fvdktm; tm;enf;csufaMumifh usqif;

rI&SdaeaMumif; od&onf/tpdk;&taejzifh tqdkygusqif;rIrsm;

u d kumrdap&efZe fe0 g& Dvr Satmuf wd kbmvtxdc&D;oGm;vky fie f ;rsm; 22 .3&mcd ki fE Ie f ;wdk;wufvm&efarQm f vifhxm;NyD;c&D;oGm;vkyfief;rSmpkpkaygif; jynfwGif;xkwfukefwefzdk;wGif 9 &mcdkif EIef;txd yg0ifaeaMumif; od&onf/ xdkodkY arQmfrSef;csufrsm;&Sdaeaomf vnf; ,cktcsdeftcgwGif EdkifiHa&;rwnfrNidrf jzpfaeonfhtwGuf,ckv wpfvwnf; rSmyif c&D;oGm;vmrItpDtpOfrsm;zsufodrf;rIaMumifh xdkif;bwfaiG 16 bDvD,H (tar&duefa':vm 497.82 rDvD,H) txd qHk;½HI;epfemrIrsm;&Sdae aMumif; od&onf/

,ckuJhodkY qE´jyrIrsm;aMumifh tajccHtaqmufttHkpDrHudef;rsm;rSwpfqifh pD;yGm;a&;wGif bwfaiG 2 x&DvD,H (tar&duefa':vm 62 bDvD,H) txd ydkrdkyg0ifvm&efwGif aESmifhaES;MuefYMumrI rsm;udk jzpfyGm;apEdkifaMumif; od&onf/ tajccHtaqmufttHkpDrHudef;rsm;tae jzifh vtawmfMum aESmifhaES;MuefYMumrIrsm; jzpfay:aecJhonf/,ckuJhodkY EdkifiHa&; rwnfrNidrfjzpfrIrsm;aMumifh tajccH taqmufttHku@ü &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm;udk aESmifhaES;apovdk c&D;oGm;vkyfief; rsm;udkvnf; xdcdkufapaMumif;ESifh tqdkyg u@ESpfckvHk;rSm vmrnfhESpf xdkif;EdkifiH \ pkpkaygif;jynfwGif;xkwfukeftwGuf t"duusonfhu@ 2 ckvnf;jzpf aMumif; Credit Suisse rS pD;yGm;a&; ynm&Sif Santitarn Sathirathai u okawoerSwfwrf;wpfckwGif a&;om; xm;cJhonf/

,if;u@ 2 &yfvkH;rSm EdkifiHa&;ESifh tpdk;&wnfNidrfrIwdkYtay:wGif vGefpGm rlwnfaeaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

“Images of streets crammed with whistle-blowing demonstrators seek-ing to topple Prime Minister Yingluck

Shinawatra jar with “Amazing Thailand” tourist advertisements.”

3.7 percent seen last month.Its surprise quarter-point

interest rate cut to 2.25 percent stretched the baht's losses to 0.3 percent to a 10-week low of 32.10 to the dollar on Wednes-day and economists expect a further weakening as foreign

Foreign investors sold a net $1.5 billion in Thai shares this month. But these pressures were well in place before the

protests took hold.Viboon Komadit, chief mar-

-ration, which runs Thailand's biggest industrial zone, said investors were prepared to weather political storms.

"We've been through Thai political turmoil for years," Viboon told Reuters. "The international community will understand, political volatility is part of development under a democratic system."

Reuters

REGIONAL BIZ 15December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


China Imported Gas Price Hike May Boost Imports Chen Aizhu and Judy Hua

China has hiked the price of imported natural gas by more than a quarter

backdated to July 1 as it tries to encourage more deliveries by pipeline and ship to cover a winter shortage of the fuel, industry experts said.

The world’s top energy user has been in a severe gas short-age since early November that has forced rationing and the suspension of supply to some industries as it tries to guar-

and transport use.“This is a small step in domes-

tic gas pricing reform toward ensuring adequate supplies of gas in what could be a colder-than-expected winter,” said Gordon Kwan, head of oil and gas at Nomura Research.

Beijing is also expected soon to introduce other reforms in pricing the cleaner-burning fuel to boost imports and encourage the development of China’s shale gas resources.

The average sales price for imported pipeline gas will be set at 1.11 yuan ($0.18) per cubic

to a statement on the Ministry of Finance website.

A Chinese worker walks past gas taps of the Kazakh stretch of the new 1,833-kilometre

outside Almaty.

Myanmar Summary

Banco do Brasil Looks to Asia for $1 Billion Loan, Sources Say

Guillermo Parra-Bernal

State-controlled Banco do Brasil SA, Latin America’s largest

bank by assets, is in talks with a pool of lenders to raise at least $1 billion in a syndicated loan transac-tion, two sources with knowledge of the deal has said.

Banco do Brasil is seek-ing to attract Asian inves-tors to the deal, said one of the sources, who declined

the transaction is in the works. A second source said the loan would have two portions of three and four years, respectively.

if market conditions turn out favorable, the amount raised could go "north of the $1 billion mark." None of the sources detailed the targeted cost of borrowing for both tranches.

The second source added that the Asia-based units

of JPMorgan Chase & Co, NP Paribas SA, HSBC Holdings Plc and Stand-ard Chartered Plc were

a chance to participate in the deal. Banco do Brasil declined to comment on the loan plans.

Many Brazilian compa-nies are actively market-ing fundraising deals in international debtmar-kets before the end of the year, with state-controlled oil producer Petróleo Brasileiro SA and mining giant Vale SA considering the sale of global bonds within weeks.

Vale, Petrobras and Banco do Brasil could obtain fresh funds for investments and other corporate purposes ear-lier than usual to mitigate fundraising risk ahead of the presidential election in Brazil next October and the US Federal Reserve's expected tapering of years of monetary stimulus. Reuters

Sha

mil

Zhu

mat

ov/R

eute

rs

The ministry did not provide a comparison, but based on a previous rate of 0.88 yuan per cubic metre set in July 2010, this would mark a 26-percent increase.

“It (the price increase) will

help big gas importers like PetroChina mitigate their losses from selling Central Asia gas and LNG at below cost,” Kwan said.

-ral gas (LNG), or super-chilled

gas shipped in tankers, domes-tic sales prices would be 31.45 yuan per gigajoule, according to the MOF, which industry ex-perts converted to around 1.20 yuan per cubic metres.

The price adjustment is an apparent follow-up to Beijing’s move in June to raise gas prices for wholesale distributors sell-ing to non-residential users by

national scale in three years.Top oil and gas producer

PetroChina said in August it

narrow its losses from selling imported gas below cost and

-lion yuan ($3.27 billion) every year from 2014.

PetroChina recorded a loss of 42 billion yuan last year for sell-

low prices as mandated by the

PetroChina imports LNG and also operates the coun-try’s cross-country gas pipe-lines from Central Asia and Myanmar.

China, the world’s fourth-largest gas user, is encouraging greater use of the lower-carbon fuel, with consumption set to triple by 2020.

Reuters

w½kwfEdkifiHtaejzif h obm0"mwfaiGUoGif;ukefaps;EIef;rsm;tm; vuf&Sdaps;EIef; \ av;yHkwpfyHk xyfrHjr§ifhwifcJhaMumif;od&onf/

w½kwfEdkifiHtaejzifh aqmif;&moDwGif avmifpmvdktyfrIudk ajz&Sif;&eftwGuf BudK;yrf;aeNyD; obm0"mwfaiGUwifoGif; rIudk ydkrdktm;ay;&eftwGuf ,ckuJhodkY aps;EIef;rsm; jr§ifhwifay;cJhjcif;jzpfaMumif; uRrf;usifolrsm;u ajymMum;Muonf/

urÇmhxdyfwef;pGrf;tifoHk;pGJoljzpfonfh w½kwfEdkifiHtaejzifh Edk0ifbmv tapm ydkif;umvrSpí "mwfaiGUjywfawmufrI rsm; jzpfay:cJhNyD; cGJwrf;pepfudkvnf;toHk;jyKcJh&ovdk tcsKdUvkyfief;rsm;udk "mwfaiGUaxmufyHhay;rIudk &yfqdkif;xm; cJh&aMumif; od&onf/

w½kwfEdkifiHtaejzifh jynfwGif;twGuf pGrf;tifvdktyfrIudk jznfhqnf;&eftwGuf obm0"mwfaiG Ut&if;tjrpfrsm;udk vnf; csdwfqufNyD; wifoGif;oGm;&ef BudK;yrf;aeonf/w½kwfEdkifiHtaejzifpGrf; tifavmifpmwifoGif;rIudkwdk;wufvmap&efESif hw½kwfEdkifiH\ shale gas t&if;tjrpfrsm;tm; zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrIrsm;&Sdvm&eftwGufaps;EIef;jyKjyifajymif;vJrIr sm;udk rMumcifumvtwGifaqmif&GufoGm;Edkif &efarQmfrSef;xm;aMumif; od&onf/

" eOpömydkifqkdif rI wefzdk ;t& vufwiftar&du\ tBuD;qHk; bPfjzpfaom EdkifiHydkif Bancodo Brasil SA bPfonf tenf;qHk;acs;aiG tar&duef a':vm 1 bDvD,Htxd jr§ifhwif Edkif&eftwGuf &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm; ESifh aqG;aEG;rIrsm;jyKvkyfaeaMumif;od&onf/

Banco do Brasil onf tm&S &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;udk yg0ifvmEdkif &eftwGuf qGJaqmifaeNyD; acs;aiG taejzifh oHk;ESpfESifh av;ESpftydkif; 2 cktoD;oD;&S drnfjzpfaMumif; vnf; od&onf/

JPMorgan Chase & Co , NP Paribas SA , HSBC Holdings Plc ESifh Standard Chartered Plc wdkY\ tm&S tajcpdkuf,lepfrsm;taejzif h 0if a&mufvkyfaqmifEdkif&eftwGuf tcGifhtvrf;wpfckudk &&SdoGm;zG,f &Sdaeonf/Banco do Brasil rS acs;aiGtpDtpOfESifh ywfoufíwpfpHkwpf&m xifjrifcsufay;rIudk rjyKvkyfcJhaMumif; od&onf/


www.mmbiztoday.comREGIONAL BIZ 16

Myanmar Summary

Work Ethic, Comic Hero Make Koreans Hot Shots in Car Design

Norihiko Shirouzu and Hyunjoo Jinwon

In today’s auto industry, where famed Japanese quality and durability are

increasingly a given, design is king and, among designers, South Koreans are hot property.

From General Motors’ bold Chevrolet Camaro to the quin-tessential British gentlemen’s Bentley, more top models

of a group of designers from South Korea, which some have dubbed “Asia’s Italy” for its impact on car design, fashion and aesthetics.

As competition in the industry becomes ever more cut-throat, partly as gaps in quality and technology narrow, automakers need bolder, edgier designs to

-ent pool, South Koreans stand out.

Designers, including Sangyup Lee, Jinwon Kim and Jay Jong-

at automakers in the United States and Europe, and even at Toyota Motor, as well as, of course, at Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.

Theories for this Korean wave vary: from Hyundai’s rise and the nation’s work ethic, to a societal emphasis on external beauty – Korea has a thriving cosmetic surgery industry – and the impact of a 1990s comic book and TV series called “As-phalt Man”, which starred local heartthrob Lee Byung-hun as a young car designer. The aspir-

“a lot of kids, including me, at the time,” said Sangyup Lee, who is in charge of exterior design and advanced design at Bentley’s main studio in Crewe,

College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Lucy Nicholson/R

euters

in northwest England.Four years ago, Lee led a

Korean-Russian-Brazilian team that redesigned the new Cama-ro for launch by GM in 2009. He later moved to Volkswagen and then to the German group’s Bentley unit. Another member of the Camaro team was Steve Kim, a Korean native, who is a director at GM’s design studio in Seoul. The two used to work in the basement of Lee’s house in a Detroit suburb, often late into the night tossing around

to conjure up the new Camaro.

At GM, the Detroit automaker that bought failed Daewoo Motors in 2002, close to three dozen Koreans are among several hundred professionals working at the main US studio in Warren, Michigan – and are

“K-team”.Tim Lee, GM’s global manu-

facturing chief and China unit chairman, says most global brands are now equally capable on quality and technology. “What sets us apart? Great de-sign and (economies of) scale,” he said, noting a successful au-

prices.At Toyota, Jinwon Kim led

the design of the FJ-Cruiser, an edgy sport utility vehicle. Mercedes-Benz designer Hu-bert Lee, American-born but who grew up in Seoul, master-minded the styling of the CLS luxury coupe, and Jay Jongwon Kim is a rising talent at Opel, one of the design brains behind the Monza concept car that won plaudits at this year’s Frankfurt auto show.

“Koreans are extremely good designers, well trained and

disciplined,” said Chris Bangle, a former BMW design chief who now runs a design consultancy in Italy.

Bumsuk Lim, a Korean native and a professor of car design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California – widely regarded as the Harvard of auto design – says the rise of Korean designers is a result of a turn in the global industry. “In most mature markets people have moved on and cars are gener-ally nothing more than a means of transportation,” he said. “In Korea and, increasingly, China, people still dream of owning cars and they’re considered a status symbol,” making car design a desirable profession.

In a typical class of 12-15 stu-dents at the Art Center, more than half are Asian, and half of those are Korean, noted Lim,

,aeYum;vkyfief;wGif *syefEdkifiHxkwf um;rsm;taejzifh t&nftaoG;aumif;rGef NyD; wm&SnfcHEdkifonfh tcsufrsm;&SdaeNyD; um;'DZdkif;rSmvnf; armfawmfum;0,f,l vdkolrsm;twGuf qGJaqmifrI&Sdae&ef vdktyfNyD; ta&;ygaom tpdwftydkif; wpfcktjzpf &SdvmNyDjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

armfawmfum;vkyfief;BuD;rsm;taejzifh t&nftaoG;ESifh enf;ynmwdkYrS vkyfief; wpfckESifhwpfck uGmjcm;rI odyfr&Sdawmh onfhtwGuf armfawmfum;aps;uGufwGif aps;uGuftm;omrIrsm; &Sdvm&efESifh ,SOf NydKifEdkifpGrf; ydkrdkjrifhrm;vm&ef armfawmfum;xkwfvkyfolrsm;taejzifh 'DZdkif;ydkif; udk tm½HkpdkufvmMuNyD; uGJjym;jcm;em;rIudk 'DZdkif;jzifh azmfaqmif&eftwGuf BudK;yrf; vmMuonf/ Sangyup Lee , Jinwon Kim ESifh Jay Jongwon Kim tyg t0if 'DZdkifemrsm;onf tar&duefESifh tD;,lwdkYwGif vTrf;rdk;vmNyD; Toyota Motor tjyif Hyundai Motor ESifh Kia Motors tp&Sdonfh armfawmfum; vkyfief;BuD;wdkYwGifvnf; 'DZdkifemrsm;u vGefpGmta&;ygvmaMumif;vnf; od& onf/

udk&D;,m;EdkifiHtaejzifh tjyifyd kif; tvSw&m;tay: tm½HkpdkufvmNyD; tvS tyqdkif&m qm*s&Dvkyfief;wGifvnf; udk&D;,m;taejzifh emrnfBuD;aeaom EdkifiHwpfEdkifiHjzpfonf/wDADtpDtpOfrsm; wGifvnf; vDajAmif[Gef;tm; um;'DZdkifem vli,fwpfOD;tjzpf ½dkuful;cJhNyD; uav; i,frsm;ESifh rdrdudk,fyif qGJaqmifEdkifcJh aMumif; Bentley rS 'DZdkifemjzpfonfh Sangyup Lee u ajymMum;cJhonf/ av;ESpfMumaomtcg Lee OD;aqmif

aom udk&D;,m;-½k&Sm;-b&mZD; 'DZdkif; toif;onf Camaro topftm; jyefvnfjyKjyifrI jyKvkyfcJhonf/xdkYaemuf Volkswagen odkY ajymif;a&TUcJhum *smreD\ Bentley ,lepfodkY ajymif;a&TU cJhonf/udk&D;,m;EdkifiHom;rsm;rSm tvGef awmfaom 'DZdkifemrsm;jzpfMuNyD; aumif;

REGIONAL BIZ 17December 12-18, 2013


A gambling table at a casino in Macau.

