Myanmar morning news for May 17

Ooredoo taps ZTE for 5G development in Myanmar
Ooredoo Myanmar and ZTE have agreed to collaborate on 5G network development. Under the terms of the partnership deal, Ooredoo Myanmar and ZTE will study potential test environments to deploy Ooredoo’s 5G network. The test environments will be used to evaluate the performance of the 5G network.
— Telecompaper

A Chinese Special Economic Zone is deepening conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State
The Chinese-backed Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone is shaping Myanmar’s conflict with the Arakan Army. Rakhine communities will benefit little from the project while bearing many of the costs, and it ignores their calls for control over the area’s natural resources.
— Asean Today

Myanmar army chief’s Twitter account suspended over anti-Rohingya hate speech
A Myanmar army general accused of masterminding genocide against the country’s Muslim Rohingya people has had his Twitter account suspended, following complaints about him using the social media platform for hate speech.
— The Independent

UN wants to put squeeze on Myanmar military
A United Nations mission has called on the international community to cut off all financial and other support to Myanmar’s military.
— UCA News

Muslims in Myanmar being prevented from worshipping during Ramadan
Mobs are forcing government authorities in Myanmar to restrict Muslims from worshipping during the holy month of Ramadan.
— Bignewsnetwork

Health project underway in 12 Myanmar towns bordering Mekong region
A health project of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 12 Myanmar towns bordering Mekong region is underway as part of the Mekong region health project, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports on Thursday.
— Xinhua

Corporate Governance Code to be ready next year: minister
Myanmar is aiming to publish a Corporate Governance Code, said U Aung Naing Oo, permanent secretary of Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relation.
— Myanmar Times

A clean-up campaign for Yangon’s air pollution
Knowledge is power and a group of students has built its own air quality monitor as part of a project to raise awareness about the dangers of particulate matter pollution.
— Frontier Myanmar

Parliament approves proposal urging Union gov’t to enter global supply chain
Lower House Parliament yesterday approved the proposal urging the Union government to ensure the contribution of local production sector to the global supply chain and help local entrepreneurs get cash and technical assistance after a review of investment policies.
— Eleven Myanmar

University students take next step with ride-sharing app
Four tech-savvy students from universities in Yangon put their heads together to develop Lan Kyone, a ride-sharing application that helped students hitch rides to get to school on time. Now, the Lan Kyone app is being modified, upgraded and expanded for commercial ride-sharing.
— Myanmar Times

Ambassador of France in Myanmar makes second visit to Ayeyarwady Region
For his second visit to Ayeyarwady Region, H.E. Christian Lechervy, Ambassador of France in Myanmar is leading a follow-up economic delegation composed of 3 institutions and 9 French companies on May 16 and 17, 2019, according to an official statement.
— Mizzima

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.
— Reliefweb

Baht set to rise until end of month
The upside gain for the baht, Asia’s strongest performing currency this year, is limited after rallying since the beginning of this month, propelled by the escalating trade tension between the US and China, says a senior official at Kasikornbank (KBank).
— Myanmar Times

Pyidaungsu Hluttaw approves Euro 35.7 mln AFD loan
The eighth-day meeting of the Second Pyidaungsu Hluttaw’s 12th regular session was held at the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw meeting hall yesterday morning where Euro 35.7 million loan from Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) to conduct all round repair works on 5 hydroelectric power stations was approved.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Aid agency opens village for Rohingya Muslims
A Turkish aid agency has built a village for Rohingya refugees, the majority of whom are Muslims, in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazaar region. Named “Emir Sultan,” the village consists of 414 bamboo huts, two water wells, two mosques, a community space and a garbage plant.
— Daily Sabah

