July 16 - 22, 2012

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Myanmars first international weekly Volume 32, No. 635 1200 Kyats

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Reporting rules for US firms revealed

By Victoria Bruce AMERICAN companies were given approval to invest in Myanmar by the United States government last week but will have to adhere to strict reporting guidelines, the White House said in a statement. The reporting guidelines have been put in place to ensure transparent, accountable and responsible investment, the July 12 statement said. The much-anticipated announcement presents the legal framework for US investment and companies such as Chevron, Proctor & Gamble, Google, Boeing, Coca Cola and Pepsi are due to visit Yangon at the weekend, US embassy officials in Yangon said. Weve essentially moved from broad to targeted sanctions, US embassy deputy head of mission Eleanor Nagy told The Myanmar Times. The move is a demonstration of support for President U Thein Seins government and will encourage continued progress toward democracy, Ms Nagy said. We recognise that the Myanmar governments reform process is ongoing but is not complete, she said. She added that the two governments were engaged in a dialogue on other areas where the US would like to see progress, including the militarys human rights record, corruption, ethnic conflict and its relations with North Korea. Economic engagement by US companies would encourage the governments reform progress and benefit the population, Ms Nagy said. She added that the reporting requirements would encourage greater responsibility and transparency. US firms investing more than US$500,000 in new projects will be required to report on their policies and procedures with respect to human rights, workers rights, land acquisition, as well as report any payments exceeding $10,000 to Myanmar government entities. The two general licences announced by the White House last week permit the export of financial services to Myanmar and will allow US firms to invest in all sectors, except defence, and engage with all entities, except the two military-owned companies Myanmar Economic Corporation and Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd, as well as people listed on the US Governments targeted sanctions list on individuals. A Congress-imposed ban on imports from Myanmar to the US was recently renewed, however. The reporting requirements for new investment were cautiously welcomed by experts, including Sean Turnell, an associate professor of economics at Australias Macquarie University. It is really hard to see any reasonable argument against such transparency and I am somewhat hopeful they might even provoke a sort of transparency contagion with respect to other country investors, he said. By allowing new investment, the US government had ignored Daw Aung San Suu Kyis concerns about doing business w i t h s t a t e - Related r u n e n e r g y Story on c o m p a n y Page 23 Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), rights groups said. The US looks like it caved to industry pressure and undercut Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others in Burma who are promoting government accountability, Human Rights Watch business and human rights director Arvind Ganesan said in a statement on July 11. However, some experts doubted that the legal framework would prompt a rush of US investment. The US maintains substantial sanctions against Myanmar, said Mr Derek Tonkin, a former British ambassador to Thailand and Vietnam and chairman of non-profit group Network Myanmar. He said major international financial institutions such as the IMF, World Bank and ADB are still limited to providing advice and assessments, rather than funding for projects. More page 4

Pic: AFP

Clinton excited about progress in Myanmar

By AFP and Stuart Alan Becker SIEM REAP, Cambodia US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held landmark talks with President U Thein Sein on July 13 as he pleaded for the global community to end decades of isolation for his nation. The pair met in the Cambodian tourist town Siem Reap on the sidelines of a major US business conference, after the US on July 11 gave the green light to firms to invest in Myanmar, including in oil and gas. Shaking hands in the lush gardens of a luxury hotel, Ms Clinton told President U Thein Sein that she was sending a very distinguished delegation to his country to scout out opportunities for US business and investment. President U Thein Sein later told a dinner attended by top US business leaders that his impoverished Southeast Asian nation would welcome an influx of investment into a country which had lagged behind in development for the past 60 years. Myanmar is at a critical juncture, where she has evolved from the military administration putting an end to armed conflict to achieve sustainable peace and moving toward a new democratic era, he said. Building a democratic state will be the biggest challenge for our people and our country. We must reform the bureaucratic system and the mindset of government officials. He told the audience that Myanmar had to walk out from a centralised system that had been practiced for a half-century and build a mature democratic state by reforming the executive, legislative and judiciary bodies. President U Thein Sein said he had granted amnesty to many prisoners, and relaxed regulations on media and telecommunications, including an easing of censorship procedures: We have committed ourselves to enact a Media Law for media freedom and transparency in the near future. On economic policy, President U Thein Sein said reforms were underway to transform a centralised economy into a market-oriented economy, using a new Micro-Finance Act and by seeking assistance from foreign experts. He expressed regret that economic sanctions were preventing his country from receiving assistance from international monetary institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Development Program. We have the fervent desire to seek technical know-how and to set up economic engagement with other countries, but the challenge is that sanctions are still restricting us from doing so, he said. President U Thein Sein said the Myanmar Investment Commission had drafted four principles for inviting foreign investors to Myanmar: to protect the interest of Myanmar citizens, the dignity of the state and national sovereignty, and to allow environmentfriendly investment. Ms Clinton, whose speech was the first to be delivered at the dinner, complimented the Myanmar leader. I also want to thank President U Thein Sein, who has moved his country such a long distance in such a short period of time, she said. Were excited by what lies ahead, and were very supportive of President U Thein Seins economic and political reforms, she said. More page 4

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomes President U Thein Sein before a meeting in Siem Reap on July 13.

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Devillers par for the course in Cambodge

THE strange case of Monsieur Devillers has caused a lot of head-scratching and angst in placid Phnom Penh. One might wonder why. The man is French, of course, and they are a cut above the rest of us le monde est nous and all that. But while the world may once have been theirs and Cambodia part of the empire, times change and they are not so formidable any more. So that cannot be the reason for the intense reverberations about this case. Patrick Henri Devillers, 52, had, like many fugitives, been living peacefully with his paramour in Cambodias capital for several years and no one had paid any attention to him. Nor did they pay much attention three months ago when word leaked out that he had once worked for Bo Xilai, a member of Chinas ruling Politburo. As well, Devillers had been involved in a close relationship perhaps just business, perhaps not with Bos vivacious wife, Gu Kailai. Hence, some imaginative souls surmised, perhaps he was complicit in last Novembers murder of Gus British business colleague, Neil Heywood. Perhaps even Devillers knew where to find the dollops of money-laundered cash that Bo, Gu and Heywood had allegedly stashed away. In what has been tagged Chinas biggest political scandal in decades, Bo has now been deposed, Gu arrested, Heywood topped and Devillers holed up in Phnom Penh. It might seem like a juicy recipe for a Luc Besson thriller starring Jean Reno, Michelle Yeoh and Gary Oldman, except that in Cambodia such shenanigans seem almost pass. So should we get perturbed about money laundering in Chongqing, a Brit getting bumped off in Dalian and a French dandy being nabbed here? Give us a break. Look at the kinds of people we already tolerate. That is why Monsieur Devillers, under AsiA Focus

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with Roger Mitton normal circumstances, should be allowed to remain in this sanctuary and not suffer extradition. Indeed, there is lingering chagrin over his June 13 arrest at Romdeng restaurant on Street 174, which, as everyone knows, laudably employs former street urchins as staff. We can hardly imagine the shock these youngsters experienced when observing nice Monsieur Devillers being hauled away by Cambodian and Chinese cops. The poor man even had to leave his electric bicycle behind. Perhaps the Chinese have their reasons for this heavyhanded behaviour; as for the Cambodians, their reasons are the same as those that motivated them to return 20 Uigher refugees three years ago: Lucre. Still, we must hope that Devillers will not be subjected to enhanced interrogation as would be the case if hed been a Muslim and it was the United States not China seeking his extradition. For remember, it has now been revealed that extraordinary rendition was used by the US to send suspects to a black site in neighbouring Thailand for torture. So it is not impossible that it also occurred in Cambodia. That being so, perhaps Devillers might consider agreeing to return temporarily to China to answer questions. If he had nothing to do with Heywoods murder or the missing millions, then hed be better off going back and clearing his name once and for all. The Frogs may croak, but let them mangez des madeleines while we ponder rather more serious matters. Remember Chut Wutty? Chea Vichea? Piseth Pelika?

Recently imported cars and privately run commuter buses vie for space on a main road in Tarmwe township during peak hour last week. Pic: Ko Taik

An opportunity missed
Opinion
with Stuart Deed
I WAS sitting in a traffic jam recently, surrounded by a crush of newer-model cars, when I spied an old bus crammed with commuters. They fought for space with scarylooking compressed natural gas tanks and an engine hatch noisily banging at every shunt forward. My cab was hardly a Rolls Royce but it felt like it compared with that bus. A speaker at last months Yangon Heritage Trust conference said the citys planners faced a tough decision on transport, and in particular whether to promote either public or private transport. As I sat trying to count the number of passengers on the bus, which was surrounded by newly imported vehicles carrying at most two passengers, it felt that the choice had already been made: the winner was private transport. But is this going to be a decision the regional and central governments regret? Would they, like me, start to wish they could wind back the clock to before September 2011, when they first announced the overage car import substitution program, and instead focus on public transport? Since that day in September, car owners and buyers have been on a non-stop rollercoaster ride, with price rises and falls determined by new Directorate of Road Transport announcements. But one constant in the quickly changing automotive landscape has been the conditions faced by people catching the bus rusty seats, cramped confines, shouting conductors and dangerous drivers. And despite the apparent privatisation of the circle train line, there seems to have been little progress on revitalising what could be the important first piece in Yangons mass transit jigsaw. Nearly everybody likes cheaper cars, and there is a strong argument for making them even cheaper. But surely it would have been better to address the needs of the majority and fix the many flaws in the public transport network if you could call it that before embarking on a plan to help relatively wealthy private commuters. The place to start must be the bus networks: In the past months the government has talked about establishing public companies to run the bus and taxi networks but I say theres nothing wrong with the public sector running the bus lines, provided they are properly managed. Alternatively, conduct a transparent tender process and select one private local or foreign company to run the network. Set realistic targets and price limits and if the company doesnt meet them, fine it or take the contract back and award it to another firm. Private companies dominate public transport at present and its clear to anybody who has watched a rusting hulk shoot through a red light or overtake on the wrong side of the road that the system is not working. The other day I saw something that highlighted the insanity of the current system a conductor emptying a jug of urine onto the road as the bus was stopped at a downtown intersection, presumably because the driver and/or conductor do not have time to stop for toilet breaks. The problem is competition: all the buses are and racing each other for passengers and putting lives at risk. No, I say put the bulk of the network back in public hands. That way transport authorities can remove the incentives to break the law and also ensure that only licensed and competent drivers will be at the wheel. A network in public hands can also keep prices low, which should be a critical component of any public transport strategy. If lowincome earners cannot afford to catch a bus or train then the plan will have demonstrably failed.

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UN high commissioner for refugees Mr Antonio Guterres speaks at a press conference in Yangon on July 12. Pic: Boothee

Reps to vote on U Myint Swe nod

Yangon Region chief minister a surprise choice for vice president, replacing Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo
By Soe Than Lynn THE Pyidaungsu Hluttaw will this week vote on the military representatives nomination of U Myint Swe as vice president, a Hluttaw Office official said, following Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oos resignation on July 1. Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint is now travelling abroad. As he will not be back until July 12, it will be approved on July 16, a spokesperson from the Hluttaw Office said. The hluttaws military representatives nominated U Myint Swe, the chief minister of Yangon Region and former head of Yangon military command, for the vice president position on July 9. While many serving and former military personnel had been rumoured to get the nomination, U Myint Swes selection came as something of a surprise. Military personnel had been given until July 10 to submit a replacement for Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo, who resigned for health reasons. As instructed by U Khin Aung Myint on July 4, the first day of the fourth hluttaw session, the group of Tatmadaw [representatives] submitted their nomination to the speaker of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on July 10. Brigadier General Wai Lin announced the decision to reporters in Nay Pyi Taw on July 10. We believe that he can work more for the country, he said. The nomination ended a week of speculation over who would get the job. Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann, General Hla Htay Win, Union Solidarity and Development Party general secretary U Htay Oo, Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Ko Ko, Admiral Nyan Tun and Union Election Commission chairman U Tin Aye were all believed will have to encourage him to work this way to realise our objectives. I think a succession plan had already been created. If the nominee is U Myint Swe, he can do his duty as assigned. I consider him to be someone who can be flexible or strict if and when necessary. The move comes amid expectations of a cabinet reshuffle that observers hope could pave the way for more moderate figures to enter the quasicivilian government, as the parliament is transformed by the arrival of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other National League for Democracy representatives. State-run media announced a reshuffle of six deputy ministers late on July 9, hours after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi took her seat as an elected MP for the first time, but did not say whether or not the move was part of a wider reorganisation. I hope the new vice president will work for national reconciliation and the development of democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said on July 10 before U Myint Swes name was released. Despite also having close links to former Senior General Than Shwe, U Myint Swe is seen as a more moderate figure than his predecessor. The 61-year-old, who is a representative of the USDP, was seen as one of the military governments rising stars and raised eyebrows when he was passed over for a senior position in the new government. With AFP, translated by Thit Lwin

UNHCR seeks true community reconciliation in Rakhine State

By May Sandy THE head of UN Refugee Agency has dismissed President U Thein Seins suggestion that stateless Rohingya be sent to refugee camps or a third country. UN high commissioner for refugees Mr Antonio Guterres met President U Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw on July 12 to discuss the crisis in Rakhine state. According to the presidents official website, U Thein Sein told Mr Guterres that the solution to communal violence in Rakhine State was to send the Rohingya known in Myanmar as Bengalis to either UNHCR refugee camps or a third country. But Mr Guterres said at a press conference in Yangon on July 12 that these proposals were impossible as the Rohingya inside Myanmar would not be recognised as refugees under the 1951 convention. The resettlement program is organised by UNHCR for refugees, for people fleeing from one country into another in very specific circumstances so this obviously is not related to the situation, he said. According to UNHCR statistics, approximately 800,000 Rohingya or Bengalis without citizenship live in Myanmar. President U Thein Sein told Mr Guterres that Bengalis came to Myanmar as migrant workers during the British colonial period and their children are considered Myanmar citizens. However, after independence illegal migrants known as Rohingya had entered Myanmar and threatened the countrys stability. Mr Guterres said he was trying to explore other possible ways to resolve the crisis. We have discussed different actions in applying [the] nationality law and in attributing nationality to the people who are entitled to have nationality according to [the] nationality law and a certain number of other measures and it is in this context that I believe the cooperation between the UNHCR and Myanmar will be very positive, he said. For the government of Myanmar, this population is designated as the Muslim community or the Bengali Muslim community of north Rakhine State. The government of Myanmar doesnt use the word Rohingya, which is a word that is used by others internationally it is a common word. But I think it is important to say that that is not the designation that the government of Myanmar uses for the population. Mr Guterres also said that his organisation was committed to assisting all victims of the violence in Rakhine State last month regardless of their religion or ethnicity. We are committed to enhance our capacity of humanitarian assistance and support to all the victims of which will be undertaken, in what we hope, in the process of true reconciliation, he said. We hope that our efforts might also give a humble contribution to hopefully what will be a true reconciliation between communities. And we strongly hope that after these events, it will be slowly possible to establish in north Rakhine State a situation where the rule of law will prevail in a human rights-minded way and the communities will be able to respect each other and look positively into the future.

Yangon Region chief minister U Myint Swe. Pic: Myanmar Times archive to be in the running. The Vice President can be a hluttaw representative or an outsider. What is really important is to select someone who is competent, U Htay Oo, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Hinthada, told The Myanmar Times. Whosoever is chosen, we

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IMF to open Myanmar office in Thailand

BANGKOK International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has announced a new office aimed at boosting its support for Myanmar as the country grapples to revive its economy. Ms Largarde said the IMF office, which will be based at the Bank of Thailand (BOT) in the Thai capital, demonstrates the funds new emphasis on capacity building and training. She said she was delighted to announce ... a new office here in Bangkok aimed at supporting our technical assistance for Myanmar, at a speech in the city late on July 12. She did not specify the opening date for the new office, which will also provide help to Laos, but said the fund wanted to strengthen its support to both countries. Relations between the IMF and Myanmar have improved since a quasi-civilian government took over in March last year from a military government. In May, the IMF published its first report on Myanmar in decades, calling on authorities to step up reforms to enhance the business and investment climate, including modernising the financial sector and liberalising trade. Myanmar was left impoverished by decades of economic mismanagement and isolation. But international firms are clamouring for a foothold in the resource-rich nation, which has a cheap labour force and strategic position between China and India. On July 11, US President Barack Obama announced an easing of economic sanctions on Myanmar, giving the green light to companies to invest, including in oil and gas. AFP

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Senators upset US firms can invest with state oil, gas firm
WASHINGTON Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman welcomed the easing of US sanctions last week but warned that doing business with the state oil and gas company could put democratic reforms at risk. President Barack Obama gave the green light on July 11 to companies to invest in Myanmar, in the United States broadest and most controversial easing of sanctions so far. Under the new rules, unveiled in recognition of reforms under President U Thein Seins government, US companies will be able to enter into business with state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), but must notify the State Department within 60 days. We are pleased that US companies will now be able to invest in Burma, a step we have advocated, Republican McCain and Independent Lieberman, a former Democrat, said on July 12. We are concerned, however, that the Obama administration has chosen to permit US firms to do business with MOGE at this time. US companies have been pressing for an end to restrictions on investment, fearing they will lose out to European and Asian competitors that already enjoy access to the potentially lucrative economy. But Obamas move marks a rare divergence from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has warned foreign firms not to partner with MOGE. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest but won a seat in parliament since the reforms, said on a recent tour of Europe that MOGE needed first to sign up to international standards such as the IMF code on transparency. A new investment law is currently under consideration by Myanmars parliament. Senators McCain and Lieberman said they had hoped Obama would have given Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other legislators more time to produce a new law enabling investment in Myanmars energy sector with a more transparent, accountable and reformed business partner than MOGE is at present. The senators statement came hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President U Thein Sein were to hold landmark talks in Cambodia on July 13 on the sidelines of a business conference. AFP

From page 1 From page 1 Clinton excited Were paying particular attention to ASEAN and Southeast Asia. Were pursuing an economic statecraft and jobs diplomacy agenda to promote sustainable growth and prosperity across the region and, of course, we know that by doing so it will help the countries of ASEAN, but it will also help the United States. Ms Clinton said US exports to the ASEAN countries were more than US$76 billion in 2011, up 42 percent since 2009. We have more than twice as much investment in ASEAN as we do in China. So there is a great deal of potential for continuing to grow our economic activity, she said, calling for the development of a more integrated ASEAN market by harmonising customs and improving regulatory standards. Later this fall, our trade ministers will gather here in Siem Reap to discuss ways to advance our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, the operating system of our economic partnership, she said. The event, held at Le Meridian Hotel in Siem Reap, was a forum for US-ASEAN business development, organised by the Washington-based US Chamber of Commerce. Among the 200 companies represented at the largest ever gathering of American businesses in Southeast Asia were Coca-Cola, Caterpillar, Goldman Sachs, Ford and General Electric. They are all keen to move into Myanmar seen as virgin territory for the United States after so many decades of isolation. It was Ms Clintons second meeting with U Thein Sein after she became the first US secretary of state to visit Myanmar in half a century during a trip to the country last year. Washington has been surprised by the speed of reforms which have taken hold in the long militarydominated nation, leading to the freeing from house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her subsequent election to parliament. The decision to ease the sanctions will please US firms eager not to miss out on what some economists expect to be a gold rush in the resource-rich nation. But Washington has faced criticism from rights groups concerned it is moving too fast in its eagerness to cash in on Myanmars vast business potential. Asian firms have been doing business in Myanmar for years, while the European Union suspended most of its sanctions against the country in April. Ms Clinton told President U Thein Sein that the US wanted to encourage further reforms, which has impressed the West with its release of hundreds of political prisoners and by welcoming Daw Suu Kyi and her party into mainstream politics. We want to help you keep going. We are very committed, she said. President U Thein Sein hailed the US decision to ease its investment embargoes. I am very pleased to see our bilateral relationship improving dramatically, said the Myanmar leader, a former general who shed his army uniform when he took power as the head of a quasi-civilian government last year. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, raised a host of issues including political prisoners, environmental protections and the plight of the countrys stateless Muslim Rohingya, officials said. They were talking seriously about how to take the country forward on its reform goals, on its investment goals, a senior State Department official said. In a speech earlier on July 13 Clinton acknowledged that as Myanmar opens up there will be a lot of challenges but said she hoped to see continuing progress there. Washington was setting up protections to ensure that increased American investment advances the reform process she said, because US firms will have to report on transparency and labour rights. Myanmar along with regional neighbours has called for all sanctions to be lifted as the country embarks on its second wave of economic reforms. Daw Suu Kyi welcomed the sanctions decision, but called for greater transparency at state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, which US firms will be able to do business with under the new rules. Human Rights Watch however said Washington had caved to industry pressure because it did not insist on reforms in governance and human rights.

US investment
The easing of sanctions is to be welcomed as a substantive step by the US in the right direction, Mr Tonkin said. But new smart sanctions would have little effect and were a symbolic response to recent changes and reforms in Myanmar, he added. The link between lifting economic sanctions and seeing actual economic progress is lengthy and complicated, said Australian economics professor at UNSW Tim Harcourt, who is also a former chief economist with Austrade, the Australian governments trade and investment arm. Lifting sanctions is necessary but not sufficient the economic evidence shows that there is a lag between lifting the legal sanction and when companies are actually brave enough to stick their toe in, Mr Harcourt said. Some notable US companies have already announced their intention to operate in Myanmar, including Coca-Cola and Apple. Pepsi Cola is hot on its heels, having recently signed a joint venture with local soft drink company called Diamond Star, who will be its local distributor, according to business sources. Both drinks are already widely available.

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Ministry enacts protest by-laws

By Win Ko Ko Latt and Ei Ei Toe Lwin THE Ministry of Home Affairs last week introduced by-laws that allow peaceful demonstrations and processions, seven months after the law was promulgated. The long-awaited by-laws will enable protesters to apply for permission to conduct rallies peacefully and while the law is not without its critics it is considered an important step in Myanmars political development. The by-laws were enacted on July 5, Police Colonel Win Kaung of Myanmar Police Force confirmed. Yes, It is true. We have these by-laws books printed and will be distributed soon, he said. Another police officer, U Khin Maung Myint, said that the Peaceful Protest Laws were distributed on July 9 to Pyidaunghsu Hluttaw representatives and would be sent to state and region hluttaw representatives soon. Under the laws, anyone wishing to organise a peaceful rally must inform the township police chief at least five days in advance. The township police chief then forwards it to the head of the township general administrative office with his comments on whether the application should be approved. The township police chief is required to consult with the township general administrative office head when drafting the rules for the proposed protest before submitting them to the state or region police chief through the district police chief. We can reject applications and give restrictions, said U Aung Khin, director of the Nay Pyi Taws general administrative office and secretary of Nay Pyi Taw Council. He said three applications had already been received in Nay Pyi Taw. One applicant applied to demonstrate in Myoma Market and we have not granted permission yet, he said, adding that the bylaws were in accordance with the current reform effort. Peaceful assembly and peaceful procession [law] is a necessary symbol of this reform and public rallies Demonstrators protest the poor electricity supply in Yangon on May 22. Pic: Kaung Htet

Depts in capital upgraded

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE government has upgraded departments in Nay Pyi Taw from district to regional level to streamline decision making, an official from Nay Pyi Taw Council told The Myanmar Times last week. Nay Pyi Taw was considered district level before but our government departments were upgraded because we have got a lot to do in Nay Pyi Taw, said council secretary U Aung Khin, who is also director of the general administrative office in the capital. The change means development plans, which previously had to go through township, district and region offices to the relevant ministry and then cabinet before being approved, can be sent directly to the president through Nay Pyi Taw Council. We want our people to benefit quickly. If there are too many procedures, the development task will be delayed. The process of upgrading the departments in Nay Pyi Taw began on March 30, 2011 and has been implemented gradually. The number of staff in many of the departments has increased significantly as a result, including the general administrative office. Our department had 29 staff but now has 103 staff, said U Aung Khin. U Aung Khin said his position in the general administrative department, along with the head of the police force in Nay Pyi Taw, had been upgraded from deputy director to director level, while other department heads were bumped up from assistant directors to deputy directors. Myanmar has seven states and seven regions but as a Union Territory Nay Pyi Taw is directly overseen by the president, who appoints the members and chair of its governing body, the Nay Pyi Taw Council. While Nay Pyi Taw has Pyithu and Amyotha Hluttaw representatives, the eight Nay Pyi Taw townships do not have representatives in the state or regional hluttaw. U Aung Khin said Nay Pyi Taw Council has no budget but allocates funds from government ministries. The council works on the presidents behalf, he said.

must be allowed to take place. However, the law states that applications to assemble peacefully must be allowed if they do not harm national sovereignty, the rule of law, national stability or laws prescribed in the interest of preserving morality. If a request is rejected, the applicant has seven days to submit an appeal to the state or region police chief. Participants in approved protests must be guarded by police, with the number

of police determined by the number of those assembling. The township police chief can withdraw permission by informing the leader of the permitted assembling verbally and sending a letter later if the protesters do not abide by the laws. If the applicant wants to cross to other townships, they must get permission from all townships in which the assembly or rally will take place. Most observers welcomed

the enacting of the by-laws but said the law should be amended in the future. The introduction of the peaceful assembly and peaceful procession bylaws is really good but I think there are too many steps to get permission, said one Amyotha Hluttaw representative, who asked not to be named. It is very important that the middle level authorities are committed to implementing the bylaws properly because they

March planned for Martyrs Day

By Soe Than Lynn A GROUP of lawyers, writers and students in Pyinmana township have applied for permission from local officials to celebrate the 65th Martyrs Day on July 19 with a parade to the towns bronzed Bogyoke Aung San statue. The group filed the application just days after the Ministry of Home Affairs approved by-laws for the Peaceful Protest Law, which legalises demonstrations and political processions, and are likely to be among the first to test the limits of the new legislation. We have applied an application to chief police officer of Pyinmana to allow us to celebrate this 65th Martyrs Day with a parade and give a wreath. We submitted it yesterday in accordance with [the] peaceful protest law released on July 5. The chief police officer asked to come today again, U Myo Tay Za Maung, who is organising the event for about 100 residents, told The Myanmar Times on July 11. The law stipulates that a minimum of seven days notice must be given to officials for a demonstration or procession to be approved and the group applied for permission nine days in advance of the planned parade. If the application is granted, participants will march peacefully from Ngwesaung Cinema on Bogyoke Road to the Bogyoke Aung San statue at the corner of Mingalar Shan Kan in central Pyinmana. From there, they will gather in front of the statue and pay their respects by laying a ceremonial wreath at the base. If some political parties want to celebrate the event together with us we will have to consider whether we can accept them based on the number of people the officials give us permission for, U Myo Tay Za Maung added. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

are the ones who have been given the authority to permit protest [applications]. How much freedom the public gets will depend on their mindset. If they do not change their mindset and dont follow the words of the president, people will lose their rights. On the other hand, citizens also need to be aware of how to use the peaceful protest laws in the right way, said Yangon Region Hluttaw representative Dr Nyo Nyo Thin. U Htay, a lawyer who has been assisting farmers with land confiscation complaints, agreed that much would depend on how the law was interpreted by local officials. Citizens, generally speaking, already get these rights under section 354 of the 2008 constitution. But citizens are restricted by different kinds of laws. Every law approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw still has weaknesses and also there are weak points in the by-laws. We need to try to amend these weak points gradually. I would like to say though that issuing by-laws is better than nothing. Citizens need to claim their rights according to the law, we must try to get our rights as much as we can within the framework of the law.