Reu

ters

Macau’s Junket Operators Prowl SE Asia to Expand VIP Business

Farah Master

OSolaire’s plush ocean-front casino in Manila,

the dealers speak Mandarin, the players are Chinese and rev-enue from high-roller gamblers is rising rapidly.

"It's almost not in the Philip-

pines. It's more like you're in Macau," says Francis Hernando, the Philippine gam-ing body's vice president for licensed casino development.

Wealthy Chinese gamblers are a grow-ing presence in Asia’s emerging casino hubs as Macau's junket op-erators use their home base as a springboard to grow their high-roller business across the region.

"The junkets are very aware and are looking all over Asia to expand. It's the biggest expan-sion phase ever right now," said Ben Lee, Asia gaming consultant at Macau-based con-sultancy IGamiX.

just one way the junket operators - which earn commissions from casinos to attract "big whale" gamblers - are responding to pres-

sures at home as Beijing strives to turn Macau into a mass-market tourist destination.

Caps on the supply of gaming tables that Macau's casinos can install and new rules that make

it harder for wealthy punters to remain anonymous are two of the regulatory changes prompting the junkets to alter their business model.

As a result, the proportion of Macau's gaming revenue from VIPs has fallen to its lowest share since 2006, while spend-ing by middle-class, mass-market gamblers - who do not rely on Macau's idiosyncratic junket system - is surging.

Armed with extensive custom-er networks and deep pockets thanks to monthly turnover of up to $9 billion, the junkets are now trying to repeat the Macau formula in countries such as Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Suncity, Heng Sheng Group, David Group, Tak Chun, Jimei Group, Golden Group, Mega Stars and Golden Dragon are some of the Macau junket op-erators scouting opportunities overseas.

Emerging casino hubs in Southeast Asia have lower


www.mmbiztoday.comINTERNATIONAL BIZ 18

Myanmar Summary

Shoppers walk past a Barneys store in New York.

Holiday Weekend Sales Dip on Discounts, E-Commerce Jumps

Phil Wahba

Heavy discounting took a toll on US retail sales during the Thanksgiv-

ing weekend as shoppers spent almost 3 percent less than they did a year earlier, according to data released by an industry group.

That could be an indication of

retailers. One bright spot this weekend, according to the data, was e-commerce as online sales soared.

The National Retail Federa-tion (NRF) estimated the aver-age shopper spent $407.02 over the weekend, or 3.9 percent less than during the same weekend last year, because of lower pric-es it said would persist through the rest of the season.

"Retailers will continue to aggressively promote their

looking to entice today's very budget-conscious and value-focused shopper," said NRF Chief Executive Matthew Shay.

The NRF said 141 million peo-ple went shopping at least once during the holiday weekend, up from 139 million last year. But total spending was expected to reach $57.4 billion for the four-day period - which includes Black Friday, the biggest shop-ping day of the year - down 2.8 percent from $59.1 billion over the same weekend in 2012.

The big deals will also dent

"Sales will go up, but gross margins are going to be down. Doorbusters were what people were shopping for, more than

Ron Friedman, retail practice

Marcum LLP.The Thanksgiving weekend

is an early gauge of consumer mood and intentions in a season that generates about 30 percent of sales and nearly 40 percent of

But many have given modest forecasts for the quarter. Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it expects no growth in its US comparable sales, and Macy's Inc didn't raise its full-year sales forecast despite strong numbers last quarter.

The shorter holiday period this year - there are six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas compared with 2012 - prompted retailers to begin

earlier than usual, something Shay said likely pulled some

the week.The NRF stuck to its forecast

for retail sales to rise 3.9 per-cent for the whole season.

Chad Hastings, the general manager of Town East Mall in Mesquite, Texas, near Dallas, said shoppers were even more focused this year on specials, noting a higher correlation be-tween the timing of doorbusters

his mall over the weekend."Retailers are doing whatever

they can to get that wallet share earlier," Hastings said. Town East Mall's anchor tenants in-clude J.C. Penney, Macy's and Sears.

ComScore Inc, an analytics

17.3 percent on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, outpacing sales growth at brick-and-mortar stores. ComScore has forecast a 16 percent jump in online sales for the season, helped by greater use of mobile devices.

The most visited e-commerce sites in order were those of Amazon.com Inc, eBay Inc, Walmart, Best Buy Co Inc and Target Corp, comScore said.

Retailers are also being ag-gressive online as they look to

which falls on December 2 this year. Cyber Monday is the big-gest sales day of the year for e-commerce.

Reu

ters

J.C. Penney Co Inc and Macy's were among retailers that had already begun their "Cyber Monday" sales on Sunday, looking to keep the momentum going. Target was calling the occasion "Cyber Week."

The NRF predicted 131 million Americans would shop online on Cyber Monday, compared with 129 million last year.

found overall shopper traf-

Friday fell 5.2 percent and that -

ent stores, doing more online research beforehand.

But shoppers spent more money in the stores they did go to, and Shelley Kohan, vice president, retail consulting at RetailNext, said that a website good enough to make shoppers want to visit a store is more crucial now than ever.

"Shoppers have more op-tions," Kohan said. Reuters“Retailers will continue to

aggressively promote their in-store and online offerings, looking to entice today’s very budget-conscious and value-

focused shopper,”

Thanksgiving tm;vyf&uf owå ywftwGif; tar&duefvufvDa&mif;cs rIrsm;wGif aps;EIef;avQmhcsa&mif;csrIrsm;udk jyKvkyfcJh&NyD; aps;0,folrsm;\ oHk;pGJrI onfvnf; vGefcJhonfhESpfESifhEdIif;,SOfvQif 3 &mcdkifEIef; avsmhusoGm;aMumif; od& onf/

tqdkygtcsufuvufvDvkyfief;tawmf rsm;rsm;twGuf cufcJaomtajctaewpf &yfjzpfaMumif; od&NyD; Thanks giving tm;vyf&ufrsm;onf e-commerce vkyfief;rsm;twGuf tGefvdkif;rSwpfqifha&mif;csrIrsm; trsm;qHk; jyKvkyf&onfh umvwpfckjzpfonf/ National Retail Federation (NRF) rS cefYrSef;csuft& tqdkygtm;vyf&ufumvtwGif; aps; 0,folwpfOD;rS ysrf;rQoHk;pGJrIonf tar&d uefa':vm 407.2 a':vm&SdaMumif; ESif h vGefcJ honfhESpf tqdkygumvtwGif; oHk;pGJrIESifh EdIif;,SOfvQif 3.9 &mcdkifEIef; avsmhenf;oGm;aMumif; od&onf/,if; umvtwGif; aps;EIef;rsm;udkvnf; avQmhcs cJh&aMumif; od&onf/

qdkifwGif; ESifhtGefvdkif;a&mif;csrIrsm;udk wdk;wufvmap&eftwGuf qufvuf ½kef;uefaqmif&GufoGm;&rnfjzpfaMumif; NRF rS trIaqmifcsKyf Matthew Shay u ajymMum;cJhonf/tm;vyf&ufumv twGif; aps;0,f,lrI jyKvkyfolaygif; tenf;qHk; 141 oef;txd &SdcJ haMumif;ESif h vGefcJhonfhESpfwGif 139 oef;&SdcJhaMumif; od&onf/ pkpkaygif;0,f,loHk;pGJrIrsm;rSm av;&ufwmumvtwGif; tar&duef a':vm 57.4 bDvD,Htxd a&muf&Sd rnf[k cefYrSef;od&Sd&NyD; 2012 ckESpfwGif tar&duefa':vm 59.1 bDvD,H &&Sd cJhonfhtwGuf ,ckESpfwGif 2.8 &mcdkifEIef; usqif;cJhaMumif; od&onf/a&mif;cs rI rsm;onf jrif hwufvmvdrf h rnf jzpf aomfvnf; pkpkaygif;0ifaiGrsm; usqif;

vdrfhrnfjzpfaMumif;? yHkrSefaps;EIef;&Sdonfh ukefpnfrsm;xuf aps;EIef;oufomaomukefpnfrsm;udkom 0,f,lcJhMuaMumif; Marcum LLP twdkifyifcHvkyfief;rS vufvDvkyfief;ydkif;qdkif&m tBuD;tuJwpfOD;jzpfonfh Ron Friedman u ajymMum;cJhonf/

Thanksgiving tm;vyf&ufumvwGif a&mif;c s&rIonf vufvDvkyfief; rsm;\ wpfESpfwm0ifaiGtwGuf rsm;pGm oufa&mufrI&SdaeNyD; wpfESpfwm a&mif;cs &rI\ 30 &mcdkifEIef;txdESifh vufvD vkyfief;rsm;twGuf tjrwfaiG&&SdrIpkpk aygif;\ 40 &mcdkifEIef;txdudk tqdkyg tm;vyf&uftwGif; &&SdaMumif; od& onf/tqdkyg tm;vyf&ufumvtwGif;a&mif;c s&rIudk vltawmfrsm;r sm;u tweftoifha&mif;cs&rnf[k cefYrSef; xm;cJhMuNyD; Wal-Mart Stores Inc u

vmrnfr[kwf[k arQm fr Se f ;xm;ovdk Macy's Inc uvnf; vGefcJhonfh oHk;vywfumvtwGif; a&mif;csrItm;

a&mif;csrI arQmfrSef;csufudk wdk;jr§ifhrIrjyK vkyfcJhaMumif; od&onf/,ckESpf tm;vyf &ufrSm vGefcJhonfhESpfxuf ydkrdkwdkawmif; NyD; Thanksgiving ESifh c&pfprwf umvtwGif; vufvDvkyfief;rsm;twGuf a&mi f;c s&ef ajcmuf&ufavsm hoGm;cJ h aMumif; od&onf/ NRF rS wpfESpf wmvHk; vufvDa&mif;csrI wdk;wufrIEIef;rSm 3.9 &mcdkifEIef;&Sdrnf[k cefYrSef;xm; cJhonf/

INTERNATIONAL BIZ 19December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


GrainCorp Rejection Tarnishes Australia’s Reputation as “Open for Business”

Jane Wardell

Australia's "open for busi-ness" sign is swinging precariously in the wind

after the government blocked a A$2.8 billion ($2.6 billion) takeover of GrainCorp by US agribusiness giant Archer Dan-iels Midland (ADM).

The surprising decision to bow to pressure from grain grow-ers is likely to spook foreign investors, who already think that pushing a deal through in Australia is tough, international lawyers and bankers who work in mergers and acquisitions said.

Treasurer Joe Hockey rejected the deal - the third-biggest takeover by a foreign company in Australia to be blocked - after the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) had failed to reach a consensus recommendation.

Citing national interest, Hock-ey said domestic grain growers were concerned the takeover of a company handling a third of Australia's wheat production would reduce competition and impede their businesses.

Although the rejection does not set a legal precedent be-cause prospective foreign deals are judged by FIRB on a case-by-case basis, it reinforces the perception Australia is not as open for business as it likes to think.

"We need to be careful about the message we are sending," said Malcolm Brennan, a spe-

& Wood Mallesons, where he advises clients on Australia's foreign investment regime.

"There are so many myths out there and we are in competition with others for deals."

In reality, FIRB passes the vast majority of deals it reviews. It rejected just 13 of more than

2012, all related to real estate.

for Australia's Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Holdings Ltd, Canada's largest dairy maker Saputo Inc found its A$515 million bid quickly waved through by the FIRB.

Aware of the potential reper-cussions of the ADM rejection, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he wanted to "make it ab-solutely crystal clear that we are open for business, we are open for foreign investment".

foreign investment applications since his conservative Liberal Party-led Coalition government took power in September.

the reality does not weigh heav-ily enough on the perception.

"Chinese and other Asian investors are of the view that

in the country.

Reu

ters

a deal goes to FIRB it is the end of the deal," said Brennan.

Scott Weldon, director research and trading at Dux-ton Asset Management in Singapore, said the bid was rejected on "potentially rea-sonable grounds" because of GrainCorp's national strategic importance and dominance in the market.

"We would hope this does not -

ing smaller foreign investments into the agricultural sector," Weldon said. Duxton manages around $430 million in agricul-tural assets for its clients.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Australia said it was very concerned about

“We would hope this does not reflect a change for policy affect-ing smaller foreign investments

into the agricultural sector,”

the signal the ADM decision sends to other potential foreign investors.

"Like many others, AmCham had been watching this par-ticular investment application carefully, knowing it would inevitably have a real impact on American and foreign percep-tions of Australia as a place to invest," Niels Marquardt said.

The US is the largest foreign investor in Australia, with a stock of foreign direct invest-ment approaching $150 billion.

Marquardt said he recognised the ADM decision was a statisti-cal anomaly, but "nonetheless we are concerned about its impact."

Of major concern is the role played by politics and public opinion in the ADM deal. The purchase had previously been approved by Australia's com-petition regulator and analysts had expected it to proceed.

But it was unpopular with farmers and many voters and had stoked divisions between Abbott's Liberal Party and its junior partner, the rural-based National Party.

"The new government is seem-ingly more sensitive to factors

and smaller farmers' ability to do business, which constitute a large portion of their supporter base," said Weldon, of Duxton Asset Management.

Parallels could be drawn with the intense political debate that surrounded the landmark $15.1 billion acquisition of Canadian company Nexen Inc by state-

Ltd earlier this year.That purchase resulted in a

policy backlash by the Canadian government, which raised the bar for future acquisitions by state-owned enterprises of its vast oil sands reserves, limiting them to minority stake holders.

