Myanmar Morning News For May 3

The struggles of Myanmar’s peace process
Myanmar’s peace process with ethnic minority groups appears to be floundering because of a deteriorating relationship between the government and its military – or, perhaps, as some would say, the military and its government.
— Al Jazeera

Myanmar court accepts testimony of policeman who said Reuters reporters framed
A judge in Myanmar declared on Wednesday that a witness who said two Reuters reporters accused of possessing state secrets were framed by police was credible, dealing a blow to the prosecution in what has become a landmark press freedom case.
— Reuters

Myanmar operators surpass global average 4G speeds
Mobile operators in Myanmar began rolling out 4G services in 2016, but the average LTE download speeds in the country have already topped 28Mb/s, more than 11Mb/s faster than the global average, the latest data from OpenSignal showed.
— Mobile World Live

Important Changes to Myanmar Trademark Law
This circular is to alert you to substantial changes to Myanmar’s trade mark regime. Myanmar has been working on improving protection for intellectual property as part of its plan to overhaul its legal framework to facilitate and encourage foreign investment in the country.
— Lexology

10 years after, Cyclone Nargis still holds lessons for Myanmar
When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar 10 years ago, 140,000 lives were lost and 800,000 were displaced. The category 4 storm slammed into Myanmar’s low-lying Irrawaddy Delta, an area that usually escapes major typhoons. High winds and a 12-foot storm surge devastated the area, affecting millions.
— The Conversation

Cyclone shield: Breathing new life into Myanmar’s mangroves
Since 1978, one million hectares of mangroves have been cut down in Myanmar. In the Ayerwaddy Delta in the south, mangrove forests have been significantly depleted – often cut down to make way for shrimp and rice farming, as well as charcoal production and collecting palm oil.
— Al Jazeera

Myanmar facing ICC referral unless ‘proper’ Rakhine probe conducted: UN
Members of the United Nations Security Council have told Myanmar’s leaders there must be a “proper investigation” into a military crackdown in Rakhine State last August, which displaced almost 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh.
— Frontier Myanmar

UN expert says civilians must be protected as Kachin violence mounts
A UN human rights expert has expressed grave concerns over a sharp escalation in hostilities in Myanmar’s Kachin State, which has reportedly killed at least 10 civilians, left several wounded and forced thousands to flee their homes in the north of the country.
— Mizzima

As industry opens up, Capstone Education finds niche in Myanmar market
Ko Thaw Zin Aung Gyi and Ko Aung Tun Lin, the founding partners of Capstone Education, a local education consultancy, saw the need to invest in Myanmar education long before authorities finally permitted full foreign capital investments in the industry on April 20.
— The Myanmar Times

Two Myanmar drug dealers sentenced to death in SW China
A court in southwest China’s Yunnan Province Wednesday sentenced two people from Myanmar to death for drug trafficking and killing a Chinese policeman.
— Xinhua Net

160 Legal Officers Disciplined in 2017, Supreme Court Says
The Supreme Court took disciplinary action against 160 legal officers last year in response to complaints, according to the body’s latest annual report, released Wednesday in Naypyitaw.
— The Irrawaddy

Myanmar workers demand wage hike, rights to mark Labour Day
Thousands of workers in Myanmar took to the streets on Tuesday to celebrate international Labour Day, demand respect for their rights at work, and to express concerns about the country’s minimum wage.
— The Myanmar Times

Border trade with Thailand via Tachilek hits over $3 million in 20 days
Value of trade with Thailand at Tachilek Border Trade Camp from April 1 to 20 amounted to over US$3 million exceeding US$0.472 million compared with the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
— Eleven Myanmar

Journalists Say Press Freedom Declining in Myanmar
Recent survey results show that local journalists think media freedom is declining in Myanmar, and increasingly believe the government and military pose the main threat to an independent press.
— The Irrawaddy

New Ports to be built in Thilawa
In the plot numbers 22, 23, and 24 owned by Myanmar Port Authority in Thilawa Port, new ports will be built according to Union Minister for Transport and Communications Thant Sin Maung on April 30th.
— Eleven Myanmar

Soak it all in: Chatrium Yangon offers luxe digs and mesmerizing views of Kandawgyi lake and Shwedagon
Summer is approaching and here’s an idea: A luxurious stay surrounded by greenery and Victorian architecture with views of Kandawgyi lake and the breathtaking gilded Shwedagon pagoda. Wigs be flying.
— Coconuts Yangon

Website launched for public study of bills in parliament
A website named I AM A BILL was introduced at Park Royal Hotel in Yangon on May 1 that aims to post the submission of bills and their discussions in parliament on a timely basis.
— Eleven Myanmar

Bay ‘low’ curls up over Myanmar coast; is it Arabian Sea’s turn next?
The India Met Department (IMD) has said that the low-pressure area over the North Andaman Sea has weakened into a cyclonic circulation and lay in part over the Arakan coast straddling Western Myanmar.
— The Hindu Business Line

Myanmar uses about 6,500 tons of LPG monthly
Myanmar is using about 6,500 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and imports about 5,000 tons of LPG monthly, according to sources.
— Eleven Myanmar

Mission accomplished Garbage fire, smoke brought completely under control
Twelve days after a garbage fire broke out in Hlinethaya Township, firefighters, Tatmadaw men and volunteers managed to bring it completely under control yesterday evening.
— The Global Newlight of Myanmar

Feature photo Debbie Eisenach

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Myanmar morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Myanmar news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Myanmar Morning News For May 3 added by Leakhena Khat on May 3, 2018
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.