WHEN the former chief engineer at Myanma
Posts and Telecommunications, U Tint Lwin, spoke in Yangon in
November 2002 on ‘narrowing the digital divide’, Myanmar’s
technological development was still in its infancy.Nearly two
years later, Myanmar has succeeded in dramatically increasing
internet access. The challenge now, say industry sources, is
to bridge the telecommunications gap, and the key to that is
boosting mobile phone services. [FullStory]
Thinking Aloud talks to Professor
Dr Myo Myint, the president of the Myanmar Medical
Association
WORK has begun on nine hotel projects at
Ngapali Beach to meet the growing demand for accommodation in
the area, which is emerging as one of the country’s most
popular seaside destinations, an official at the Directorate
of Hotels and Tourism said last week. [Fullstory]
Secretary-2 of the State Peace and
Development Council, Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, said on
April 20 that work had been completed on most of the buildings
at the convention venue, the government owned Nyaunghnapinkwin
resort, about 20 miles west of Yangon. [Fullstory]
THE Forestry Ministry has begun working on
plans to transform a 21,890-square-kilometre tiger
conservation area in far northern Kachin State into a
functional reserve.The plans follow the establishment of the
world’s largest tiger reserve in the Hukaung Valley last
month. [Fullstory]
In their first game, Myanmar lost 11-0 to Asian silver
medallists China in their Asia Zone Group B Olympic Games
qualifying match in Hiroshima, Japan on April 18. A subsequent
7-0 loss to South Korea last Tuesday meant Myanmar finished
third in Group B, despite a 2-0 victory over last-placed Guam
last Thursday. [Fullstory]
OFFICIALS in the education sector say it is more
important to upgrade the primary and secondary syllabus
than to introduce more years of schooling.The director
general of the Myanmar Education Research Bureau, U
Myint Han, said introducing more years of schooling
would require a complete overhaul of the primary and
secondary education. [Fullstory]
IMPROVED diets for Myanmar soccer players are
essential to improve onfield performance and endurance,
says a leading sports medicine specialist.Doctor Molly
Chit, the head of the institute’s medical department,
told Myanmar Times that players often have their own
ideas, beliefs, and food preferences. [Fullstory]
ONE of Myanmar’s most
revered Buddhist sites, the Kyaikhtiyo or ‘Golden Rock’
pagoda in Mon State, has attracted a record number of
foreign tourists since the annual Buddhist pilgrimage
season began early last October, officials said last
week.They said more than 19,000 tourists had visited the
pagoda up until April 16, the highest number for the
season, which finishes at the end of May. [Fullstory]
COOPERATION between the Myanma Salt and Marine
Chemicals Enterprise and the United Nations Children’s
Fund since 1992 has led to a dramatic reduction in the
incidence of a disfiguring condition caused by a lack of
iodine in the diet, a workshop has been told. [Fullstory]
Speaking in Yangon last
Thursday, Mr Yang Chonghui, senior advisor to the
government of Yunnan Province, said economic ties with
Myanmar were vital to increasing Chinese trade and
investment in Southeast Asia. He also highlighted
Myanmar’s increasing geo-economic importance as part of
the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
trading bloc. [Fullstory]
The project is being
developed by the Department of Human Settlement and
Housing Development. Private contractors began
construction in February and are expected to finish by
June, said U Myint Swe, the deputy director of the
department. [Fullstory]
THE Asia Express
Company is nearing the completion of its first three
towers in its massive Diamond Condominium construction
project, but developers say the second phase is being
delayed by insufficient cement rations. [Fullstory]
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)