Adam Strauss, a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, a law

Ltd in a potential buyout by its Chinese parent, Yan-zhou Coal Mining Co Ltd , said the ADM decision highlighted the need to play a political as well as an investment game.

"I think a lesson for foreign investors is really about manag-ing stakeholders in the media and politics so you don't lose control of the way the deal is perceived," Strauss said. "ADM probably lost control of the debate and failed to win those stakeholders over in terms of

Reuters

MopaMw;vs\ "open for business" qdkonfhtcsuftaejzifh tpdk;&rS Mop aMw;vsa':vm 2.8 bDvD,H wefzdk;&Sd onfh GrainCorp tm; tar&duef vkyfief;BuD;jzpfonfh Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) rS vufvTJ0,f,l

rIudk ydwfyifwm;jrpfcJhrIaMumifh ra&&m raorcsmjzpfvmcJhNyDjzpfaMumif; od& onf/

,ckuJhodkY tpdk;&rS tHhtm;oifhzG,f qHk;jzwfcsufu EdkifiHjcm;om;&if;ESD;jr§KyfESH olrsm;udk ajcmufvSefYvkdufonfhtoGif&Sd aeNyD; &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;taejzifhvnf; MopaMw;vswGif vkyfief;oabmwlnD csufwpfck &&Sd&eftwGuf aqmif&Guf& onfrSm cufcJaMumif; ,cifuwnf;u awG;xifcJhMuaMumif; tjynfjynfqdkif&m Oya'tusKd;aqmifrsm;ESif h bPfvkyfief; &Sifrsm;u ajymMum;cJhMuonf/

b@ma&;rSL; Joe Hockey u MopaMw;vswGif wwd,tBuD;qHk; EdkifiH jcm;vkyfief;wpfckrS vkyfief;vTJajymif; 0,f,lrIoabmwlnDcsufudk wm;jrpfcJh jcif;jzpfNyD; jynfy&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIqdkif&m oHk;oyfa&;bkwftzGJU (FIRB) rS trsm; oabmwlqE´&&Sd&ef BudK;yrf;cJh&mwGif ratmifjrifcJhNyD;aemuf b@ma&;rSL;u ,ckuJhodkY vkyfief;vTJajymif;0,f,lcGifh oabmwlnDcsuftm; wm;jrpfvdkufjcif; jzpfonf/trsKd;om;tusKd;pD;yGm;ESif h pyfvsOf;í jynfwGif;*sKHpdkufysKd;olrsm;tae jzifh vkyfief;vTJajymif;0,f,lrIudk rsm;pGm tav;xm;MuNyD; tqdkygukrÜPDonf MopaMw;vs\*sKHxkwfvkyfrI oHk;yHkwpfyHk txdudk xkwfvkyfaeonf/ vkyfief;vTJ ajymif;0,f,lrIaMumifh ,SOfNydKifEdkifrIrsm; udk xdcdkufaprnfjzpfovdk *sKHpdkufysKd;

vmrnfudk pdk;&drfrIrsm;&SdaeaMumif; od& onf/

Oya'vkyfief;jzpfonfh King & Wood Mallesons rS Oya'tusKd; aqmifwpfOD ; jzpfonf h Malcolm Brennan u rdrdwdkYtaejzifh azmuf onfrsm;tm; MopaMw;vs\ EdkifiHjcm; &if;ESD;jr§KyfEHSrIqdkif&m rl0g'ESifhpyfvsOf;í tBuHÓPfay;rIrsm;wGif taotcsm *½kwpdkufaqmif&GufoGm;&rnfjzpfaMumif; ajymMum;cJhonf/

FIRB taejzifh omreftm;jzifh vkyfief;oabmwlnDrIrsm;aqmif&GufcGifhudk ay;avh&SdNyD; 2012 b@ma&;ESpf wGif tdrfNcHajru@ü tqdkjyKavQmuf xm;rI 11000 wGif 13 ckudkom jiif;y,fcJhaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;taejzifhvnf; ,ck uJhodkY *sKHvkyfief;BuD;tm; 0,f,lrIudk wm;jrpfcJhonfhtwGuf MopaMw;vs\ vkyfief;rsm;tm; wHcg;zGifhvkyfaqmifjcif;? &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;tm; wHcg;zGifhay;xm; jcif;qdkonfhtcsufudk oHo,0ifcJhMu aomfvnf; 0efBuD;csKyf Tony Abbott u rdrdwdkYtaejzifh vkyfief;rsm;ESifh &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm;twGuf wHcg;zGifhay;xm;onfqdkonfhtcsufudk vHk;0aocsm ap&ef vdktyfaMumif; ajymMum;cJhonf/


www.mmbiztoday.comINVESTMENT & FINANCE 20

Myanmar Summary

Myanmar Looks Abroad for Investment in Healthcare

Jared Ferrie

Yangon General Hospital was once the jewel in the crown of one of Southeast

Asia's best healthcare systems.These days, hundreds of

patients are forced to sleep in corridors of the hulking, colonial-era red-brick building,

emergency ward and garbage is piled in corners.

It is a scene that Myanmar's reformist government hopes to change as it ratchets up spend-ing on the sector and seeks foreign investment to revive one of Asia's sickest healthcare systems.

Several leading regional healthcare companies are already operating in Myanmar and others plan to enter soon, seeing huge potential in the country's underserved popula-tion of about 60 million people.

Attracting foreign investment is part of an overhaul of the healthcare system by the quasi-civilian government that took over from the army in 2011. The administration of President Thein Sein has cut military spending and raised healthcare funding to 3 percent of govern-

to March 31, from 1 percent the previous year.

As with many sectors, how-

being held back by uncertainty over rules for foreign investors.

The health ministry is drawing up regulations for foreign hos-pital operators to open facilities in Myanmar independently or through joint ventures, said a

requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media.

Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Pcl, Thailand's largest private hospital group, sees My-

priority for foreign investment",

Chatree Duangnet.But Duangnet added that the

company was waiting for the government to make the invest-ment laws clearer.

Amiruddin Abdul Satar, presi-dent of Kuala Lumpur-listed hospitals operator KPJ Health-care Bhd, told Reuters his com-pany was involved in the man-agement of one hospital already and the government had invited them to expand. The company declined to give further details or reveal the amount of its planned investment.

Singapore healthcare pro-vider AsiaMedic Ltd said in a June statement it had signed an initial joint venture agreement with Five Oceans Service Co Ltd, a Myanmar company, to invest at least $3 million to set up diagnostic scanners in two hospitals in the northern city of Mandalay.

Patients in Myanmar cur-rently have to travel to cities such as Bangkok and Singapore for scans.

A spokesperson for AsiaMedic told Reuters on November 5

that the companies had yet to

The role private companies will play in the healthcare sys-tem remains to be determined, said Hnin Hnin Pyne, a senior human development specialist with the World Bank who is working with the government on healthcare reform.

the poor? For me that is a mas-sive question," she said, adding that the government has set a goal to provide health coverage to all citizens by 2030.

At a November 25 meeting in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, Health Minister Pe Thet Khin said co-operation between the govern-ment and private sector would be key in achieving universal coverage, the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.

Hnin Hnin Pyne said the government was still deciding

healthcare systems.

Jared Ferrie/R

euters

whether healthcare will be free or subsidized.

The healthcare system wasted away during decades of neglect under military rule, so that cur-rently the high price is beyond the means of many in one of Asia's poorest countries, while

seek treatment overseas.When Aung Myint, 67, was

diagnosed with liver cancer in 2005, he went to Thailand rath-er than be operated on in My-anmar, where a family member had died of tetanus after under-

going a minor operation."It was my two sons, both

of them doctors, who insisted I shouldn't receive the treat-ments here," he said.

In 2000, during the dark days of dictatorship, the World Health Organization ranked Myanmar second-last out of 191 countries surveyed for "overall health system performance".

patients in Myanmar had to cover 81 percent of their health-care costs themselves, the highest of any country in Asia, according to World Bank data. That compared with 56 percent in Vietnam, 40 percent in Laos, 14 percent in Thailand and 35 percent in China.

"Now, because public spend-ing has gone up, out-of-pocket is around 60 percent," said Hnin Hnin Pyne. "That doesn't mean it's not a problem."

Tha Hla Shwe, who became

president of the Myanmar Red Cross Society in 2004 after working in the public health system since 1966, said the increased spending was already paying dividends. "Lately, I would say it's improving quite drastically," he said.

Aung Myint Lwin, the senior administrator of Yankin Chil-dren's Hospital in Yangon, said increased funding has meant his 550-bed hospital can now supply drugs free of charge to

He said he hoped the hospital

would one day be able to pro-vide free medical care to every child who visits the hospital.

"That is our dream," said Aung Myint Lwin. "In the near future I believe the dream will become true." Reuters

&efukeftaxGaxGa&m*gukaq;½HkBuD;onf ,cifu ta&SUawmiftm&SwGif taumif;qHk;usef;rma&;0efaqmifrIpepfrsm;udk axmufyhHay;EdkifcJhaom aq;½Hk BuD;wpfckjzpfcJhonf/,cktcg aq;½HkBuD; taejzifh usef;rma&;apmifha&SmufrIpepf tm; tqifhjr§ifhwif&eftwGuf vdktyf aeNyD; vlemrsm;twGuf ydkrdkaumif;rGef aom use f;rma&;0efaqmifrIrsm;udk axmufyhHay;Edkif&eftwGufvnf; BudK;yrf; aqmif&GufoGm;&rnfjzpfaMumif; od& onf/

jrefrmEdkifiH\ vuf&Sdtpdk;&taejzifh jyKjyifajymif;vJrIrsm;pGmud k taumif

txnfazmfaqmif&GufcJhNyD; ,cktcg tm&S wGif usef;rma&;apmifha&SmufrIpepfrsm; ü tvGeftm;enf;aeonfhtwGuf EdkifiH jcm;&if;ESD;jr§KyfEHSrIrsm;udk usef;rma&;apmifh a&SmufrIu@ü vma&muf&if;ESD;jr§KyfESH Muap&eftwGuf tcGifhtvrf;aumif; rsm;udk &SmazGaeaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

tm&SrSxdyfwef;usef;rma&;apmifha&Smuf rIvkyfief;rsm;taejzifh jrefrmEdkifiHwGifvkyfief;rsm; aqmif&GufaeMuNyDjzpfovdk tjcm;vkyfief;rsm;taejzifhvnf; vkyfief; aqmif&Guf&eftwGuf jyifqifaeonfhtwGuf oef;ajcmufq,feD;yg;&Sdaom jrefrmjynfolrsm;twGuf tvm;tvm aumif;wpf&yfyifjzpfonf/usef;rma&;apmifha&SmufrIpepfrsm;tm; tqifhjr§ifh wif&eftwGuf EdkifiHjcm;&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrI rsm;tm; zdwfac:jcif;onf ta&;ygNyD; vuf&Sdtpdk;&taejzifh ppfa&;toHk;p&dwf udk 3 &mcdkifEIef;avQmhcscJ hNyD; usef;rma&; toHk;p&dwftm; 3 &mcdkifEIef; jr§ifhwifcJh aMumif;vnf; od&onf/

yk*¾vduvkyfief;rsm;rS ajymMum;csuf t& EdkifiHjcm;&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;taejzifh pnf;rsOf;pnf;urf;ydkif;qdkif&m tm;enf; csufrsm;aMumifh &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm; aemuf jyefqkwfoGm;EdkifaMumif; od&onf/

usef;rma&;0efBuD;XmerS EdkifiHjcm;rS usef;rma&;apmifha&SmufrIqdkif&mvkyfief; rsm;twGuf pnf;rsOf;pnf;urf;rsm;tm; a&;qGJaeNyD; EdkifiHjcm;vkyfief;rsm;taejzifh jrefrmEdkifiHwGif jynfwGif;vkyfief;wpfckESifh yl;aygif;íjzpfap? oD;oefYtjzpf vkyfief; ydkifqdkifrItjynfht0jzifh aqmif&Gufvm EdkifzG,f&Sdonf/ jrefrmEdkifiHtm; EdkifiHjcm; &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm; jyKvkyf&eftwGuf yxr OD;pm;ay;aps;uGufwpfcktjzpf xdkif;EdkifiH \ yk*¾vduusef;rma&;apmif ha&SmufrI vkyfief;wpfckjzpfonfh Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Pcl rS ½Ijrifxm; aMumif; tqdkygvkyfief;\ tBuD;tuJ wpfOD;jzpfonfh Chatree Duangnet u ajymMum;cJhonf/

odkYaomfvnf; ukrÜPDtaejzifh jrefrmh &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIOya'tm; jrefrmtpdk;&rS &Sif;&Sif;vif;vif;jzpfvmaponfhtcsdefukd apmifhpm;aeaMumif;vnf; ajymMum; cJhonf/ KPJ Healthcare Bhd rS Ouú| Amiruddin Abdul Satar u

wpfcktm; pDrHcefYcGJrItydkif;wGif yg0ifcJh NyD; tpdk;&taejzifhvnf; vkyfief;wdk;csJUrI jyKvkyf&ef zdwfac:cJhaMumif; ½dkufwm owif;XmeodkY ajymMum;cJhonf/

pifumylEdkifiHrS usef;rma&;apmifha&SmufrIvkyfief;wpfckjzpfonfh AsiaMedicLtd u jrefrmukrÜPDwpfckjzpfonfh Five Oceans Service Co Ltd ESifh tusK d;wlyl;aygif;cGif hqdkif&m ueOD; oabmwlnDcsufudk vufrSwfa&;xdk;cJh NyD;jzpfaMumif; ajymMum;cJhonf/

INVESTMENT & FINANCE 21December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


All Asia Asset Capital Acquires 7 pc Stake in Myanmar Allure Group

Investment group All Asia Asset Capital (AAA) has, through a special-purpose

wholly-owned subsidiary, acquired a minority 7 percent

Myanmar Allure Group (MAG). “The board is excited about

the investment in the Myanmar Allure Group, which in our view is solidly in line with our investing policy,” said Dr Sri Hartati Kurniawan, AAA chief

that the acquisition will provide an avenue for the company to create further opportunities to deliver value to AAA sharehold-ers,” he added.

Based in Thailand and Myan-mar, MAG, which comes under the Star Sapphire Group of Companies, operates the Allure Resort, an 11-acre hotel, resort and gaming facility located in the Tachileik province of My-anmar, close to the Myanmar-Thailand Mae Sai border.

Located close to the popular city of Chiang Rai in Thailand,

Su Su

variety of entertainment activi-ties including gaming, shopping and cultural sightseeing.

According to a report, MAG plans to expand its business operations, including the de-velopment of a new building at the site, as well as forming partnerships with other gaming operators to further increase the demand in the sector.

On completion of the acquisi-tion, AAA will pay $2 million in cash to MAG.