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July 16 - 22, 2012
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UNICEF goodwill ambassador Jackie Chan poses at a press conference in Yangon on July 7. Pic: Ko Taik

Small grants program to start in 2013

By Aye Sapay Phyu THE Small Grants Program of the Global Environment Facility is expected to start assessing applications for projects in Myanmar from mid-2013, a senior United Nations Development Program official said last week. The government applied to be part of the program with the support of UNDP, the agencys assistant resident representative, U Min Htut Yin, said last week. A formal request was sent by the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, which is in charge of the environment, through UNDP Myanmar, he said. If Myanmar becomes a small grant program participating country of the Global Environment Facility then we need to arrange the required processes to implement the program, such as organising a steering committee and developing schedules. We estimate that it will take about six months. I hope the application for projects can be made in June 2013 if all the steps are completed as we estimate, he said. The program was established in 1992 and provides financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing peoples well-being and livelihoods, according to its website. The program provides grants of up to US$50,000 directly to local communities, including community-based organisations and other non-government groups, for projects in biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation and sustainable forest management and more. The program is based in New York and provided financing to more than 14,500 community-based projects in over 125 countries. The Global Environment Facility was established in October 1991 as a $1 billion pilot program in the World Bank to assist in the protection of the global environment and to promote environmental sustainable development. In 1994, the GEF was restructured and moved out of the World Bank system to become an independent organisation. Meanwhile, U Min Htut Yin said UNDP would contribute about $48 million in Myanmar between 2013 and 2015 to develop energy access in rural areas, tackle climate change, improve environmental governance and enhance disaster risk reduction efforts. Environmental conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation projects are planned for the dry zone, delta and northern forest complex, comprising parts of Kachin State and upper Sagaing Region, over that period, he added.

Traffickers of children should get heavy sentences, says Jackie Chan

By May Sandy UNITED Nations Childrens Fund goodwill ambassador Jackie Chan last week urged the media to support anti-child trafficking efforts through increased reporting on the issue. Speaking at a press conference in Yangon on July 7, the Hong Kong action film star said trafficking was a global issue and tough law enforcement and international cooperation were needed to stamp it out. [When] I was in Mandalay I learned about traffickers. These kinds of people not are not just in Myanmar. [They are] even in America. Why are there so many bad people? I dont understand. When I catch them I really want to beat them. How can they do these kinds of things? They are children. How can they sell them? If ever the traffickers got arrested, they should [receive] a life sentence or heavy sentences, he said. I really hope the media [can] promote more and tell the childrens stories and trafficking stories. Let me know more news about Myanmar where the children need help. Then I can come back, he said. Mr Chan arrived in Mandalay on July 5 and the following day visited training centres operated by the Department of Social Welfare to meet victims of human trafficking. He also visited the anti-trafficking task force and police task force to discuss the extent, causes and response to trafficking in Myanmar. At the Orphans & Vulnerable Children Centre in Yangon earlier on July 7, he met children living with HIV and shared his childhood with them, including his lack of education Mr Chan only started studying at the age of 16. When I saw a lot of children in Mandalay and this morning, I just thought about myself. I grew up in the same school like this with hundreds of children, punching, kicking every day. I really want to tell the children that education is very important, he said. He said he had been impressed by the cooperation on anti-human trafficking efforts in Myanmar. It is much better what I see than I expected. I have been to many places and seen even worse cases. What I see here in Myanmar, the government and UNICEF, they have been working very hard. I feel good for the children in Myanmar that they go protected, he said. We are now united, the media, UNICEF, to promote the message to the traffickers that the police will get them harder than before. The whole society [is] aware of the problem and the children know what to be careful of. Mr Chan will next travel to Afghanistan in his ambassadorial role.

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

AVAVITAL
Reg No. 4/3621/2012 To be used in connection with parenteral nutritional supplements; nutritional and dietary supplements. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

CENGENAL
Reg No. 4/3620/2012 To be used in connection with anticancer pharmaceutics; pharmaceutics. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

FENGENAL
Reg No. 4/3625/2012

To be used in connection with anticancer pharmaceutics; pharmaceutics. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate H0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ili: 255055/ 255407 For Ililborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

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MyanMar tiMes July 16 - 22, 2012

Pyithu Khit marks an unlikely two years

By Naw Say Phaw Waa MEDIA industry figures and politicians last week marked the second anniversary of the founding of Pyithu Khit (The Peoples Age), an increasingly influential politics-focused news weekly. The event, held at Yuzana Garden Hotel on July 10, included a seminar on freedom of the press that featured speeches from leading journalists and politicians, including 88 Generation leader Ko Min Ko Naing. Since its establishment, Pyithu Khit has focused on political news and features, a previously neglected genre in Myanmar. Pyithu Khit chief editor U Pe Myint told the audience that he and the six other founders did not expect the publication to last two years when it launched before the 2010 election. We just wanted to write about politics but then we had to consider whether this would be possible or not. If we couldnt publish views and articles without restraint, readers wouldnt be very interested, U Pe Myint said. The intention of publishing this journal is to inform the public about the political situation in Myanmar and in particular analysis about politics. Pyithu Khit shot to prominence in 2011 after getting approval to publish Daw Aung San Suu Kyis article, Letter from Burma, and is well-regarded by both readers and journalists. The anniversary and discussion about press freedom came as the Ministry of Information finalises a draft law to submit to parliament that it says will end censorship. But Maung Wuntha, a veteran journalist, said

Yangon, MDY tech schools to get boost

By Yhoon Hnin YANGON Technological University and Mandalay Technological University are to be upgraded to centres of excellence in a bid to improve the skills of graduates, Minister for Science and Technology U Aye Myint said earlier this month, according to state media. While Myanmar has 33 technological universities, the minister said at a meeting at YTU on July 7 that financial and technical limitations meant it was impossible to upgrade the facilities, curriculum and teaching standards at all of the institutes. Instead, both Yangon and Mandalay would be prioritised under the centre of excellence plan, which will see them limited to taking in 250 students a year, each of whom must achieve more than 450 marks on the matriculation exams. The universities will offer Bachelor of Engineering degrees. The two universities will be supported by a new, international syllabus, improved teaching methods and well-trained teachers, the minister said. It was not clear whether the ministry would receive international support to upgrade the two schools. No details were given on whether the other 31 technological universities would be upgraded in the future. YTU will reopen to undergraduates before the end of the year, the minister said. Since 2000, when the ministry stopped offering direct entry to Bachelor of Engineering courses to matriculants, it has received only a handful of postgraduates. Instead, students had to first complete an Association of Government Technology Institute diploma which required only 360 marks to undertake and those who achieved high marks were allowed to proceed to a B-Tech (Bachelor of Engineering) and then Bachelor of Engineering. Altogether, the degree took six years to complete. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology website, YTU opened in 1924 as the Department of Engineering. In 1961, it shifted to a new 138.5 acre campus in Insein township and was renamed the Rangoon Institute of Technology and became an independent university in 1964 under the Ministry of Education. On January 1, 1997, it was transferred to the Ministry of Science and Technology and was renamed the Yangon Technology University the following year.

Pyithu Khit chief editor U Pe Myint speaks at the June 10 ceremony. Pic: Thiri journalists face restrictions when gathering news, find it difficult to confirm facts, have to send content to the censorship board and do not have laws to protect them, he said. Other speakers included editor and former political prisoner U Zaw Thet Htwe, who talked about the problems associated with freedom of press, and U Kyaw Zwa Moe from the Chiang Mai-based Irrawaddy, who discussed journalism ethics, while Ko Min Ko Naing talked about freedom of the press and democracy. When the older people talk about the freedom of press in their younger days, just the thought of it makes our mouth water. We require courageous journalists who can work for the people. When we look at courageous journalists, most of them had to struggle, Ko Min Ko Naing said. U Zaw Thet Htwe stressed the need for legislation to enshrine freedom of speech. I was so worried when I realised that the freedom of press that we have got is just because of the political changes but not because of media laws being approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, he said.

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A film crew films the Ayeyarwady River near Mandalay last week, with Mingun Pagoda in the background. Pic: Phyo Wai Kyaw

July 16 - 22, 2012

Donors launch new $300m health fund

Three Millennium Development Goals Fund to target maternal, child health with significant role for ministry
By Thomas Kean A NEW five-year multi-donor trust fund to tackle child and maternal health will work closely with the government to strengthen Myanmars health network, its backers say. Donors have pledged US$300 million to the Three Millennium Development Goals Fund (3MDG), which will focus initially on 40 townships deemed most in need of external support. The funding has been provided by the same donors that contributed $138 million to the Three Diseases Fund (3DF), including Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Launched in 2006, 3DF will end operations later this year. Ms Veronique Lorenzo, the head of operations of the European Union delegation, will be the first chairperson of the fund. We are delighted to announce the start of the 3MDG. Finally, we will extend our support to mother and child health, one of the most pressing priorities in Myanmar, she said in a statement last month. The 3DF was established to fill the funding gap after the Global Fund for HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis cancelled grants in late 2005. Its backers say the fund has proven that aid can be delivered effectively and transparently in Myanmar. While this was done primarily through UN agencies and international and local NGOs, programs supported by the 3MDG fund will feature much closer cooperation with state health staff and institutions. We are happy to be working closely with the Ministry of Health and we will be helping them strengthen their systems and capacity to deliver quality basic health to the people of Myanmar, Ms Lorenzo said. Some resources will continue to be directed towards HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria after 3DF closes operations. This will supplement the Global Fund program in areas that it is unable to support, such as the fight against the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria. The shift in focus from HIV/ AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis for the donor consortium was flagged in early 2010, when a scoping study was conducted to identify where new funding was most needed. By December 2010, at the funds annual review meeting, 3DF board officials said a decision had been made to target maternal and child health, citing the reintroduction of support from the Global Fund as a major factor. Mr Paul Whittingham, head of office at the Department for International Development, t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m s development body, said the 3MDG fund reflected the new priorities among the donors. Weve long realised and recognised there are great unmet needs in child and maternal health that weve not been able to invest in significantly because it requires working through and with government health systems. Thats what this new 3MDG fund is going to do [because] the political environment has changed and the operating environment has changed, he said. healthcare was less than US$1 per capita and in part [that] reflects the governments priorities and in part it reflects the neglect by donors. The difficulty, the challenge, to address maternal and child health [is that] you need a functioning health system and that is much more complex than distributing HIV, TB and malaria medicine. The funds activities will be split into three components, with the first focusing on maternal, newborn and child health; the second on support for HIV, TB and malaria in areas and populations not reached by the Global Fund; and the last on strengthening health systems. The Ministry of Health will play a key role in planning and implementing this last component, said Mr Niels Guenther of UNOPS Myanmar, which has been selected to manage the distribution of funds. Under the maternal and child health component, which will receive almost threequarters of 3MDG funding, township health authorities will lead township assessments and the development of coordinated health plans. The fund will support the training of township health teams, basic health staff and community health workers, Mr Guenther said. The implementation of this component will significantly differ from the 3DF because it focuses on a selected number of townships that are most in need and on stronger joint coordination with and leadership by the respective health authorities. He said the fund would be launched in a policy and operational environment that significantly differs from 3DFs 2006 situation but the results of an independent evaluation of the 3DF, to be released in September, would be used to inform programming. Despite the increased cooperation with the government, non-government groups and community-based organisations will continue to be important partners, Mr Guenther said. They will be potential partners for service delivery as well as for strengthening community participation, representation, accountability. Greater participation of civil society will be a key factor for the success of the fund.

Ayeyarwady River approaches danger level near Mandalay

THE water level of the Ayeyarwady River at Mandalay remained close to its danger point last week and could rise above a recent high recorded on July 1, officials in Chanayethazan township said last week. The water level reached 1147 centimetres on July 1, not far off its danger point of 1260cm. On the morning of July 10 the level was at [1075cm], down a little compared to July 1. But it could increase again as the rain has been heavy in upper Myanmar in past months and the wind is strong, which makes the water flow quickly, said U Win Than Hlaing from Water Guard Office 3 in Chanayethazan. The rising water level also caused sections of the riverbank to collapse in places, and some houses along the bank shifted to other villages in late June as a precautionary measure. In July 2004 the river hit 1382cm, its highest level in 30 years, and stayed above its danger point for 17 days. Dykes had to be established along the bank on Strand Road to contain the excess water. We had to move to other villages not only our family members but also all of our animals when the water level got high and flooded into the village, said U Phoe Lone, who lives beside the Ayeyarwady River in Pan Nyo village, Sagaing township. Phyo Wai Kyaw

We are now a able to work in

different way and that requires the government to be on board.

We are now able to work in a different way, a more systems wise way, and that requires the government to be on board and investing in those systems. He said the scale of the challenge in maternal and child health was huge and improvements would require changes in policy from government, particularly in terms of the health budget. It is probably one of the biggest health challenges facing this country and typically the crisis in healthcare affects women and girls most starkly. The country is not on track to meet these Millennium Development Goals in maternal mortality and infant mortality. In some cases, in some parts of the country, the situation is especially dire and comparable to some of the worst places in the world. The combined investment by government and donors in

Free Bagan tourist maps available

FREE maps of Bagan and surrounding areas will be distributed to visitors from July onwards, according to officials from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. The ministry engaged Design Printing Service Co Ltd to create the map, which is available from Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan-Nyaung U airports. The map feature the locations of pagodas in New and Old Bagan, as well as airline ticketing agencies, transport information offices, hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. It also includes nearby Nyaung U and Mt Popa and a smaller-scale map of the country. Tour guides and tourism-related organisations can collect free maps from the Myanmar Travels and Tours office near Sule Pagoda and Design Printing Service Co. Ltd on 35th Street in Kyauktada township. Yu Yu Maw

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July 16 - 22, 2012
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Era of reform neglects decentralisation

By Aung Tun UNDER five decades of what was essentially military rule, the armed forces became the strongest institution in Myanmar at the expense of all other institutions. Another consequence of military rule was the centralisation of political and economic decision making. Myanmar is soon to reach a turning point in its unexpectedly speedy democratisation process for a number of reasons. The strict centralisation of the past will need to be relaxed, thereby allowing other institutions, such as regional parliaments, to develop and take the place of the military. Local governance can become an important element in Myanmars political landscape, and allow for ethnic minority groups to have a greater say in how their regions are to develop. The 2008 constitution provides for the creation of these institutions 14 regional parliaments and 14 regional governments, one in each state and region but many challenges will need to be overcome for this decentralisation of decision making to occur. The 2008 constitution sets out roughly the areas of responsibility for regional governments and parliaments. While the level of decentralisation outlined in the constitution is not perfect, and regional parliaments and governments still remain under the thumb of their national counterparts, it is important that they begin to test the waters. Legislation and taxation are the two areas where these institutions should start to exert some authority. To complement this, a specific policy of decentralisation should be developed and adopted to build on the authority the constitution grants to regional bodies. For the most part, however, local legislative bodies have been mostly inert since their establishment in early 2011 for a number of reasons: a lack of institutional capacity, understanding of local governance issues, individual capacity and interest, understanding of power sharing between national and regional bodies both legislative and executive and more. Take, for instance, the fact that some parliaments have been largely unable to convene because of a lack of budget, which is proposed by the regional government rather than the parliaments themselves. In some ways it seems that weve seen more centralisation than decentralisation over the past 18 months, with nearly all impetus for change coming from Nay Pyi Taw. But it shouldnt necessarily be so, and this cannot be attributed solely to the fact that the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has a majority in most regional parliaments. Section 176(c) and 179 of the constitution state that if at least 25 percent of the members of a parliament agree to call a parliamentary session to discuss and to resolve matters which need urgent action in the interest of the public the speaker shall convene a special session as soon as possible. This means that regardless of the stance of USDP or military MPs, opposition groups need only one-quarter of the seats in regional parliament to convene a special session to debate reforms for the betterment of their constituents. In some local legislatures, such as Rakhine and Chin states, opposition parties hold more than 40pc of seats. While they have the opportunity to call parliamentary sessions, they have not done

Military personnel in the Yangon Region Hluttaw in 2011. Pic: Yadana Htun Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw has also been the most active in terms of introducing news laws. For the international community, the regional parliaments and governments the constitution grants to local parliaments to create laws overlap with those of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, particularly in terms of transportation, communication, tourism and construction. the potential to be a significant actor in the national parliament. The party has listed changing the constitution as one of its top priorities but has said little about decentralisation and shifting more power to the regions. At a minimum, the NLD should work towards clarifying the overlapping rights of the national and regional parliaments, with greater authority given to the latter, during this fourth session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. (Aung Tun is an independent researcher who has formerly worked at The Myanmar Times, non-government organisation Proximity Designs and Myanmar Egress, a Yangon-based training centre and policy thinktank.)

where regional governments Legislation and taxation are two areasexert some authority. and parliaments should start to
so yet, partly for the reasons stated earlier, particularly lack of capacity. Meanwhile, the speakers of these parliaments should follow the lead of the speaker of the Ayeyarwady Region Hluttaw, who has regularly spoken out about the need for greater decentralisation. Dominated by the USDP, the offer an opportunity to encourage decentralisation, particularly through institutional capacity building programs and advising regional governments on policy. But there are other challenges ahead for regional governments and parliaments, including the fact that some rights that In his speech to the nation on June 19, President U Thein Sein spoke of the need for a bottom-up approach to regional development, including a significant role for state and region chief ministers. Meanwhile, the National League for Democracy now has at least 43 elected representatives and

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Stanislaw R. Burzynski, having a principal office at 9432 Katy Freeway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77055, U.S.A is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

AMINOCARE
Reg No. 4/3619/2012 To be used in connection with nutritional and dietary supplements. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5,, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

ATENGENAL
Reg No. 4/3622/2012 To be used in connection with anticancer pharmaceutics; pharmaceutics. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

ASTUGENAL
Reg No. 4/3623/2012 To be used in connection with anticancer pharmaceutics; pharmaceutics. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

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July 16 - 22, 2012

MyanMar tiMes

GE signs $2m deals for health equipment

By Sandar Lwin TWO senior United States diplomats were last week present for the signing of a trade deal between American giant General Electric and two Myanmar private hospitals. Mr Robert Hormats, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, and Mr Francisco Sanchez, undersecretary of commerce for international trade, attended the July 14 ceremony in Yangon. They were joined by newly appointed ambassador Mr Derek Mitchell. The sales and purchase agreements were signed between GE Healthcare Products and Services and Pun Hlaing and Bahosi private hospitals. The agreements are valued at US$1 million each and cover the export of advanced medical equipment. The deals are for one 128-slice CT Scanner and one Cardiovascular and Interventional Imaging System Innova IGS 530 a picture developing machine for heart and blood vessels. Its the highest value deal we have made so far. The past sales were for low-cost equipment, worth about $10,000, said Dr Han Myo Tin, product manager for GE Healthcares Life Care Solutions department. I hope the trade for medical equipments will increase in the future. We get a lot of inquiries and now have received a number of orders, he said. Mr Hormats and Mr Sanchez were in Myanmar as part of US-ASEAN Business Councils Myanmar Business Mission 2012. It comes following an easing of US sanctions on investment in Myanmar, including in natural resources, on July 11. GE began trading with Myanmar in February following the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December 2011. The company has since been outspoken in its intention to expand its business in Myanmar, and agreed to supply the government with gas turbines in May following protests over electricity blackouts. Our products are free from the sanctions. And we are encouraged to do business with a US company. It also gives full support to us, I mean the company provides us for all kinds of necessary works such as advertising, giving after services and so on, said Dr Win Zaw Aung, managing director of Sea Lion, which is GE Healthcare Products authorised agent in Myanmar. Since entering Myanmar, GE has expressed interest in infrastructure projects across a number of sectors. We cant say anything now in terms of expanding into other types of health care services. It would depend on how conditions develop, Dr Win Zaw Aung said.

Farmers plough fields in Kachin States Mogaung township last week. Pic: Ei Ei Toe Lwin

Kachin farmers struggle with instability

By Ei Ei Toe Lwin FARMERS in parts of Kachin State say they have stopped cultivating most of their fields because of the conflict between Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army forces. Fighting broke out in June 2011 following the breakdown of a 17-year ceasefire. Despite several rounds of peace talks, a ceasefire has still not been reached. While most communities live on higher ground, their farmland is usually situated in valleys. They say they are afraid to leave their villages to travel to the fields because of the instability and likelihood of fighting. Most of the villagers owned cattle and buffalos for farming before the outbreak of the fighting but they lost these during the conflict. Animals were stolen and died due to disease. Farmers are also scared to visit their farms because of the potential that fighting will start. Last year, farmers can look after their fields but this year the situation is getting worse, said U Kyaw Myaing, village tract administrator for Mahaung village in Mogaung township. This year I think only 10 farmers in our village are working. They do kyaban (daily labouring), he said Villagers said the Warkyit and Pantaung areas of Mogaung township are fertile farming areas and normally produce 70 basket an acre (one basket equals about 46 pounds or 20.7 kilograms) with only a small amount of fertiliser. Until recently, farmers from other villages would come and farm this land but in 2012 many of the fields are unused. I own 32 acres in Warkyit and we farmed 16 acres there last year but I couldnt do anything there this year because its too dangerous, said Daw Kaw Jar from Mahaung village. My buffalos were stolen and I could not afford to replace them. It also costs a lot to rent them from other people. Now I got some buffalos from the [Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund] project so Im cultivating a few acres near my village. Ko Htoo Aung, teacher at a farmer field school in Sarmaw village, Mogaung township, said the fighting was not consistent but had interrupted the lives . The battle is not always happening but residents are afraid of both sides. They do not want to invest in farming because if the fighting starts theyll have to run away and leave everything behind. Everybody just wants the fighting to stop, he said, adding that about 80 percent of households in Sarmaw had stopped farming completely this year. Those that continued farming are facing additional challenges as a result of the conflict. Inputs and transportation have become more expensive, while demand and prices have dropped, partly because exports to China via Laiza have stopped. Market demand has dropped and transportation and labour costs are higher. Farmers are depressed because the paddy price is K3000 a basket this year and they cant get any profit they might even lose money, said U Kyi Soe, a rice trader based in Mogaung township. Daw Bauk Jar, a land rights activist and member of the National Democratic Force, said the conflict had affected almost everyone in the state, not only those displaced by the fighting. Rural residents told The Myanmar Times they were just hoping for an end to hostilities so that they could live in a stable political and economic environment. We are definitely facing more difficulties than last year, said U Kyaw Myaing from Mahaung. Our income has decreased because we cant do our normal business. We think that we can only return to normal after we get peace.

