Myanmar Morning News For May 17

CCTV road traffic centre officially launched in Yangon
A traffic command centre built to aid the fight against Yangon’s chronic road congestion has officially opened for operations, regional security minister Col. Tin Aung Tun told lawmakers Monday.
– Frontier Myanmar

Rakhine State faces acute drinking water shortage
Villages in Rakhine State were facing drinking water shortages from Monday, with soldiers from the battalion of Western Command Headquarters taking supplies to drought-hit areas.
– Eleven

Puma Energy Asia Sun Aims to Distribute Petroleum in Myanmar
Puma Energy Asia Sun, a joint venture between Puma Energy and local firm Asia Sun Energy, is looking to move beyond storage services in Myanmar to include oil products distribution in the country, said a top executive.
– Jakarta Globe

Myanmar faces export problems despite lack of tariffs: minister
Although the country can export goods to the EU, the US, the UK, Japan and South Korea tariff-free, the export sector still faces issues, according to the Minister for Commerce.
– Eleven

India starts work on Trilateral Highway in Myanmar
India has commenced work on a 120-km road inside Myanmar, a road that is part of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway which is expected to give a massive boost to surface connectivity and trade in Southeast Asia in the backdrop of the Act East policy.
– The Assam Tribune

Auction nets extra K140m from fishing license
Revenue from auctioning of pond fishing licences in Mandalay Region increased by K140 million over last year’s figures, according to regional fisheries department staff officer, U Hla Win.
– Myanmar Times

Power plant and rice mills open in Ayeyawady
The Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (Mapco) and six shareholders under the Golden Lace Company jointly operate the firms with a 55:45 ownership ratio.
– Eleven

Beijing backs Myanmar peace process
China will continue helping Myanmar achieve peace, President Xi Jinping told Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday as the neighboring nation’s peace efforts are gaining momentum.
– Ecns

Farmers Plan to Sue Govt Departments Over Event Cancellation
Farmers set to discuss land rights at Pyin Oo Lwin City Hall today are planning to sue the township and divisional departments for what organizers said was canceling permission to use the city hall the night before the event.
– The Irrawaddy

Yangon to get 8,000 more flats by 2018
The Ministry of Construction expects to finalise plans to build 8,000 new flats in Yangon Region by March 2018.
– Eleven

Farmers protest distribution of old farmlands
Local farmers have protested against the distribution of old farmlands in the Ngamyar village of Ngazun township in Myingyan district, Mandalay Region.
– Myanmar Times

A week of extremist anger ends with arrests
Eight activists are in custody following a violent clash with residents in Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township on the night of May 9, while several others – including prominent monks – remain at large.
– Frontier Myanmar

Myanmar Ultranationalist Monk Group Denies Involvement in Yangon Scuffle
An ultranationalist monk organization in Myanmar on Tuesday denied that it was involved in a violent confrontation between Buddhists and Muslims last week in a Yangon neighborhood where monks had claimed that ethnic Rohingya Muslims were hiding illegally.
– RFA

Report documents evidence of attacks on Rohingya
A Rohingya advocacy group urged the government of Myanmar on Tuesday to cooperate with a UN fact-finding mission as it presents new evidence of attacks against Muslim civilians in western Rakhine state.
– Pakistan Observer

Union Ministers meet with Chinese companies
The Union Minister for Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung, Union Minister for Construction U Win Khaing and Deputy Minister for Commerce U Aung Htoo met separately with representatives of Chinese companies yesterday morning in Diaoyutai State Guest House. The Myanmar officials had accompanied State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to China during the One Belt, One Road forum held on Sunday and Monday.
– Global New Light Of Myanmar

Vice President U Henry Van Thio inspects disaster preparedness in Ayeyawady Region
Vice President U Henry Van Thio inspected disaster preparedness undertakings in Ayeyawady Region yesterday, urging local people to be alert to the possibility of natural disasters in the region.
– Global New Light Of Myanmar

Feature photo Marc Veraart
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Myanmar Morning News For May 17 added by John Le Fevre on May 17, 2017
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.