&if;ESD; jr§Ky fES H rItzGJUtpnf; jzpfonf h All Asia Asset Capital (AAA) rS

jynfwGif;vkyfief;wpfckjzpfonfh Myanmar Allure Group (MAG) wGif vkyfief; &S,f,m 7 &mcdkifEIef; 0,f,lcJ haMumif; od&onf/

bkwftzGJUrS Myanmar Allure Group (MAG) wGif &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrI twGuf tvGefyif 0rf;ajrmuf0rf;omjzpf aeaMumif; AAA \ trIaqmifcsKyf Dr Sri Hartati Kurniawan u ajym Mum;cJhonf/

,ckuJhodkY vkyfief;0,f,lrIonf ukrÜPD twGuf 0ifaiGudk ydkrdkwdk;wufvmaprnf jzpfovdk aemufxyftcGifhtvrf;opf rsm;udkvnf; zefwD;Edkifrnfjzpfum AAA \ &S,f,m&Sifrsm;twGufvnf; tusKd;

xyfavmif;ajymMum;cJhonf/MAG onf xdkif;EdkifiHESifh jrefrm

EdkifiHwd kYwGif tajcpdkufvkyfaqmifNyD; wmcsDvdwfwGif [dkw,fESifhtyef;ajzae&mrsm;twGufvnf; vkyfief;rsm; aqmif &GufaeaMumif; od&onf/

MAG taejzifh pD;yGm;a&;vkyfief; rsm;udk csJUxGif&efvnf; jyifqifaeNyD; AAA rS&S,f,m0,f,lrItwGuftar&d uefa':vm 2 rDvD,HMAGodkYay;tyfoGm;&rnfjzpfaMumif;od&onf/

Britain is listed fourth in foreign investment to Myanmar after investing more than US$ 256 million between January and September, according to Directorate of Investment and

Companies Administration (DICA).Britain has invested more than US$ 3 billion in 62 businesses

and currently stands behind China, Thailand and Hong Kong. Total foreign investment to Myanmar is over US$ 43 billion.

British companies invested mainly in oil and natural gas, con-sumer goods production and transport sectors. The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has allowed Leisure Holdings Asia Ltd. and HC (Asia) Holding Co. Ltd. from Britain the right to do business in Myanmar.

UK 4th in FDI, January-September

Andrew

Winning/R

euters

Oliver Slow

Myanmar SummaryZefe0g&DvrS pufwifbmvtwGif;

tar&duefa':vm 256 rDvD,Hausmf &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHNyD;aemuf NAdwdefonf jrefrm EdkifiHwGif pwkw¬trsm;qHk; &if;ESD;jr§KyfESH xm;oljzpfvmaMumif; &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIESifhukrÜPDrsm;ñTefMum;rIOD;pD;XmerS tcsuf

tvufrsm;t& od&onf/,ckvuf&Sdü w½kwfEdkifiH? xdkif;EdkifiHESifh

a[mifaumifwdkYaemufwGif NAdwdefonf trsm;qHk;&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHxm;oltjzpf&yfwnfaeNyD; vkyfief;aygif; 62 ckwGif tar &duefa':vm 3 bDvD,Hausmftxd &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHxm;aMumif; od&onf/


www.mmbiztoday.comINVESTMENT & FINANCE 22

Myanmar Summary

Thirty international companies have bid for offshore gas blocks in Myanmar, including international giants such as Chevron and Total.

File

s

Myanmar has received bids from 30 com-panies, including

international oil companies and state-owned oil and gas com-

licensing round, according to data from the Ministry of

Oliver Slow Energy.In this licensing round, the

– 11 in shallow water and 19 in deep water – and the interna-tional oil and gas community has shown key interest.

Shell, in partnership with Japan’s Mitsui Oil Exploration Company, has bid for three

blocks, while Chevron has bid for two. ExxonMobil for two blocks, as well as Statoil, who is in partnership with Conoco-Phillips, and Total.

Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production, which already has a heavy presence in the country, has bid for one block and Malaysia’s Petronas has bid

for two, as has India’s OVL. The 11 shallow water blocks

water blocks, 12 are in the Ra-khine area, three in Moattama

Bidder were allowed to submit a maximum of three bids each, and the blocks will be awarded under a production sharing agreement, although foreign

ownership of some deepwater blocks.

For the shallow blocks, foreign

cal company, but the deepwater blocks are expected to grant stand-alone status.

FMI Launches $25 mil Rights Issue

IFirst Myanmar Investment (FMI) has launched a K25

billion ($25 million) rights is-sue for the company’s existing shareholders, the proceeds of

growth of the business, the company announced last week.

The company will issue 2.5 million new ordinary shares, priced at K10,000 ($10) each, representing a discount of 20 percent on the current price of shares, the company said.

The shares will be open for subscription by shareholders in accordance with Article 105 (C) of the Myanmar Companies Act from November 25 to Janu-ary 8 2014. Shareholders will be entitled to subscribe to one new share for every six existing shares held, and are entitled to apply for additional shares.

Shares that are unsubscribed may be open for application to the public on 9 January 2014, in accordance with Article 93 (3) of Myanmar Companies Act. The allotment of the new shares is expected to take place one week after closing of subscription and will entitle their holders to any dividends for the Financial Year 2013-2014. The sale of these new shares is only available for Myanmar nationals.

Oliver Slow “Our economy is on the cusp

of exponential growth that may not be easily repeated in the decades to come. It is there-fore our corporate strategy to proactively expand our existing operations and initiate start-ups in the next two to three years. To do so, we will need to strengthen our capital base and top up our war chest very quickly,” said U Theim Wai, chairman of FMI.

The placement of 2.5 mil-lion new shares will be fully underwritten by SPA Myanmar for a fee of 2%. “The assurance of capital ensures that our strategic corporate plans can be implemented on a timely basis”, said U Theim Wai, who is also the Chairman of SPA Myanmar.

Funds from the rights issue will be used in company projects such as in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone, in which FMI is committed to subscribing

of the Myanmar consortium of the site. Other projects include expanding existing operations in tourism and automobile divi-sions, building up of FMI Air following the granting of a tem-

as well as an additional invest-ment in Meeyahta International Hotel Ltd, a 10-acre mixed use property development in

downtown Yangon, which will

a shopping mall and high-end condominiums.

Myanmar Summary

Daiwa to Advise AGD BankKyaw Min

Daiwa Securities Group will advise Myanmar’s Asia Green Development (AGD) Bank as it prepares to go public on the country’s stock exchange, which is expected to be

implemented in 2015. At a signing ceremony in Yangon last week, chairman of AGD

publicly traded company in the country. The deal was signed in Myanmar between the bank and

Myanmar Securities Exchange Centre (MSEC), a Myanmar company owned by the Daiwa group and state-owned Myanmar Economic Bank.

MSEC and Daiwa Securities Co, Daiwa’s investment banking arm, will provide assistance in areas including negotiations with

count professionals.

Takashi Hibino, said the signing represents an important step for the development of an equity market in Myanmar.

Myanmar Summary

pGrf;tif0efBuD;XmerS tcsuftvuf rsm;t& tjynfjynfqdkif&m a&eHukrÜPD BuD;rsm;ESifh EdkifiHydkifa&eHESifh obm0"mwf aiGUukrÜPDrsm; tygt0if ukrÜPDaygif; 30 rS urf;vGefvkyfuGufrsm;twGuf wif'gavQmufxm;rIrsm;udk jyKvkyfxm;

aMumif; od&onf/ ,ck wif'gac:qdk,lrIwGif tpdk;&tae

jzif h urf;vGefvkyfuGufaygif; 30 twGuf wif'gac:qdkjcif;jzpfNyD; urf;OD;a&wdrf ydkif;vkyfuGuf 11 ckESifh a&eufydkif;vkyf uGuf 19 ckjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

tjynfjynfqdkif&m a&eHESifh obm0 "mwfaiGUvkyfief;rsm;rSvnf; pdwf0ifpm; rI&SdaeaMumif; od&onf/ *syefEdkifiH\ Mitsui Oil Exploration Company ESifh Shell wdkYrS yl;aygif;í vkyfuGuf oHk;cktwGuf wif'gavQmufxm;rI jyKvkyf xm;ovdk Chevron rS vkyfuGuf 2 cktwGuf wif'gavQmufxm;rI jyKvkyf xm;onf/ExxonMobil rS vkyfuGuf 2 cktwGuf avQmufxm;rI jyKvkyfxm;NyD; Statoil rS ConocoPhillips , Total wdkYESifhyl;aygif;í wif'gavQmufxm;rIudk vnf; jyKvkyfxm;onf/

jrefrmEdkifiHwGif vkyfief;tcdkiftrm&Sd aeaom xdkif;EdkifiH\ PTT Exploration and Production rSvnf; vkyfuGuf 1 cktwGuf wif'gavQmufxm;rI jyKvkyf xm;NyD;? rav;&Sm;EdkifiH\ Petronas rS vkyfuGuf 2 cktwGuf wif'gavQmuf xm;rI jyKvkyfxm;onf/tdEd´,EdkifiH\ OVL rSvnf; wif'gavQmufxm;rIrsm; jyKvkyfxm;aMumif; od&onf/

Daiwa Securities Group onf jrefrmEdkifiH\ tm&Spdrf;vef;zGHUNzdK;a&; bPftm; 2015 wGif taumiftxnf azmfaqmif&GufoGm;rnfh pawmhtdyfcsdef; wGif trsm;ydkiftjzpf ajymif;vJ&ef jyifqifaerItwGuf tBuHÓPfrsm;ay;oGm;rnf jzpfaMumif; od&onf/

vGefcJhonfhtywfu &efukefNrdKUwGif jyKvkyfcJhaom vufrSwfa&;xdk;yGJtcrf; tem;ü tm&Spdrf;vef;zGHUNzdK;a&;bPf\ Ouú| OD;oef;&Dutrsm;ydkif&S,f,mrsm;tjzpfa&mif;csrIvkyfief;pOftaejzifhatmifjrif&efESifh jrefrmEdkifiHwGif yxr OD;qHk; trsm;ydkifukrÜPDwpfckjzpfvmap&ef qE´jyKaMumif; ajymMum;cJhonf/

tm&Spdrf;vef;zGHUNzdK;a&;bPfESifhEdkifiHydkifjrefrmhpD;yGm;a&;bPfwdkYrSydkifqdkifaom Myanmar Securities Exchange Centre (MSEC) wdkYrS oabmwl vufrSwfa&;xdk;rIjyKvkyfcJhaMumif; od&onf/

&if;E SD; jr§KyfES HrIvkyfief;wpfck jzpfonfh First Myanmar Investment (FMI) onf jrefrmusyfaiG 25 bDvD,H (tar &duefa':vm 25 rDvD,H) wefzdk;&Sdonfh &S,f,mrsm;tm; ukrÜPD\vuf&Sd&S,f,m &Sifrsm;tm; a&mif;csay;&ef xkwfjyefcJh aMumif; od&onf/

tqdkyg &S,f,ma&mif;csrIrS &&Sdaom aiGrsm;tm; vkyfief;\ b@ma&;ydkif; qdkif&m zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrItwGuf toHk;jyKoGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/ukrÜPD taejzifh &S,f,m 2.5 rDvD,Htm; xkwfjyefoGm;rnfjzpfNyD; &S,f,mwpfck aps;EIef;rSm usyfaiG 10000 (tar&d uefa':vm 10 a':vm) jzifha&mif;cs oGm;rnfjzpfum vuf&Sd &S,f,maps;EIef; xuf 20 &mcdkifEIef;avQmhcsí a&mif;cs ay;oGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; ukrÜPDrS ajym Mum;cJhonf/

&S,f,mrsm;tm; vuf&Sdtpk&S,f,m &Sifrsm;twGuf 0,f,l&ef xkwfjyefay; oGm;rnfjzpfNyD; jrefrmukrÜPDrsm;tuf Oya' ESifhtnD Edk0ifbmv 25 &ufaeYrS Zefe0g&Dv 8 &ufaeYtxd a&mif;csoGm;rnfjzpf aMumif; od&onf/ 2014 ckESpf Zefe0g&Dv 9 &ufaeYwGifvnf; trsm;jynfolrS &S,f,mrsm; 0,f,l&eftwGuf &S,f,m zGifhay;oGm;rnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

INVESTMENT & FINANCE 23December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


Japan Helps Keep Myanmar On Track with Railways Servicing Equipment

Japan has provided railway equipment to Myanmar to help maintain its dilapi-

dated railway system.Japan International Trans-

port Institute (JITI) has pro-vided equipment worth 5.24 million yen ($55,000) to the state-run Myanmar Railways, it was reported last week.

Japanese companies have taken a key role in projects in Myanmar as it emerges from

infrastructure.The Japanese government has

proposed 11 projects for railway services to be implemented.

These include a 265 kilometre railroad between Yangon and

Oliver Slow phase of a Yangon-Mandalay, with a 172-kilometre Toungoo-Yamethin section as the second phase, and a 177-kilometre Yemethin-Mandalay section as the third.

The east Japan Railways Company has vowed to help promote the development of Myanmar railway manage-ment and transport by sharing technical knowledge with Myanmar.

Earlier this year, Japan announced that it would be providing Myanmar with a loan of over 51 billion ($497 mil-lion), of which about a third is to be used for construction and renovation of infrastructure, another third for the develop-ment of infrastructure at Thil-awa Economic Zone, and the rest for upgrading power grid

Myanmar Summary*syefEdkifiHrS rD;&xm;toHk;taqmif

ypönf;rsm;tm; jrefrmEdkifiHodkY axmufyHh cJhNyD; jrefrmEdkifiH\ rD;&xm;pepftm; xdef;odrf;jyKjyifrIrsm; jyKvkyfoGm;Edkif&eftwGufjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

Japan International Transport Institute (JITI) rS ,ef;aiG 5.24 rDvD,H (tar&duefa':vm 55000)tm; EdkifiHydkif jrefrmhrD;&xm;odkY axmufyHh cJhaMumif; od&onf/

q,fpkESpf 5 ckeD;yg; ppftpdk;&tkyfcsKyfrIvufatmufrS vGefajrmufNyD;'Drdkua&pD vrf;aMumif;ay:odkY a&muf&Sd vmcJ haom jrefrmEdkifiHwGif *syefukrÜPDrsm;taejzifh pDrHudef;rsm;wGif t"dutcef;u@rS yg0ifaeNyD;txl;ojzifhtajccHtaqmuf ttHku@üjzpf aMumif; od&onf/

The Five Laws of GoldDavid Mayes

As I have just written about educating yourself

a good follow up would be to -

ples outlined in one of the older works I mentioned, “The Rich-est Man in Babylon” by George S. Clayson. They are presented

they still hold true today. If you

ignore all the other advice I give in these columns, I am sure you will leave a nice estate behind to your loved ones.