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July 16 - 22, 2012
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Draft law publication wins praise

By Kyaw Hsu Mon IN a little-noticed but important step forward for transparency, state media has begun publishing draft laws and legislative amendments that are to be discussed in the hluttaw. Analysts said the change, which began on July 9, reflects a desire of the hluttaw to show greater transparency and improve the publics understanding of its role and activities. A draft anti-corruption law was among the first pieces of legislation to be published in state media, on July 9, along with proposed amendments to the code of civil procedure. The move coincides with an increase in interest in the hluttaw, largely as a result of the National League for Democracys participation. In another change for the fourth session, which began on July 4, satellite broadcaster Sky Net has begun transmitting a Hluttaw Channel, with live and rebroadcast coverage of the days events in parliament. Describing the bills in newspapers suggests that the hluttaw has transparency. They are describing what they are doing. In the past, the newspapers only described government notifications and brief news about discussions in the hluttaw. Now they also give full account of discussions, said U Ko Ko Hlaing, an adviser to President U Thein Sein on political affairs. The increased focus on the hluttaw in the media would generate more public discussion about legislation and proposals and encourage people to give feedback and ideas, he said. Topics discussed in the hluttaw can arouse more interest from the public because of this. The number of people who take interest will grow. These bills that are being presented are directly linked to the public, he said. Previously, draft legislation was considered confidential until submitted to parliament, and even then could be difficult to obtain. U Nyan Win, a spokesperson for the NLD, attributed the publication of draft bills to the recent proposal

Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann addresses the Pyithu Hluttaw on July 10. Pic: AFP of an NLD representative. We submitted our proposals more than 10 days in advance [of the hluttaw session] and the bills appeared in newspapers as a result of our proposal. It is really a good sign, he said, adding that he was optimistic that more measures to improve transparency in parliament would be adopted. As the hluttaw makes its efforts known to the public, members of the public should make every effort to give feedback to their respective hluttaw representative on the draft laws, one observer said. When bills are unveiled like this, the public will have to submit to their representative what they want to add or remove from bills, said U Kyaw Zeya, a well-known legal expert and author of several books on law. He stressed that all proposed legislation needed to be disseminated widely before it goes before parliament. Its better that laws are enacted with the publics knowledge than without. And while some other bills were published, the media bill hasnt come out yet. If the media bill comes out, media members can have an opportunity to analyse it, he said, adding that more efforts needed to be made to explain the significance of new laws to the public. Laws, including the constitution, were drawn up based on good examples from other countries. But the present way the bills are presented is too formal. More clarifications are needed to enlighten the public. U Kaung Myint Htut of the Myanmar National Congress proposed the establishment of national-level forums, comprising government ministers, hluttaw representatives, experts, other politicians and members of the public, to discuss parliamentary issues. Forums that will bring more lively debates are necessary, he said. But U Nyan Win of the NLD said this would be unnecessary, as hluttaw representatives were chosen by the public so already had a mandate to speak on behalf of their constituents. Representatives alone can make these bills, he said. One English teacher from East Dagon township said he was optimistic about the more inclusive direction in which the hluttaw was heading but questioned whether most people had the education or inclination to take advantage of the new opportunities. It is good that government newspapers publish bills to enable the public to read, especially those who are well versed in law. But our country has only a handful of these kind of people. So when a layman comes across a bill in a newspaper, it is hard for him to fully understand, the teacher said. Most normal citizens have little knowledge about how important a law is. It would be more effective if we could work out how to make them interested in the law and what is the most effective way to inform them. At this time when many laws and by-laws are being enacted or amended, I think its really important everyone is able to understand their responsibility to be involved in the process. Translated by Thit Lwin

Lt Gen Wai Lwin in line for top job in Yangon

By Kyaw Hsu Mon LIEUTENANT General Wai Lwin is considered the frontrunner for the job of Yangon Region chief minister following the almost certain elevation of U Myint Swe to vice president. A so u r c e c l o s e t o L t Gen Wai Lwin told The Myanmar Times on July 11 that he had been selected for the position, although no official announcement has been made. The following day, state media reported he had been substituted into the Yangon Region Hluttaw an essential step, as it makes him eligible for the position. Under the 2008 constitution, only representatives of a state or region hluttaw can be nominated by the president as that state or regions chief minister. The presidents selection is then put to the hluttaw representatives for approval, although this is considered a formality. Lt Gen Wai Lwin, a former deputy commander of Yangon Region, was military commander of the Nay Pyi Taw region before being brought into the Yangon Region Hluttaw in place of Captain Lin Lin Kyaw. Prior to the reshuffle, the highest-ranking military representative in any of the national or regional legislatures was a brigadier general. U Kyaw, the Yangon Region Hluttaw representative for Thingangyun 1, said the appointment would likely be confirmed at the next session of the Yangon Region Hluttaw, which is expected to be held within three weeks. If the seat of the chief minister of a region is vacant, the replacement must be chosen from the representative of that region. It cant be chosen from another region or department. And it cant be someone appointed from Nay Pyi Taw, U Kyaw said. The next hluttaw session is likely to be held near the end of the month. The Yangon Region government normally convenes a meeting with party leaders and MPs two weeks in advance of the session, and hluttaw representatives said this meeting would be held on July 14. U Kyaw said that while it appeared Lt Gen Wai Lwin would get the chief minister post, there were other people who could take on the job. U Sein Tin Win, the current hluttaw speaker can handle all the hluttaw representatives very well, and can also take the lead, he said. U Khin Maung Swe, cofounder of the National Democratic Force, said U Myint Swes replacement needed to be someone economically minded who is capable of also tackling the citys problems. We cant say for sure who will be Yangon Region chief minister. But Yangon is a business city; it has an international port. It is also the doorway to all countries around the world. So the incoming chief minister should have business skills, he said. In Yangon, the commercial hub of Myanmar, people face a lot of needs in the current and vast of the majority of the people wish the new chief minister to handle from the basic problems to boost the economy. Other observers said the new chief minister should increase the budget of the citys municipal authorities. In the past, Yangon City Development Committee used its own budget but now it has to use the budget that is allocated from the regional government. I think the government needs to allocate a larger budget because there are a lot of needs, such as road construction, that havent been completed yet. The roads are flooded and there is bad traffic congestion in Yangon now, said U Saw Lin Aung, editor of The Nay Pyi Taw Times. The traffic congestion is longer than before because road constructions hasnt completed. There are a lot of things that need to be implemented, such as putting traffic police in the right areas where they are really needed, he said. U Khin Maung Swe said the regions rural residents, who make up one-quarter to one-third of the population, also needed attention. Some people complain to our party about the problem of farmland. The new chief minister of Yangon Region should be someone who has the ability to focus not only on the peoples needs but also international relations, said he said. Director Wine, who is making a documentary on land grabbing, said there were many priorities for the regions development. We cant really just talk about one main issue [that the government needs to focus on], whether its drainage, roads or land issues, because there are so many. We dont know exactly who will be the new chief minister but one thing I want to say is that it should be a very moral person, he said. Additional reporting by May Sandy, translated by Thiri Min Htun

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July 16 - 22, 2012

MyanMar tiMes

Daw Suus fame risks eclipsing new stars

By Didier Lauras BANGKOK Daw Aung San Suu Kyis iconic allure has helped train the eyes of the world on Myanmars democracy struggle, but some experts say her star appeal could thwart the rise of a new generation of leaders. The Nobel laureate, who has come to personify Myanmars efforts to shrug off the yoke of decades of dictatorship, made her parliamentary debut on July 9 in the latest chapter in her transformation from renowned political prisoner to MP. The 67-year-old has suggested she is willing to accept the mantle of president if, as expected, her party wins 2015 elections seen as the apex of recent reforms. But many are already asking who could follow in the footsteps of The Lady. Western governments showed to the fore. That narrative is particularly strong in the West, which has focused on her entrance into mainstream politics as a benchmark for easing strict sanctions. Her reception as a virtual head of state in Europe last month confirmed her unique place in the imaginations of people who might otherwise struggle to find her long-isolated homeland on a map. But lavish welcomes during her first major trip abroad in nearly a quarter century have also threatened to strain relations with President U Thein Sein, largely acknowledged as the architect of sweeping political changes since he took the helm of a quasi-civilian government last year. It is a bit unusual for somebody who is the leader of the opposition to receive such high level treatment, said Mr Trevor Wilson, a former Australian ambassador to Myanmar. I dont think the international community fully appreciates the role of other parties and political actors in Myanmar, he said, describing Daw Aung San Suu Kyis trip to Europe as not part of the real world. While her party has become the largest opposition group, parliament remains dominated by the military and Union Solidarity and Development Party and with only 43 seats, the National League for Democracy is likely to have to form alliances to affect legislation. But smaller democracy parties many of which have been eagerly pushing the countrys reforms from inside the legislature for over a year have felt shunned by the NLD juggernaut. Among them is former NLD founding member U Khin Maung Swe, whose relations with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi soured dramatically when he disagreed with her partys decision not to contest the 2010 election over rules seemed designed to exclude her. He split from the NLD to form the National Democratic Force, which now has eight seats. Although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself finally agreed to run in Aprils by-elections, she has not talked to him ever since. We have done what we thought we should do, for the benefit of the people, said the politician, who has served a total of 16 years in jail for his activism.

dont think I international the community fully appreciates the role of other parties and political actors in Myanmar.

great interest in finding political alternatives to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi when she was under house arrest before controversial November 2010 elections, said Mr Renaud Egreteau, a Myanmar expert at the University Hong Kong. Two years later, idolatry is back. Alternatives within the democratic opposition are again marginalised. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said she has tried shunning the icon label since being propelled into Myanmars political scene during a failed student uprising against the junta in 1988. But as the daughter of independence hero General Aung San she has failed to escape cult status both at home and abroad. Some observers argue that a simplistic portrayal of Myanmars politics as a battle between a charismatic woman and a cabal of murderous generals could undercut efforts to bring a new generation of democracy leaders

National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi answers questions from reporters as she leaves the Pyithu Hluttaw last week. Pic: Boothee The international community needs to recognise these struggles. It would be wrong if they think they do not need to look back or communicate with small parties. Political parties representing Myanmars diverse minority groups which hold some 75 seats among 10 parties are also considered to be on the fringe of debate, despite their importance in a country that has been racked by sporadic civil war with various ethnic rebels since independence in 1948. We dont know how she will work with us, said Sai Maung Tin, a lower house MP for the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party. I personally respect her. We need more people like Daw Suu, he added, using a Myanmar term of respect. Even the structure of the NLD itself is a cause for concern, experts said. Octogenarian uncles, whose authority from battling the junta for decades is hard to dispute, still dominate the party, leaving young very idealistic and very passionate members with little influence, Mr Wilson said. But reforming the NLD to allow younger stars to rise might be hard to achieve, with Daw Aung San Suu Kyis democratic pedigree and strong charisma acting to shield her from negative comment. Many people are in awe of Aung San Suu Kyi when they meet her and they dont easily say things to her that she may not like, or that may imply a criticism of the NLD, Mr Wilson said. There is a bit of an issue there. AFP

NLD issues MOGE transparency call

By Hla Hla Htay NAY PYI TAW The National League for Democracy last week welcomed a US decision to ease sanctions, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi demanded more transparency as foreign firms hungrily eye the countrys energy sector. Washington on July 11 gave the green light for firms to invest in Myanmar, including in oil and gas, in its greatest loosening of sanctions to reward reforms under President U Thein Sein. The US decision was swiftly followed by the announcement of top-level talks with the president. She said that that she believed the body should sign up to International Monetary Fund codes of conduct. The party, however, said the US decision was not at odds with its view that lifting tough Western sanctions should be considered if it would help regenerate the countrys moribund economy. International firms are clamouring for a foothold in resource-rich Myanmar as the West begins to lift economic and financial sanctions on the nation. The announcement will soothe fears by American businesses that they will lose out to European and Asian competitors that already enjoy access to the potentially lucrative economy. It also signals Washingtons desire to bolster President U Thein Sein. President Thein Sein, Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma continue to make significant progress along the path to democracy, and the government has continued to make important economic and political reforms, US President Barack Obama said in a statement on July 11. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was to meet U Thein Sein on July 13 in Cambodias Siem Reap on the sidelines of the largest ever gathering of American businesses in Asia. We are putting in place protections to ensure that our renewed investment advances, rather than undermines, continued reforms, Ms Clinton told counterparts from across Asia on July 12. U Aung Lynn, director general for ASEAN at the Myanmar of Foreign Affairs said that the US move was welcome but urged further action, echoing U Thein Seins call for sanctions to be lifted. The president, who has embarked on a second wave of reforms to tackle the economy, told the Financial Times earlier in the week that there would be maximum transparency in extractive industries long the target of rights campaigners concerned over abuses and cronyism. Top EU diplomat Catherine Ashton on Thursday played down a race between EU and US investors to claim a stake in Myanmar, saying its good for the country to choose between businesses coming in to help them with issues like energy and so on... Its just great. AFP

TiMESbusiness
Govt tender winner details released
By Win Ko Ko Latt THE government has released more details about the winning bids for a recent tender to convert several high-profile, stateowned Yangon buildings into museums, hotels and offices. The buildings include the Secretariat, High Court and Yangon Region government office, as well as the Ministry of Railways head office on Merchant Road. A formal message from President U Thein Sein to the Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw dated May 8 said the tenders were invited on December 16 and 17, 2011, through state-run newspapers and four bids were shortlisted for the Secretariat, one for the High Court, 16 for the regional government office and one for the railways head office. These bidders w ere invited to meetings at either MIC or the Ministry of Industry for further discussions. The bidders clarified their work plans at the meetings and MIC chairman U Soe Thein who is also Minister for Industry and other officials selected the winner based on annual land rent offered, the bidders work plans, financial background and experience running similar enterprises, whether they planned to refurbish the buildings using architects with international experience and the extent to which they would preserve the original design of the building. Anawmar Arts Group will convert the Secretariat into a museum, U Thein Tun of Tun Foundation Bank will convert the High Court into a museum, Flying Tiger Engineering will convert the regional government office complex into a hotel and Dosim Engineering & Construction and Jewellery Lucky Production will convert the railway office into a hotel, the president said in the notice. Anawmar Arts Group will segment the Secretariat into art galleries and museum rooms, which will house exhibits of cultural artefacts, displays of the production process of Myanmar food and handicrafts, performances of traditional music and training classes for painting, sculpture, dance and music. It will also feature a library, restaurants, souvenir shops and waxworks of Bogyoke Aung San and other independence leaders. The lease period is 30 years, plus 18 months for refurbishment free of charge. After the renovation period, Anawmar must pay 3-5 percent of museum entrance fees, 15pc of the rent generated from leasing restaurants and offices and 1pc of box office receipts for dance shows to the government. At the High Court building, U Thein Tun will open a library and art gallery to house thousands of antiques and artworks. He will transfer some two million e-books and 200,000 hard copy books from Tun Foundation Bank to the site and also establish a national theatre for Myanmar marionette performances, according to his proposal. Tun Foundation Bank will lease the building for K240 million a year and invest between K3 billion and K5 billion in the project. Meanwhile, the regional office complex will be converted into a 180-room international-standard hotel under a 60-year lease. Annual rent will be 7pc of hotel revenue, along with a fee of US$14.4 million for land use and investment of K20 billion. The railways office will be leased for 60 years for use as a 145-room hotel, with annual rent of $300,000 with premium of $3.75 million for land use and investment amount of $12 million. Translated by Thit Lwin By Aye Thidar Kyaw THE leader of a United Kingdom Trade and Investment delegation that visited Myanmar last week branded the current political and economic climate as exciting. The July 9-11 trip was the first UKTI mission since the suspension of EU sanctions on Myanmar in April, according to a press release. The 24-member delegation included leading businesspeople from a number of sectors, including financial services and banking, legal, education, consultancy, energy and infrastructure and was led by Lord Marland, chairman of UKTIs business ambassadors group. The delegation met with Pyithu Hluttaw speaker Thura U Shwe Mann, ministers and other senior officials and discussed economic and political reforms and investment during the trip, which included a leg in Nay Pyi Taw. It is an exiting time in this country as political and economic reforms are taken forward, Lord Marland said. The British government wants to support the progress of reforms through strengthening the bilateral relationship across a wide range of fields, he added. During the visit, UKTI opened an office at the British embassy to encourage greater business links

July 16 - 22, 2012

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UK trade delegation visits

UKTI chairman Lord Marland speaks during a mission in Yangon on July 7. Pic: Ko Taik in Myanmar, according to the press release. The embassys commercial counselor, Ms Hazel Hector, said UKTI will help UK companies to develop trade and investment relationships in Myanmar and to promote the highest standards of corporate governance and social and environmental responsibility. Myanmar and the UK had a relationship many years ago and Britain wants to rebuild that, said U Maw Than, a retired rector of the Yangon Institute of Economics who met the delegation. However, high costs [land lease prices and electricity charges] may be the main barriers because they need to earn profits when they come here, he said. Myanmar Investment Commission [MIC] deputy director general U Aung Naing Oo said the government was seeking quality investment and welcomed official trade delegations. [The] UK has shown its interest in Myanmar and I believe their investments usually respect the environmental impacts and labour rights. We will get higher technology as well from UK investments, he said. UK companies have invested nearly US$3 billion in Myanmar mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, hotels and transportation industries, MIC statistics show.

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July 16 - 22, 2012
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ADB country director heads to Myanmar

Incoming Asian Development Bank head talks sanctions and reforms with the Phnom Penh Posts Stuart Becker
ASIAN Development Bank country director for Cambodia Putu Kamayana will visit Myanmar to open an office for the this week. Kamayana, a 58-year-old Indonesian who arrived in Cambodia in September, 2009 to serve as ADB country director, has spent the past 16 years working for the bank. Originally trained as an architect, he earned an MBA in San Diego. He retires in March 2014, but before then hes looking forward to his Myanmar assignment, starting July 30. He previously served in Hanoi for two years as well as Dhaka, Bangladesh, for four years and out of the ADB headquarters office in Manila, working in both Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. I will be heading up ADBs extended mission in Myanmar, which is tasked with the reengagement of ADB with Myanmar [and] establishing an office there. Im tremendously excited because this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Mr Kamayana said many things still needed to happen before a fully fledged ADB office could be opened in Myanmar. The multilateral development banks, including ADB and the World Bank, are restricted from providing substantial assistance to Myanmar until sanctions have been removed. Because the United States is now in the midst of a presidential election, with the US Congress opposing many of the Obama administrations initiatives, a things are not going to change very quickly, despite the Europeans lifting sanctions and despite American partial lifting. Who is going to risk it before things get much clearer? Mr Kamayana described the present Myanmar government as very reform minded. They need to start showing results. Things are probably not going to move as fast as they had hoped. I think the reformists are feeling under pressure. They are drawing up a development strategy which is going to be approved soon that will set out their priorities in agricultural production, the education system, similar to whats been done here in Cambodia. He suggested that Myanmar could learn lessons from Cambodia about building the capacity of government institutions and its people through primary, secondary, vocational and technical training. Lessons can be learned from Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, who have been through development. The financial sector needs to be modernised. All of these things have to be done and will have to be done in a systematic way that doesnt overwhelm the authorities and the people so that it is realistic and achievable. It has to be done at a sound pace. It is a huge task to be closed for decades and suddenly open up without getting overwhelmed.

Putu Kamayana, country director of the Asian Development Bank, during an interview in Phnom Penh last week. Pic: Supplied full lifting of Myanmar economic sanctions appear unlikely to happen this year. The administration could convince Congress to lift the sanctions, which probably wont happen in an election year. The second way is to wait for the sanctions to expire. Thats whats holding back the ADB and World Bank. I think the poor are hurt the most by sanctions. Myanmars natural economic advantages of a large land mass twice the size of Vietnam, 60 million people, a long coastline, oil and gas reserves, minerals and gems as well as tourism all show great potential. However, the country would require a sound regulatory system in order for economic development to really take off, he said. All of these businesses that want to come into Myanmar need solid legal and regulatory systems. All of the infrastructure, electric power, roads and the court system are needed in order for companies to make their investments. Who is going to finance them? The government needs foreign assistance for all of these things. Until the multilateral development banks are allowed to work there,

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Ajinomoto Co., Inc., a company incorporated in Japan and having its registered office at15-1, Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following Trademarks:-

Reg. No. 1410/1953

Reg. No. 30/1958

Reg. No. 1411/1953 in respect of Seasoning materials having mono-sodium glutamate as its principal ingredient.

Reg. No. 4497/2009 in respect of Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables; jellies, jams, compotes; eggs, milk and milk products; edible oils and fats; soups; soup stocks; preparations for soups; preparations for stews; instant soup mixes; bouillon; concentrated bouillon; broth; concentrated broth; noodle soup; instant soup mixes with noodles; soups with pastas; instant soup mixes with pastas; instant soup mixes with rice; dried meat; frozen meat; cooked meat; dried fish; frozen fish; cooked fish; dried shellfish; frozen shellfish; cooked shellfish; dried seafood; frozen seafood; cooked seafood; dried poultry; frozen poultry; cooked poultry; canned meat; canned vegetables; canned fish; yoghurt; cheese; butter; margarine; lactic acid drinks; vegetable salads; processed nuts; seasoned nuts; tofu;

food products made from fish; food products made from poultry; food products made from meat; food products made from seafood; food porducts made from shellfish; food products made from vegetables in Class 29. Coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, rice, tapioca, sago, artificial coffee; flour and preparations made from cereals, bread, pastry and confectionery, sorbets; ice creams; frozen yoghurt (confectionery ices); ices; nutrient dense snack bars; chocolate bars; honey; treacle; yeast, bakingpowder; salt, mustard; vinegar, sauces (condiments); spices; ice; tea based beverages; coffee beverages; coffee beverages with milk; preparations for making coffee beverages; seasoned salt; mixed seasonings; preparations made from flour; soy sauce; seasonings; flavorings; flavor enhancers; pepper; dressings; mayonnaise; meat gravies; sugar; natural sweeteners; low calorie sweeteners; hydrolyzed protein for seasoning purposes; rice; noodles; instant noodles; noodles with soup; fried noodles; fried rice; cereals; pastas; porridge; risotto; meals consisting primarily of rice; meals consisting primarily of pastas; meals consisting primarily of noodles; frozen foods consisting primarily of rice, noodles, dumplings and pasta; processed rice products; cooked rice products; meat tenderizers; seasoned breading mixes for use on meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables; seasoned batter mixes for use on meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables; seasoned coating mixes for use on meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables; ready mixed breading for deep fry use; seasonings having monosodium glutamate as it principal ingredients in Class 30. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Trademarks will be dealt with according to laws. U Nyunt Tin Associates, Intellectual Property Law Firm Tel: 951 375754, Fax: 951 254321, Email: info@untlaw.com For Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Dated: 16th July, 2012.

