7Day News 2007

7Day News, Vol. 5, No. 51 (March 1)

• A time bomb exploded on a highway passenger bus while it was waiting for passengers in Mawlamyine highway bus terminal on February 21. The blast destroyed part of the vehicle but no one was reported injured. (February 22 news)   

• The British Council will hold a ceremony to mark the 10^th World Book Day on March 1 and the commemoration will include a talk led by Juu, writer and environmentalist and a story telling session for the children. (February 21 news)

• With the assistance of the Japan Global Fund Project the Meteorology and Hydrology Department will distribute pamphlets for free to the basic education schools throughout the country to raise awareness on environmental issues. (February 21 news)

• Burma earned K20.809billion from fruit export to China within December 26 to mid February and enjoyed a trade surplus of K19.85billion in the similar period. (February 20 news)

• An average of 100 visses of onion are still imported from India via Tamu border town 

• Required equipment to be installed at the Ministry of Industry No (2)'s heavy machinery plant in Bago Division arrived in the Thilawa Port. The Thailand's Khron Thai Tractor Company agreed in 2005 to grant the loan for establishment of the US$14million plant that will produce bulldozers and excavators. (February 13 news) 

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 50 (February 22)

• Dr Soe Linn from the Wounthanu NLD said on February 12 that his group would collaborate with any individuals and organisations that are working with patriotism for the benefits of citizens and the country. (February 15 news)

• Hoteliers are discussing with two ministries - Finance and Revenue and Hotels and Tourism ministries - for allowing them to import vehicles by regarding their incomes as export earnings. Government allows individuals and associations with export earnings to import the items that are worth to the amount equivalent to export earnings. (February 14 news)   

• Travel agencies that providing trekking service for tourists between Kalaw and Kakku in Southern Shan State are warned on February 5 to provide their services cautiously, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism said in its announcement. The announcement also said undesirable troubles would surface by allowing tourists to lodge villages and unsuitable areas as well taking photos that would harm the country's dignity. (February 14 news)

• Hotels and inns in Rangoon are instructed since early this year to accept young female guests who are accompanied by their parents or relatives only. (February 14 news)

• A ceremony to show support of ex-NLD members to the Wounthanu NLD is held on February 11 in Mandalay. The Wounthanu NLD also held a press conference on February 12 in Mandalay to give details of its activities during its visit to Rangoon. (February 12 news)

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 49 (February 15)

• Burmese families working at the Port of Singapore Authority donated K1.2655million to an orphanage in Twante Township's Phayargyi village. The youth development orphanage accommodates about 180 orphans and poor children. (February 9 news)   

• Palm oil's today price becomes stable at about K2,200 per viss in Mandalay market. Edible oils prices in the central Burma town went higher since January third week. (February 7 news)

• A Chinese-investment garment factory here will send its 20 Burmese employees to work in its mother factory in China. (February 7 news)

• The United Nations Children's Fund will distribute the soaps for the first time in schools, clinics and poultry farms in 325 townships throughout the country in an attempt to help protect bird flu virus infection. The Japanese government assisted the UN agency for soap distribution. (February 6 news)

• The intensifying security precaution measure at the Rangoon Central Post Office after a letter bomb blew up at the Bahan Township Post Office in mid January had made about one-day delay in delivering the letters and parcels. (February 6 news)  

• The Myanmar Info-Tech Corporation Limited sold its K1,000 worth share to public for the second time on February 2. It has sold 0.5million shares in early 2003. (February 3 news)

• Due to scarcity of logs and sawed timbers and increased demand, the export and furniture companies are to offer higher price at the monthly auctions held by the Myanma Timber Enterprise. (January 31 news)

• About K56.05million worth confiscated contrabands are auctioned at the Mawlamyine customs office on January 23. (January 30 news) 

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 48 (February 8)

• South Korea reduces tax rates collected on some products including chilled fish and plied wood imported from Burma. The tax reduction will be effective from January 1 to December 31. (January 31 news)

• The Myanmar Medical Association and WHO will introduce a bridging fund project from January 1 to March 31 to fight malaria. The project is to be done before Three-Disease Fund launches its projects. (January 31 news)

• An American writer, Ms Brenda Davidson Shaddox, contributed about K9million for construction of a primary school building in Naga highland region. (January 31 news)  

• The Myanmar Red Cross Society will hold a press conference on world disaster report-2006 on February 6 at the Traders Hotel. (January 30 news)

• Prices of variety of beans and pulses including Matpe and pigeon pea drop since January last week as a result of new harvest production and introduction of a new regulation at India market that imports Burmese crops. (January 30 news)

• Tomato price drops to the lowest level in Rangoon market as a result of increased supply from tomato farms in Rangoon and other areas. The wholesale price of tomato reaches below K100 per viss in January last week. (January 30 news)  

• Onion wholesale price drops notably within days due to massive supply entering the Bayintnaung wholesale complex. The wholesale price falls to K800 per viss during this week. (January 24 news)

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 47 (February 1)

• The Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise's 20 CNG stations handle total of about 9,000 vehicles daily. (January 24 news)

• The Ministry of Commerce allows importing fruits officially since late last December. Fruits import was prohibited since 1999 and since then fruits especially from China and Thailand were smuggled via borders. (January 23 news)

• Mrauk-U Number, a cultural site in Rakhine State, attracts more tourists in this tourist season - from October to April - and hotels in the area have received room bookings equivalent to their full capacities. (January 23 news)