1.Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

and that is simply to make sav-ing a habit. Many who fail to realize the importance of this simple technique usually fail to

core of building wealth, yet in the modern world of consumer credit the most common prac-tice is to do the exact opposite.

2.Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise

-able employment, multiplying

The power of compounding, even at low rates of return, will eventually lead to an upward

spiral. This is mathematically certain. Yet many people place large amounts of their earned income into depreciating as-sets, such as motor vehicles, grown up toys such as boats, and keeping up with the latest consumer trends. Again this is

-sumption now or later, and the

more you ought to get net in the long run.

3.Gold clingeth to the protec-tion of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.

Unfortunately this is much

world, where there are an in-creasing ways to lose money in very “sophisticated” ways. Yet at the end of the day, the force

markets still boils down to a never ending pendulum, swing-ing from greed to fear. This is what makes the masses pile into and out of asset classes and it will never change. A money manager with a good long term track record (meaning surviv-ing at least one full bull and bear cycle) is likely to continue to do well in coming cycles de-

An up and comer with a good story to tell is a wildcard to be avoided. Also avoid any stock market fund like the plague if their performance started after the crash of 2008, as they most likely have started anew after being devastated.

4.Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in busi-nesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are

Rules three and four are simply counterparts of each other. However, it is never wise to invest in anything you can’t completely understand. There are plenty of simple strategies that make money in the long run. Don’t overcomplicate it or

These two are obviously the

interest and scams and fund collapses abounding, but with a little caution you can avoid

most of the landmines. With di-

any speed bumps you do hit are easy to recover from.

5.would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the

and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and ro-mantic desires in investment.

This one is fairly straight-forward. Obviously going after astronomical returns is a

is not to mean a small portion of a portfolio can’t be allocated to higher risk asset classes, but you should never try to earn double digit returns on your entire estate as a strategy. You’d be amazed at what 15-20 years of 6-7% annual compounding can produce in total return.

David Mayes MBA provides wealth management ser-vices to expatriates throughout South East Asia, focusing on UK Pension Transfers. He can be reached at [email protected]. Faramond UK is regulated by the FCA and provides advice on pensions and taxation.

projects and power stations in and around Yangon.

Files

&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;taejzifh &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIqdkif&mynm&yfrsm;ESifh A[kokwrsm;udk udk,fwdkif&SmazGodkrSD;&rnf[k qdkcJh&mwGif “Five laws of gold” qdkonfhtcsuf ig;csufrSmvnf; od&Sdxm;&efvdktyfonf/ George S. Clayson \abbDvHkwGiftcsrf;omqHk;yk*¾d Kvfpmtkyfü tqdkyg tcsufig;csuf yg0ifaeNyD; ,aeYwdkif toHk;0ifaeao;onfudk od&Sd&ef vdktyf onf/tqdkygtcsufig;csufudkomvdkufem NyD; tjcm;tcsufrsm;udk vspfvsL½IcJhrnf qdkvQifawmif tusKd;rsm;pGmjzpfxGef;Edkif aMumif; David Mayes u qdkxm; onf/

yxrtcsuftaejzifh &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolwpfOD;taejzifh 0ifaiG\ q,fyHk wpfyHkudk pkaqmif;&ef vdktyfNyD; rdrd\tem*wfESif h rdom;pktwGuf ydkrdkaumif; rGefaomtajctaewpf&yfudk zefwD;&ef twGufjzpfaMumif; pma&;olu qdkxm; onf/ 'kwd,tcsuftaejzifh tusKd; tjrwfudk wjznf;jznf;csif; jyefvnf&&Sd Edkifonfh taetxm;udk od&Sdxm;&ef vdktyfonf/ vltawmfrsm;rsm;taejzifh tqdkygtcsufudk em;rvnfMubJ vkyfief; tusKd;tjrwftm; tcsdefwdktwGif; &&Sd rnf[k xifrSwfavh&SdMuonf/ &if;ESD; jr§KyfESHolrsm;taejzifh vkyfief;wpfck\tusKd;tjrwftm; tcsdefwdktwGif; &&Sd Edkif&ef arQmfrSef;avh&S dMuaomfvnf; trSef wu,fwGif vkyfief;tusKd;tjrwf&&SdrI rSm wjznf;jznf;csif;wdk;wufvmonfudk owdjyK&efvdktyfonf/wwd,tcsuf rSm &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIwGif uRrf;usifaomol rsm;\ tBuHÓPfudk &,l&efyifjzpfonf/

tqdkygtcsufrSm ,aeYacwfwGif tvGefcufcJaom tcsufwpfckyifjzpf onf/&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm;taejzifh tvGef rsm;jym;NyD; ½IyfaxG;aom tcsufrsm; aMumifh qHk;½HI;Edkifonfh taetxm;wGif&S daeonf/ &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIESifhpyfvsOf;í a&&SnfrSwfwrf;aumif; tcsuftvuf aumif;rsm; &SdaeoltzdkY vwfwavm umvwGif tcuftcJrsm; &Sdaeaomf vnf; vkyfief;qufvufvkyfudkifEdkifonfqdkonfhtcsufudk od&Sd&ef vdktyfonf/

pwkw¬tcsufrSm &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm; taejzifhrdrdwdkY&if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrnfh vkyfief;tm; od&S dem;vnfxm;&ef vdktyf NyD; vkyfief;oabmobm0rsm;udkvnf; oabmaygufxm;&ef vdktyfonf/ rdrd &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIvkyfief;taMumif;udk od&Sd em;vnfxm;rSom &if;ESD;jr§KyfES HrIwGif qHk;½H I;epfemrIrsm;udk rjzpfay:vmap &efpDrHaqmif&GufEdkifrnfjzpfonf/ yÍör ajrmuftcsufrSm &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHolrsm;tae jzifh tvGef*½kpdkufí &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrI jyK& rnfjzpfNyD; cdkifrmaom &if;ESD;jr§KyfESHrIrsm;jzpfvmap&eftwGuftaotcsmaqmif &GufoGm;&rnfjzpfonf/


www.mmbiztoday.com

24

INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULEFligghhtss ffroom Yanggon (RGNN) to Bangkok ((BKK) Fligghhtss ffroom Banggkok (BKKK) to Yaangon (RGN)

Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by: Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by:PG 706 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 7:15 9:30 Bangkok Airways DD4230 1 3 5 7 DMK RGN 06:30 07:55 NOK AirlinesDD4231 1 3 5 7 RGN DMK 8:00 9:45 NOK Airlines 8M336 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 6:40 7:25 MAIFD2752 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN DMK 8:30 10:15 Thai AirAsia FD2751 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DMK RGN 7:15 8:00 Thai AirAsia8M335 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 8:40 10:25 MAI TG303 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 8:00 8:45 Thai AirwaysTG304 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 9:50 11:45 Thai Airways PG701 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 8:50 9:40 Bangkok AirwaysPG702 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 10:45 12:40 Bangkok Airways FD2755 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DMK RGN 11:35 12:20 Thai AirAsiaY5-237 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 18:05 19:50 Golden Myanmar Airlines PG707 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 13:40 14:30 Bangkok AirwaysTG302 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 14:45 16:40 Thai Airways Y5-238 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 21:10 21:55 Golden Myanmar AirlinesPG703 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 15:20 17:15 Bangkok Airways FD2753 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DMK RGN 16:35 17:20 Thai AirAsia8M331 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 16:30 18:15 MAI PG703 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 16:45 17:35 Bangkok AirwaysFD2754 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN DMK 17:50 19:35 Thai AirAsia TG305 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 17:55 18:40 Thai AirwaysPG704 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 18:25 20:20 Bangkok Airways 8M332 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 19:20 20:05 MAITG306 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN BKK 19:40 21:35 Thai Airways PG705 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BKK RGN 20:00 21:15 Bangkok Airways

FFligghhtss ffroomm Yangoon (RGN)) to Chiaang Maii (CNX) FFligghhtss ffroomm Chiangg Mai (CCNX) to YYangon (RGN)W9-9607 4 7 RGN CNX 14:50 16:20 Air Bagan W9-9608 4 7 CNX RGN 17:20 17:50 Air Bagan

Flligghtss ffroom Yanggon (RGNN) to Sinngapore (SIN) Flligghtss ffroom Singaapore (SIN) to Yangon ((RGN) Y5-233 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN SIN 10:10 14:40 Golden Myanmar Airlines Y5-234 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SIN RGN 15:35 17:05 Golden Myanmar AirlinesMI509 1 6 RGN SIN 0:25 5;00 SilkAir SQ998 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SIN RGN 7:55 9:20 Singapore Airline8M231 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN SIN 8:30 13:00 MAI 8M6231/3K585 1 3 4 5 6 SIN RGN 9:10 10:40 Jetstar AsiaSQ997 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN SIN 10:25 14:45 Singapore Airline 8M232 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SIN RGN 14:10 15:40 MAI

8M6232/3K586 1 3 4 5 6 RGN SIN 11:30 16:05 Jetstar Asia MI518 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SIN RGN 14:20 15:45 SilkAir8M233 5 6 7 RGN SIN 13:45 18:15 MAI 8M235 5 6 7 SIN RGN 19:15 20:45 MAITR2827 1 6 7 RGN SIN 15:10 19:35 TigerAir TR2826 1 6 7 SIN RGN 13:00 14:30 TigerAirTR2827 2 3 4 5 RGN SIN 17:10 21:35 TigerAir TR2826 2 3 4 5 SIN RGN 15:00 16:30 TigerAirMI517 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN SIN 16:40 21:15 SilkAir MI520 5 7 SIN RGN 22:10 23:35 SilkAir

FFliightts frromm Yangonn (RGN) tto Kualaa Lumpuur (KUL) Fligghtts frroomm Kuala LLumpur (KUL)too Yangonn (RGN)AK1427 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN KUL 8:30 12:50 AirAsia AK1426 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KUL RGN 6:55 8:00 AirAsia8M501 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN KUL 8:55 12:55 MAI MH740 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KUL RGN 10:05 11:15 Malaysia AirlinesMH741 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN KUL 12:15 16:30 Malaysia Airlines 8M502 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KUL RGN 14:00 15:00 MAI

Fligghtts frrom Yanngon (RGGN) to HHanoi (HHAN) Fligghtts frrom Hannoi (HANN) to Yanngon (RRGN) VN956 1 3 5 6 7 RGN HAN 19:10 21:30 Vietnam Airlines VN957 1 3 5 6 7 HAN RGN 16:35 18:10 Vietnam Airlines

Flligghhtss ffroomm Yangon (RGN) to Ho CChi Minhh (SGN) Flligghhtss ffroomm Ho Chii Minh (SSGN) to Yangonn (RGN) VN942 2 4 7 RGN SGN 14:25 17:10 Vietnam Airlines VN943 2 4 7 SGN RGN 11:40 13:25 Vietnam Airlines

Flligghtss ffrom Yanngon (RGGN) to TTaipei (TTPE) Flligghtss ffrom Taipei (TPEE) to Yanngon (RGN)CI7916 1 2 3 4 5 6 RGN TPE 10:50 16:10 China Airline CI7915 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TPE RGN 7:15 10:05 China AirlineBR288 2 5 6 RGN TPE 11:35 17:20 EVA Air BR287 2 5 6 TPE RGN 7:30 10:35 EVA Air

Flligghhtss ffroom Yanggon (RGNN) to Kunming(KMG) Flligghhtss ffroom Kunmming(KMMG) to Yangon ((RGN)CA906 2 3 4 6 7 RGN KMG 14:15 17:35 Air China CA905 2 3 4 6 7 KMG RGN 12:40 13:15 Air China

MU2032 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN KMG 14:40 17:55 China Eastern MU2031 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KMG RGN 13:30 14:00 China EasternMU2012 3 6 RGN KMG 12:20 18:10 China Eastern (via NNG) MU2011 3 6 KMG RGN 8:25 11:30 China Eastern (via NNG)

Flligghtss from Yanngon (RGGN) to BBeijing (BJS) Flligghtss from Beijjing (BJSS) to Yanngon (RRGN)CA906 2 3 4 6 7 RGN BJS 14:15 21:55 Air China (via KMG) CA905 2 3 4 6 7 BJS RGN 8:05 13:15 Air China (via KMG)

Fligghhtss ffroom Yanggon (RGNN) to Naanning (NNG) Fligghhtss ffroom Nannning (NNNG) to Yaangon ((RGN)Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by: Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by:MU2012 3 6 RGN NNG 12:20 16:25 China Eastern MU2011 3 6 NNG RGN 10:15 11:30 China Eastern

FFligghhtss ffroomm Yangoon (RGN)) to Honng Kong (HKG) HHonngg KKoong (HKG) Flights from Yaangon ((RGN) KA251 1 2 4 6 RGN HKG 1:10 5:35 Dragon Air KA250 1 3 5 7 HKG RGN 21:50 23:45 Dragon Air

Flligghhtss ffroomm Yangon (RGN) to Guanng Zhouu (CAN) Flligghhtss ffroomm Guang Zhou (CCAN) to Yangonn (RGN) 8M711 2 4 7 RGN CAN 8:40 13:15 MAI CZ3055 3 6 CAN RGN 8:40 10:30 China Southern AirlinesCZ3056 3 6 RGN CAN 11:20 15:50 China Southern Airline 8M712 2 4 7 CAN RGN 14:15 15:45 MAICZ3056 1 5 RGN CAN 17:40 22:15 China Southern Airline CZ3055 1 5 CAN RGN 14:45 16:35 China Southern Airlines

FFlighhts ffroom Yanggon (RGN) to Koolkata (CCCU) FFlighhts ffroom Kolkkata (CCUU) to Yaangon (RRGN) Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by: Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by:

AI228 5 RGN CCU 18:45 19:45 Air India AI227 1 5 CCU RGN 10:35 13:20 Air IndiaAI234 1 5 RGN CCU 13:40 16:55 Air India (via GAY) AI233 5 CCU RGN 13:30 18:00 Air India (via GAY)

Fligghhtss ffrom Yanngon (RGGN) to GGaya (GAAY) Fligghhtss ffrom Gayya (GAY) to Yanngon (RGGN) 8M 601 1 3 5 6 RGN GAY 10:30 11:50 MAI 8M 602 1 3 5 6 GAY RGN 12:50 16:00 MAIAI234 1 5 RGN GAY 13:40 15:00 Air India AI233 5 GAY RGN 15:00 18:00 Air India

Fligghtts frrom Yanngon (RGGN) to TTokyo (NNRT) FFliightts frrom Tokkyo (NRTT) to Yaangon (RRGN)NH914 1 3 6 RGN NRT 22:00 06:40+1 ALL NIPPON Airways NH913 1 3 6 NRT RGN 11:10 17:05 ALL NIPPON Airways

FFligghhtss ffrom Yanngon (RGGN) to SSeoul (ICCN) FFligghhtss ffrom Seooul (ICN)) to Yanngon (RGGN)KE472 1 3 5 7 RGN ICN 0:05 8:00 Korean Air KE471 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ICN RGN 18:40 22:55 Korean Air