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California 95052, USA is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

Reg No. 4/3624/2012 To be used in connection with computers; computer hardware; semiconductors; microprocessors and other semiconductor devices; integrated circuits; computer chipsets; computer motherboards and daughterboards; microcomputers; computer workstations; software programmable processors; notebook and laptop computers; portable computers; handheld computers; computer peripherals; personal digital assistants; computer software; computer firmware and operating system software; computer and telecommunications networking hardware and software; servers; computer network adapters, switches, routers and hubs; wireless and wired modems and communication cards and devices; mobile telephones; accessories, parts, fittings and testing apparatus for the aforementioned goods. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

CENTRINO

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July 16 - 22, 2012
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Bad weather and poor quality controls have resulted in mango exports falling by more than 30 percent this year say exporters. Pic: Ko Taik

Job watch
Numbers of position : 5 (Female/Male) Qualifications required: 1. Myanmar Nationalities, 2. Age not elder than 30 years by 1st October, 2012. 3. Bachelors degree, 4. Good command in Japanese Language would be advantage, 4. Fluent skill in speaking/reading/writing of English, 5. Basic computer literacy especially in Microsoft office applications 6. Ability to work late night. 7. Good personality, 8. Ability to work in team spirit and interest for service work. Eligible candidate may submit application with testimonials enclosed by 26th July, 2012 to All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (Yangon Branch Office) #0201, Sakura Tower, 339, BogyokeAungSan Road, Kyaktadar Township, Yangon. TEL: 01-255-415. UNICEF VACANCY Education Officer, based in Maungdaw covering 6 Townships in Rakhine State (NO-A)
UNICEF Myanmar requires a dynamic, motivated, creative and committed professional individual to support the implementation of education interventions as supported by UNICEF. This includes monitoring of overall progress in terms of programme implementation, building partnership and collaboration for UNICEF supported intervention at the Township and State levels in Rakhine. Major Duties: Undertake on-going assessments in Education focusing on access and quality of primary education; facilitate the implementation and monitoring of Education Programme activities; build partnerships and strengthen collaboration with government counterparts in planning and management of UNICEF supported intervention; plan and monitor Township and school level trainings and delivery of educational supplies to schools and ECD centers; participate in emergency preparedness and response; support more effective use of the school cluster system; share relevant findings with sub-office team members toward strengthening programme convergence; support and facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration on cross-cutting issues and coordination in the sub-office. Qualifications and Experiences: University degree in Social Sciences or related technical field; two years progressively responsible experience in Education, programme design, administration, monitoring and evaluation or related field; fluency in English and another UN language required. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset. Detailed Terms of Reference may be reviewed at UNICEF Myanmar Office. Qualified and interested candidates should submit CV and a cover letter to HR Unit, Traders Hotel, 15th. Floor, 223, Sule Pagoda Road, Yangon, by 27 July 2012. Applications may be sent electronically to: jobs.yangon@unicef.org Note: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for further review. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
For every child Health, Education, Equality, Protection ADVANCE HUMANITY

ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS (YANGON) Vacancy Notice

Bad weather cuts mango exports

By Soe Sandar Oo MANGO exports this year have fallen by more than 30 percent because bad weather affected crops, said a spokesperson for Mandalay Regions fruit association. U Ko Ko Htwe, chairman of Myanmar Fruits and Vegetables Producers and Processors Association of Mandalay Region, said the year-on-year decline was more than 16,000 tonnes. Mango crops were reduced by bad weather and exports fell as a result, he said. We also need to educate farmers on better growing techniques if we want to increase our prices in future, he added. U Ko Ko Htwe said about 34,000 tonnes of mangoes had been exported this year earning about US$16 million, down from 50,000 tonnes last year. Mango season runs from April to July and the fruit is mostly exported to China via border trade, with other small shipments also sent to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The most popular variety sein ta lone (diamond) is mainly grown in Mandalay Region and southern Shan State and has earned a good reputation internationally, U Ko Ko Htwe said. He added that Myanmar could export significantly more mangoes if it lifted its quality and value-added the product. We can only meet about 10pc of the demand because we dont produce enough high-quality fruit. And some markets, such as Japan, only want fruit that has been carefully processed, he said. They are only interested in buying from us after the fruit has been processed but we cant afford to buy the x-ray machine we need to scan the fruit for disease, he added. He said China, Singapore and Malaysia buy mangoes from Myanmar, process them and then re-export the finished product. U Ko Ko Htwe said farmers need to be more careful with the fruit they grow, particularly when transporting them. He said some farmers try to save money by overloading mangoes when they transport them, which damages the fruit and reduces their value. Some farmers also pick the fruit before they are fully ripe, he said. U Ba Maung, spokesperson for the Ngwe Kant Kaw mango company in Mandalay, said farmers sometimes rushed to harvest their crops when they hear a good price was available. We pick our crop when we hear that prices are good. But when the fruit arrives in China and the buyers realise they are not fully ripe they immediately reduce the price for following shipments, he said. U Ba Maung said the buyers always have the upper hand because there are no cold storage facilities at the border and farmers cannot afford to send the shipments back to Myanmar and have no choice but to accept the lower prices. U Ko Ko Htwe said the industry needs capital investment to develop processing factories and better transport networks. He added that Mandalay Region has more than 18,000 acres of mango plantations, with about 10,000 acres of sein ta lone trees. He said mangoes are selling for about 120 yuan (about K16,600) a kilogram for wrapped mangoes and RMB80 (K11,000) for loosely packed fruit.

KBZ Bank starts Thai remittance service

By Myat May Zin THAILANDS Siam Commercial Bank and Kanbawza Bank will cooperate to allow migrant workers to remit money to Myanmar, an official said last week. U Zaw Lin Htut, manager of Kanbawza Bank, said on July 10 the first three months of the service will be free of charge in Myanmar to encourage its use. We will not charge any fee from our side for the first three months as a promotion, he said. Later we will add a transaction fee but we havent set an amount yet. However, users will still have to pay a small fee to Siam Commercial Bank but I dont know how much that will be, he said. He added that the service had started on July 2 and 20 workers had already used it by July 10. U Zaw Lin Htut said the service is one-way only and people could not transfer money from Myanmar to Thailand. We only have permission [from the Central Bank of Myanmar] to receive remittances. But I hope that well be able to offer outbound transfers in future, he said. He added that Kanbawza was hoping to allow users to access the system through automatic teller machines (ATMs) as soon as possible. Migrant workers usually only have free time at weekends and their salaries are often paid into bank accounts so it makes sense for them to be able to use ATMs to complete transfers, which we hope to implement in the near future, he said. The Central Bank authorised four domestic banks Ayeyawaddy, Kanbawza, Asia Green Development and Cooperative to begin forming agreements with foreign institutions to remit money back to Myanmar from January 1. Ayeyawaddy Bank moved first and established an agreement with Q-Remit to transfer money from Myanmar working in Malaysia back to Myanmar, starting on February 10. U Zaw Lin Htut said Kanbawza Bank only had ATMs in Yangon, Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin and Taunggyi. Cooperative Bank managing director U Phey Myint said the bank started a remittance service through Malaysias May Bank and International Management Express on June 1. He said K150 million had already been transferred from Malaysia through the service, adding that CB also cooperated with other domestic banks to transfer money to towns where it did not have branches. He added that the company was still working on its plans to offer a similar service in Singapore.

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July 16 - 22, 2012

MyanMar tiMes

Marubeni to repair Yawma thermo plant

By Tim McLaughlin MARUBENI Corporation will overhaul a thermal power station about 20 kilometres northwest of Yangon, after winning a US$3.8 million contract for the work last week. Marubeni, Japans fifth largest trading house, will repair the long idle Yawma thermal power station with parts supplied by Hitachi Ltd after being awarded the contract by Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise on July 10. The target completion date for the overhaul is April 2013. Marubenis recent investment in Myanmar exploits a largely untapped opportunity power generation, said Giulia Zino, Senior Asia Analyst at risk analysis company Maplecroft. This would potentially open up further opportunities for foreign companies in power-generation and transmission. Marubeni was the logical choice for the project because it built the 34-megawatt (MW) plant, in Yawma village, in 2005. However, the site quickly fell into disrepair due to a lack of replacement parts and proper maintenance and has been shuttered for the past two years. The Yawma site is one of several power plants that Marubeni built in Myanmar. The company also built plants in Thaketa, Ahlone and Hlawga townships in Yangon Region and a hydropower station in Baluchaung in Kayah State, according to a statement issued by the company. The contract to overhaul the Yawma plant could prove a crucial step in Marubenis efforts to renew its presence in Myanmar, where it has offices in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. It is also part of a larger Japanese push to into the country. Underlining Japans renewed interest in Myanmar is an intention to open a new trade route from the Indian Ocean, which would cut shipping time and costs while avoiding the heavily trafficked and insecure Straits of Malacca, said Ms Zino. In April the Japanese government forgave $3.7 billion of Myanmars debt and restarted full financial aid citing the countrys progress towards democratic change. Japanese investment to Myanmar has long been hindered by US and EU sanctions, as Tokyo did not want to strain relations with its allies in the West. In 2011 and early 2012, in line with Western governments Japan has welcomed political reforms in Myanmar and has resumed humanitarian aid and is now looking to deepen economic ties, said Ms Zino. Japanese investment is now expected to flow to Myanmar as Tokyo aims to bridge the gap with other Asian emerging economies, which have a long-established presence in the country.

Peanut oil market nearly dead: producers

By Myat May Zin PEANUT oil prices last week hit new highs as unregulated exports of raw groundnuts put the industrys survival at risk, producers said. Prices hit K4800 a viss (1.6 kilograms or 3.6 pounds) because of exports of raw groundnuts (peanuts) to China, said U Win Han, the owner of Shwe Peanut oil Trading. The peanut oil market is almost dead and prices have never been this high before, he said. Raw groundnuts were selling for K2200-2400 a viss in July, compared to K1550-1600 at the same time last year, he said. After the new government took over in March last year the Ministry of Commerce allowed traders to export all kinds of beans, pulses and seeds, including groundnut and red and brown sesame. Beans and pulses are n o r ma l ly h ar v e s te d in October and were hoping much groundnut as they can theyre even buying unpurified shipments, he said. I dont see any way that the price will reduce in the short term, and many mills have already stopped operating because they a viss was recorded after Cyclone Nargis struck the country in 2008, disrupting supply chains for most commodities. He added that the supply of palm oil more than compensated for the shortfall in peanut oil production. Demand for palm oil has certainly been increasing but the price hasnt changed because its very easy to import more, and the sellers in Malaysia havent increased their prices, he said, adding that the price was about K4700-4800 a viss on July 11. Sesame oil is not particularly popular with local buyers and the price has remained constant at about K3200 a viss since the start of the year, he said.

dont any way Ireduceseethe shortthat the price will in term, and many mills have already stopped operating.
that prices will decrease at that time, he said. U Sein Than Oo, owners of Wa Kyay Hmwe peanut oil trading, said demand from China was unrelenting. Prices are increasing now because Chinese traders are buying as cannot get enough raw material, he said. U Sein Than Oo said only a small number of consumers were still buying peanut oil the rest had switched to cheaper alternatives. He added that the previous high of K4200

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 4140 Dublin Blvd., Suite 200, Dublin, CA 94568, USA is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

DACOGEN
Reg No. 4/3626/2012 To be used in connection with pharmaceutical compositions for treating cancer and immune disorders. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/ 255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

ProPerty
July 16 - 22, 2012
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MyanMar tiMes

Owners take a gamble on dangerous strategy

Developers say redevelopment loophole encourages residents to damage their buildings to have them declared unsafe
By Htar Htar Khin RESIDENTS of some of Yangons older buildings are resorting to potentially dangerous measures in an effort to have their dwellings declared unsafe by Yangon City Development Committee, say developers. Once the building is declared as unsafe by YCDC a developer can then redevelop the site and exploit a loophole in city planning laws to avoid including a parking space for every unit. New buildings higher than four storeys have been required since January this year to provide a parking space for every apartment in an effort to ease the citys growing traffic congestion. U Lazarus, the managing director of Yadanar Shwe Htun Construction in Botahtaung township, said all YCDC-designated dangerous buildings were suspect. Residents are complaining that they lose the ground floor apartments, which are valuable retail spaces, when a building is redeveloped, he said, referring to redevelopments of nondangerous buildings. The problem is that the policy is unfair only buildings that are designated as dangerous by YCDC can avoid the parking space requirement. This policy is creating many problems, U Lazarus said. He said some residents had taken the dangerous decision to deliberately damage their A building declared unsafe by Yangon City Development Committee in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township. Pic: Ko Taik Construction in Kyauktada township, said people were making risky attempts to have their buildings declared dangerous. Its risky and dishonest to try and damage buildings to have them declared dangerous. And the final decision on the matter rests with YCDC the inspectors can easily decide that the building is not dangerous, U Aung Htun said. However, he said the need to provide a parking space for each apartment had forced his firm to delay projects in the downtown area by at least a year. U Maung Htun, a 65-yearold Mingalar Taung Nyunt resident, said his building and his neighbours on 94th Street were both declared unsafe by YCDC. He said old age, not deliberate damage, made the buildings dangerous. YCDC officials did thorough inspections of our buildings, he said. The building is unsafe because its old and falling down. I wouldnt have dreamed of damaging the building to get it declared dangerous because the responsibility for the buildings condition is mine as the owner. And if YCDC found any evidence that we had deliberately damaged the building they would sue us immediately, U Maung Htun said. However, U Maung Htun said he had heard that some people were deliberately damaging their buildings.

buildings by knocking down walls or damaging support pillars in a bid to have the site condemned. Building regulations, including the provision a parking space for each apartment, should be uniform, regardless of what the former building was, he said. U Ko Ko Lay, a director of

Three Friends Construction in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, said his firm was looking to develop projects outside of the downtown area because the parking space requirement was too difficult to manage. Instead of looking for developments downtown, our firm is choosing projects in Mayangone, Thingangyun

and South Okkalapa townships where we can get larger plots and easily find space for parking lots, he said. He said YCDCs parking space policy hurt tenants in older buildings. YCDC shouldnt squeeze developers by making them put in parking spaces for redevelopments, which is

unfair for the people who own apartments in older buildings, he said. Yangon has plenty of areas that could be used to make public parking lots and I think this is the right solution to the problem, he said. U Aung Htun, the managing director of Myanmar Top Power

Shard adds vacant offices to London stung by slowdown

By Neil Callanan LONDON The Shards owners were so optimistic about rising rents in 2010 that they bought out Transport for Londons contract to rent about a third of the skyscraper. They have yet to find a new tenant for the 72storey towers offices. Sellar Property Group and the Qatar Central Bank anticipated rents of as much as 70 (US$110) a square foot, among Londons highest, when the subway-system operator was paid to break its lease. Demand for prime office space in the capital has since tumbled and average rents in the nearby City of London financial district are about 55 pounds ($85) a square foot. The Shard, western Europes tallest building at 1016 feet (310 metres), is among five new skyscraper projects that will add about 3.8 million square feet (350,000 square metres) of prime space within a mile of the Bank of England. The amount of new and refurbished office space leased in London last year was the lowest in a decade amid the financialservices industrys contraction and Europes lingering debt crisis, real estate broker Drivers Jonas Deloitte said in May. The Renzo Piano-designed skyscraper, named for its tapering icicle shape, took 12 years of planning and construction by Irvine Sellar, chairman of the London-based developer. His company owns 5 percent of the Shard, a mix of offices, shops, apartments and a Shangri-La hotel. The Qatar Central Bank owns 95 percent after buying into the project in 2009. Sellar, 73, said he wouldnt want any one tenant to dominate the Shard and predicted the entire tower will be leased by the end of 2014. We are negotiating with various office occupiers for space well in excess of 100,000 square feet, he said on June 29. Construction began in March 2009 as Londons property market started to bounce back from the global financial crisis. After buying out Transport for London, Sellar predicted that the Shards completion would coincide with a shortage of prime office space in the city and rising lease rates. Central London office rents have risen about 10pc from that time through the first three months of this year. They remain 15pc below their peak in 2008, according to data compiled by Investment Property Databank. Rents for the best space in the City of London financial district are about 55 a square foot ($85) and about 95 ($147) in the West End, Chicago-based broker Jones Lang LaSalle said in March. Central Londons office vacancy rate fell to 5.4pc from 5.8pc through the first quarter of this year, according to Jones Lang. Demand for even the best London space is moribund of late, Anthony Duggan, head of research at Drivers Jonas Deloitte, wrote in May. Britain entered its second recession in three years in the first quarter. The central bank announced a program to boost lending last month and Bank of England Governor Mervyn King wants to increase the banks bondpurchase program to stimulate growth. Employment in Londons financial-services industry may fall to its lowest level in about 16 years, the Centre for Economics & Business Research said in May. The amount of office space newly leased in the City last year fell 44pc compared with 2010, according to Jones Lang. The 3.4 million square feet that was rented was the lowest amount since 2003; financial-services companies accounted for a fifth of the space, less than half that of the previous year. The Shard will increase the amount of newly built and still empty office space in London by about 15pc to 4.6 million square feet, according to data compiled by Drivers Jonas Deloitte. When The Place, a 17-storey building paired with the Shard, is completed next year, it will add 429,000 square feet. The skyscraper, together with The Place, will cost about 1.5 billion ($2.4 billion) to construct, including the purchase price of sites and interest on debt, Sellar said. They may be valued at 2.5 billion ($3.9 billion) on completion, he said. The Shard has 44 elevators, 306 flights of stairs, 11,000 glass panels and a swimming pool on the 52 nd floor. Starting in February, visitors will be able to see the sites of four other towers planned or under construction in the City from the observatory on The Shards top floor. Aon Corp, the largest insurance broker, in November agreed to lease about a third of British Land Cos Leadenhall Building, known as the Cheesegrater. Land Securities Group and Canary Wharf Group last month agreed to rent out 51,000 square feet at 20 Fenchurch St, the office tower known as the Walkie Talkie, to Markel International. It is due for completion in 2014. Construction hasnt started on a tower near Liverpool Street station planned by Great Portland Estates and Brookfield Office Properties. Development of the Pinnacle, a 64-storey office tower with a million square feet of space has stalled, according to Driver Jonas Deloitte. The Shard, with 600,000 square feet of office space from the fourth to 28th floors, was developed in the area of central London least prized by office building buyers. The Southbank district, on the opposite side of the River Thames from the City, has the highest yields for commercial real estate, meaning investors pay lower multiples of the annual rent for property there than other central London areas, IPD and broker Farebrother said June 14. The Shard may nevertheless outperform the British economy through 2014 because a lack of new office buildings in London may result in rents increasing in the next two years, Alan Carter, a real estate analyst at Investec, said. Businesses may be willing to pay rents of 55 ($85) a square foot or more for space in the building, he said. Transport for London had agreed to pay 38.50 ($59.67) a square foot. Sellar, who made his first fortune selling flared jeans in the 1960s, said tenants will likely pay from 55 to $75 ($85-$116) a square foot. Skyscraper economic models suggest developers compete to add floors to become a citys most prominent building, allowing them to charge a premium, said Colin Lizieri, a real estate professor at Cambridge University. But a developer can go for something that is a prestige statement, which in the long run might not give them the financial rewards, said Lizieri. If somebody else then comes and beats you, then youve overinvested. Sellar said hes confident that wont happen. Youve got the river facing it to the north and it will not be overshadowed by other buildings, he said. The Shard will stand in splendid isolation for a long time. Bloomberg News

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July 16 - 22, 2012
management, catering and course maintenance posts. Plans for a hotel and houses on the site have been shelved until a decision is made on a proposed offshore wind farm. As soon as we find out that they are not going to destroy Scotland by building windmills all over the place we will start immediately on the hotel, Trump said. I dont think the wind farm will happen because it will be the destruction of Aberdeen and the destruction of Scotland ultimately. People are seeing that all over the world wind farms are being abandoned, so I cant imagine that they will put up these ridiculous monsters that dont make economic sense and destroy the environment. To coincide with the opening, environmental campaigners have released a documentary film in selected cinemas entitled Youve Been Trumped. Dave Morris, director of Ramblers Scotland, called on the Scottish government to protect the natural landscape. Our coastline needs protecting from every Tom, Dick and Donald who wants to make a quick buck, he said. AFP

MyanMar tiMes

Trump tees off on new golf course in Scotland

ABERDEEN, Scotland US tycoon Donald Trump struck the first ball on his new luxury golf course in Scotland on July 10, saying the battles with environmentalists had all been worth it. The Trump International Golf Links, situated at Menie, north of Aberdeen on the east coast of Scotland, took seven years and cost more than 100 million (US$155 million) to build. Bagpipers escorted Trump and 2010 European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie to the first hole, where the businessman cut a ribbon before teeing off. Its been worth it because weve created something iconic, Trump said. This is truly the greatest golf course anywhere in the world. Everybody knows it, lots of people are saying it, and most importantly golf people are saying it, so we are really honoured by the way it has turned out. Its the whole structure that makes it special the dunes, being on the North Sea the architect has done an amazing job. Whats good for golf is good for Scotland because Scotland is the home front for golf.

US tycoon Donald Trump (centre) is escorted by Scottish pipers as he officially opens his new multi-million pound Trump International Golf Links course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on July 10. Pic: AFP Work to create the course started in July 2010, some five years after Trump bought the site. The course, which is almost 5 kilometres (3 miles) long, will open to the public on July 15. Sandy Jones, chief executive of the Professional Golfers Association, and George OGrady, chief executive of the European Tour, said they would work to bring major golf events to the course. Montgomerie called the site a marvel that made him proud to be a Scottish professional golfer. Trump, Montgomerie, Jones and OGrady played the first nine holes. Trump has clashed with local residents, environmentalists, wind farm manufacturers and Scotlands First Minister Alex Salmond since buying the land. Environmental campaigners opposed the construction of the course on protected sand dunes. Around 160 jobs have been created so far, including

NY City mayor Bloomberg promotes micro apartments

NEW YORK New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on July 9 launched a tender for the construction of microapartments in the Big Apple, where rents are exorbitant and the number of singles is on the rise. A pilot project slated for construction in Manhatt a n s K i p s B a y section will feature rental apartments ranging from 275 to 300 square feet (26-28 square metres) with kitchens and bathrooms, the mayors office said in a statement. Bloomberg said it was critical to the citys continued growth, future competitiveness and longterm economic success to develop housing that matches how New Yorkers live. People from all over the world want to live in New York City, and we must develop a new, scalable housing model that is safe, affordable and innovative to meet their needs. The project is slated to respond to the changing demographics of a city where 1.8 million households are composed of one or two people, but there are only one million studios and one-room apartments, the mayors office said. Current standards in New York require that most new apartments be at least 400 square feet. But rental costs in the Big Apple are increasingly expensive. In Manhattan, a studio costs an average US$2243 a month in May in a building without concierge, up 7.9 percent from the previous year, and $2657 in a building with concierge, up 4.4pc, according to the Manhattan Rental Market Report. A one-room apartment costs about $2959 without concierge, up 6.2pc from 2011, and $3777 with concierge, up 6.8pc in a year. AFP

Watergate apartment finds buyer for record $3.1 million

WASHINGTON An apartment in the Watergate complex, best known for the break-in that brought down president Richard Nixon in the 1970s, has sold for a record US$3.1 million, the Washington Post reported on July 9. Tech entrepreneur John Lee bought the three-bedroom, 3700-square-foot (345-square-metre) unit overlooking the Potomac River to complement his main home in an outer Washington suburb, the Post said on its real estate blog. Its the highest price ever paid for a coop apartment in the Watergate, which has long struggled to live down its reputation as the site of the June 1972 breakin at Democratic National Committee headquarters. In the ensuing scandal, one of the worst in US history, Nixon became the first president ever to resign from the White House as it emerged that his administration tried to cover up its involvement in the crime. I think there is more open-mindedness about the Watergate now than there maybe was for a few decades, real estate agent Gigi Winston, whose father was the original leasing agent for the Watergate, told the Post. Property prices have held up well in Washington in recent years despite a slump almost everywhere else in the United States, thanks in part to an influx of new residents drawn by government-related jobs, real estate experts say. AFP

teChnology
July 16 - 22, 2012
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Ministry seeks consultant to oversee telecoms tendering

BANGKOK Myanmar fired the starting gun in the process of liberalising its communications networks last week in a move that could finally bring mobile and internet access to the masses and drive international investment. [We] have started working on a reform plan to provide telecommunication services to the people at an international standard and at a cheap price, U Thein Tun, Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs, told parliament. The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper printed invitations to tender for a consulting position to scrutinise the different internet and mobile telephone tenders in front of the government. The tender invitations were printed on July 10 and 11 and called for assistance to help tap into a largely untouched market. Communications are seen as a key obstacle to development in Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in the world, where few can afford mobile phones costing hundreds of dollars and the internet is limited to urban areas. But the situation is seen as a major opportunity for international firms because an estimated 96 percent of the countrys near 60 million population does not have mobile access. U Thein Tun said the state-owned telephone operator Myanma Posts and Telecommunications and

Intel spends $4b on chip tool maker ASML

SAN FRANCISCO Intel Corporation announced last week that it will pump billions of dollars into ASML Holding during the next five years to speed up advances in tools for making computer chips. Intel said it would spend approximately US$4.1 billion investing in research at and buying an equity stake in the Dutch firm to speed development of technology for chips made on 450-millimetre diameter wafers. The objective is to shorten the schedule for deploying the lithography equipment supporting these technologies by as much as two years, resulting in significant cost savings and other productivity improvements for semiconductor manufacturers, Intel said in a release. The first phase of the scheme will consist of Intel committing about $680 million to ASML for research and development of 450-mm chip manufacturing equipment and buying a 10 percent stake in the firm for about $2.1 billion. Approval of ASML stockholders is needed for the second part of the plan, in which Intel would provide an additional $340 million to ASML for research and acquire another 5 percent of the company for about $1 billion. The transition from one wafer size to the next has historically delivered a 30 to 40pc reduction in die cost and we expect the shift from todays standard 300mm wafers to larger 450mm wafers to offer similar benefits, said Intel chief operating officer Brian Krzanich. The faster we do this, the sooner we can gain the benefit of productivity improvements. ASML said that it intended to sell up to a 25pc aggregate stake in the company to Intel and other semiconductor manufacturers as part of the innovative program to fund research. California-based Intels stake in ASML was not to exceed 15pc of ASML, according to the companies. We are extremely encouraged that Intel has made these investments, which will benefit every semiconductor manufacturer in the industry, ASML chief executive Eric Meurice said in a release. AFP

State-run newspapers last week ran tender notices seeking a consultant to oversee telecoms tenders for the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs. Pic: Yadanar internet provider Yatanarpon Teleport planned to form joint ventures after a tender process involving local and overseas companies that have experience in international telecommunication services. After negotiations between consultancy groups and officials, we will continue our [reform of the] telecommunication service by calling an international tender, he said, adding that the ministry was also planning a new communications law. Multinational companies such as Digicell (Ireland), Telenor (Norway), Viettel (Vietnam), Singtel (Singapore) and many others are eyeing Myanmar after sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union were suspended. Myanmars fledgling parliament is also considering an amended foreign investment law to encourage foreign companies to help build the economy. Last month President U Thein Sein said a new privatisation commission would be set up in an attempt to increase the role of the private sector in industries such as telecommunications, energy, forestry, education and health. In a report in March, analyst firm Nomura Research said Myanmar was one of the last untapped telco markets in the region, with government plans to increase mobile penetration by 50pc by 2015. Prices, which range from US$45-$600 for a handset, plus $250 or more for a SIM card, would be lowered if clearer policies were outlined, it said. However, Nomara warned the market would remain challenging. But it compared the countrys potential to its much more affluent neighbour Thailand, where the market capitalisation of the top three firms was $23 billion. AFP

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California 95052, USA is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

TRADE MARK CAUTION

NOTICE is hereby given that THE H.D. LEE COMPANY, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America of 3411 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19810, United States of America, are the owners and sole proprietors of the following trade mark in Myanmar: 1.

