News Week 2006

News Week Vol. 1, No. 53 (December 7)

• Expansion work on the Yangon International Airport is completed about 95 per cent. The expanded airport will enable to handle Boeing 747 aircraft. There are 28 airports in Burma. The existing Fokker F28 or F27 aircraft will be replaced with France's ATR aeroplanes in order to improve the efficiency of domestic air transportation sector. 

News Week Vol. 1, No. 51 (November 23)

• Illegal logging in border areas with China has been cleared out due to effective actions taken since April this year. Teaks from Kachin (East) and Shan (north-eastern) states are now being sold legally. 

News Week Vol. 1, No. 48 (November 2)

• The Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise is considering allowing foreign companies for oil exploration in its six inland oil blocks. Burma produced 7.962 million barrels crude oil and 11.45 billion cubic-foot of natural gas in last fiscal year and has earned more than US$1billion from export of 9.138 billion cubic-foot in the year.

• Vietnam Air will expand its operation to three countries including Burma.

• The early October torrential rain has damaged the nearly one-year old 400-foot bridge that spans on Punlaung River in Mandalay Division's Sintkaing Township. The construction of the bridge has cost K140million and US$0.007million.
  
  
  

News Week Vol.1, No. 46 (October 19)

• Temporary family registration cards are made available in Rangoon for those who have yet to make such cards. Households who are staying in the rented houses can also apply for having such temporary cards. The move is to collect the actual number of people staying in Rangoon.

• The Myanmar Livestock Federation accelerates work on establishing a 783-acre livestock-breeding zone in Mandalay Division's Lewe Township in collaboration with livestock breeders from Yamethin Township.

News Week Vol. 1, No. 44 (October 5)

• The British Embassy in Rangoon is accepting application for a security manager post and applications are to be submitted by October 7.

• The skyrocketing onion price is likely to drop again when monsoon harvest crop enters the market. The monsoon onion is grown since June and July, and will be harvested in October. 

News Week Vol. 1,No 43 (September 28)

• One-week Burma-China photos exhibition is held on September 20 in the National Museum to mark 15^th anniversary of establishing bilateral relationship. Total of 121 photos is displayed at the exhibition of which 32 are from Burma.

• Prices of Thai-made electrical appliances increase gradually while those of China-made electrical products change slightly only. There is regular supply of China products while there is supply shortage of Thai products.

• Chicken demand decreases slightly because of surging prices.      

• Asia Development Bank agrees to grant US$1.565billion loan for conducting Greater Mekong Sub-region's three-year development project from 2007 to 2009. 
  
  
  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 42 (September 21)

• India's GAIL will invest Rupee7000million within two years in oil and gas exploration and production in Burma's offshore.

• The Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, Russian JSC Zarubezhneft Itera Oil and Gas Company and Indian Sun Group have agreed to explore and produce oil and natural gas at M-8 Block in Mottama offshore.

• China, Russia, Qatar and Congo cast negative votes for putting the issue of political repression and human rights violations in Burma on UN Security Council agenda.

• Myanmar Rice and Paddy traders' Association held a paper reading section and workshop on September 16 for stabilising rice prices and for development of rice and paddy production and trading.   
  
  
  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 41 (September 14)

• Volumes of both export and import goods via border decrease and border trade is cool since August second week. Trading is likely to be the same till September.

• Iron bars import from China and India decreases as there is more utilisation of locally produced iron bars, which are used because of their improved quality.

• The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation will launch US$203,000 one-year project in collaboration with the Department of Forestry to help develop capacity of the department's staff.

• Engines and vehicle accessories, which would satisfy assembling 771 buses and trucks, are allowed to import. Assembling of buses and heavy trucks are still less and government urges the assemblers to increase their production.

• Bangladesh imported Taka3.7million worth Burmese liquors in 2005-06 fiscal year. Burmese liquors have higher demand especially in Cox's Bazar.              
  
  
  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 40 (September 7)

• Commodities from Burma are imported to Bangladesh via border without difficulty so as to control price rises and supply shortage in the latter country.

• Thai government plans to sign a Baht7million worth contract to buy timber from Burma in order to overcome supply shortage of raw materials in its furniture industry.

• Rangoon's special retail rice shops that distribute rice with discounted K400 per pyi (2.15kilo) have hit daily demand of 3,000 rice bags, and more than 40,000 bags are also sold throughout the country within one week.