OZ7463 4 7 RGN ICN 0:50 8:50 Asiana OZ4753 3 6 ICN RGN 19:30 23:40 Asiana

Flligghtss ffrom Yanngon (RGGN) to DDoha (DOOH) Flightts frrom Dohha (DOH) to Yangon (RRGN)QR619 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN DOH 8:00 11:45 Qatar Airways QR618 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DOH RGN 21:05 06:29+1 Qatar Airways

Flligghhtss ffroomm Yangon (RGN) to Nay Pyi Taww (NYT) Flligghhtss ffroomm Nay Pyyi Taw (NNYT) to Yangonn (RGN)Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by: Flight No. DDayss From To ETD ETA Operated by:FMI-A1 1 2 3 4 5 RGN NYT 7:30 8:30 FMI Air Charter FMI-A2 1 2 3 4 5 NYT RGN 8:50 9:50 FMI Air CharterFMI-B1 1 2 3 4 5 RGN NYT 11:30 12:30 FMI Air Charter FMI-B2 1 2 3 4 5 NYT RGN 13:00 14:00 FMI Air CharterFMI-C1 1 2 3 4 5 RGN NYT 16:30 17:30 FMI Air Charter FMI-C2 1 2 3 4 5 NYT RGN 18:00 19:00 FMI Air CharterFMI-A1 6 RGN NYT 8:00 9:00 FMI Air Charter FMI-A2 6 NYT RGN 10:00 11:00 FMI Air CharterFMI-A1 7 RGN NYT 15:30 16:30 FMI Air Charter FMI-A2 7 NYT RGN 17:00 18:00 FMI Air Charter6T211 1 7 RGN NYT 15:30 16:25 Air Mandalay 6T212 1 7 NYT RGN 16:45 17:40 Air Mandalay

FFliightts frrom Yangoon (RGN) to Manndalay ((MDY) FFliightts frrom Manddalay (MDDY) to YYangon (RGN)Y5-234 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN MDY 6:15 7:30 Golden Myanmar Airlines Y5-233 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MDY RGN 8:10 9:25 Golden Myanmar AirlinesYH 909 2 4 6 7 RGN MDY 6:30 8:10 Yangon Airways YH 910 1 3 MDY RGN 7:40 10:30 Yangon AirwaysYH 917 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN MDY 6:10 8:30 Yangon Airways YH 918 1 2 3 4 6 7 MDY RGN 8:30 10:25 Yangon AirwaysYH 727 1 5 RGN MDY 11:15 13:25 Yangon Airways YH 728 1 5 MDY RGN 9:10 11:05 Yangon AirwaysYH 731 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN MDY 15:00 17:10 Yangon Airways YH 732 1 2 3 4 5 6 MDY RGN 17:10 19:15 Yangon AirwaysW9 501 1 2 3 4 RGN MDY 6:00 7:25 Air Bagan W9 502 1 2 3 4 MDY RGN 16:10 18:15 Air BaganK7 222 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN MDY 6:30 8:40 Air KBZ K7 223 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MDY RGN 9:00 11:05 Air KBZYJ 201 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RGN MDY 11:30 12:55 Asian Wings YJ 202 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MDY RGN 16:00 17:25 Asian Wings

Days - (1) Monday (2) TTueesdaay (33) WWeddnessdaay (4) Thursdayy (5) Friday (6) SSaturday (7) Suunday Days - (1) Monday (2) TTueesdaay (33) WWeddnessdaay (4) Thursdayy (5) Friday (6) SSaturday (7) Suunday

PROPERTY & REAL ESTATE 25December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


Fifty three hotels, with a capacity of more than 3,800 rooms opened in

the capital city Nay Pyi Taw just in time for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which got underway on December11.

According to an announce-ment by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, eleven hotels were opened on November 26 and 27, with the rest opening a few days later.

In the announcement, the ministry said that guests arriv-ing in Nay Pyi Taw for the SEA Games should report to the Committee for Accommodation and Reservations, which will coordinate accommodation for visitors, with rooms priced between $100 and $150 for non-competing visitors.

For coaches and athletes, rooms will be priced at $70 and media $55, according to a

The SEA Games, which will attract competitors and visitors from across the continent, are seen as a key test for Myanmar to measure if they are ready to cope with the surge of interest that is coming the nation’s way

Hotel Rooms Made Available for Start of SEA Games

Shein Thu Aung

Workers at the Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Nay Pyi Taw, which will host the opening ceremony of the Southeast Asia Games.

File

s

in the midst of the economic reforms that are taking place in the country.

Visitors might be short of options for sightseeing when visiting the city for the 22-day event. Only established as a city in 2006, the government has attempted to make it a more attractive tourist desintaitons by adding activities such as museums, parks and a zoo.

With the increase in construction in Yangon, cement has seen a huge sales surge.

In the construction material market, demand for cement is increasing rapidly in Yan-

gon, according to construction

Cement Sees Solid Sales Surge

Kyaw Min

File

s

Myanmar Summary

material sellers in the city. In particular, Thai brands

Elephant and Diamond ce-ment are selling the best in the city, which is seeing a surge in properties being built as the

country continues to attract in-creased interest, and therefore visitors, from the international community.

Local brands have also seen a surge in sales, according to

sellers.“In the present market, not

only the larger Thai brands are selling well, but local brands have seen a boost too,” said U Than Tun from Sawbwar-gyigone construction material market.

Brands from Vietnam are per-forming well too, with Double Ace, Rhino, Flying Horse and Horse Head, which are gener-ally cheaper than their Thai rivals in Yangon’s market.

“More people prefer cheaper products,” Daw Khing Khing from Thapyay Nyo Construc-tion Materials shop told My-anmar Business Today. “Theygenerally prefer a fair price with medium quality,” she added.

tdrfaqmufypönf;aps;uGufwGif a&mif; tm;aumif; xdkif;EdkifiHxkwf bdvyfajr wHqdyfrsm;ESifh tjcm;bdvyfajrwHqdyf r sm;rSmvnf;0,fvdktm; jrif hwufvm aMumif; bdvyfajrESifhtdrfaqmufypönf;ta&mif;qdkifrsm;rS od&onf/

xdkif;EdkifiHxkwf bdvyfajrwHqdyfrsm; jzpfaom qifwHqdyfESifh pdefwHqdyfbdvyf

ajrrsm;onf a&mif;tm;taumif;qHk; bdvyfajrrsm; jzpfaomfvnf; jynfwGif;xkwfbdvyfajrrsm;tygt0if tjcm; trSwfwHqdyfrsm;rSm 0,fvdktm;rsm;vm um a&mif;tm;aumif;rGefvmaMumif;? apmfbGm;BuD;ukef;&Sd bdvyfajrESifhtdrf aqmuf ypönf; a&mif ; 0,f a&; qdkif rS OD;oef;xGef;u ]]tckaps;uGufxJrSm t&if wkef;uvdk qifwHqdyfESifh pdefwHqdyf bdvyfajrawGyJ a&mif;tm;aumif;wm r[kwfbl;/usefwHqdyfawGvnf; a&mif; tm;aumif;ygw,f}}[k ajymonf/

,if;uJhodk Y a&mif;tm;aumif;rGefvm aom bdvyfajrwHqdyfrsm;rSm AD,uferf EdkifiHxkwf Double Ace wHqdyf? BuHUwHqdyf? jrif;ysHwHqdyfESifh jrif;acgif;wHqdyfbdvyfajrwdkYjzpfNyD; rdk;wGif;umv twGif;u pwifa&mif;tm;aumif;vm cJhjcif;jzpfum ,if;trSwfwHqdyfrsm;onf qifwHqdyfESifh pdefwHqdyfbdvyfajrrsm; xuf aps;EIef;ydkrdkoufomaMumif; od& onf/

oajyndKtdrfaqmufypönf;ta&mif; qdkifrS a':cdkifckdifu ]]tckvlawGu aps;oufomwmudkyJ ydkoHk;vmMuw,f/ aps;vnf;oufomNyD; t&nftaoG; oifhwifhwJhwHqdyfawGudk ydka&G;cs,fvm Muwmrsm;w,f}}[k ajymonf/

ta&SUawmiftm&Stm;upm;yGJawmf twGuf aejynfawmfwGif [dkw,faygif; 53 ck zGifhvSpfxm;cJhNyD; tcef;aygif; 3800 txd &SdaeaMumif; od&onf/

[dkw,fESifhc&D;oGm;vma&;0efBuD;XmerS aMunmcsuft& Edk0ifbmv 26 &uf aeYESifh 27 &ufaeYwGif [dkw,f 11 vHk; udk zGif hvSpfcJ hNyD; usef&S donfh[dkw,frsm;tm; &uftenf;i,ftMumwGif zGif hvSpfcJ haMumif;od&onf/

tqdkygxkwfjyefaMunmcsufwGif 0efBuD; XmerS qD;*drf;tm;upm;yGJawmftwGuf aejynfawmfodkY vma&mufMurnfh {nfhonf awmfrsm;taejzifh Accommodationand Reservations aumfrwDodkY taMumif;Mum;oifhNyD; tm;upm;NydKifyGJ rsm;wGif ,SOfNydKifolr[kwfonfh {nfhonf awmfrsm;\ [dkw,ftcef;crsm;twGuf tar&duefa':vm 100 rS 150 Mum;

&Sd&efudk aocsmapzdkYjzpfaMumif; 0efBuD; XmerS ajymMum;cJhonf/

tm;upm;enf;jyrsm;ESif h tm;upm;

orm;rsm;twGuf [dkw,ftcef;crsm;rSm tar&duefa':vm 70 jzpfNyD; rD'D,m rsm;twGuf tar&duefa':vm 55

a':vmjzpfaMumif; 0efBuD;XmerS trI aqmifwpfOD;\ ajymMum;csuft& od& onf/


www.mmbiztoday.com

26

Myanmar Summary

PROPERTY & REAL ESTATEoverheads than Macau and can promise higher incentives to wealthy

greater privacy, a key ad-vantage for wealthy play-ers who drop 1 million yuan ($164,000) a bet and are wary of China's anti-corruption drive.

Heng Sheng, one of Ma-cau's youngest junket out-

public in the near future, has cooperation agree-ments with Danang's Crown Casino in Vietnam and in Walkerhill casino in South Korea.

"Heng Sheng this year started its international expansion," the com-

pany's assistant director, Luke Lu, said.

"Right now we have agreements in place overseas, gradually we'll move to open VIP rooms and then take stakes in the casinos."

Suncity operates VIP rooms around Asia, including in Austral-ian billionaire James Packer's Crown casino in Melbourne and in Philip-pine tycoon Ricky Razon's Solaire casino in Manila.

The group, which is headed by 39-year-old Macau businessmen Alvin Chau, also has a joint venture operation at the Cagayan Holiday and Leisure resort in the north of the Philippines.

Jimei, run by Guang-zhou-born junket tycoon Jack Lam, operates two resorts in the Philippines as well as a gambling ship that does daily cruises out of Hong Kong.

"The terms the junkets get overseas are typi-cally much better than in Macau. For instance, in the Philippines, due to the lower tax rate, jun-kets can receive a bigger commission," said Peter Lok, a former executive of Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd and Jimei Group.

Casinos in Macau - the only place in China where gambling is legal - pay close to 40 percent of gaming revenues in taxes, compared with just 15 percent for VIP gambling revenue in the Philippines.

Another way Macau junkets are adapting their business is to appeal more to middle-class gamblers and leisure travellers, who Macau authorities are targeting in a bid to turn the former Portuguese colony into an international tourist

Myanmar Summary

destination.While these punters

place smaller bets than the super-rich, they gen-

the casino operators do not need to pay com-missions to the junkets to bring them into their resorts.

So the junkets are using sophisticated promotions and sponsorship of major events to broaden their appeal beyond the VIP market and overcome their image as shady businesses with alleged criminal connections.

"More junkets are looking at the cash and premium mass player for business opportunities," said Chien Lee, former chairman and chief ex-ecutive of Iao Kun Group which is planning a Hong Kong listing.

Heng Sheng is sponsor-ing the Macau Interna-tional Movie Festival in December while Suncity is launching its own quar-terly magazine about lifestyle and business at the end of this year.

Yu Yio Hung, a Macau

junket operator of 27 years, said rapid growth has raised new challenges for the industry.

"The gaming conces-sionaires (casinos) want to promote the mass market business which is increasing very fast. The concessionaires are rais-ing the bar for VIP club operators and they need to meet higher and higher targets," he told a Macau Gaming conference in November. Reuters

reDvmwGifumpDEdk½H krsm;ü upm; aeMuaomoltrsm;pkrSm w½kwf EdkifiHom;rsm;jzpfNyD; avmif;upm;½Hk rsm;taejzifh 0ifaiG&&S drIrSm tvGef vsifjrefpGmwdk;wufvmaeaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

zdvpfydkifEdkifiHtaejzifh tqdkyg umpDEdkvkyfief;wdk;wufvmrIaMumifh ruúmtdkESif hyifwlaeaMumif;zdvpfydkif EdkifiH w&m;0ifavmif;upm;vkyfief;r sm; zG HUNz dK;wdk;wufrIqdkif&m 'kOuú|jzpfol Francis Hernando u ajymMum;cJhonf/

csrf;om<u,f0aom w½kwf EdkifiHom;avmif;upm;jyKvkyfolrsm;taejzifh tm&S\ zGHUNzdK;wdk; wufvmaom umpDEdk½Hkrsm;wGif trsm;tjym;&SdaeNyD; ruúmtdk\ azsmfajza&;qdkif&matmfya&wmrsm;u a'owGif;vkyfief;rsm; zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufrI&Sdvm&eftwGuf

vkyfief;rsm;tm; wGef;tm;wpfck tjzpf toHk;jyKaeMuaMumif; od& onf/

azsmfajza&;qdkif&matmfya&wmrsm;taejzif h tm&Swpf0ef;wGif vky fief;rsm;cs J UxGif&eftwGuf tcGifhtvrf;&SmazGaeNyD; tBuD;qHk;vkyfief;csJUxGifrItqifhwpfck jzpfvmrnfjzpfaMumif; ruúmtdk

tajcpdkuf twdkifyifcHvkyfief; IGamiX rS tm&S*drf;aps; uGufqdkif&m twdkifyifcHwpfOD;jzpf onfh Ben Lee u ajymMum; cJhonf/

jynfyvkyfief;cs J UxGifr Ionf azsmfajza&;vkyfief;qkdif&matmfya&wmrsm;twGuf vkyfief;aqmif&Gufrnfhudpö&yfrsm;xJrS wpfckyif jzpf NyD; umpD Edk vkyf ief; rsm; rS aumfr&Sifcudkvnf; &&SdaMumif; od&onf/

umpDEd kvky fief;rsm;taejzifh vnf; aiGaMu;trsm;tjym;oHk;pGJ í avmif;upm; jyKvkyfolrsm;udk qGJaqmif&eftwGuf BudK;yrf; aeonf/ruúmtdk\ avmif;upm; vkyfief;0ifaiGwGif VIPs rS &&Sd aom 0ifaiGrsm;rSm usqif;cJhNyD; tv,ftvwfwef;pm; avmif; upm;jyKvkyfolrsm;xHrS &&Sdaom0ifaiGrSm wdk;wufvmcJhaMumif;od&onf/

azsmfajza&;atmfya&wmrsm;taejzifh ,cktcg ruúmtdkwGif toHk;jyKaom vkyfief;ydkif;qdkif&m enf;pepfrsm;tm; uarÇm'D;,m;? zdvpfydkifESifh AD,uferfEdkifiHrsm; wGif toHk;jyK&ef BudK;yrf;aeMu aMumif;vnf; od&onf/

Suncity , Heng Sheng Group , David Group, Tak Chun , Jimei Group, Golden Group , Mega Stars ESifh Golden Dragon wdkYonf jynfywGif vkyfief;rsm; aqmif &Guf&ef tcGifhtvrf;rsm; &SmazGae onfh azsmfajza&;atmfya&wm rsm;xJrSm atmfya&wmtcsKdUyif jzpfonf/ ta&SUawmiftm&SwGifzGHUNzdK;wdk;wufvmaom umpDEdk½Hk rsm;taejzifh ruúmtdkESifhEdIif;,SOf vQif taxGaxGtoHk;p&dwf ydkrdk enf;yg;NyD; <u,f0csrf;omaom avmif;upm;jyKvkyfolrsm;twGuf ydkrdkqGJaqmifrIvnf;ay;EdkifaMumif;od&onf/

IT & TELECOM 27December 12-18, 2013


Ooredoo Announce Sponsorship of Myanmar Football FederationQOoredoo has announced

that it has become the

Football Federation (MFF). Ooredoo revealed last week

that it has reached an agreement to sponsor all national teams in Myanmar including men’s, women’s and youth teams and comes at an important time as the national teams gears up to play in the 27th Southeast Asia Games.