Spending on IT to hit $3.6t this year

SAN FRANCISCO Worldwide spending on information technology was on pace to hit US$3.6 trillion this year despite trouble in the global economy, industry tracker Gartner said on July 10. The revised estimate by Gartner projects that IT spending will be slightly more than previously expected, climbing 3 percent from last year. While the challenges facing global economic growth persist the eurozone crisis, weaker US recovery, a slowdown in China the outlook has at least stabilised, said Gartner research vice president Richard Gordon. There has been little change in either business confidence or consumer sentiment in the past quarter, so the short-term outlook is for continued caution in IT spending. Investments in storing data or hosting computer services in the internet cloud and in telecom equipment and services were bright spots in the growth outlook, according to Gartner. Companies were on track to spend a combined total of nearly $1.7 trillion on telecom services and $377 billion on telecom equipment in what would represent increases of 1.4pc and 10.8pc, respectively, from the previous year. AFP

Reg No. 4/3629/2012 To be used in connection with computers; computer hardware; computer firmware; semiconductors; microprocessors; integrated circuits; microcomputers; computer chipsets; computer networking hardware; computer peripherals and electronic apparatus for use with computers; video apparatus; computer software programs; telecommunications apparatus and instruments; apparatus and equipment for use in video conferencing, teleconferencing, document exchange and editing; parts and fittings, and testing for apparatus for all the aforesaid goods. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

PENTIUM

The said marks are used in respect of Articles of clothing, namely, jeans, jackets, pants, shorts, skirts and vests. The said trade marks are the subject of Declarations of Ownership recorded with the Registrar of Deed and Assurances, Yangon, Myanmar, in Book under IV/402/1994, IV/403/1994 dated 8th February, 1994 and IV/401/1994 dated February 15, 1994. Any infringement or colorable imitation thereof or other infringement of the rights of the said Corporation will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for THE H.D. LEE COMPANY, INC., by its Attorneys-at-Law REMFRY & SAGAR INDIA. Dated: 16th July, 2012

Apple to enter Myanmar

AMERICAN technology firm Apple will allow a Myanmar company to act as its authorised dealer, reseller and service provider, a source said last week. Apples regional officers have held several meetings with Myanmar businesspeople twice in Thailand and once in Yangon and after one more meeting they will choose a partner, said U Thaung Tin, chief executive officer of the KMD Computer Group. He said KMD had discussed the possibility of being Apples agent in Myanmar during a meeting in Bangkok but had been informed that a final decision on the matter would not be made until later this month. Htoo Aung

TiMESWORLD
DAMASCUS Syrian troops with tanks and helicopters slaughtered more than 150 people in a central village, rights activists said on July 13 casting a dark shadow over efforts to stop the bloodshed. Reports of the massacre came after UN Security Council ambassadors held their first talks on rival Russian and Western draft resolutions on Syria, with Moscow again spurning calls for sanctions

July 16 - 22, 2012

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Syrian forces killed scores of villagers, say rights activists

against President Bashar alAssads regime. No progress was reported on the first day of talks and the Security Council must vote before the mandate of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria expires on July 20, On July 12, Syrian government troops massacred more than 150 people in Treimsa village, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, while a rebel leader put the toll at more than 200. If confirmed, the killing at Treimsa in the central province of Hama would rival the massacre at Houla on May 25, when a pro-Assad militia and government forces were accused of killing at least 108 people. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP by telephone that the bodies of 30 villagers had already been identified after the sustained attack, which brought the days total death toll in the conflicttorn nation to well over 200. Treimsa is located near Qubeir, where at least 55 people were killed on July 6, according to the Observatory. Like Qubeir, Treimsa is a majority Sunni town situated near Alawite villages. President Assad belongs to the Alawite community an offshoot of Shiite Islam although most Syrians are Sunni. In New York, the UN Security Council wrangled over a resolution on the future of the troubled UN mission in Syria, as Russia rejected western demands for sanctions. Russia and China have twice used their powers as permanent members of the 15-nation Council to veto resolutions that hinted at sanctions. AFP Ambassador defects, P. 25.

US, China pledge to work towards smoother ties

days of heated diplomacy ending in failure on July 13 as splits over territorial disputes with China preventing the regional bloc from issuing its customary joint statement. ASEAN foreign ministers had been trying to agree a final communique in Cambodia, which had held up progress on a draft code of conduct aimed at soothing tension in the flashpoint South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the resource-rich sea, which is home to vital shipping lanes, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei among others have competing claims in the area. The Philippines lambasted the failure at the summit, saying it deplores the non-issuance of a joint communique... which was unprecedented in ASEANs 45-year existence. It had insisted ASEAN refer to a stand-off last month with China over a rocky outcrop known as the Scarborough Shoal, but Cambodia a Beijing ally and chair of the meeting resisted. Taking strong exception to Cambodia for opposing mention of the shoal, the Philippine statement said divisions undercut previous ASEAN agreements on tackling disputes as a unit,

Lift all sanctions, urge ASEAN pair

PHNOM PENH Indonesia the former ruling junta. ASEAN, whose 10 and Thailand last week welcomed a US decision to members were attending ease sanctions on Myanmar talks last week in Cambodia, in reward for democratic has repeatedly urged the reforms, but repeated calls EU and the US to remove for all restrictions to be all sanctions against fellow member Myanmar. lifted. The regional bloc has itself The reaction from two of Myanmars partners in the rewarded Myanmar for its Association of Southeast reform efforts by handing it Asian Nations on July 12 the chair of ASEAN in 2014. ASEAN secretary-general came a day after Washington said it would lift restrictions Surin Pitsuwan said the US on investment, including relaxation of restrictions in the oil and gas sectors, w o u l d h e l p M y a n m a r in the widest relaxation of prepare itself for its own chairmanship sanctions so in 2014 far. it will Indonesian We are all on because a lot of bring in F o r e i g n opportunities, M i n i s t e r the right track. a lot of M a r t y expertise, a lot Natalegawa hailed the US announcement of experiences. The European Unions top as fantastic news and a sign that we are all on the right diplomat also welcomed the US decision. track. Speaking on July 12 during Its an acknowledgment of the important developments the talks in Phnom Penh, taking place in Myanmar, he EU High Representative told reporters at a regional Catherine Ashton highlighted s e c u r i t y f o r u m i n t h e the importance of supporting Cambodian capital, Phnom Myanmars economy, which has been battered by five Penh. Thai Foreign Minister decades of mismanagement Surapong Tovichakchaikul and corruption. Weve already suspended echoed the enthusiasm for the roll-back of trade and our sanctions so we very investment curbs, but urged much welcome what the United States is doing, she the US to go even further. If they can ease all the said. In April, the European sanctions that would be better, like Australia. Thats Union suspended for one what we would like to see, year a wide range of trade, economic and individual he told reporters. The sanctions came into sanctions, although it left force in the 1990s in response intact an arms embargo. AFP to human rights abuses by

PHNOM PENH US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi pledged on July 12 to work more closely together after talks designed to smooth their countries often spiky relations. After a meeting in Cambodia, Clinton highlighted areas of common interest such as disaster relief and disease control, which she said were an important signal that the US and China not only can, but will work together in Asia. Yang said: China and US relations have continued to make progress this year, adding both sides had agreed to enhance our dialogue... to continue to expand our common ground. There have been concerns that the USs new foreign policy pivot to focus on Asia, under which it hopes to counter Chinas enormous clout, could antagonise Beijing ahead of a leadership transition later this year. The display of togetherness on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a meeting on security issues, came despite constant friction in the worlds most significant bilateral relationship. And it contrasted with acrimony within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations itself, with

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrive for bilateral talks at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on July 12. Pic: AFP and not in a bilateral fashion the approach which its northern neighbour (China) has been insisting on. Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong expressed regret at the discord within the organisation, but said he could not accept that the joint communique has become the hostage of the bilateral issue (between the Philippines and China. Analysts said the friction could contaminate future negotiations between ASEAN and China. Cambodia is showing itself as Chinas stalking horse. This will make negotiating a final code of conduct with China more difficult, said Southeast Asia expert Carl Thayer, who runs a consultancy. I find it difficult to believe that ASEAN foreign ministers cannot come up with some formulation that satisfies all parties. AFP Tensions flare, P. 31.

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Climate change raises odds of extreme weather: study

WASHINGTON Severe droughts, floods and heat waves rocked the world last year as greenhouse gas levels climbed, boosting the odds of some extreme weather events, international scientists said last week. The details are contained in the annual State of the Climate report, compiled by nearly 400 scientists f r o m 48 c o u n tr ie s an d published in the peerreviewed Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society on July 10. The report itself remains consciously conservative when it comes to attributing the causes of certain weather events to climate change, and instead refers only to widely understood phenomena such as La Nina. However, it is accompanied for the first time by a separate an al y s is th a t e x p l ai n s how climate change may have influenced certain key events, from droughts in the US and Africa to extreme cold and warm spells in Britain. 2011 was notable for many extreme weather and climate events. La Nina played a key role in many, but certainly not all of them, said Tom Karl, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)s National Climatic Center. Last year was among the 15 warmest since records began in the late 1800s, and the Arctic warmed associated with the wettest two years on record in Australia. An accompanying analysis in the same journal, titled Explaining Extreme Events, examined the links between humandriven climate change and six selected weather crises in 2011, including the Texas drought that lasted half the year. The authors found that such a heat wave is now around 20 times more likely during a La Nina year than it was during the 1960s, said Peter Stott, climate monitoring and attribution team leader at the UK Met Office. We have shown that climate change has indeed altered the odds of some of the events that have occurred, he told reporters. What we are saying here is we can actually quantify those changing odds. Looking at Britains unusually warm November 2011 and the cold snap of December 2010, scientists found that frigid Decembers are half as likely to occur now compared to 50 years ago and hot Novembers are 62 times more likely. While it remains hard to link single events to human-caused climate change, scientific thinking has moved on and now it is widely accepted that attribution statements about individual weather or climate events are possible, the report added. AFP

Some malaria drugs approved by WHO fail, say researchers

WASHINGTON Up to eight percent of malaria drugs approved by the United Nations World Health Organisation or other regulators do not contain the right dose and may fuel resistance, researchers said on July 10. Two studies in published in Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine suggested manufacturing problems, rather than counterfeiting, may be to blame for these substandard drugs in low and middle income countries around the world. Poorly made or fake medications are a major problem worldwide, particularly as signs emerge of growing resistance to artemisinin, the frontline treatment for malaria, a disease the WHO says killed 655,000 people in 2010. One study sampled 104 artemisinin-based medicines from pharmacies in Ghana and Nigeria that were offered under the Affordable Medicines Facility by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, designed to boost access to the best treatments. Eight were found to be significantly under-dosed in artemisinin, or had less than 75 percent of the main component of the drug, the study authors said. Why am I pretty sure that these are not fakes? asked Roger Bate, lead author and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. The reason is they have well over 50 percent of the active ingredient but under 75 percent, he said, adding that most counterfeits have very little or no active ingredient in them. A separate study that spanned 2652 essential drugs including medicines for malaria, tuberculosis and bacterial infections found that the failure rate among WHO-approved products was 6.8pc. The samples came from 11 sites in Africa, three Indian cities, as well as Sao Paulo, Moscow, Bangkok, Istanbul and Beijing. The highest failure rate 17.65pc was seen among Chinese-made products approved by the WHO, said the study. Researchers said the WHO has launched an investigation. AFP

The aftermath of flash floods that engulfed the southern Russian town of Krymsk on July 8. More than 170 people died in and around Krymsk after the region received more rain in 24 hours than it usually records in three or four months. Pic: AFP at about twice the rate of lower latitudes with sea ice at below average levels, said the report. Greenhouse gases from human pollution sources such as coal and gas reached a new high, with carbon dioxide emissions exceeding 390 parts a million up 2.10 parts a million from 2010 for the first time since modern records began. Despite the natural cooling trend brought by back-to-back La Nina effects, which chill waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, 2011 was among the 12 highest years on record for global sea surface temperatures. The double La Nina punch influenced many of the worlds significant weather events, including historic droughts in East Africa, the southern US and northern Mexico, said the report. La Nina trends also were

Dengue campaign unveiled

BRASILIA Brazil said last week it will breed huge numbers of genetically modified mosquitoes to help stop the spread of dengue fever, an illness that has already affected nearly 500,000 people this year in the South American nation. Dengue affects between 50 and 100 million people in the tropics and subtropics each year, causing fever, muscle and joint ache as well as potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. The disease is caused by four strains of virus that are spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. There is no vaccine, which is why scientists are focusing so intensely on mosquito control. The initiative in Brazil will produce large quantities of genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which will be released into nature to mate with females, the health ministry said. Their offspring will not reach adulthood, which should reduce the population, it said in a statement on July 9. The experiment has already been tried in two mosquito-infested towns in Bahia, each with about 3000 inhabitants. Using this technique, we reduced the mosquito population by 90 percent in six months, the ministry said. AFP

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California 95052, USA is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

computer software for compressing and decompressing data and video images; notebook and laptop computers; portable computers; handheld computers; tablet computers; ultra mobile computers; computer software for use in providing multiple user access to a global computer information network; computer firmware, namely, computer operating system software, computer utility software and other computer software; portable video players; personal gaming devices; high definition disk players; DVD players. Class 41; Entertainment services, namely, production of motion pictures, videos and films; provision of television, video and motion picture special effects; development of software for use in production of motion pictures, videos and films; animation production services; multimedia entertainment software production services. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

TRADE MARK CAUTION

NOTICE is hereby given that Steelcase Inc., a company organized under the laws of the State of Michigan, United States of America and having its principal office at 901 44th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508, United States of America is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark:-

Reg No. 4/3617/2012 To be used in connection with Class 9; Computer software; 3D animation software; 3D animation process technology software for creation, production, recording, transmission or reproduction of sound, video, movies, films, animated content, software programs, graphics and images; computer software for use in relation to digital animation and special effects of images; software for processing images, graphics and text; software to control and improve computer and audio equipment sound quality; computer game software; computer graphics software; electronic game software; game software; video game software; virtual reality game software; interactive video games comprised of computer hardware and software; computers; servers; workstations; computer hardware, computer motherboards, integrated circuits, semiconductors and processors; video game cartridges; computer software for playing video games and computer games with others via a global computer or communication network;

(Reg: Nos. IV/1357/1985 & IV/1547/2012) in respect of :- Office furniture Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Steelcase Inc., P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 16th July, 2012

STEELCASE

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Briefs
US imposes more sanctions on Iran
WASHINGTON The United States imposed more sanctions on Iran on July 12 as it increased pressure over its suspected nuclear weapons program. The latest measures impose extra sanctions on Irans nuclear and ballistic missile proliferation networks and also target more than 50 Iranian front companies and banks, the Treasury Department said. Western powers believe that Irans nuclear program masks an atomic weapons drive, despite repeated denials by Tehran.

Liberal coalition takes lead in Libyan election

TRIPOLI Libyan voters in the capital opted overwhelmingly in favour of a liberal coalition led by wartime premier Mahmud Jibril which also trounced other parties in the east, partial tallies showed on July 12. In the central Tripoli electoral district, the National Forces Alliance (NFA) had a nearly ten-fold advantage over the Muslim Brotherhoods Justice and Construction Party (JCP) in voting for seats reserved for parties in the national congress. The NFA scored 46,225 votes compared with the JCPs 4774. The remainder of the eight constituencies in Tripoli voted along similar lines with the exception of Hay AlAndalus, where the NFA did not field candidates. The electoral commission figures released on July 12, combined with earlier results from the eastern city of Benghazi, cradle of the revolt that ousted Moamer Kadhafi last year, give Jibrils coalition a massive lead among the seats reserved for parties. This is a first ever election so everything is a surprise, said Sami Zaptia, editor of English-language news website Libya Herald. Securing the support of most voters in the east and wests largest cities does not automatically translate into the power to dominate the next congress, in which independents will hold the majority of seats. A total of 120 seats in the assembly are reserved for individual candidates, with the remaining 80 seats set aside for party list candidates such as those fielded by Jibrils coalition. The parties race follows the proportional system, with seats in the congress distributed among political entities in roughly the same proportion as the votes cast for that party. This system gives a chance for Islamists to gain some party-list seats in the assembly even if they came a distant second in an electoral district. Independents, courted by both the liberal coalition and JCP as potential allies, may well determine the orientation of the next congress. We are not clear or sure what will happen with the independents: a lot of them are proxies representing other parties, Zaptia said. The results of Libyas first national election since Kadhafis fall are being released district by district in a complex counting system that needs to measure the performance of both individual candidates and those fielded by parties. The electoral commission has yet to fix a date for releasing the final results. AFP

UK gives assurance on Games security

LONDON British authorities insisted on July 12 that Olympic security would not be compromised after having to draft in an extra 3500 troops because a private security firm failed to provide enough guards. Home Secretary Theresa May made an urgent statement to parliament, confirming that private contractor G4S could not supply all the security staff it had promised due to recruitment and training problems. The development adds to worries about Britains preparations for the London Games, which officially open on July 27.

Egyptian leader backs down in dispute over parliament

Peres issues warning on settlements

JERUSALEM Israeli President Shimon Peres has warned of the demographic consequences on the Jewish state of settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israeli settlements in densely populated Arab areas could bring about a demographic change about which we would do well to think hard about before acting, he said in remarks broadcast on both army radio and Israel public radio. Without a Jewish majority, it is doubtful whether a Jewish state can remain Jewish, he warned during a ceremony on July 10. His remarks alluded to demographic consequences of a possible annexation of the West Bank, an issue which came up earlier last week with the publication of a report which found that Jews have the legal right to settle in the territory. Official statistics show there are 5.9 million Jews living in Israel and the occupied territories, compared with 5.8 million Palestinian Arabs. The report, written by three prominent Israeli jurists, rejected the idea that Israel was a military occupying power in the West Bank and said the establishment of settlements there cannot be considered illegal in conclusions which contradict international law. AFP

Contraception saves lives, shows study

PARIS Contraceptive use saves the lives of more than a quarter of million women each year, either from death in childbirth or unsafe abortions, showed estimates published on July 10. In 2008, 355,000 women died while giving birth or from illegal or dangerous abortions, said a study published by The Lancet. But more than 250,000 deaths were averted that year because contraception reduced unwanted pregnancies, it said.

BBC bows out from Bush House

LONDON The BBC World Service transmitted its final bulletin from Bush House in London on July 12, ending 71 years of radio broadcasts from the building that kept millions informed throughout the globe. Since March, the service has been moving to studios at Broadcasting House in Portland Place, two kilometres (one and a half miles) away. Region by region, its 27 services from Arabic to Vietnamese have moved to the state-of-the-art, multimedia building which brings together the BBCs national and global journalism operations. AFP

CAIRO Egypts President Mohamed Morsi will respect a court ruling overturning his decree for the dissolved Islamist-dominated parliament to convene, his office said on July 11 amid a power struggle with the military. The statement appears aimed at mollifying an infuriated judiciary, which has been placed at the forefront of the complex struggle between powerful generals adjusting to their new Islamist president. If yesterdays constitutional court ruling prevents parliament from fulfilling its responsibilities, we will respect that because we are a state of the law, the statement said, a day after the court froze Morsis decree. There will be consultations with (political) forces and institutions and the supreme council for legal authorities to pave a suitable way out of this, the statement added. Morsi had the previous week ordered parliament to convene in defiance of a military decision to disband the house in line with a court ruling last month, before the generals handed power to the president. Morsis decree was applauded by supporters who believed the courts decision to disband parliament was political, but it set off a fire storm of criticism from opponents who accused him of overstepping his authority. According to the countrys interim constitution, drafted by the military generals who took charge after president Hosni Mubaraks overthrow early last year, the military assumed the dissolved parliaments powers. Morsis decision was seen as an opening shot in a power struggle between Egypts first civilian leader and the Mubarak-appointed generals who wanted to retain broad powers even after they transferred control on June 30. On July 8, Morsi had ordered parliament back and invited it to

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (centre), with the head of the military council, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi (left) and armed forces Chief of Staff, General Sami Anana, at a graduation ceremony for military cadets in Cairo on July 9. Pic: AFP/Egyptian presidency convene. Taking its cue from the president, the Peoples Assembly met on July 10. We are gathered today to review the court rulings, the ruling of the Supreme Constitutional Court, speaker Saad alKatatni said. I want to stress, we are not contradicting the ruling, but looking at a mechanism for the implementation of the ruling of the respected court. There is no other agenda today, he added. According to Morsis decree, new parliamentary elections are to be held after a constituent assembly chosen by the legislature drafts a constitution. But the assemblys fate is in doubt, with the administrative court deciding on July 11 to look into complaints on the panels legality on July 17 rather than in September as had been scheduled, the official MENA news agency reported. Should the court declare the parliament appointed assembly illegal, the military will appoint a new one, as stipulated in its interim constitution. The origins of the battle for parliament lay in the constitutional declaration issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which ruled Egypt during its transition after president Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year. The declaration, which acts as a temporary constitution until a new one is drafted, granted the military sweeping powers, including legislative control, and rendering the presidential post little more than symbolic. The SCAF consists of generals appointed by Mubarak, as was the head of the constitutional court which annuled parliament because it found that certain articles of the law governing its election invalid. AFP

Syrian ambassador defects

BAGHDAD Syrias ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf Fares, has defected to the opposition and urged the army to turn its guns on the regime, becoming the most senior diplomat to abandon President Bashar al-Assad. I announce my defection from my post as representative of the Arab Syrian Republic in Iraq and my withdrawal from the ranks of the (ruling) Baath party, Fares said in a message broadcast on Al Jazeera on July 11 and confirming earlier reports of his defection. I call on all free and worthy people in Syria, particularly in the military, to immediately rejoin the ranks of the revolution, he said, adding: turn your cannons and your tanks towards the criminals in the regime who are killing the people. He also called on fellow Baath party members to reject the regime which he accused of using the party as a tool to repress the people and their aspiration of freedom and dignity. AFP

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Bosnia buries hundreds at Srebrenica massacre site

SREBRENICA, BosniaHercegovina Bosnians on July 11 buried 520 victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, with two alleged masterminds of the slaughter finally on trial for genocide. About 30,000 people gathered at a special memorial centre in Potocari, just outside Srebrenica, for the mass funeral on the 17th anniversary of the worst single atrocity on European soil since World War II. Mujo Salihovic, 30, had come to bury his father and one of his brothers his other brother was already among the 5137 victims already laid to rest there. I havent told my mother that they will be buried today. She is sick and still believes they will return, he said tearfully. If I tell her, it would kill her. I cannot lose her, she is all that I have left. It is the first anniversary being commemorated since the massacres alleged architects, Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic and political leader Radovan Karadzic, went on trial before the UN war crimes court. In all, about 8000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered by Bosnian Serb troops who overran the UN protected enclave on July 11, 1995, in the only episode of the 1992-95 Bosnian war to have been ruled a genocide by international courts. US President Barack Obama in a statement slammed moves to downplay it merely encourages the perpetrators and ultimately it pays a heavy price in blood, he said. It is a lesson that the world must learn again today as we witness the massacres being perpetrated by the regime in Syria against its own people. It is time again for humanity to say with one clear voice: these crimes must end, he urged. Many survivors and relatives in Srebrenica said on July 11 that the trials at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague are too little, too late. The trial of Mladic, who commanded the attack on Srebrenica, resumed in The Hague last week with the first prosecution witnesses testifying, a little over a year since his arrest in Serbia after nearly 16 years on the run. Karadzic is due to start presenting his defence in October. His trial opened in 2009 after he evaded justice for 13 years. Both men have pleaded not guilty to genocide charges for masterminding the massacre and all other charges against them over the Bosnian war that left about 100,000 people dead. So far 38 former Bosnian Serb military or police officials have been convicted, including some for genocide, for their role in the Srebrenica killings, both by the ICTY and Bosnias own war crimes court. AFP