• Supermarkets are struggling to have regular sales because they cannot stock new products in their shelves and because of possibly deteriorating situation the supermarkets are considering to lay off a number of their staff. (It is likely that most products sold in supermarkets are imported illegally/unofficially and because of crack down in border checkpoints smuggling or illegally importing of new commodities are brought to a standstill).   

News Week Vol. 1, No. 39 (August 31)

• A two-day Indonesian products exhibition and business matching is held at the headquarters of Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries on August 27 for the first time. Total of 21 booths of which 11 are from Indonesia displayed at the exhibition. 

• The National Library, to be auctioned on August 24, houses more than 0.75 books, journals and magazines. U Kyaw Oo, a director who is in charge of the library, said efficient service will also prepare available when the library moves to a new place, which is yet to identify.   

• Perennial plants such as rubber and palm oil are targeted to be grown in 25million acres by 2030-31 fiscal year.

News Week Vol. 1, No. 29 (June 22)

• The increase numbers of garment factory along border areas attract more skill labours from major cities including Rangoon, Bago and Ayeyarwaddy divisions because those factories offer better salaries and facilities.

• The volume of commodity exports to China increases during the first two weeks of June. No commodity from China is imported via Muse 105^th mile trade zone during June first week. While commodity flow between Burma and Thailand is normal. 

• Bangladesh will spend taka10million for building a bridge over Nat River to help facilitate the trade flows between the two countries.

• The Myanmar Rice Traders Association sells 20 rice bags a week with discount price to the retail shops in Rangoon that sell rice and edible oil. The association's special offer has resulted in rice prices decrease.

• Travel agencies will require obtaining permissions of local authorities and immigration department for arranging a stay of foreigners in areas or hotels and inns, which are yet permitted to accept tourists. Both agencies and hotels will be face arrest if found making an unofficial arrangement of accommodating the foreigners.     
  
  
  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 28 (June 15)

• Burma is building four dams over Thanlwin River for producing electricity in collaboration with Thai private electricity company. Once completed more than 13,000 megawatts can be generated for domestic use and excess power capacity will be sold to Thailand.

• A local private company plans to produce bullet-proof glass after it enables producing tempered glass domestically. Tempered glasses previously are imported from Singapore, China and Thailand.    

• The refugee camps along Burma-Thai borders had contributed the unstable environment in Taung-gu and Nyaung-lay-bin where KNU sometimes operated, the Minister for Information, Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan said, adding that there were 3.5million Karen in Burma and of which 0.1 per cent of Karen population only are KNU.

• Top three investors in Burma from 1988 to date are Singapore, Britain and Thailand followed by Malaysia with US$660.75million.

• Burmese prominent vocalists including Zaw Win Htut and Tinzar Maw plan to hold a concert in Britain late June.

• Importers are restricted to import raw materials only, which are equivalent to 80 per cent of their proposed money for import. Raw materials mean finished products such as vehicle spare parts to be assembled locally.  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 27 (June 8)

• Fish supply to wholesalers in Nyaungtan and central fish market in Kyitmyintdaing Township declines about 40 per cent since late May because only few fishing boats operated during pre-rainy season.

• Five European countries including Britain would contribute US$100million once Burma's collaboration with the United Nations and other international relief agencies got improved in combating contagious diseases including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, the UN's Mr Charles Petrie said.

• The Association of Medical Doctors of Asia is continuing its services including health care for aged and children in Wa special region and it will end the operation in August this year.

• Chinese government arrested illegal loggers and gems and mineral smugglers in Burma and Yunnan Province's border area a couple of months ago and its border checkpoints will monitor to rule out the Chinese from entering illegally into Burma. 

News Week Vol. 1, No. 26 (June 1)

• As part of a special project to distribute electricity to Rangoon western district including Hlaingthaya industrial zone construction work of the posts for power transmission lines are almost completed.

• A 7-mile long 24-inch water distribution pipe is connected from Ngamoeyeit main water distribution station to Thuwunna in Thingangyun Township. The new pipeline will help distribute water sufficiently to South Okkalapa, Thingangyun and Thaketa townships.

• Internet connection begins available three days after its failure on May 24 because of sub-marine cable link damage in coast off Singapore.

• Merchants are facing difficulties in exporting fishery products to Thailand as Myawaddy trade zone is still closing even though other border trade zones are functioning their normal operations.          

News Week Vol. 1, No. 25 (May 25)

• The European Commission spends Euro 0.55million for promoting health cares and children education since 2003.

• The Japanese Itochuu Corporation is keen to invest in A1 Block drilling project in Rakhine offshore where the Korean and Indian companies are joint venturing with the Ministry of Energy for oil exploration.