• Thousands visses of tilapia are being supplied daily from Ayeyarwaddy Division and central Burma to the Central Fish Market in Kyitmyindaing during this month. (January 23 news)

• The Forest Resource and Environment Development Association will contribute total of 1,200 energy-saving stoves to 12 villages locating close to Popa Mountain to help protect the area from deforestation. The contribution is assisted by Wood Land Company that operates a resort in the mountain. (January 22 news)

• A 15-member students group from American Eckerd College paid a six-day volunteering tour to Mein-ma-hla Island in Ayeyarwaddy Division on January 6. (January 22 news)

• Border trade between Burma and Thailand rose again after facing a decrease during New Year season. (January 22 news)        

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 46 (January 25)

• In order to be in line with the new constitution, the Ministry of Science and Technology upgraded its 49 colleges that are open in the country's special development regions to the university level, state-owned news papers reported. (January 20 news)

• Vehicle trade in Rangoon market is normal even though the prices of low-end vehicles drop while prices of high-end ones increase in early this year. (January 17 news)

• The Union of Myanmar Economic Holding Limited's three-day gem and jade emporium will be held on January 30 at Myanma Gems Museum. (January 16 news)

• Eight outstanding students from agriculture institutes achieved scholarships to pursue bachelor degree at the Thailand's Kam Phaen Rajabhat University. (January 16 news)

• Liquor, beer and cigarette are to be sold with descriptions of tax-paid labels beginning from February and such items without tax-paid descriptions would be confiscated since April if found selling in the market. (January 16 news)

• This fiscal year's agricultural products export earning has increased more than K190million than that of in the previous year. (January 14 news)

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 45 (January 18)

• The outgoing travellers will require to submit the original bank receipt and printed approval of e-departure form at the airport in order to check the authenticity of departure forms that are made available online. They will not be allowed to proceed if they fail to submit either of them. (January 10 news)

• The numbers of tourist from European countries using domestic flights surge during this travel season, which normally lasts from October to April. (January 10 news)

• Prices of drugs, especially imported ones, increase about 3 to 10 per cent in early this year, and the prices are expected still to be higher in coming months. (January 10 news)

• There were nearly 2,000 journal hawkers in Rangoon and the number was more than twofold than that of three years ago, the periodical wholesalers estimated. (January 10 news)

• The Ministry of Education will introduce the child centred approached teaching system in four townships where no educational college exists. The ministry has already implemented the system at townships with educational colleges in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency. (January 10 news)   

• Price of Myayhtautpei (a variety of beans) reaches its record level in Mandalay market as a result of stronger demand and lesser production in this harvest season. (January 10 news)

• Pigeon pea price in Monywa reaches the highest in 10 years to K15,000 per basket because of intense purchase from brokers from Rangoon and Pakkoku. (January 10 news)

• A mini-survey conducted during previous ICT fair showed that the majority of Internet surfers in Burma are young people aged ranging from 14 to 25 years. (January 4 news)  

7Day News Vol. 5, No. 44 (January 11)

• Number of commuters during 2006 reaches to more than 3.4million per day, which is up more than twofold than the number of commuter ten years ago. Due to insufficient number of city buses in operation, bus stops are always crowded with the passengers even not in rush hours. (January 3 news)

• The Attorney General Office is drafting a trademark act to protect the trademarks from counterfeiting and imitation, according to the lawyers. (January 3 news)

• The Yangon Division Peace and Development Council is leasing the GSM mobile phones not only to the government staff but also to those who are not in government service. It is leasing total of 15,000 mobile phones since last November. (January 3 news)

• Aung Zeyar Min monastic education school in Hlaingthaya Township's A-lei-ywagyi accommodates 25 orphans and 87 kids from poor families. It is inviting donors for contribution of blankets for the orphans and poor children who are suffering from winter season's cold weather. (January 3 news)

• The majority of rice mills in Ayeyarwaddy Division's Labutta halt their operations due to insufficient paddy supply. Rice millers said the situation was indicating that the rice prices were likely to increase in this year. (January 2 news)

• Pearl Yadana Home for the Aged, the only aged home in Bago Township, is requiring donations to cater daily meals and health care for 29 elderly people. (January 2 news)          

7Day News Vol. 5, Vol. 43 (January 4)

*       Onion price is still stronger despite new harvest onions enter the market. Between 70,000 and 80,000 visses of onion enter the Bayintnaung wholesale complex daily. (December 27 news) 
*       Highway passenger buses are instructed not to have hidden drawers, which are made to carry contrabands secretly. Meanwhile the Traffic Rules Enforcement Supervisory Committee relaxed on limited loads of highway trucks by allowing any kind of trucks to carry up to 60 tonnes in a condition that the high of loads is not to be exceeded than the trucks' roof. (December 27 news)       
*       An official from the Office of Passport Issuing Board said it was impossible to move the office to Naypyidaw in current situation. Between 800 and 1,000 applicants per day visit the office to submit passport applications and the number of applicants is surged after speculation of the office moving to the new capital. (December 26 news)  
*       Mandalay is expected to receive more tourists in this opening tourist season as hotels in Mandalay, which can accommodate foreigners, have received room reservations for about 65 per cent of their room occupancy. (December 23 news)
*       Variety of sesame from throughout the country began entering the Mandalay wholesale market during this month. Of which all black and white sesame varieties are exported to China via Muse 105th mile trade zone. Trade Council approved 15 sesame export-licences in November and 20 licences in December by 22nd. (December 23 news)