Dozens die of thirst in Mediterranean tragedy

GENEVA Fifty-four boat people trying to reach Italy died of thirst when their inflatable vessel ruptured in the Mediterranean, the sole survivor was quoted as saying last week by the UN refugee agency. Abbes Settou, who drank sea water to survive, was spotted clinging to a jerry can and the remains of the stricken boat off the Tunisian coast on late on July 9 by fishermen who alerted the coast guard, the UNHCR said on July 11. The man, who is being treated in a Tunisian hospital, said there was no fresh water on board and people started to perish within days, including three members of his family. He said 55 people boarded the boat in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, in late June, and that more than half were from Eritrea, including himself. They were unable to call for help because the boats satellite phone was broken, said Father Mussie Zerai, an Eritrean priest who spoke to the survivor by telephone on July 11. He said they were at sea for 15 days in total, the priest told AFP, adding that during that time the people on board slowly began dying of hunger and thirst. They were lost, they could not orient themselves. In his account of the ordeal to the UNHCR, Settou said the boat had punctured and air started to leak out. Settou later told AFP that he survived by the grace of God. Speaking of his fellow passengers, which included Somalis, he said they died of hunger, of thirst, of exhaustion. We threw their bodies overboard. UNHCR spokeswoman Sybella Wilkes said Settou was in a pretty awful state and hes obviously gone through a terrible, terrible experience progressively watching his family members dying. Greece and Italy are the two main entry points for undocumented immigrants into the European Union. Italy in particular has seen a spike in arrivals over the past year following the Arab Spring revolts in North Africa. So far this year, more than 1300 people have made the sea journey to Italy from Libya, the UNHCR said. AFP

US Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a Holocaust survivor who promotes inter-religious dialogue, bows before a monument commemorating victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, during a mass burial ceremony at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Cemetery on July 11. Pic: AFP the scale of the massacre in a clear swipe at Serbias new President Tomislav Nikolic, who said last month that the killings in Srebrenica constituted grave war crimes but not genocide. The United States rejects efforts to distort the scope of this atrocity, rationalise the motivations behind it, blame the victims, and deny the indisputable fact that it was genocide, Obama said. Holocaust-survivor and US rabbi Arthur Schneier, who spoke at the commemoration, condemned the massacre and also the international silence in the face of grave injustice that allowed it to happen, drawing a comparison with events in Syria. Silence is not a solution;

Journalists arrested in UK
LONDON Police investigating corruption in the British media arrested two more journalists on July 11, both from rival tabloids to Rupert Murdochs nowclosed News of the World. One of the men is Justin Penrose, a reporter for the Sunday Mirror tabloid, Penroses employers said, while British media named the other as Tom Savage, deputy news editor of the Daily Star Sunday. Scotland Yard announced the arrests but did not identify them. Both were questioned at separate police stations on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office. The pair was later bailed to return to the same police stations in October. The arrests bring to 41 the total number arrested under Operation Elveden, Scotland Yards investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments by journalists to police and public officials. The operation is being run alongside Operation Weeting, an investigation into phone-hacking at British newspapers, and Operation Tuleta, covering alleged computer hacking. More than 60 people have been arrested under the three investigations. AFP

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Bremont Watch Company Limited, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom, of 10 Cromwell Road, Henley On Thames, Oxon RG9 1JH, England, is the Owner of the following well known Trade Mark:-

Reg. No. 9031/2008 in respect of Class 14: Horological and chronometric instruments; parts and fittings for the aforesaid; clocks, watches; watch bands, watch straps, watch cases all of precious metal and/or their alloys. WARNING is hereby given that any fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for Bremont Watch Company Limited P. O. Box 60, Yangon. E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 16th July, 2012

BREMONT

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Romney goes on offensive over jobs

G R A N D J U N C T I O N , an advertisement claiming fire after reports that Bain financially from companies the presidents positions Colorado Republican Romney made a fortune Capital was an early pioneer that outsourced at Bain, on the Asian giant differ Mitt Romney, facing a outsourcing US jobs to in helping US firms relocate and he supports giving dramatically. Chinas been stealing Democratic assault over China while he was at the manufacturing positions tax credits to companies his business record and helm of his private equity to low-wage economies that ship jobs overseas, our designs, our patents, the Obama campaigns our know-how, our brand overseas. charges he shipped US firm Bain Capital. Obama tapped that vein travelling press secretary names, Romney said. Romney, speaking at a jobs overseas, went on the Its manipulating our offensive on July 10 by town hall campaign stop in again on July 10, telling Jen Psaki told reporters currency and the president describing President Barack Grand Junction, Colorado, supporters in Iowa that aboard Air Force One. But The Washington Post refuses to recognise that Obama as outsourcer-in- called the ad false and Romney has experience owning companies that reported that the job shift currency manipulation misleading. chief. And he turned the tables were called pioneers in the to places like China has officially. The issue of sending jobs Washington has launched continued largely unchecked to low-wage nations such on Obama for outsourcing business of outsourcing. As long as Im president, under Obama, and that a series of moves against as China and India has a good deal of American jobs China as it sharpened into seeks to cut a major point of contention If there is an outsourcer-in-chief, its the president of the United States its huge trade deficit with the in the White worlds number House race, two economy, with Romney and Obama accusing each himself, by putting money I will keep fighting to make critics say he has not done including a US complaint o t h e r o f e n a b l i n g a n d into energy companies, solar sure jobs are located here enough to protect American lodged earlier this month with the World Trade even benefiting from the and wind energy companies in the United States of jobs. The story, citing pro-labour Organisation over unfair that end up making their America, he added. process. His campaign eagerly advocate Robert Scott at the Chinese duties on US cars. Its also linked to an products outside the United But the Post report served pushed the narrative that liberal Economic Policy election-year clash over States. If there is an outsourcer- the multimillionaire who Institute, said US-China as easy ammunition for US trade policy and in particular Obamas stance in-chief, its the president says he is uniquely qualified trade cost about 450,000 the Romney campaign, on China, which Romneys of the United States, not to turn around the sluggish American jobs from 2008 to which said Obama lost all campaign said has led to the the guy whos running to US economy has a tarnished 2010 because of the growth credibility for failing to live up to his own campaign of Chinese exports. president being treated like replace him, Romney said business record. In Colorado, Romney rhetoric in 2008 when Mitt Romney not only to cheers from some 600 a doormat by Beijing. s u p p o r t e d o u t s o u r c i n g accused Obama of being soft he promised to take the T h e p r e v i o u s w e e k , people at a high school. Romney had come under as governor, he benefited on China and saying his and Chinese to the mat on Obamas campaign released

Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign stop in Grand Junction, Colorado, last week. Pic: AFP currency manipulation. Obama has emboldened China to continue cheating the free enterprise system, Romney policy director Lanhee Chen said. The US trade deficit with China stood at $91.6 billion for the first four months of 2012, US Commerce Department figures show. AFP

Ecuador will decide for itself on Assange, insists Correa

QUITO Ecuadors President Rafael Correa vowed last week that his government would not yield to pressure from Britain, Sweden or the United States in deciding whether to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. We will consult with everyone we need to, but we will make a sovereign decision on whether or not to grant asylum to the Australian, Julian Assange, he said in an interview with local television station RTS on July 10. Since last month, Assange has been holed up in Quitos embassy in London, seeking political asylum to avoid being extradited to Sweden on rape charges. Correa said he had great respect for London, for Stockholm and for Washington but that Ecuador would not allow those governments to dictate its decision on whether or not to grant Assange political asylum. He said the mere possibility that Assange could face capital punishment in the United States could be reason enough for his government to grant Assanges asylum petition, if there was a chance he could end up there. If Assanges life is at risk, that is sufficient cause to approve his asylum, the leftist leader said, noting that the death penalty exists in the United States for political crimes. Quito has said it is reviewing the allegations of sexual misconduct against Assange as it weighs the request. Assange maintains he had consensual sexual relations with the alleged Swedish victims. As he weighs his decision, Correa said his government would examine what the charges are in Sweden, how the judicial process is carried out, and if it is compatible with the humanist vision of justice that we have in Ecuador. The WikiLeaks website and Assange enraged the United States by publishing a flood of secret information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sites founder fears that if his is sent to Sweden he could subsequently be re-extradited to the United States to stand trial for espionage, on account of the 250,000 leaked US diplomatic cables that were published. Ecuadors Correa has often been at odds with Washington and offered Assange asylum in 2010. AFP

Urban farmers reach new heights in former factory

CHICAGO Urban farming is being taken to new heights in an abandoned Chicago pork processing plant where environmentalists hope to get off the grid by using the waste from one crop to feed and power another. Schools of tilapia swim in water cleaned by the roots of leafy greens that feed on the nitrogen and other nutrients in the fish waste. A bakery will later move in that will be able to use mash from the brewery upstairs to fire its oven. And a generator that can convert compost into bio-gas to power everything from the grow lights to the air conditioning is expected to be operating sometime next year. What were trying to do is teach people that theres a better way, said John Edel, who bought the factory dubbed The Plant two years ago and is spearheading its development. The path were on right now is unsustainable, he told AFP earlier this month. We have to do something and we have to do it quickly or were all stuck. Vertical farming was once relegated to science fiction the stuff of lunar colonies or dystopian metropolises. It was too costly to try to build and heat multi-storey greenhouses and it didnt make sense when farmland was so cheap, abundant and fertile. A growing interest in locallyproduced, sustainable food coupled with increased concern about the impact of climate change and population growth on available, good farmland -- has spurred scores of experiments with vertical farming. So far, it hasnt proven to be commercially viable. But that doesnt mean it wont be. The potential benefits are huge. Indoor farming eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides and protects crops from drought, early freezes and storm damage. It can also drastically increase yields by stacking farm on top of farm and allowing for year-round production. With fast-growing strawberries, for example, an acre (0.40 hectares) of greenhouse can produce up to 30 times more than a farmers field, said Dickson Despommier, a professor of public health at Columbia University, and author of The Vertical Farm. Growing food in the cities where it is eaten cuts down on fuel used to truck it in from farms that can be thousands of miles away and also means people get to eat fresher and tastier produce. The problem is the cost. Sunshine is free, while grow lights and greenhouses are expensive. Farmland costs a lot less than urban skyscrapers. And large-scale harvesters can collect crops from a field a lot faster than people can pick them. The technology exists to drastically reduce the cost of profit experimental aquaponics farm. While theyve managed to secure a $1.5 million grant from the state of Illinois to help pay for the biogas generator, getting permits from the city to sell their food has been a bureaucratic challenge. The plan is to eventually have an education centre, a stylish tasting room, a plant-filled lobby with a little shop, a commercial kitchen that start-ups can rent by the hour, and to expand the garden dug in the yard to include an orchard of heirloom fruit trees. The big draw for David Ellis and Eric Roth was the sustainable and cheap energy offered by the bio-gas generator. Theyve been working on a business plan for commercialising aquaponics for the past two years. A rural greenhouse seemed to be the only economical option until they heard about The Plant. Theyre in the process of setting up a proof of concept farm called Greens and Gills in a corner of The Plants basement with tilapia and leafy greens to see if it will be profitable at a large scale. Its about lowering the carbon footprint of food production, giving people what they deserve the best tasting, best looking, most delicious produce available and also keeping the money in the local economy, Ellis said. We want to be a pioneer in helping to do that here in Chicago. AFP

John Edel with his experimental aquaponics plot in The Plant, a former Chicago pork processing factory. Pic: AFP vertical farming, Despommier said. Its just a matter of figuring out how to efficiently integrate and automate indoor farming systems. We need a lot more work, and the work that needs to be done needs to be done in a way that can be shared with everybody else, he said in a telephone interview. Thats exactly what Edel is trying to do at The Plant, where the goal is to reduce waste, increase efficiency and achieve net zero energy use by closing loops. Finding the right building was critical to keeping costs down. Edel bought the abandoned pork processing plant in 2010 for just US$525,000 pretty much the value of the scrap inside. The four-storey, 93,500 square foot (8690 square metre) building had solid brick walls to keep the pork cool, a recently upgraded electrical system, and it was filled with food-grade stainless steel, rubberised concrete floors and other materials that Edel and his tenants are adapting for their own use. It has been a slow process. Much of the renovation work has been done by Edel and a small group of dedicated volunteers, who also help manage The Plants non-

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Warlord gets 14 years jail for recruiting child soldiers

THE HAGUE The International Criminal Court last week sentenced Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga to 14 years in jail for using child soldiers in his rebel army, in the tribunals first such order. Taking into account all the factors... the court sentences Mr Lubanga to 14 years in prison, presiding Judge Adrian Fulford told The Hague-based court on July 10. Lubanga, 51, was convicted in March of war crimes, specifically for using child soldiers in his rebel army in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 200203, in the ICCs first verdict since it started work a decade ago. The former militia commander had been found guilty of abducting children as young as 11 and forcing them to fight and commit atrocities in the DRCs northeastern gold-rich Ituri region. During the trial prosecutors told how young girls served as sex-slaves, while boys were trained to fight. Fulford said the threejudge court has taken into account the time Lubanga has spent in detention at The Hague since 2006, meaning he will effectively spend eight years in prison. Lubanga had pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The crimes of conscripting and enlisting children under 15 and using them hostilities are undoubtedly very serious crimes, the judge said. The vulnerability of children mean that they need to be afforded particular protection that does not apply to the general population, recognised in various international A photo of the Cats Paw Nebula released on July 9 which combines images from the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile with 60 hours of exposures on a 0.4-metre telescope taken by amateur astronomers Robert Gendler and Ryan Hannahoe. The resolution of the MPG/ESO telescope observations was combined (by using their luminance or brightness) with the colour information from Gendler and Hannahoes observations to produce a beautiful combination of data from amateur and professional telescopes. The result is an image that is much more than the sum of its parts. The Cats Nebula (also known as NGC 6334) is in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion) and is relatively near the Earth, at about 5500 light-years. It is about 50 light-years across and is one of the most active star formation regions in our galaxy, containing massive, young brilliant blue stars, which have formed in the last few million years. The nebula is host to possibly tens of thousands of stars. Pic: AFP/ESO An image of a star known as U Camelopardalis, or U Cam for short, nearing the end of its life. As it begins to run low on fuel it becomes unstable and every few thousand years ejects a nearly spherical shell of gas as a layer of helium around its core begins to fuse. The gas ejected in the stars latest eruption is clearly visible in this image as a faint bubble of gas surrounding the star. U Cam in the constellation of Camelopardalis (The Giraffe) near the North Celestial Pole is an example of a rare type of star because its atmosphere contains more carbon than oxygen. Due to its low surface gravity, typically as much as half of the total mass of a carbon star may be lost by way of powerful stellar winds. While the phenomena that occur at the ends of stars lives are often quite irregular and unstable, the shell of gas expelled from U Cam is almost perfectly spherical. The image was taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope and released on July 9. Pic: AFP/NASA

Thomas Lubanga listens as the verdict is handed down last week. Pic: AFP treaties, he added. But Fulford lashed out at the prosecutions conduct in the case, in particular former chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, saying Mr Lubanga was put under considerable unwarranted pressure by the conduct of the prosecution. He said the prosecution did not prove that sexual crimes were committed against children nor that Lubanga had a hand in any such acts. At a June 13 hearing, Lubanga said his conviction had hit him like a bullet in the face. I am being presented as a warlord... but I never accepted or tolerated such enlistments taking place. Lubangas team has not yet indicated whether it would appeal his conviction or sentencing. The ICC, the worlds only independent permanent tribunal to try genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity has issued four arrest warrants for crimes in the DR Congo since opening in 2003. AFP

Olmert cleared of graft

JERUSALEM An Israeli court acquitted former prime minister Ehud Olmert on two key corruption charges on July 10 while finding him guilty on a lesser charge. The Jerusalem district court cleared Olmert on charges of receiving cash-stuffed envelopes and falsely billing trips abroad multiple times, but convicted him on the charge of granting favours to a former colleague during his time as a minister. Olmert still faces a second trial over allegations he accepted bribes during his time as Jerusalem mayor to smooth the way for building the massive Holyland residential complex in the city. Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003 after which he served as a cabinet minister, holding the trade and industry portfolio as well as several others, before becoming premier in 2006. He led the centreright Kadima party into government, but resigned from the premiership in September 2008 after police recommended he be indicted in several graft cases. He has consistently proclaimed his innocence, calling the allegations against him a ruthless witch-hunt. AFP

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of hegemony have convinced they know best what is good for the world: their values are to be accepted as universal; Asian values are deemed irrelevant. Mahathir rebuffed the IMFs prescriptions in 1997, riding out criticism from Western leaders and media; and for all his transparent schadenfreude, he has a point. In 1997, Western nations, represented by the IMF, told East Asian countries to let their banks go out of business. Faced with a financial crisis in their own backyard, Western politicians have used taxpayers money to bail out lavishly remunerated bankers. Mahathir is also right to deplore the days of Eurocentricism, which he claims, a bit too confidently, are practically over. Many of Asias leaders and intellectuals have long chafed at the ignorant vanity and systematic misrepresentations from the white mans burden to oriental despotism that made Asians seem no more than people waiting to be made over in the Wests preferred self-image. The Malaysian sociologist leaders. Lee, as well as Mahathir, grew up in the colonial era when nonwhites routinely suffered racial humiliation; and it became almost mandatory for their generation of politicians to present themselves as anti-West revolutionaries committed to a higher idea of Asia. Furthermore, these men, trying to exert control over fractiously multi-ethnic societies in the postcolonial era, found that anti-Westernism was the best way to galvanise the masses around the ideal of national unity. Over the years, however, their rhetoric of Asian values and neo-Confucianism has seemed more and more hollow no more than a cover for Mahathir, an excuse for authoritarian regimes that autocratic practices and fervently embrace global denial of basic rights and capitalism and snuggle up to powerful local businessmen civil liberties. A s A n w a r c l a r i f i e d , while denying political rights the Asian values invoked to the majority. This phenomenon is by Mahathir and former Singapore prime minister particularly egregious in Lee Kuan Yew, and many China, where the ruling elite, intellectuals associated with struggling for a coherent their regimes, were explicitly ideology amid successive ideological and self-flattering. crises of legitimacy, has The oppositions they proposed plumped for a warmed-over were stark: Asias Confucius- Confucianism. Does all this manoeuvering sanctioned communal harmony against the Wests sound oddly familiar? It is a m o r a l i n d i v i d u a l i s m ; because European leaders in collective welfare versus recent years have been going human rights; respect for on about their national or authority and discipline civilisational values even as versus messy democracy; they immerse local economies hard work and thriftiness into global flows of capital versus rash consumption; and trade, empower new and collaboration between elites, and open up wide government and business inequalities. In India, too, a against reckless laissez- strident Hindu nationalism accompanied the emergence faire. As though reversing a of a narrowly prosperous and Eurocentric view of Confucius deeply iniquitous society. Politicians in the West, who German sociologist Max Weber contended was as well as the East, have responsible for Chinas increasingly reached for the rhetoric backwardness of cultural t h e s e proponents of Politicians in nationalism, especially as Asian values they surrender now credited the West, as economic the sage of sovereignty ancient China well as the t o t h e with the transnational postwar success East, have forces of of Japan and increasingly globalisation. Singapore. This is not The talk of reached for to say that Asian values the traditions often tipped the rhetoric of Chinese into outright Confucianism chauvinism, as of cultural or European in the notorious tract The Japan nationalism... Enlightenment are a depleted That Can Say cultural and No by the Japanese politician Shintaro political resource; and it is Ishihara. Mahathir, who too easy to dismiss Asian co-wrote another book with critiques of Western political Ishihara, proposed many and economic arrangements disturbing racial theories as manifestations of a in his 1970 book The Malay frustrated nativism. But any talk of values Dilemma. M o r e d a m a g i n g l y , by powerful Asians ought Mahathirs and Lees ideas of to make us suspicious. As Asian values failed to escape Anwar has written, Asia is the trap of Eurocentricism. in the process of coming into As the writer Ian Buruma being. The long and intense once caustically noted, what process of self-definition and the likes of Lee Kuan Yew self-understanding is just call Asian values are more beginning. The bracing revelations or less the values they were taught by their colonial yet to come will take us far schoolmasters in the days from any instrumentalist or when Kuan Yew was still crudely triumphalist notion called Harry. The white mans of Asian values. Bloomberg News burden has been covered with (Pankaj Mishras From the a Confucian sauce. Of course, more than Ruins of Empire: The Revolt public-school-style caning Against the West and the has shaped the political Remaking of Asia, will be postures of East Asian published in August).

MyanMar tiMes

Asian values and Western misfortune

Comment
by Pankaj Mishra
THE economic misfortunes of Europe and America have inspired glee among some Asian leaders and commentators, especially those who champion Asian values. Exhorting Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyi to learn from resurgent Asia rather than decrepit Europe, Kishore Mahbubani, the Singaporean diplomatturned-pundit, pointed out recently how quiet Asian pragmatism continues to deliver steady economic growth while Europe languishes. Recalling how the International Monetary Fund prescribed austerity to East Asia after the financial crisis of 1997, Mahbubani wrote that many Asians feel the time has come for you [the West] to administer the same bitter medicine you prescribed to us: stop living beyond your means. Mahathir Mohamad, who was Malaysias prime minister from 1981 to 2003, has also renewed his assault on the double standards of Westerners whom centuries Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is among the Asian newsmakers who have, says Pankaj Mishra, stressed the need to move beyond intellectual visions and assumptions bred by Western power. Pic: AFP Syed Hussein Alatas and the Japanese philosopher Takeuchi Yoshimi in the past; the novelist Amitav Ghosh and the economist Amartya Sen in the present; or the former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami calling for a Dialogue of Civilisations, and Mahathirs former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, speaking of a necessary synthesis between East and West all these Asians have stressed the need to move beyond intellectual visions and assumptions bred by Western power. Even so, Mahathir errs when he invokes Asian values against the apparently universal tyranny of Western values. For one, he echoes the culturalist rhetoric that accompanied the economic success of East Asia in the 1980s and 1990s what Anwar termed, a year before he was thrown into prison on false charges by his boss

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Donors pledge $16b for Afghanistan

TOKYO Donor nations last week pledged US$16 billion for Afghanistan to prevent the country from sliding back into turmoil when foreign combat troops depart, but called on Kabul to implement reforms to fight graft. A statement at the end of a conference in Tokyo on July 8 confirmed donors would provide up to $16 billion in civilian aid until 2015, with several preconditions including a clampdown on corruption. Afghan President Hamid Karzai was in the Japanese capital along with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for talks focused on the so-called transformation decade after the NATO drawdown. (The agreement) established a renewed, stronger foundation for partnership to support sustainable growth and development of Afghanistan throughout the transformation decade, the statement said. The conference hosted representatives from about 80 nations and international organisations in a gathering aimed at adopting the Tokyo Declaration, pledging support and cash for the turmoil-wracked nation. The deal is meant to plug the gap between what Kabul gets from its barely-functioning economy and what it needs to develop into a stable country. Afghanistan covers only a third of the $6 billion it spends each year, not counting security costs and has for a long time been heavily dependent on aid. There are fears that once the US and its allies withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014, the country could be left to drift into the hands of drug lords and extremists. The deal calls for a monitoring mechanism, and follow-up ministerial meetings every two years, to ensure Afghanistan was on the right track for holding democratic elections, fighting corruption and promoting human rights. The statement added that participants renewed their firm determination to combat terrorism and extremism in all their forms and never to allow Afghanistan to become a sanctuary for international terrorism again. Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul said Kabul would make good on its commitments. The Afghan government will deliver, he told a news briefing. We are talking about the future. We are not talking about the past. And there is no choice. That is the duty that the Afghan government will deliver. Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said the deal sent the strategic message that Afghanistan can continue to develop sustainably and in a self-reliant way in a post 2014 period. World Bank figures show that spending on defence and development by foreign donors accounted for more than 95 percent of GDP in 2010-11. AFP

TRADE MARK CAUTION

Notice is hereby given that our client, Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, California 95052, USA is the owner and the sole proprietor of the following trade mark;

Floods wreak havoc in wildlife park

GUWAHATI, India Devastating floods in northeast India have killed about 600 animals in the regions largest wildlife park, including more than a dozen threatened onehorned rhinos, officials said last week. Most of the animals either drowned or were mown down by speeding vehicles when they tried to flee the heavy flooding, said S.K. Bora, director of 430-square-kilometre (165square-mile) Kaziranga National Park in Assam state. The water level is receding, but the vast majority of animals that fled the Brahmaputra river to burst its banks. Nearly 130 people have been killed and six million displaced by the floodwaters, show official figures. Kaziranga is home to the worlds single largest population of one-horned rhinos. A 2012 census in the park counted 2290 of the rhinos, out of a global population of 3300. The species declined to near extinction in the early 1900s and is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Poachers are the biggest threat to the survival of the rhinos. AFP

Reg No. 4/3618/2012 To be used in connection with Class 9; Computer software; 3D animation software; 3D animation process technology software for creation, production, recording, transmission or reproduction of sound, video, movies, films, animated content, software programs, graphics and images; computer software for use in relation to digital animation and special effects of images; software for processing images, graphics and text; software to control and improve computer and audio equipment sound quality; computer game software; computer graphics software; electronic game software; game software; video game software; virtual reality game software; interactive video games comprised of computer hardware and software; computers; servers; workstations; computer hardware, computer motherboards, integrated circuits, semiconductors and processors; video game cartridges; computer software for playing video games and computer games with others via a global computer or communication network; computer software for compressing and decompressing data and video images; notebook and laptop computers; portable computers; handheld computers; tablet computers; ultra mobile computers; computer software for use in providing multiple user access to a global computer information network; computer firmware, namely, computer operating system software, computer utility software and other computer software; portable video players; personal gaming devices; high definition disk players; DVD players. Class 41; Entertainment services, namely, production of motion pictures, videos and films; provision of television, video and motion picture special effects; development of software for use in production of motion pictures, videos and films; animation production services; multimedia entertainment software production services. Our abovementioned client has instructed us and wishes us to bring to the notice of the trade and public that they attach singular importance to their abovementioned trade mark and that legal action will be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement of the rights of our client. Any inquiry relative thereto may be referred to ourselves being their agent. Soe Win Advocate #0502 Level 5, Sakura Tower Ph: 255055/255407 For Hilborne, Hawkin & Co. Dated: 16th July, 2012

INTRU

A rhinoceros and its calf in the Kaziranga National Park, in a file photo taken on February 21 this year. Pic: AFP the park are yet to return, he told AFP by telephone on July 9. Bora said various species of deer accounted for more than 500 of the animal victims, which also included 14 rhinos and two elephant calves. Assam has suffered severe flooding in recent weeks, triggered by heavy monsoon rains that caused

TRADE MARK CAUTION

LEO Pharma A/S formerly known as LEO PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS LTD. A/S (LOVENS, KEMISKE FABRIK PRODUKTION SAKTIESELSKAB), a Company incorporated in Denmark and having its registered office at Industriparken 55, DK-2750 Ballerup, Denmark, is the Owner of the following Trade Marks:-

Coral Triangle reefs at risk, warns report

CAIRNS More than 85 percent of reefs in Asias Coral Triangle are directly threatened by human activities such as coastal development, pollution, and overfishing, a report warned on July 9. Launched at the International Coral Reef Symposium in Cairns in northeastern Australia, it said the threat was substantially more than the global average of 60pc and urged greater efforts to reduce destructive fishing and run-off from land. When these threats are combined with recent coral bleaching, prompted by rising ocean temperatures, the percent of reefs rated as threatened increases to more than 90 percent, said the report, Reefs at Risk Revisited in the Coral Triangle. The Coral Triangle covers Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and East Timor and contains nearly 30pc of the worlds reefs and more than 3000 species of fish. More than 130 million people living in the region rely on reef ecosystems for food, employment, and revenue from tourism, the report said. Across the Coral Triangle region, coastal communities depend on coral reefs for food, livelihoods, and protection from waves during storms, but the threats to reefs in this region are incredibly high, said lead author Lauretta Burke. Reefs are resilient they can recover from coral bleaching and other impacts particularly if other threats are low. The benefits reefs provide are at risk, which is why concerted action to mitigate threats to reefs across the Coral Triangle region is so important. The report by the World Resources Institute, in collaboration with environmental groups WWF, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, will be used by the six countries to develop their management of the reefs. (The report) is an important contribution for supporting the six Coral Triangle countries in making critical decisions related to protecting their marine resources, said Maurice Knight, a contributing author. The region-wide perspective on the status of coral reefs as depicted in this report demonstrates the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action. The International Coral Reef Symposium, held every four years, has attracted more than 2000 scientists from 80 countries to discuss the latest advances in coral reef conservation. AFP

Reg. No. 2279/1961 in respect of Medical and pharmaceutical preparations.