Myanmar-Thai specialists conduct joint Laparoscopic-Endoscopic Surgery in Nay Pyi Taw
Under the Laparoscopic-Endoscopic Surgery for ASEAN People Project, specialists, and nurses from Myanmar and Thailand were continuing the second day of cooperation in Laparoscopic -Endoscopic Surgery or “minimally invasive surgeries at Nay Pyi Taw 1000-bed General Hospital.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Parliament Approves $40M French Loan to Upgrade Hydropower Plants
The loan, approved amid nationwide blackouts caused by power insufficiencies, is to be used to upgrade five hydropower plants to generate a combined capacity of 646,000 megawatts.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Authorities Expand MWEA’S Wings
Myanmar will set up a Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Center geared toward serving to women take up entrepreneurship and develop the caliber of women who’re confined to their homes, based on the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs’ Association (MWEA).
— Denvernewspress

People are Dying: UN Official Urges Aid Access for Myanmar’s Rakhine State
The Myanmar government’s refusal to allow aid workers access to parts of embattled.
— Irrawaddy

MNA jet XY-AGQ crew honored by State Counsellor, Union level officials
A ceremony to honor the crew of Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) Embraer 190 AR jet XY-AGQ flying flight UB 103 on 12 May was held at the Horizon Lake View Resort in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Cattle cargo truck skids into drainage
A 12 wheeled bus carrying 20 cattle skidded into a roadside drainage and overturned in Naung Cho, Shan State on May 14 evening, according to Myanmar Fire Services Department.
— Eleven Myanmar

Illegal Myanmar-made cigarettes seized in Assam
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police has seized over 21,500 illegal Burmese cigarettes valued at INR 4.3 lakh from Guwahati, exposing the spike in smuggling of contraband goods between Myanmar and India’s north-eastern region.
— Eastern Mirror Nagaland

Union Legal Aid Board donates law books to Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker
A delegation led by Union Legal Aid Board Secretary donated law books to Speaker of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, U T Khun Myat at Pyidaungsu Hluttaw guest hall, yesterday. The books were written by author U Tun Kyi with a pen name of UTK.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

‘Northeast rebels plan attack after Myanmar crackdown’
Hit by Myanmar Army’s recent crackdown on their hideouts, militant groups in the Northeast are desperate to carry out attacks to make their existence felt, security officials in Assam claimed on Thursday.
— Deccanherald

Religious objects meant for Eternal Peace Pagoda displayed at Uppatasanti Pagoda for public obeisance
RELIGIOUS objects, along with two Buddha images carved from marble stones, meant for the Eternal Peace Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw were displayed at the Uppatasanti Pagoda yesterday for public obeisance. The religious objects arrived in Nay Pyi Taw after a nationwide ceremonial procession.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Four Myanmar men confess to murder of friend
Four Myanmar workers caught for allegedly stabbing their compatriot to death in this central province last week have confessed, claiming to have committed the crime in a fit of anger after the.
— Bangkok Post

600 million kyats worth of drugs seized in Shan State
A large amount of narcotics worth 600 million kyats (400,000 U.S. dollars) have been seized in Myanmar’s Shan state, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Tuesday.
— Mizzima

Local plastic makers face rising competition from imports
Plastic makers in Mandalay are facing tough competition from imported products, local businesses told the Myanmar Times.
— Myanmar Times

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi receives Defence Secretary of India
State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Daw Aung San Suu Kyi received Mr. Sanjay Mitra, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of India at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw at 3:00 p.m. on 16 May 2019.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Rolling blackout to continue until end of May: minister
The frequent power outages happening across Myanmar currently are due to electricity load reduction and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy says this will continue until the end of May.
— Myanmar Times

Large haul of stimulant tablets seized
A large haul of stimulant tablets was seized on Wednesday from passenger buses in Myanmar’s Mandalay region, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), Xinhua reported.
— Mizzima

Centara Hotels moves into Myanmar with six property deal
Centara Hotels & Resorts and KMA Hotels Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin the development and renovation of six hotels across Myanmar.
— Breaking travel News

100 undocumented Myanmar migrants rounded up in Tak
About 100 undocumented Myanmar migrants were rounded up in Tak’s Mae Sot district on Thursday morning.
— Eleven Myanmar

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.