• The Myanmar Rural Development Bank is granting total of K4,000million loan to help support farmers for rainy season crops plantation

News Week Vol. 1, No. 24 (May 18)

• Sports and news journals have increased their prices since early May due to the higher paper prices and transportation charges.

• The Australian mining company will buy 30,000 tonnes antimony within three months from a local company that has permit for antimony export. The local company is also discussing with the American mining companies for export of half million tonne antimony.

• Eel export to China resumes since May after one-month hold-up.
  
  
  

News Week Vol. 1, No. 23 (May 11)

• The shopping centres in Rangoon have tightened security measure more on May 7. They have been increasing security control after last May tragedy when three bomb blasts kill many people.

• Gold price is still unstable at about K490,000/K480,000 even though it has dropped slightly during this week.

• Myanmar Gold Cycle Company will build a direct rail link that will take two hours only to Rangoon and Pyinmana. Survey on establishing a railroad in underway and construction work is expected to begin at the end of rainy season.

• Some local crops and lumber export and import companies are stopping their operation while some are laying off about 50 per cent of their staff. Some seamen agencies are also planning to stop their operation. The home decoration companies are likely to reduce their number of employees.

• The Ministry of Forestry is establishing a model forest plantation project in Pauk-kaung in collaboration with Japan International Forestry Promotion and Co-operation Centre.

• German government donated Euro0.7million through UNICEF for the youth and regional development program.

News Week Vol. 1, No. 22 (May 4)

• Gold price rises incredibly during this week and one tical of gold is priced with about K0.55million.

• Severe wind in Hlaingthaya township on April 28 has destroyed or damaged five factories in No (3) and (4) industrial zones and more than 200 buildings in (15) and (16) quarters killing a resident and 21 injured.

• The accommodation cost for pursuing long term courses in UK is cheaper than that of in other countries as every student who studies six months and above courses receives free health care and discount medication while they also receive discount for using international student's identity card. 

• The entrepreneurs from Chinese Yunnan Province are negotiating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation for growing rubbers in 0.7million acres in Burma.

News Week Vol. 1, No. 21 (April 27)      

• Chinese merchants are importing canes from Puta-O and Tanaine in Kachin State via Bhamo-Lweje road.

• Burma-based Korean companies are interested in purchasing coppers from Monywa copper mine, and two Korean companies including Daewoo Company plan to buy the copper since later this year.

• Burma's population is about 54 million and with the annual increase of 1million and an agricultural expert suggested that Burma needed to expand rice cultivation acres in order to meet the expected local consumption.

• The Myanma Posts and Telecommunications will expand 29,500 telephone landlines in Rangoon's six townships as part of its efforts to improve the country's communications sector.

• The Ministry of Forestry is collaborating with the Malaysia-based International Plant Genetic Resource Institute for bamboo research project.

• The Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank has linked with more than 370 banks throughout the world for the transactions. It offers current and six-month fixed accounts, and any deposits in fixed accounts with more than US$100 will receive the interests with the rate set by the Central of Myanmar.  

• A local Gold Cycle Co., Ltd is collecting a massive tonnes of antimony that are found largely in Kaya State for export purpose, and it has signed contracts with antimony mining companies during April for purchasing the metal.

News Week Vol. 1, No. 20 (April 20)

 ·         Shwe Thanlwin Company will begin operation of its palm oil grinding mill in Thaketa Township during this month.

Licences of the motor cycles in Pyinmana will be extended only after they are registered in other townships rather than in Pyinmana

News Week Vol. 1, No. 19 (April 6)

 ·         Myanmar War Veterans Organisation is successfully assembling five types of heavy trucks so far and it plans to manufacture excavators later.

·         Burma exports turmeric fingers to India, Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates.

·         The British Council’s Education UK exhibition 2006 was held on April 2 at the Traders Hotel. The exhibition, participated by 17 colleges and universities from UK, was held in collaboration with Mentor International and Regent Consultancy Services Co., Ltd. An official from the British Council said it was important to have genuine information for those wishing to study in London and the exhibition provided the Burmese students and their parents opportunities to discuss directly with representatives from UK’s colleges and universities.

·         Burma’s export volume during March to December last year increased about 52.1 per cent while import volume dropped about 26.2 pre cent compared to the same period in previous year.

The Department of Health Planning and World Health Organisation is conducting five years project on infant care and health care capability development. The two organisations will also expand health care activities in each state and division for eliminating infant, under-five and maternal mortality rates.