FUCIDINE LEO

Reg. No. 3854/1960

Reg. No. 1192/1985 in respect of Medical and pharmaceutical preparations for human and veterinary use. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Marks will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for LEO Pharma A/S P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 16th July, 2012

FUCITHALMIC

Reg. No. 300/1982

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and I want to say the same back to you, also offering him blessings. His story is repeated often in Laos where about 80 million unexploded American cluster bombs are still scattered in the fields and rice paddies, or deep in the jungles more than three decades after the war. At least 100 people a year, almost half of them children, are killed or maimed by the deadly, rusting bombs which lie buried in the soft, muddy countryside. In total 50,000 people have been killed by the explosives since the end of the war. On a per capita basis, Laos was the most heavily bombed country in the world. From 1964 until 1975 when the Vietnam War ended, some 580,000 US bombing runs were flown over Laos as the United States sought to cut North Vietnamese supply routes. The United States has so far spent US$68 million to help Laos clear the ordnance and in 2012 allocated another $9 million. Clinton said 23,000 hectares had been made safe. Calling her visit to the COPE centre a painful reminder of the legacy of the Vietnam War era, she told a gathering of US embassy staff and their families that efforts had to be made to make the country safe for its people. AFP

MyanMar tiMes

Clinton confronted by legacy of US bombing in Laos

VIENTIANE Hillary Clinton vowed last week to do more to help Laos clear millions of unexploded US bombs left from the Vietnam War, after a poignant plea from a young man who lost his hands and sight. Touring a centre in Vientiane on July 11 which helps victims who have been maimed by the decadesold unexploded ordnance, the US secretary of state was clearly moved when she was introduced to softly-spoken Phongsavath Souliylath. Clutching a long, thin walking cane between the withered stumps of his arms, the young man told how his life changed forever on his 16th birthday four years ago. Strolling in his home village in northern Laos, his friend picked up a piece of a cluster bomb and gave it to him. It blew up in his face, robbing him of his eyesight and blowing off his hands. He was eventually taken to the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) in the capital city, which helps people by fitting them with artificial limbs and providing occupational therapy so they can learn to use them. I would like to see all governments clear the bombs together and help the survivors. So many survivors without help. Their life is very, very hard, Phongsavath, who now volunteers

Hillary Clinton tours the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) centre in the Lao capital, Vientiane, on July 11 during the first visit to the country by a US secretary of state in 57 years. Pic: AFP at the centre, told Clinton in halting English as she patted him on the shoulder. I think you are absolutely right. We have to do more and thats one of the reasons I wanted to come today so that we can tell more people about the work we should be doing together, Clinton replied. With an extraordinary lack of rancour, Phongsavath added: I wish you and all the people, and the American governmentto have a good health and that all your good dreams come true. Clinton, clearly moved by his words, said: That is so wonderful

Tensions over islands flare between Japan and China

TOKYO Japan lodged its second complaint this week with Beijing on July 12 after a Chinese patrol ship neared disputed islands in East China Sea, a day after three other Chinese vessels were seen in the area. The Japanese coastguard said the Yuzheng 33001 approached the islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, early on July 12and remained in the area, insisting it was patrolling Chinese waters. Tokyo complained over the incursion through diplomatic channels, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters. The incident came the day after three other Chinese vessels approached the islands, leading Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba to formally complain to his Chinese counterpart during talks in Cambodia. Gemba strongly lodged a protest with the Chinese government with respect to the incident which took p l a c e t h i s m orning, a foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP in Phnom Penh on July 11. The crews of the three vessels, which have since left the islands immediate vicinity, initially rebuffed Japanese orders to leave. We are conducting official duty in Chinese waters. Do not interfere. Leave Chinas territorial waters, the crews said, according to the Japanese coastguard. The Chinese ambassador in Tokyo was summoned over the alleged violation, but the Chinese foreign ministry said it did not accept Japanese representations over this. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi countered to Gemba that the islands known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese have always been Chinas territory since ancient times, over which China has indisputable sovereignty. The islands are in rich fishing grounds and are thought to contain valuable mineral reserves. Tokyo recognises a private Japanese family as their owner and the city government has said it plans to buy them. Despite the importance of the two nations trading ties, relations between Japan and China are frequently tense, particularly over the territorial dispute and Japans war-time aggression in Asia. The uninhabited outcrops were the scene of a particularly nasty spat in late 2010 when Japan arrested a Chinese trawlerman who had rammed two of its coastguard vessels. A weeks-long standoff in which ties were frozen and Chinese exports of materials vital to high-tech manufacturing were squeezed, was only resolved when Japan backed down and released the fisherman. Chinese claims to waters far from its coast have increased in frequency and vigour over the last few years as the country has become wealthier and more self-confident. AFP

Thai court clears ruling party of dissolution threat

BANGKOK Thailands ruling party escaped the threat of dissolution on July 13 after the Constitutional Court dismissed an opposition complaint that had raised fears of reigniting the kingdoms bitter political divisions. The court found complaints against plans by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatras party to amend the constitution drafted by the military junta that deposed her brother Thaksin were unfounded. The Court dismisses all the petitions, said Nurak Marpraneet, one of courts eight judges. Opposition Democrats, swept from power in a landslide election win for Yingluck last year, alleged the efforts to amend the constitution were a threat to the deeply-revered royal family and Thailands system of constitutional monarchy. Nurak said their complaint was based on the over concern of the petitioner for the monarchy. Hundreds of police surrounded the court building as the country braced for a possible violent reaction to the verdict, but tensions dissipated with the decision. Puea Thai spokesman Pormpong Nopparit told AFP his party was adamant it would continue with plans to amend the charter a key election pledge for the party. The Democrats also accepted the ruling. We are not going to create any conflicts or agitate anything, said party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut. Political tensions in Thailand have soared since huge anti-Thaksin rallies by the royalist Yellow Shirts led to his ouster in a 2006 coup. The country has since been convulsed by often violent protests culminating in two months of mass rallies by the pro-Thaksin Red Shirts in 2010, that left over 90 people dead and ended in a bloody army crackdown. Analyst Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japans Kyoto University, said the kingdom might have escaped imminent disaster, but said the courts ruling was nothing to do with a long lasting solution to the Thai crisis. Dont forget that this is not the end of the constitutional amendment process, it has not even begun, he said. Judicial rulings have played a key part in Thailands volatile recent past, with two pro-Thaksin premiers forced from office in 2008 by the courts. Their departure enabled the Democrats which have not won an election in two decades but are backed by the military and the Bangkok elite to take power in a parliamentary vote. AFP

Mekong states urged to avoid US dam mistakes

PHNOM PENH The US last week urged Mekong nations to learn from its mistakes in river infrastructure projects, as Laos confirmed it has postponed a controversial multi-billion dollar dam project. The US$3.8 billion hydroelectric project at Xayaburi has sharply divided four Mekong nations Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand which rely on the river system for fish and irrigation. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed for further environmental assessments before proceeding with the project during a meeting with Mekong countries in the Cambodian capital, echoing calls from Hanoi and Phnom Penh who worry about the impact of the dam on their fishing and farming industries. Clinton said Washington would help fund studies on the impact of proposed dams on the river, on which some 60 million people depend for transportation, food and economy. Ill be very honest with you. We made a lot of mistakes, Clinton said in her opening remarks, offering the assistance of her countrys Mississippi river commission to the Mekong nations. Weve learned some hard lessons about what happens when you make certain infrastructure decisions, she said. River projects on the Mississippi over the years have led to floods, water flow issues and sediment problems. Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said after the talks in Phnom Penh that he had assured his Mekong counterparts the Xayaburi dam was on hold until its neighbours environmental concerns were answered. The Laos government decided to postpone, we have to study more, he told reporters. Environmentalists fear the proposed 1260 megawatt dam, the first of 11 on the key waterway, will have disastrous environmental effects and harm the livelihoods of millions of people. AFP

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Singapore wins praise for death penalty move

SINGAPORE Rights groups last week hailed Singapores decision to ease mandatory death sentences for homicide and drug trafficking but urged the government to go further and totally abolish capital punishment. Singapore, which carries out executions by hanging, on July 9 unveiled legal reforms that would enable judges to impose life imprisonment on low-level drug couriers and people who commit murder with no outright intention to kill. Judges currently have no choice but to impose the death penalty on anyone convicted of murder or trafficking in illegal drugs above specific amounts. Under the new laws, expected to come into force later this year, inmates on death row would also have the chance to ask for their sentences to be commuted to life imprisonment. Amnesty International welcomes the Singaporean Governments move towards putting an end to the mandatory death sentencing for drug trafficking and homicide cases, the human rights group said in a statement on July 10. The proposed changes could save the lives of inmates on death row, it added. Officials say there are 35 inmates on death row in Singapore, although executions have been suspended since July 2011 as part of a review that led to the proposed new legislation. From 2004 to 2010, a total of 26 Singaporeans and 12 foreigners were executed in Singapore, show government figures. A group called the Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign also welcomed the changes in the application of the death penalty as a positive message that the government recognises the need for legal reform. However, Amnesty and the SADPC called for the abolition of the death penalty and questioned the governments long-held position that capital punishment serves as an effective deterrent to serious crimes. Hanging, which dates to British colonial rule, is the only method of execution used in the Southeast Asian nation, which prides itself on its low crime rate. Among the inmates awaiting execution is Yong Vui Kong, a Malaysian drug courier convicted of trafficking 47 grams (1.65 ounces) of heroin in 2007. AFP

Briefs
Downpours claim 19 lives in Japan
TOKYO Southwestern Japan was bracing for the effects of more torrential rain on July 13, after unprecedented downpours left least 19 dead and eight missing. Television footage showed torrents of muddy water carrying uprooted trees and other debris after a violent deluge the previous day, while rivers burst their banks and flooded towns and villages in the main southern island of Kyushu. Troops have been deployed with nearly 100 millimetres (four inches) of rain falling in an hour in some areas.

US citizen in Thailand free after royal pardon

BANGKOK A Thai-born US citizen jailed for insulting Thailands king has received a royal pardon, officials said on July 10, a move welcomed by Washington which had issued a rare rebuke to Bangkok over the case. Joe Wichai Commart Gordon, 55, a car salesman from Colorado, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years jail in December under Thailands lese majeste laws, which rights campaigners say are used to stifle freedom of expression. His release came ahead of a scheduled meeting between Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a business forum in Cambodia on July 13. Gordon was arrested in May 2011 during a visit to Thailand, after he had posted online excerpts from his own Thai translation of a banned English-language biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Gordon was granted a royal pardon yesterday, a senior Corrections Department official said on July 10. The Bangkok Remand Prison said he left the jail late the previous day. We are pleased that US citizen Joe Gordon was granted a royal pardon which allows him to be released from prison, US embassy official Walter Braunohler said. We urge Thai authorities on a regular basis both privately and publicly to ensure that freedom of expression is protected in accordance with international obligations. His conviction put the international spotlight on Thailands increasingly controversial lese majeste prosecutions, drawing protests from the United States, which had said Gordon was exercising his right to free expression. Under the legislation, anyone convicted of insulting the Thai king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison on each count. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University in Japan, told AFP that Gordons case was unusual and did not necessarily show a softening towards those accused of lese majeste. I think the US have been putting pressure on, he told AFP. It is too soon to celebrate. This does not reflect the overall mood in Thailand. Gordon was initially sentenced to five years in prison. But the Thai Criminal Court halved the term because he pleaded guilty over his translation of excerpts from The King Never Smiles by Paul Handley, who is now an AFP journalist. AFP

Malaysia to repeal sedition law: PM

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysias colonialera Sedition Act will be repealed, Prime Minister Najib Razak said last week, as the country heads for a tightly-fought election. Najib said late on July 11 the act represented a bygone era, and would be replaced by a National Harmony Act as part of a drive to allow greater freedoms in the country. The new act will safeguard the right to freedom of speech while protecting national unity by preventing the incitement of religious or ethnic hatred, he said. Malaysian authorities had justified the use of the legislation, which includes the threat of jail, as vital to curbing comments or actions that could stoke racial conflict in the multicultural nation. Since the 2008 elections, there has been mounting pressure on Najib by rights groups and the opposition to remove such laws in the country, which is longknown for authoritarian rule. Najib, who came to power in 2009, has previously repealed two other laws, including the requirement for newspaper owners to Act during a speech at the Attorney Generals chambers. (The) Sedition Act represents a bygone era in our country and with todays announcement we mark another step forward in Malaysias development, he said. But the opposition quickly condemned Najibs reform agenda. Opposition MP Nurul Izzah Anwar Anwars daughter said Najibs promise of abolishing the sedition law smacks of hypocrisy when it is slated to be replaced by the National Harmony Act. Clearly, Najib had proven himself to be a false democrat when one takes a closer look at his list of false reforms, she said, describing the replacement for the ISA, the Peaceful Assembly Act, as equally draconian and arbitrary as its predecessor. The new law was being used to persecute her father for participating in an April mass rally for electoral reform, she said. The opposition leader is facing three charges under the law, which could see him jailed and barred from politics although he could still run on appeal. AFP

Mystery deaths linked to virus

PHNOM PENH Health experts working to identify an illness that has killed dozens of children in Cambodia found a link to a virus that causes hand, foot and mouth disease, the UN health agency said on July 9. At least 52 children aged three months to 11 years have died from the illness since mid-April, out of 59 cases, the World Health Organisation and the Cambodian health ministry said. Recent laboratory results showed a significant proportion of the samples tested positive for Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), which causes a lethal strain of hand, foot and mouth disease, the joint statement said.

Najib Razakcolonial-era law represents a bygone era. Pic: AFP renew their printing licences each year. Earlier this year he replaced the 1960 Internal Security Act (ISA) to curb the use of indefinite detention without trial, although critics have argued the new law is little or no better. An opposition alliance won power in Selangor and four other states in 2008 elections, stunning the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, which has governed Malaysia for half a century. Najib must call elections by next March. The opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim has set its sights on wresting power from the ruling coalition. Najib announced the repeal of the Sedition

Monsoon falls below average

NEW DELHI Annual monsoon rains, crucial to Indias economy, covered the country on July 11 but remain below average, officials said. It is still minus 23 percent (of the normal rainfall average), Indias chief meteorologist L. S. Rathore told reporters in New Delhi. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters there were fears that an uneven spread of the rains could affect cereal production in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtara.

HK tycoons on graft charges

HONG KONG Two of Hong Kongs richest tycoons and a former senior official were charged with corruption on July 13. Sun Hung Kai Properties co-chairmen Thomas and Raymond Kwok, two of Asias richest men, were among five people charged with eight offences, an official statement said. Former government chief secretary Rafael Hui was also charged, along with another Sun Hung Kai director, Thomas Chan, and Francis Kwan, former non-executive director of New Environmental Energy Holdings Ltd. The Kwoks own some of the citys most iconic real estate and Sun Hung Kai is a blue-chip listed company and the citys biggest property developer by market capitalisation. Hui, 64, is the most senior official ever arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The former number two in the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city, he faces eight charges including four related to the rent-free use of luxury apartments and his acceptance of unsecured loans, the ICAC said. Thomas Kwok, 60, faces two charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, and his brother Raymond, 59, has been charged with three offences including furnishing false information, the ICAC said. All five suspects appeared in court to hear the charges, before being released on bail. They were not required to enter pleas. AFP

Menagerie found in luggage search

BANGKOK Thai airport authorities found 11 pythons, 12 tarsiers and a baby monkey hidden in the suitcase of a Kuwaiti woman trying to board a flight from Bangkok on July 11, wildlife officials said. The animals were found after she tried to check in the suitcase as oversized luggage on a flight to Kuwait, the officials said. An arrest warrant has been issued for the woman, who fled when asked to open her luggage. AFP

Time out
By Nuam Bawi LOCAL girl band Me N Ma Girls will take their first serious steps in their quest for international success when they travel to the United States next month to start an 18-month contract to work with a Los Angeles-based record production company. The group signed the production contract with Power Music in Los Angeles, whose chairman and CEO Mr Daniel Hubbert has amassed two decades of experience doing promotion and marketing work for major US labels such as Columbia Records, Hollywood records, Epic Records and Capitol Records. According to the contract, Power Music will take care of all aspects of preparing the band for international success, including writing and recording songs, providing dance training, booking concerts and promotion. The five band members Htike Htike, Ahmoon, Cha Cha, Kimmy and Wai Hnin will travel back and forth between Yangon and Los Angeles during the contract period. Me N Ma Girls released their first album, Year of the Tiger, in Myanmar in 2010 under the name Tiger Girls. Following disagreements with their original producer, the band changed their name to Me N Ma Girls and self-produced their second album, Mingalaba, which was released at the end of last year. Ahmoon said the band was extremely happy with the contract. We got this chance through our second album, which we produced on our own using money we earned from our own concerts. We didnt have a producer like some other singers, she said. Ahmoon said Me N Ma Girls, with their combination of Western-style electro-pop and distinctive fashion sense, have something unique to offer fans around the world. We follow neither South Korean nor Western fashion styles. I feel like we are very different from the style of bands like Pussy Cat Dolls, Girls Generation or 2 NE 1. Our fashion is independent, she said. She added that she was confident that the band had the talent to present themselves to international audiences. We all have different talents that we have combined to create Me N Ma Girls, and I think that when we work as a group we have something special to offer our audience. If I was doing this alone I wouldnt have the same confidence, but as a group Im convinced we can do well, she said. Ahmoon said that although the band felt very excited and energised about their contract, they also knew they would have to take greater responsibility for their success, and they were prepared for the possibility of failure. We are already satisfied that we have been invited to have this chance, even if we dont find complete success. But we have the opportunity to work on what we are interesting in, and we can observe how they work in the music industry at the global level, she said. The only regret we might have if we dont succeed is that we might feel that the opportunity should have been given to someone else who is more talented than us. Mr Hubbert told The Myanmar Times in an email interview that he believed Me N Ma Girls were a unique creation. He said he had first heard about the band from

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Me N Ma Girls on their way to LA

Stop the press! Me N Ma Girls (left to right: Cha Cha, Ahmoon, Wai Hnin, Htike Htike and Kimmy) are travelling to Los Angeles next month in search of global success. Pic: Kaung Htet a friend whose brother had worked in Myanmar. I really like their story. In the West now there are a lot of manufactured talents, sons and daughters of wealthy people who are writing and performing just to acquire fame, he said. Music has always been best when it is created from poverty, strife and suffering. I believe the best is yet to come from these girls when they start tapping deeper into their plight and its stark contrast to the lifestyles of the West, he said. Mr Hubbert said he has been working in the music industry since 1992. His company, Power Music, produces dance music, fitness music and original background music for film and television, as well as various DVD projects. Me N Ma Girls will be the first signed group to Power Music and we are all very excited in welcoming them to the family, he said. He added that the band will face a music scene in the US that has seen big changes in recent years. The market is very fragmented. Kids are finding new music in so many different places: YouTube, video games, friend shares on Facebook, radio, TV commercials, it goes on and on. If we are successful and have a hit song, we will find our way and the fans will find us, he said. Mr Hubbert said Me N Ma Girls will also have to work hard to avoid the many pitfalls facing bands as they strive for international success. The biggest issue is always filtering out all of the noise and opinions that come flooding in once you have success. There are many people who will want to jump on board the train once it starts to roll and sometimes these people prey upon young artists insecurities in an effort to get close and end up inflicting damage and in some cases breaking up groups, he said. If the girls can maintain their roots and stay connected in a small tight inner circle, theyll be fine. The first year is always the hardest when it comes to this type of pitfall, he said.

Daw Suu Kyi to help choose Aung San actors this week
By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe A SHORT-LIST of actors has been named to portray Bogyoke Aung San and his wife Daw Khin Kyi in an u p c om i n g b i o p i c a b o u t the independence hero of Myanmar, with final selections to be named on July 20. The Bogyoke Aung San Film Executive Board met the nominees for the last time on June 13 and 14, and announced the short-list on July 6. The nominees for the role of Bogyoke Aung San are Mg Kyauk Khae, Mg Phyo Tay Za Lin, Mg Nay Oo @ Nanda Moe, Mg Kyaw Kyaw Myo, Mg Wai Lin Tun, Mg Kyaw San Htay and Mg Sai Naw Khen. The list for Daw Khin Kyi, meanwhile, was whittled down to actresses Ma Zar Chi Lin, Ma Thin Myat Thandar Hlaing, Ma Htar Htar Wai and Ma Hnin Htet Htet Wai. The final selection will be made on July 20 by Bogyoke Aung San film Executive Board chairman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other board members. Board member U Zaw Thet Htwe said more than one nominee could be selected for each role. To act the part of Bogyoke Aung San, we can choose two or more actors because if one gets sick or is absent, we will have a replacement, he said. Daw Aung San Su Kyi will meet with the short-listed nominees, then she will discuss her ideas with the other board members before we announce the final selections. The chosen actors will start training at the end of July for their roles. The length of the training period will depend on their talent, U Zaw Thet Htwe said. The board members are trying to finish the film script soon so the actors can be trained according to the final script. Everyone is working hard to prepare because we want to be ready to start shooting in early 2013, he said. The actor selection board is led by experienced actors and directors, while U Nyunt Win, U Aung Lwin, U Kyi Soe Tun and Daw Swe Zin Htike are acting as consultants. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had called a meeting of actors and directors at her home in December 2011, at which she shared her desire that a biopic about Aung San be made in Myanmar. The announced goal was to release the film before Aung Sans 100th birthday on February 13, 2015. The casting call for the roles of Bogyoke Aung San and Daw Khin Kyi was issued in February, with 245 people applying for the former role and 46 for the latter. The Bogyoke Aung San Film Executive Board has also called for donors to help fund the film. As of last week it had received nearly K1.26 billion and US$4500.