Ooredoo recently announced their sponsorship of French giants Paris St Germain (PSG) and revealed that two talented young Myanmar footballers will be invited to attend a coaching session in Dohar led by PSG coaches at the end of the month.

“We are proud to show our support towards Myanmar Football Federation and Oore-doo is committed to building sports and sportsmanship across the country,” said Ross Cormack, CEO of Ooredoo My-anmar. “Football brings all the nation together and all walks of life, we have found a great part-nership with MFF,” he added.

Ooredoo and PSG will also

training programmes to Myan-mar with an aim to further de-

Oliver Slow velop footballers in the country, which is ranked 140th in FIFA rankings.

“We are very honoured to re-ceive such tremendous support from an international organisa-tion like Ooredoo,” said U Zaw Zaw, president of MFF. “This support will allow us to be suc-cessful in all MFF development programmes and international games. We hope to receive con-tinuous support from Ooredoo and we wish Ooredoo every suc-cess in launching operations,” he added.

Ooredoo has taken a key role in the development of sport in Myanmar since being an-nounced as the winner of two international telecommunica-tions licenses in June. The company recently announced

the Myanmar Chinelone Fed-eration and Special Olympics Myanmar.

Ooreddo also recently hosted

it attempted to attract Myanmar nationals for roles including Customer Service, Retail, Sales, Network and IT, Finance and Human Resources.

Chris Bannister, COO Ooredoo Myanmar shakes hands with U Zaw Zaw, president of Myanmar Football Federation.

Ooredoo

File

s

Telenor Nearly ReadyTelenor is ready to begin

work on building its t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s

operations within the country,

Su Su as soon as the government

negotiations on the telecoms licenses that were handed to Telenor and Ooredoo in June.

“We are in the midst of get-

-ecoms law and the regulations,” Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and CEO of Telenor told Global Telecoms Business. “When that is done, hopefully by the end of

this year, there will be a roll out period until the launch can take place later in 2014,” he added.

Slowly emerging from years of military rule, Myanmar’s telecommunications sector is

seen as a key area of growth, both for the country’s own economy and inter-national businesses coming in. According

less than 10 percent of the country’s 60 million population is connected to a mo-bile phone, but that

explode once the in-ternational operators roll out their work and make SIM cards

In a country where many workers earn less than $100 a month, a SIM card, even on the black-market, is available for at least $150.

“This is a country of 55 to 60 million people that really has

of mobile communications. The deployment of telecoms in Myanmar will probably be as

before,” Baksaas said. He added that it was impor-

tant for all of the country’s population to have access to a mobile phone.

“The mobile phone is not something for the elite or the rich. The mobile phone is not a luxury item. On the contrary, it is something for everyone.”

Baksaas raises the possibility that there will be some element of sharing with Ooredoo. “The concept of sharing will be wide-ly used, because the country has a lack of basic infrastruc-ture when it comes to energy. Base stations need to be set up, backhaul to be constructed,” he said.

It is almost the last chance in the world to build a new mobile business in almost untouched market, he said. “There aren’t

more. You can say that Ethiopia is one. And North Korea.”

Myanmar SummaryumwmtajcpdkufqufoG,fa&;vkyfief;

BuD;jzpfonfh Ooredoo

jzifh jrefrmEdkifiHabmvHk;tzGJUcsKyf\ w&m; 0ifrdwfzuftzGJUtpnf;jzpfvmrnf[k aMunmcJhaMumif; od&onf/

jrefrmEdkifiHrS jrefrmtrsKd;om;abmvHk; toif;? jrefrmtrsKd;orD;abmvHk;toif; ESifh vli,ftoif;rsm;twGuf pyGefqm rsm; jyKvkyfay;oGm;&eftwGuf oabmwlnDcsufwpf&yfudk a&muf&SdcJhaMumif; Ooredoo rS xkwf jye faMunmcJ hNyD; 27 BudrfajrmufqD;*drf;tm;upm;yGJawmf

twGuf tqdkygtoif;rsm;taejzif h vGefpGmta&;ygaMumif;vnf; od&onf/

Ooredoo onf rMumao;rDu jyifopfEdkifiH\ Paris St Germain (PSG) ESifh pyGefqmoabmwlnDcsuf wpf&yfudk aMunmcJhNyD; jrefrmEdkifiHrS xl;cRefvli,fabmvHk;tm;upm;orm; 2 OD;tm; PSG rS enf;jyrsm;rS OD;aqmif í avhusifhoifMum;ay;rnfh avhusifhrI rsm;tm; Dohar wGif oGm;a&mufí

yg0ifavhusifhEdkif&eftwGuf zdwfac: oGm;rnf[kvnf; ajymMum;cJhonf/

jrefrmEdkifiHabmvHk;tzGJUcsKyftm; tul tnDrsm; ay;&onfhtwGuf vGefpGmrS 0rf;om*kPf,laMumif;ESif h Ooredoo rS tm;upm;rsm;ESifh tm;upm;orm;rsm; tm; jyKpkysKd;axmif&mwGif tultnD rsm;ay;oGm;rnf[k Ooredoo Myanmar rS pDtD;tdk Ross Cormack u ajymMum;cJhonf/


www.mmbiztoday.com

28IT & TELECOM

Myanmar Summaryconsortium has shifted its focus to the leasing of telecommunications towers.

Oliv

er S

low

Digicel, Yoma Announce Telecoms Tower Partnership with OoredooShein Thu Aung

Digicel and YSH Finance, the latter of which com-prises Yoma Strategic

Holdings and First Myanmar Investment (FMI), last week announced that its consortium, entitled Digicel Asian Holdings, has signed an agreement with Qatar-based telecommunica-

construct and lease telecom-munication towers within the country, as part of Ooredoo’s plans to bring vast telecommu-nications services to Myanmar.

Digicel was one of a dozen international telecommunica-

-munication license in June this year, but lost out to Ooredoo and Telenor of Norway.

Keen to remain in Myanmar,

in the telecoms industry with an estimated 10 percent of the population having access to mo-bile phones, Digicel has decided to focus on leasing its towers to maintain an active role in a country where it gained success with its aggressive marketing campaign.

“We are delighted to work with Ooredoo and to help develop a high quality telecom-munications network across the

Republic of the Union of Myan-mar, contribute to the growth of the Myanmar economy

across all of the country’s states, regions and union territories,” said Denis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel.

Serge Pun, chairman of Yoma Strategic and FMI, added, “Today’s announcement is a

and social development of the Republic of the Union of Myan-mar. We are delighted to play our part in such development and look forward to working closely with the government, authorities, telecommunica-tions operators and other local companies.”

“In our case we are partici-

such,” says Baksaas. “Then of course it’s an evolution in many markets, Myanmar included, to be addressed by us in the future.”

Speaking of the role of the tel-ecoms industry in general, Bak-saas spoke of the tremendous impact it can have on society.

“Not least, we invest a lot lo-cally and we are in that sense the trusted partner. When we are handling your communi-cations to your friends, your business partners and all your relations. That is a phenomenal asset.”

Myanmar Summary

SE Asia IT Market to Grow in 2014: Report

Aye Myat

The global IT market has had a tough year in 2013, in part due to lower than

expected demand, but a recent report suggests that spending on IT-related products could surge next year.

In a report entitled ‘IDC Asia/-

dictions’, by International Data Corporation (IDC), emerging markets will play a key role in driving spending in the region 8.7 percent higher next year.

“India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and China are the

IT spending. In terms of the requirement they have in emerging markets, a very high proportion of spending will be on mobile devices,” said Sandra

-dent told CNBV.

"We think that when it comes to wearable [technology], Asia will pick up faster than other parts of the world because I think Asians in general are more open to the whole wear-

able concept. The second would be online commerce because in emerging markets you don't necessarily have accessibility to retail stores and even if you do, they might not have stocks for the latest products," she said.

IDC predicts that by 2015 the increasingly frequent ap-plication of technology to meet business demands will heighten the risk of project failure to 'unacceptable levels'.

"We believe that more and more organizations will be deploying multi-dimensional technologies what we call 'mashups', which is really a combination of cloud, analytics, mobile, social all a combina-tion. This is a lot more complex than just deploying mobility, or just deploying cloud as a stand-alone technology area. Secondly it's the pace of change which

most competitive market in the world. These two factors come into play and the risk factor of problems and security breaches increases," Sandra said.

Myanmar Summary

Yoma Strategic Holdings , First Myanmar Investment (FMI) ESifh Digicel yl;aygif;z G J Upnf;xm;onfh tiftm;pkBuD;jzpfonfh Digicel Asian Holdings onf umwmtajcpdkuf qufoG,f a&;vky f ie f; BuD; jzpfonf h Ooredoo ESifh qufoG,fa&;wm0grsm;

tm; yl;aygif;aqmif&GufcGi f hqd ki f&m oabmwlnDcsufwpfcktm; vufrSwf a&;xdk;cJhaMumif; od&onf/

Ooredoo taejzifh jrefrmEdkifiHwGifqufoG,fa&;0efaqmifrIrsm;udk ay;oGm; rnfjzpfNyD; ,ckoabmwlvufrSwfa&;xdk; rIonf Ooredoo \ tpDtpOfrsm;rS wpfpdwfwpfydkif;yifjzpfaMumif;vnf; od& onf/

jrefrmEdkifiHwGif qufoG,fa&;u@ zGHUNzdK;wdk;wufvmap&eftwGuf tjynf jynfqdkif&mqufoG,fa&;atmfya&wm BuD;rsm;tm; wif'gac:,lcJhNyD; Digicel onfvnf; wif'gavQmufxm;rI jyKcJ h onf/odkYaomfvnf; ZGefvwGif csay;cJ h aomqufoG,fa&;vkdifpiftm; Ooredoo ESifh Telenor wdkYrS &&SdcJhum Digicel rS vGJacsmfcJh&onf/

qufoG,fa&;atmfya&wmBuD;rsm; taejzifh jrefrmhqufoG,fa&;aps;uGuf wGif &if;ESD;jr§KyfESH&eftwGuf qE´&SdMuNyD; vlOD;a&\ 10 &mcdkifEIef;eD;yg;avmuf om rdkbdkif;zkef;toHk;jyKEdkifao;onfh

twGuf tcGifhtvrf;aumif;rsm;pGm&&Sd apEdkifonfh aps;uGufwpfcktjzpf ½Ijrif Muonf/ Digicel rS jrefrmEdkifiHwGif qufoG,f a&;wm0g rsm;tm; tiSm; 0efaqmifrIrsm;udk t"dutm½Hkpdkuf vkyf aqmifoGm;&ef qHk;jzwfcJhonf/

urÇmvHk;qdkif&m tdkifwDaps;uGuftae jzifh 2013 ckESpfwGif cufcJMurf;wrf; aomtajctaewpf&yfudk &ifqdkifcJh&NyD; arQmfrSef;xm;onfxuf usqif;aom 0,fvdktm;aMumif hvnf;jzpfaMumif; od& onf/

odkYaomfvnf; rMumao;rDu xkwf jyefcJhaom ppfwrf;rsm;t& tdkifwDESifh qufpyfonfh xkwfukefrsm; 0,f,loHk;pGJ rIonf vmrnfhESpfwGif jrifhwufvm vdrfhrnf[k ,lqEdkifaMumif; od&onf/

International Data Corporation (IDC)rS jyKvkyfcJhaom IDC Asia/

Predictions [k trnf&S daom ppfwrf; t& zGHUNzdK;qJaps;uGufrsm;taejzifh vm rnfhESpfwGif tdkifwDxkwfukefrsm; 0,f,l oHk;pGJrI 8.7 &mcdkifEIef; ydkrdkjrifhrm;vm a&;twGuf t"duusaomtcef;u@wGif yg0ifaeaMumif; od&onf/

tdEd´,? tif'dkeD;&Sm;? AD,uferf? xdkif; EdkifiHESifh w½kwfEdkifiHwdkYonf tdkifwDxkwf ukefrsm;twGuf xdyfwef;aps;uGufrsm; yifjzpfNyD; zGHUNzdK;qJaps;uGufrsm;wGif tdkifwD xkwfukefrsmvdktyfaeaMumif;od&onf/

Telenor taejzifh jrefrmEdkifiHwGif qufoG,fa&;vkyfief;rsm;tm; pwif aqmif&Guf&eftwGuf tqifoifhjzpfae NyD; tpdk;&tmPmydkifrsm;u qufoG,f a&;vdkifpifrsm;tm; tNyD;owfaqmif &GufEdkifcJ hNyD;vQif vdkifpif&&Sdxm;aom qufoG,fa&;ukrÜPDrsm;jzpfonfh Telenor ESifh Ooredoo rIrsm;udk aqmif&Guf&ef toifh&SdaeNyDjzpf aMumif; od&onf/

