Myanmar morning news for May 16

UN official urges “durable” solutions for 270,000 people displaced by conflict
A senior United Nations official says it is “critical” that a national strategy being developed by the government to find solutions to displacement addresses the root causes of the problem.
— Frontier Myanmar

Myanmar to borrow more than 1.4 billion baht for more electricity
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw has approved the borrowing of 1.4 billion baht from Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) to supply more electricity in Yangon Region.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar’s Eleven Media Publishes Apology to Yangon Government Over Report
Myanmar’s Eleven Media Group published an apology on Wednesday to the Yangon regional government for a report criticizing its business dealings and budget, fulfilling an agreement reached in November in which criminal charges of incitement against three of the news outlet’s staff were dropped.
— Radio Free Asia

New policy aims to raise number of new cars on the road
The Ministry of Industry launched a new automotive policy this month, with the aim of supporting transport and auto-related business through sustainable development and more foreign direct investments.
— Myanmar Times

Govt, private sector must cooperate on formation of Coffee Board: U Henry Van Thio
Myanmar Coffee Forum 2019 was held in Mandalay yesterday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. This forum moved to form a Coffee Board to push for production of quality coffee and expanding the export market.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

UN official urges aid access for Myanmar’s Rakhine state
YANGON: A UN official has urged Myanmar to grant aid workers access to Rakhine state, where fighting between government troops and rebels has displaced nearly 33,000 people since late last year, saying lack of aid has cost lives.
— FMT

Thailand extends visas, work permits of Myanmar workers by 9 months
The visas and work permits of Myanmar migrant workers which were scheduled to expire on 31 March, 2020 have been extended by nine more months to 31 December, 2020, according to an announcement from the Labour Office in Bangkok, Thailand.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Govt still keen to build international airport in Bago
The government is still expecting to build Hantharwaddy International Airport in Bago with support from the Japanese, said U Win Khant, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
— Myanmar Times

Number of consumer complaints set to double this year: official
The Department of Consumer Affairs says that 80 percent of the complaints it receives from the public is regarding telecommunications service providers.
— Myanmar Times

Pro-military rallies in Myanmar counter grassroots demonstrations
Ultra-nationalist Myanmar monk Ashin Wirathu has told a rally of hard-line nationalists that military officers sitting in parliament should be worshipped like God.
— UCA News

Emerging dynamics of the China-Myanmar economic corridor
At the second Chinese Belt and Road Forum (BRF) attended by Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in April 2019, three MoUs were signed to strengthen cooperation on the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) integral to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This was the latest in a series of MoUs reached between China and Myanmar on the CMEC in recent years.
— Orfonline

Reforms in the Banking Sector
By San Thein Significant developments in the banking sector Momentous transformation has been taking place in the Myanmar Banking Sector with series of significant reforms.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Stray-control project kicks off in Yangon
The Myanmar Veterinary Association (MVA) and UK-based charity Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) have started a pilot project to neuter and vaccinate stray dogs in order to control the populations of stay animals in Yangon.
— Myanmar Times

Parliament Paves Way for Environmental, Ecological Conservation with IPBES Membership Approval
As Myanmar faces environmental emergencies, the Parliament’s approval to join an intergovernmental committee on climate change offers a needed step in the right direction.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar-Thai Coordination Meeting held in Phuket
Myanmar-Thai coordination meeting was held on 13th and 14th May in Phuket, Thailand. Director General of Department of Labour, Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population U Win Shein, Representatives from the Consular and Legal Affair Department, and National Registration Citizenship Department,
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar lawmaker: 50 Considered dead at jade mine in mudslide
Tuesday, Over 50 people are believed to have died in a mudslide at a jade mining site in Myanmar, also a lawmaker representing the area said.
— Rock and Register

UEC Chairman receives International IDEA Regional Director Ms. Leena Rikkila Tamang
Chairman of the Union Election Commission U Hla Thein received International IDEA Regional Director Ms. Leena Rikkla Tamang at the Union Election Commission Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. During the meeting, They discussed international IDEA supported works, current status of Step Democracy.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Three Myanmar men arrested over compatriot’s death on Phichit plantation
Three Myanmar workers were arrested in Kamphaeng Phet on Wednesday morning for allegedly killing their compatriot in Phichit last week.
— The Nation

A New High: Indigenous Thai Farmers Swap Opium for Coffee, Land
The Doi Tung Development Project is held up by the United Nations as a model for ending narcotic drug cultivation and improving the lives of indigenous communities.
— Irrawaddy

Seintalone mangoes command high prices in Seikpyu Township
Growers of Seintalone (Diamond solitaire) mangoes in Seikpyu Township, Magway Region said they are getting a better price for the fruit this year. Earlier, growers in Magway Region were using traditional methods to cultivate mangoes, but now, they have begun to apply more scientific techniques of.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

The Quandary of Myanmar: Will Starving the Country of Visitors Make Things Better?
The nation’s natural beauty has for the last two centuries been at odds with a brutal history and violent present.
— New York Times

Activists welcome UN’s financial boycott of Myanmar
Rohingya activists and their international supporters have welcomed and endorsed the UN panel’s call for the withdrawal of financial and other supports to Myanmar and fair trial of its military commanders on charges of war crime and genocide.
— AA

Relative Stability Brings Progress to Myanmar Region
Loud explosions and billowing smoke filled the air above the national stadium in the highly militarized capital of Panghsang in Myanmar’s Shan state — but it wasn’t what one might expect in a region known for its heavily armed troops.
— VOA

Rakhine CSOs Feel Overlooked in UN Envoy Visit
Representatives of grassroots groups who have working on the ground in conflict-affected parts of Rakhine regret not being invited to meet UNOCHA envoy Ursula Muller.
— Irrawaddy

Ministries of Ethnic Affairs, Education, Nay Pyi Taw Council explain third-year performances
The Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, Ministry of Education, and Nay Pyi Taw Council held a press conference on the third year in office serving the public at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Information in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Banned: Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing gets the boot from Twitter
The top-ranking general in Myanmar, notorious for insisting that there was no use of “excessive force” in the August 2017 military campaign that drove out more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims, was given the boot by the social media network yesterday, a move that follows similar suspensions of his accounts on Facebook and Russia’s VK platform in August.
— Coconuts

Big Bad Wolf Book Fair Heads to Mandalay
After drawing large crowds in Yangon, organizers of the ‘world’s biggest book sale’ hope to repeat their success in the country’s second-largest city.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Elder Affairs Committee holds third coord meeting
Myanmar elderly committee held their third coordinate at meeting hall of Social welfare, Relief and Resettlement Minister’s office. Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye said that the aim of the committee is to bring about social development and rights for the
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Documenting Contemporary Art in an Era of Cultural Evolution
Through the voices of prominent local artists, video magazine Silence is Golden records contemporary art in Myanmar since the transition to democracy began.
— Irrawaddy

Pyidaungsu Hluttaw holds Joint Bill Committee meeting
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Joint Bill Committee held a meeting on tax bill at Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Building D Meeting Hall yesterday Evening. Deputy Speaker of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, Chairman of Joint Bill Committee and Chairman of Joint Public Account Committee, U Tun Aung@ U Tun Tun Hein, Vice Chairmen, …
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Shwe Mann says his wealth can be inspected at any time
Thura Shwe Mann said that documentation of his wealth and properties and also his career could be tested and inspected at any time.
— Mizzima

Feature photo Pxhere

This week’s Myanmar morning news photo features Vesak Day, May 18.

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.