,cktcg qufoG,fa&;Oya'ESif h pnf; rsOf;pnf;urf;rsm;tm; tNyD;owfaqmif

&GufEdkif&eftwGueD;uyfvmNyDjzpfaMumif; Telenor rS pDtD;tdkjzpfonfh Jon Fredrik Baksaas u Global Telecoms Business odkY ajymMum;cJh onf/

tqdkyg pnf;rsOf;pnf;urf;rsm;tm; ,ckESpfukefwGif tNyD;owfaqmif&GufEdkif

u ajymMum;cJhonf/ppftpdk;&tkyfcsKyfrI rS vGefajrmufNyD; 'Drdkua&pDvrf;aMumif; ay:odkY a&muf&Sdvmaom jrefrmEdkifiH wGif qufoG,fa&;u@rSm zGHUNzdK;wdk;wuf rItwGuf ta&;ygaomtcef;u@wpfck jzpfonf/EdkifiH\ pD;yGm;a&;ESifh tjynf jynfqdkif&mvkyfief;rsm; jrefrmEdkifiHwGif 0if a&mufaqmif& GufEd kif&e ftwGuf qufoG,fa&;u@rSm ta&;ygaeonf/ tcsuftvufrsm;t& jrefrmEdkifiHvlOD; a& oef;ajcmufq,fwGif 10 &mcdkif EIef;atmufom rdkbdkif;zkef;toHk;jyKEdkifNyD; ,cktcg tjynfjynfqdkif&matmfya&wmBuD;rsm; qufoG,fa&;vkyfief;rsm; wGif 0ifa&mufvmonfhtwGuf rdkbdkif; zkef;toHk;jyKrIrSmvnf; wdk;wufvm&ef arQmfrSef;xm;NyD; qif;uwfwefzdk;rsm;rSm vnf;yd krd koufomvmEdkifaMumif;od& onf/ wpfvvQif tar&duefa':vm 100 atmufom&&Sdonfh jrefrmEdkifiH wGif arSmifcdkaps;uGufwGif qif;uwf aps;EIef;rSm tenf;qHk; tar&duef a':vm 150 txd &Sdaeonf/

AUTOMOBILE 29December 12-18, 2013

Myanmar Summary


who previously worked at GM and Honda Motor. GM’s Steve Kim noted that economic power shifts mean the next wave of designers is likely to emerge from China and Southeast Asia.

TrailblazerA trailblazer for today’s

Korean design talent was John Chun, a Korean War veteran who in the late-1960s designed Shelby Cobras, tricked-out per-formance variants of the Ford Mustang. Chun, who was also a consultant to Hyundai and worked for Tonka Toys, died in July, aged 84.

A couple of decades later, Art Center’s Lim and Bentley’s Lee came of age, paving the way for the current generation of Korean designers, though Ban-gle, the ex-BMW design chief, said the world is still waiting for Korea to produce the likes of Japan’s Ken Okuyama, who designed the Ferrari Enzo, and Shiro Nakamura, Nissan Mo-tor’s chief designer.

Beyond an innate design talent, Koreans’ success owes much to the nation’s famed work ethic and tenacity, said Bangle, recalling how Jay Jongwon Kim, an industrial design student, turned up un-announced at BMW’s Munich studio one day in 2006.

With no appointment, Kim paid his own way to Germany armed only with the address of BMW’s headquarters, a portfo-

lio of designs and a hunger to succeed. Once he had located the design studio, Kim had to beg reluctant receptionists to call a designer whose name he had found on the Internet. The student, who barely spoke English, let alone German, was eventually allowed in and

the MINI studio and then at the main BMW studio to Bangle and current BMW design chief Adrian Van Hooydonk.

Six months later, Kim was back at BMW, this time with an appointment, to present to Bangle a scaled-down model of a design he had shown earlier. He gave a dazzling presenta-tion, complete with lights and

ternship on the spot. That led to

later, which was scuppered by

Undeterred, Kim secured a position at Mercedes-Benz’s studio in Yokohama, and later moved to GM’s Opel, where his work on the Monza concept hints at the design language for Opel’s next generation of cars.

Cadillac’s park A key member of GM’s “Kore-

tine Park, who was lead interior designer for the Cadillac XTS full-size sedan launched last year to help revive the storied brand.

Park, now Cadillac’s lead ex-terior designer, says the success

Models unveil a concept car at an auto show.

Toru Hanai/R

euters

German car giant Merce-

showroom in Myanmar on November 29.

Mercedes-Benz Showroom Opens

Kyaw Min Located in Yangon’s Ma-yangone township, the new showroom will exhibit the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and will

Mercedes cars in 2014.

parts and servicing will be

technicians at the showroom’s workshop.

“We appreciate having the

new Mercedes-Benz cars and spare parts as well as the servic-ing of cars in Myanmar,” said Wolfgang Huppenbauer, CEO of Daimler Southeast Asia, who will distribute Mercedes-Benz cars. “Now, purchasers of Mer-cedes-Benz cars can overcome

service,” he added. Myanmar’s auto market has

seen huge potential in recent years. Under the country’s military rulers, car import taxes were so expensive that very few citizens were able to own cars. However, the quasi-civilian government that came to power in 2011 has made cars available at a much more reasonable price.

Kya

w M

in

of her compatriots coincides with the rise of Korea’s fashion and architectural industries as the economy has prospered. She says her parents and grand-parents are part of Korea’s lost generation for whom life was a tough slog through Japanese occupation, World War II and the Korean War.

“They had to worry about whether they had enough to eat day to day,” said the Korea native who was educated in California. Parents wanted their children to become law-yers, doctors or engineers, she added. “Now, art is very much celebrated,” making car design a more desirable career choice.

Bentley’s Lee said Koreans are also playing catch-up with developed car markets as they lacked a “car culture.” The 44-year-old said that, unlike some of his peers today, his family did not have “a big garage full of hot-rod cars.” Similarly, Kim at Opel, the son of a rice miller, said he rarely saw cars on the streets of Buan when he was growing up.

From the age of 12, Lee at-tended “art cram school” in the evenings in Seoul, determined to gain entry to Hongik Uni-versity, a leading art school. He went on to study sculpture at Hongik and then car design at Art Center, before joining GM in 1999 after a stint at Porsche and Pininfarina, an independ-ent Italian design studio.

“We don’t have a strong au-tomotive tradition in Korea, so

most of us are very hungry and willing to work hard” to gain the knowledge and expertise in car design, Lee said. “That makes

The biggest challenge for Ko-rean designers now is consist-

to developing a lasting legacy

designers,” Patrick le Quement, Renault’s design chief who retired in 2009 after 22 years, said in an email exchange.

“Design is like F1 racing, it’s good to win a race, but it doesn’t mean you’ll become world champion. There are drivers who made a habit of winning and those that won occasionally, for lack of talent, concentration and dedication.”

“I’m very impressed by the overall quality of young Korean designers. Consistency is the sign of real talent.” Reuters

Mercedes-Benz Showroom (Phase 1) udk Edk0ifbm 29 &ufu &efukefNrdKUwGif pwifzGifhvSpfcJhaMumif; od&onf/

tqdkyg Showroom udk trSwf 51? jynfvrf;? r&rf;ukef;NrdKUe,f? &efukef wGif zGifhvSpfxm;NyD; ,if;wGif aemufqHk; ay: 2014 xkwf Mercedes-BenzS-Class topftm; cif;usif;jyooGm;

rnfjzpfNyD; jrefrmEdkifiH&dS jynfolrsm;tae jzifh 2014 ckESpftapmydkif;wGif zGifhvSpf rnfh Main Showroom rwdkifcif um;rsm;udk w&m;0if0,f,lEkdifNyD; 0ef aqmifrIrsm;yg &&S dEd kifrnfjzpfaMumif; od&onf/

]]jrefrmEdkifiH&S d Mercedes-Benz 0,f,l olawG BuHKawGUae&wJh 0efaqmifrIESifh raocsm ra&&mjcif;pwJh tcuftcJrsm; udk ausmfvTm;EkdifNyD; t&nftaoG;jynfhrD wJh Mercedes-Benz um;opfrsm; ? um;tydkypönf;rsm;eYJ 0efaqmifrIrsm;udk jrefrmEdkifiHodkY w&m;0ifa&mif;cscGifh&&Sd EkdifcJhwJhtwGuf twdkif;rod 0rf;om auseyfrdygonf/ ,ae YzGihfvSpfcJ hwh J Mercedes-Benz Showroom (Phase 1) rS uRefawmfwdk Y a&mif;tm;t&nftaoG; eJY 0efaqmifrIrsm;udk a&&SnfwnfwHh atmif qufvufvkyfaqmifoGm;zd k Y &nf&G,fygw,f}}vdkY Daimler South East Asia Pte Ltd rS CEO Mr. Wolfgang Huppenbauer u ajym Mum;cJhonf/

]]jrefrmEdkifiHrSm&SdwJhMercedes cspfciftm;ay;olrsm;taejzifta&S Uawmif tm&SEdkifiHr sm;rS0,f,lolrsm;ESifhtcsdef wpfajy;nDS-Classtopfudk0,f,lydkif qdkifEdkifrnfjzpfygw,f/ }}[kOD;atmifrdk; ausmfrS jznfhpGufajymMum;oGm;onf/

Models pose next to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which will be available at the company’s Yangon showroom.

rGefpGm avhusihfoifMum;xm;ovdk pnf;rsOf;pnf;urf;udkvnf; vdkufemMuaomolrsm;jzpfaMumif; BMW rS ,cif 'DZd kif;yd kif;qdkif&mtBuD;tuJjzpfonfh Chris Bangle u ajymMum;cJhonf/ 12 a,mufrS 15 a,muftxd&Sdaeaom Art Center &Sd oifMum;a&;tcef; wpfcef;wGif xuf0ufausmfrSm tm&SrS jzpfMuNyD; tqdkygxuf0ufwGif udk&D;,m; EdkifiHom;rsm;rSm xuf0ufeD;yg;yg0ifae aMumif; od&onf/

GM \ urÇmvHk;qdkif&mxkwfvkyfrI u@rS tBuD;tuJjzpfolESif h w½kwf,lepf \ Ouú|jzpfaom Tim Lee u urÇmhum;trSwfwHqdyftrsm;pkrSm ,ck tcg t&nftaoG;ydkif;ESifh enf;ynmydkif; wGif uGmjcm;rIr&SdawmhbJ wlnDvmcJh aMumif;? rwlnDuGJjym;jcm;em;rIudk armfawmfum;'DZdkif;yifjzpfapaMumif; ajym Mum;cJhonf/


www.mmbiztoday.comCLASSIFIEDS 30

SOCIAL SCENES 31December 12-18, 2013


Anup Kumar Chakma, ambassador of Bangladesh to Myanmar, hands over a prize at the Bangladesh Festival 2013 in Yangon. Bangladesh Embassy

U Myint Swe, chief minister for Yangon region (2nd R), Anup Kumar Chakma (2nd L), ambassador of Bangladesh to Myanmar, and Rezina Ahmed (3rd L), minister and deputy chief of mission, Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar, inaugurates the Bangladesh Festival 2013. Bangladesh Embassy

U Myint Swe, chief minister for Yangon region, visits stalls with Anup Kumar Chakma (L), ambassador of Bangladesh to Myanmar, and Rezina Ahmed (R), minister and deputy chief of mission, Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar. Bangladesh Embassy

Anup Kumar Chakma (2nd L), ambassador of Bangladesh to Myanmar, and Rezina Ahmed (3rd L), minister and deputy chief of mission, Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar, pose for a group photo. Bangladesh Embassy

Fahmid Bhuiya (L), Pact Global Microfinance’s chief operating officer, watches a cul-tural show with delegates at the event. Bangladesh Embassy Children perfom traditional Bangladeshi dance. Bangladesh Embassy A traditional Bangladeshi dance perfomance. Bangladesh Embassy

A musical show at the event. Bangladesh Embassy Children at a fashion show at the event. Bangladesh Embassy

Wolfgang Huppenbauer, chief executive officer, Daimler Southeast Asia speaks on stage. Kyaw Min

U Htay Aung, chairman of Sakura Co Ltd (right) poses with a guest. Kyaw MinAlex Newbigging, group managing director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. Kyaw Min

Models pose with the Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class. Kyaw Min The brand-new Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class. Kyaw Min

Bangladesh Festival 2013

Opening of Mercedes-Benz Showroom in Yangon Ooredoo Sponsorship of Myanmar Chinlone Federation

Chris Bannister, chief operations officer, Ooredoo Myanmar speaks at the event. Ooredoo

Elaine Kelly, Ooredoo employee poses for a photo. Ooredoo

A Chinlone player showcases his skills at the event. Ooredoo

Wolfgang Huppenbauer, chief executive officer, Daimler Southeast Asia speaks on stage. Kyaw Min


www.mmbiztoday.com

32ENTERTAINMENT

30 Days in Myanmar: A Book to Showcase Myanmar

Earlier this year, 30 in-ternationally-acclaimed photographers descend-

ed onto Myanmar’s shores for 7 days of shooting around the country.

From the Tanintharyi region of the south, to the mountain-ous Kachin State, and dozens of places inbetween, the cameramen and women from 11 countries around the world clicked and documented life in the country as it emerges from decades of oppression and military rule and begins to open itself up to the world.

The result of their endeavours

Oliver Slow has been captured in the book ‘7 Days in Myanmar’, a 276-

book which was the brainchild

The book’s front cover.

ED

M B

ooks

of Singapore-based publisher Didier Millet.

Speaking at a ceremony to

of the book, which was hosted at Yangon’s Chatrium Hotel on

Shwedagon at twilight by Athit Perawongmetha.

ED

M B

ooks

December 2, Minister for Tour-ism U Htay Aung said that the book can help enhance the pro-motion of Myanmar as a tourist destination as it continues to be one of the world’s most popular destinations.

Of the 30 photographers, 21 were established photogra-phers from countries around the world including the United

States, France and the United Kingdom, while nine were up-and-coming photographers from within Myanmar. Those included Reuters photographer Soe Zeya Tun and a host of oth-

Commuters on a train at night by Giles Sabrie.

er local photographers whose works are now being recognised

The book also includes text to explain many traditions and aspects of life in the country, with an introduction written by Dr Thant Myint-U, an introduc-tion to Myanmar by Associated Press journalist Denis Gray, a 19th century photography essay

Travelers pass the Goteik Viaduct in Shan State by Kyaw Kyaw Winn.

ED

M B

ooks

ED

M B

ooks

in colonial Burma by British Li-brary historian John Falconer, captions by historian Dr Thaw Kaung and journalist Patrick Winn, and an essay on the making of the book by editor

Nicholas Grossman. The book is being marketed

as a multi-media tool, and also

includes a 47-minute DVD covering the behind-the-scene process of making the book, a photo exhibition which is cur-rently taking place at Chatrium Hotel, but will soon move to the Myanmar Deitta gallery on Parami Road.