A nominee for the role of Bogyoke Aung San (right) gets grilled by the actor selection board on June 13. Pic: Thirilu

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Afghans sing again of love and war

By Sardar Ahmad KABUL In a country where music was silenced in the name of Allah for five years, the beat is back and even rock shares the airwaves with the romantic strains of traditional Afghan songs. The Islamist Taliban, who banned all music as sinful while they were in power between 1996 and 2001, are now waging an insurgency against the Western-backed government but they cant stop the music. They have even developed an acapella style of their own, chanting religious poems to the glory of suicide bombers and their fighters waging war on government forces and some 130,000 NATO troops. The Central Asian nation has an ancient tradition of songs built on its rich culture of poetry, ranging from war, heroism and epic tales of life in this harsh land, to delicate love stories. But there is a vast difference between traditional lyrics and those of the Taliban: Traditional: Last night I stole a quick glance at your moon-like face through your dark hair, goes a famous Afghan song performed in the 1970s by celebrity Abdul Rahim Sarban. Your half-open crimson dress was prettier than a hundred roses in the garden a narcissus shies away before the beauty of your seducing eyes. Taliban: The youth is out on a fedayee [suicide] mission, his heart filled with passion for his religion. The youth is out on fedayee mission, the angels are watching him, the paradise houris [pure companions] are watching when the suicide bomber strikes. Even in the new forms of pop and rock, imported along with the NATO troops, the war is never far away. In a makeshift studio in their apartment in west Kabul, four young men have formed a band called Morcha (Ants), which they describe as Afghanistans first rock band. Vocalist Shekib Musadeq, drummer Shafiq Najafi and two bass players Hassanzada and Behroz Shujahi gather daily for practice, rocking their building and their neighbours with Western beats.

Festival seeks young directors

By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe THE Asian International Childrens Film Festival is seeking entries from Myanmar and five other Asian countries for this years event, which will be held in Minamiawaji, Japan, on November 24. The festival is open to children aged 12 to 18 years, who must submit a new, selfdirected film of not longer than three minutes. Submissions must adhere to this years theme The Meaning of Life for You, and young directors are asked to present their own ideas and images on topics such as friendship, hobbies, environment problems, natural disasters and war. Organisers will select 10 filmmakers from each country, one of whom will be designated group leader. The other participating countries are China, Mongolia, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. Young filmmakers from Myanmar attended the 2010 and 2011 editions of the festival, bringing home prizes each year. U Zin Wine, chairman of the Myanmar Motion Picture Organisation (MMPO), said the organisation will help spread the word about festival but will not hand out video cameras as they have done in previous years. We can send messages to schools, and we can let kids know about the contest by publishing announcements in local journals, he said. But we cant help with cameras because we have no spare equipment at the MMPO since we reformed earlier this year. I think some of the cameras that were given out by the organisation in past years were never returned. He said contestants will therefore have to make films as best they can using their own small cameras. There is no money prize but if they try their best under the given rules, they can take part in the festival, which includes a special trip to Japan. The MMPO will select the 10 best contestants fairly from among all the entrants, and anyone who is interested can contact us, U Zin Wine said. Last year, hundreds of students from throughout Myanmar submitted films. Tw o c o n t e s t a n t s w h o travelled to Japan from Myanmar won awards. We hope there can be more contestants and also more winners from Myanmar this year, said U Aye Kyu Lay from MMPOs Information Department. It depends on the imagination and effort of the contestants. We feel sorry that we cant help with cameras, but the contest rules stipulate that the festival is for amateurs with small cameras. Students interested in taking part in the film festival can contact the MMPO by calling 01-544-271, 544-270 or 544-936, or by visiting the main office at No 16 Wingabar Street, Bahan township.

An Afghan shopkeeper waits for customers in his musical instrument shop in Kabul on May 28. Music has been part of the peoples life ever since history remembers, says Hassanzada. He describes their lyrics as neither about love, nor Taliban hatred but about current realities in their war-shattered country: a deadly insurgency, corruption, the illicit drugs trade and natural disasters. Fifteen died in Helmand, the drought ended in Heart. NATO conducted a rapid air strike on a wedding party, the band sings against the beat of drum and bass guitar while practising for a big concert in Kabul. The Taliban peace plan on the presidents desk, the elders of Paktika endorsed it. The headlines from Afghanistan, thanks to the world are all about these. But love songs accompanied by traditional tabla drums and elegant, lute-like rubab strings, remain a staple of the old style: Im a worshipper of flowers, drunk without drinking [because] tonight Im with a flower, sings Sarban. And in a country where many women still wear the all-enveloping blue burqa that was enforced by the Taliban, lyrics are not short of erotic elements. I still smell your scent in my bed, feeling your sweet lips all over me, sang the late Ahmad Zahir, who was nicknamed Afghanistans Elvis. The Taliban, who shunned modernity while in power, now use video and the internet to get their message across. As a background to a video posted on their website showing dozens of Taliban fighters attacking a US military base in Paktika province, they chant: The lion cubs cant be tamed youll be crying, lost, unable to find your way home, your child will never see you again leave our home before its too late or Afghanistan will become your second Vietnam. The Taliban chants are sometimes used as mobile phone ring tunes

across southern Afghanistan, the heartland of the insurgency where they can be a passport through any trouble with the militants. But the rest of the range of musical styles can be heard on dozens of radio and television channels, and drifting though open car windows as drivers negotiate the chaotic streets of the once silent capital, Kabul. Abdul Satar Qasimi, a professional rubab player and singer who runs a musical instrument shop in Kabuls Musician Street, says Western-style music has pushed many classical performers to the sidelines. Qasimi, 45, fled to Pakistan when the Taliban took Kabul in 1996, and his music store was destroyed by the militants. He returned after the Taliban were toppled in a US-led invasion in late 2001. Now music has flourished but not for us. More and more people are listening to the new music, rock, pop and all these new forms of music, he said. AFP

Exhibitions highlight Ayeyarwady River, contemporary art

By Lwin Mar Htun and Pinky AN exhibition of photographs, paintings and cartoons of the Ayeyarwady River is being held at Gallery 65 in Yangon from July 14 to 16. The show, titled Why We M u s t Pr o t e c t O u r Ayeyarwady, is organised by the JU Foundation which works on environmental issues in Myanmar along with artist Myint Maung Kyaw, musician Myint Moe Aung and poet Myint Zaw. Other participants include cartoonist Aw Pi Kyeh and poet Maung Aung Pwint. The main theme of the event is Our Ayeyarwady Is Our Independence, Myint Moe Aung said, adding that each participant contributed something unique to the exhibition. For this event I contributed seven songs that I wrote about the Ayeyarwady River, he said. Visitors to the exhibition can also hold discussions about the river and its conservation with novelist JU, environmentalist U Win Myo Thu, meteorologist Dr Tun Lwin and social activist Dr Kyaw Thu. Gallery 65 is located at 65 Yawmingyi Road in Dagon township. The opening hours are 10am to 6pm daily. Another group show featuring the contemporary paintings of four local artists is being held at KMK Contemporary Art Space in Yangon from July 10 to 16. The exhibition, titled Continuum, includes 15 paintings by artists Myat Kyawt, Ko Ko Naing, Aung Naing Soe and Myo Swe Thein. Myat Kyawt, who contributed three acrylic paintings to the show, said that not many people were familiar with contemporary art as it has emerged in the 21st century. We want to show artwork that deals with things like womens issues and political problems in our country and other countries, he said. The paintings are for sale at prices ranging from US$500 to $3000. People dont know about this kind of art, so we dont expect to sell our paintings.

Paintings by artists Ko Ko Naing, Myo Swe Thein, Aung Naing Soe and Myat Kyawt are on display at KMK Contemporary Art Space in Yangon from July 10 to 16. Pic: Yadana But we hope people can learn more about contemporary art from this exhibition, which is why we decided to organise the show, Myat Kyawt said. KMK Contemporary Art Space is located at No 0124 Seikkantha Street in Kyauktada township. The opening hours are 10am to 5pm daily.

Pic: AFP/Shah Marai

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Rocker Tyler departs ailing American Idol

LOS ANGELES Aerosmith f r o n t m a n S t e v e n Ty l e r announced last week he is leaving ratings-challenged American Idol, while fellow judge Jennifer Lopez hinted that she could be the next to go. Tyler, who became a judge on the hit talent show in September 2010, joining Lopez and record producer Randy Jackson, said he wants to return to his first love rock music. After some long hard thoughts, Ive decided its time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit, he said in a statement posted on broadcaster Foxs Facebook page. I strayed from my first love, AEROSMITH, and Im back but instead of begging on my hands and knees, Ive got two fists in the air and Im kicking the door open with my band, he added. The shows creator and executive producer Simon Fuller paid tribute to the rocker. Steven Tyler is a real Idol, a rock legend. If you had told me 10 years ago he would be a judge on American Idol, I would have thought it impossible, he said. Meanwhile actress-singer Lopez hinted that she could be next to leave the talent show, which is struggling to maintain ratings over rival broadcaster NBCs The Voice. You know, I signed on to American Idol to do one year, and I wound up doing the two years, said Lopez. And now its like, OK, do we continue on this journey? she told NBCs Today show. Its a tough decision either way. But I have to say that there are so many other things that I do, and that I put on hold for that. At the end of the day, whichever way, its a heartbreaking decision if Im going to have to go. American Idol, which has aired for 11 seasons, has struggled with falling ratings, and was thrown into disarray by the departure of judges Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi two years ago. AFP

Chinese native Qi Ji has her make-up done during a new talent show Asian Idol Group Competition in Taipei on May 6. Pic: AFP/Mandy Cheng

Asian reality stars travel overseas in search of fame

Taiwan has a special allure as many young Chinese idolise Taiwanese singers. They think that making a mark here could turn them into pop divas such as Taiwans Jolin Tsai and Elva Hsiao, Lee said. We hope to combine Taiwan and Chinas strength to create a pop idol group so that our idols wont be replaced by the Japanese or South Koreans, he said. The most successful case so far is arguably Hu Xia, a 22-year-old from Guangxi in southwestern China, who was signed by Sony Music Taiwan after winning the One Million Star singing contest in 2010. His latest record Flame of Love hit number one on Taiwans G-Music chart in March. Winning a title in Taiwan is a big boost for a young Chinese performer since it has a leading role in Mandarin pop music, said Hsieh Tsung-han, a music producer and lecturer at China University of Technology in Taipei. A-list Entertainment, which is based in Taipei and offers courses for those aspiring to become singers, models and show hosts, is meanwhile getting plenty of interest from China. Last year, it recruited about 100 Chinese nationals aged between 14 and 35 from as far as Mongolia to take performing lessons in Taiwan for an eight-day program at a cost of 15,000 Chinese yuan (US$2380). Many Chinese youth follow Taiwans TV programs closely and they are attracted by Taiwans colourful, diverse and free entertainment scene, said A-list publicity officer Stella Teng. China is huge and so you are less likely to get discovered. While many Chinese acts look to get noticed in smaller markets first, one English-speaking Asian act has looked to use their ethnicity to do the reverse and crack the United States despite a history of such attempts falling flat. Blush is made up of five women from the Philippines, India, China, Japan and South Korea who beat hundreds of other pop star wannabes during a talent search across Asia in 2010 called Project Lotus. Based in both Hong Kong and the US, Blush have opened for Justin Bieber on the Hong Kong leg of his 2011 tour, recorded with US hip-hop star Snoop Dogg and are supported by an A-List of Los Angeles-based producers who have worked with the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyonce. Asian singers have not crossed over although many attempts have been made, said Project Lotus producer and Blush manager Jon Niermann in Los Angeles. What weve tried to do is take artists from the region, but develop them in a very Western style with Western producers, Western songs and a Western way of sound and thats what is helping give Blush the recognition and some initial success. In February the bands single Dance On hit number one on the Billboard dance club chart, above Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson. The bands debut EP The Undivided was released in May. Were in it for the long run and we are serious about our music, said Blushs Victoria Chan, who is the bands Chinese member. We have been waiting for this for a long time. You lead with the music and the rest of it becomes a public relations angle as to who this group is to set them apart, which is important, said Niermann. But it ultimately comes down to talent. AFP

By Amber Wang TAIPEI Like many Chinese girls her age, Qi Ji enjoys singing and dancing and dreams of becoming a star. But rather than trying to make a start in vast and crowded China, she is pinning her hopes on Taiwan. The 18-year-old is the first of many Chinese contestants expected to enter a Taiwanese reality show aimed at creating a girl band that producers hope can rival super-groups such as Japans AKB48 or South Koreas Girls Generation. With such televised contests now a major part of the global music industry, in Asia they are spurring a migration of talent between countries as performers and producers look to crack domestic, regional and global markets. For Qi, who grew up in northeast China and attended a performing art school in Beijing, this could offer a once-ina-lifetime chance for a fast track to stardom in Chinas market of 1.3 billion people and perhaps beyond. Many young Chinese people like me dream of becoming a star, Qi said prior to a recording session for Asian Idol Group Competition aired in midMay. I hope to start in Taiwan and eventually have a career both here and in China. Growing numbers of young Chinese performers are coming to Taiwan in search of a big break, reversing a trend that saw famous Taiwanese performers such as A-Mei and Jay Chou focus on China. The shows producer Lee Fang-ju, the mastermind behind reality shows both in his native Taiwan and in China, is holding auditions in several major Chinese cities this summer to select more contestants to come to Taipei.

Roger Moore croons 007 birthday song

PARIS One-time 007 Roger Moore has teamed up with a former Bond Girl to record a song marking 50 years of the spys on-screen adventures, a James Bond fan club said last week. The 84-year-old British actor took over Bond film duties from Sean Connery in 1973, making his debut in Live and Let Die before completing the sequence with A View to a Kill 12 years later. He teamed up with Irka Bochenko, his co-star in the 1979 film Moonraker, for the anniversary duet titled Happy Birthday Mr Bond!, according to the spys French fan club. Extracts will be posted online at www.jamesbond007. net ahead of the records release in September. Hundreds of items from tuxedos to bikinis and vodka martinis went on show at Londons Barbican Centre last week to mark 50 years since Bond made the jump from Ian Flemings novels to the silver screen with the 1962 Dr No. The next Bond movie, Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes with Daniel Craig as the glamorous spy, will hit world screens from October. AFP

Straight Outta Kandawgyi

Hip-hop vocalist Bobby Soxer performs at Myawsinkyunn in Kandawgyi Park on July 8. The concert which also included performances by Sai Sai Khem Leng, Snare, Kyaw Htut Swe, Jouk Jack, Nine One, So Tay and Wine Su Khaing Thein was held in the afternoon so teenagers whose parents expected them home early could sport their trendy clothes and show off their tattoos during daylight hours. Even heavy rainfall during the show could not derail the fine time that was being had by all. Lwin Mar Htun

Pic: Thiri Lu

soCiAlite
July 16 - 22, 2012
Study Overseas and Career Fair 2012
the

36
MyanMar tiMes
SOCIALITE jumped out of the starting gate like a flash on July 4 to attend the Jyoni hi to e skin care product launch in Tarmwe township, followed by the WITH NYEIN EI EI HTWE Guide Day Party at Monsoon restaurant. The next day she was wowed by the fantastic offerings at the Fujitsu new product launch at Park Royal Hotel. More amazing gadgets were on display at the Acer Olympic product launch at Junction Square on July 6, and the next day she considered some new options for the future at the Study Overseas and Career Fair 2012, held at Park Royal Hotel. Socialite also attended Sail advertising agencys press conference at Sedona on July 7. On the weekend, she joined the happening crowd at the Eushido promotion at Junction Square.

SOCIALITE

Mr Andy Koh

DKSH staff

Khin Nyein Ei San

Sail Advertising Agency Press Conference

Ms Yo Piyolos and Ma Khine Zar Lynn

U Thaung Htike Ma Thida Myo and Ma Ei Phyu Khant Ms Grace Htike and Mr M Seng Tu Mr John Handley U Aye Myint Kyu Dr Khin Khin Kyawt

Jyoni Hi To E Skin Care Launch

Acer Olympic New Product Launch

Ko Pyae Phyo Win

Ko Aung Thura

Mr Masahiro Limori and Mr Tetsuo Tsukamota

Thae Naw Zar Ma Nan San Ms Woo Thiri Shin Thant and Ma Naing Pa Pa La Min Eain Zayyar Lin

Monsoon Guide Day Party

Ma May Thu Zaw and Ko Win Htet Aung

Ma Zarchi Tin, Ma May Thu Zaw and Ma May Soe Yu

Ma Aye Thida Swe and Ma Su Pyae Sone

Ko Aung Lay

Ma Phyu Phyu Tin

Colour 60 members

soCiAlite
the

37
July 16 - 22, 2012
Pevonia New Product Launch

MyanMar tiMes
Eushido Hair Care Series Promotion

Dr Kyaw Su Thway

Soe Nandar Kyaw

Nadi Wint Naing

Ye Aung

Mr K Sikawat, U Win Thar and Ms K Nung

Ma Theinge Soe, Ko Nyin Thar Phyo Mg Mg, Mr Riches and Ma Toe Toe Yee

Fujitsu New Product Launch

Ms Joy, Mr Johathan Lim and Ms Khun Sweet

Ma Kyin Po

One

U Thaung Tin

Daw Tin Tin Aye

Mr Edmund Lim, Mr Tan Ya Ting, Ma Aye Aye Cho and Ms Olsen Song

Staff members

Ma Yu Nanda Oo and Mr Dean Phua

trAvel
Days Flight Dep Arr Days Flight Dep Arr
TUE W9 009 AW 902 AW 892 6T 402 YH 910 W9 011 YH 812 6T 802 W9 251 W9 150 AW 762 K7 224 YH 730 6T 502 08:30 08:35 08:35 08:55 09:25 09:25 13:25 13:30 13:35 16:20 16:35 16:45 17:20 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:45 08:55 09:35 14:10 15:35 16:40 17:10 17:50 17:20 18:20 08:30 08:35 08:45 08:50 08:55 13:10 14:10 16:00 16:45 17:15 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:45 08:50 08:55 09:35 13:35 16:30 17:10 17:20 17:35 17:45 18:20 08:00 08:35 08:55 09:25 10:50 13:10 15:35 16:40 16:45 17:15 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:35 08:55 09:25 09:35 11:20 13:10 13:30 16:00 17:10 17:20 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 07:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 15:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:55 10:50 11:10 14:50 14:55 15:00 17:45 18:40 20:00 18:45 19:25 09:30 10:30 10:10 10:55 11:45 15:10 17:00 18:45 18:35 19:15 19:25 19:45 09:30 10:30 10:10 10:15 10:55 14:35 15:10 17:25 20:00 18:45 19:25 09:30 10:30 10:10 10:45 10:55 11:45 15:00 17:55 19:25 19:25 19:00 19:10 19:45 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:10 12:15 14:35 17:00 18:05 20:00 18:45 19:25 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:55 11:10 11:45 12:45 14:35 14:55 17:25 18:35 19:25 07:20 07:35 07:50 07:50 08:05 08:20 18:20 07:20 07:35 07:35 07:50 08:05 18:20

38
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf

July 16 - 22, 2012

DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES

Days Flight Dep Arr
FRI AW 891 06:15 07:35 W9 009 06:30 07:25 6T 401 06:30 07:50 YH 917 06:30 08:05 K7 222 07:00 08:20 SAT AW 891 06:15 07:35 6T 403 06:15 08:30 W9 009 06:30 07:25 6T 401 06:30 07:50 YH 917 06:30 08:05 6T 801 10:30 11:50 K7 224 15:00 18:20 SUN W9 143 06:00 07:20 AW 891 06:15 07:35 YH 909 06:15 07:50 W9 009 06:30 07:25 6T 401 06:30 07:50 YH 917 06:30 08:05 K7 222 07:00 08:20

Days Flight Dep Arr

TUE K7 826 07:00 08:15 6T 801 08:00 10:20 W9 115 11:00 12:10 AW 761 11:00 12:10 YH 811 11:15 12:40 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 K7 224 15:00 17:20 WED AW 911 06:30 08:40 K7 222 07:00 10:10 W9 119 11:00 12:10 YH 737 11:00 12:25 AW 791 14:30 15:40 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 THUR K7 826 07:00 08:15 AW 761 11:00 12:10 AW 201 11:00 12:10 YH 811 11:00 12:25 W9 109 14:30 15:25 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 K7 224 15:00 17:20 FRI K7 222 07:00 10:10 AW 211 11:00 12:10 W9 109 14:30 15:25 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 SAT K7 826 07:00 08:15 AW 751 11:00 12:10 W9 119 11:00 12:10 YH 811 11:00 12:25 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 K7 224 15:00 17:20 SUN K7 222 07:00 10:10 AW SPL 07:30 08:40 AW 751 10:30 11:40 W9 115 11:00 12:10 YH 811 11:00 12:25 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 YH 737 11:00 12:25

Days Flight Dep Arr

SUN AW SPL 08:55 10:05 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 011 09:40 10:35 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 223 10:30 11:45 AW 752 16:45 17:55 W9 116 16:45 17:55 YH 738 17:20 18:35

YANGON TO MANDALAY
MON AW 891 6T 405 AW 911 6T 401 K7 222 W9 011 6T 801 AW 761 6T 351 K7 824 AW 791 K7 224 6T 501 TUE K7 228 YH 909 6T 405 AW 891 AW 901 W9 251 6T 401 6T 801 YH 729 AW 761 K7 622 K7 224 6T 501 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 14:30 15:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 08:00 11:00 11:00 13:30 15:00 15:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:00 10:45 11:00 11:00 12:30 13:30 13:30 14:30 15:00 15:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 10:30 11:00 13:30 15:00 15:00 15:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:00 11:00 11:00 12:30 15:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 10:30 10:45 11:30 13:30 15:00 15:00 16:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 11:00 11:00 13:30 15:00 08:35 08:35 08:55 09:35 10:50 13:20 14:10 16:30 16:35 16:45 17:20 18:20 08:20 08:20 07:55 08:35 09:15 08:30 09:55 12:55 12:55 13:55 15:55 16:25 17:00 07:25 07:55 08:20 08:20 08:20 07:55 08:35 09:25 12:40 12:55 14:55 16:25 17:00 08:20 07:50 08:35 08:25 09:15 12:10 12:10 13:10 13:55 14:55 14:55 16:25 17:10 17:00 07:55 08:20 08:35 08:35 08:55 08:25 13:30 12:55 14:55 16:25 17:00 17:10 08:20 07:55 08:35 08:50 08:25 09:15 12:25 12:55 13:55 17:00 17:10 07:25 07:40 07:55 08:20 07:50 07:50 13:30 12:10 12:55 14:55 16:25 17:00 08:20 08:30 08:20 08:35 08:55 09:15 09:25 12:25 12:25 14:55 17:00 10:00 10:30 10:55 11:45 12:15 14:45 15:10 17:55 18:00 20:00 19:25 19:45

Nearly killed
By Douglas Long AS a reasonably experienced traveller, I should have known better by than to trust the guidebook without also gathering some local intelligence about the wisdom of my plan. At the same time, Im always reluctant to consult non-cyclists about my cycling trips. It gets tiresome explaining that, yes, I am capable of riding more than 5 kilometres at a time without collapsing in exhaustion, and, no, Im not all that bothered by hills or other challenging terrain. The idea was to spend a day cycling from Bagan to Salay and back. The distance, according to Lonely Planet, was 36 kilometres (22 miles) each way, so the 72-kilometre total would be well within my physical capabilities. I also had at my disposal a Trek mountain bike with 24 gears, which would help make easy work of the regions gently rolling topography. The biggest challenge, I thought, would be the heat. I was making the trip during the Thingyan holiday, and in central Myanmar in mid-April, temperatures exceeding 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) are not unusual. With 72 kilometres to travel, I knew that if I started at dawn I could make it to Salay and back by 12 noon, even allowing for a couple hours exploring some of the old wooden monasteries for which Salay is famous. There would be some heat to contend with, but I would escape the worst of it by finishing before lunchtime. As the day of the ride made its entrance from the east a subtle emergence of the blazing red sun through the morning mist I was already pedalling west from Nyaung Oo along empty Anawrahta Road. There were few people about as I rode past the silent, centuriesold monuments of Bagan: Wetkyi-in-Gubyaukgyi, Buledi, Ananda Temple. At the end of the road I turned left and started riding south toward New Bagan, Chauk and Salay. I confidently revelled in the simple thrill of cycling on the open roads of Myanmar, gliding over gently rolling hills and through treeshaded villages shrouded in smoke from morning fires, where kids and adults alike shouted hello as I passed. After about 30 minutes of riding, my wife Thandar Khine caught up with me she was travelling on the back of a hired motorcycle, taking video and photographs of the villages and the landscape along our route. She rode on ahead, after we agreed to stop for a rest at Chauk. A short while later I rode across a wide, sandy wash that marked by departure from Mandalay Region and entrance into Magwe Region. There were some hills with oil fields to cross, and then I reached Chauk after exactly two hours of riding. Thandar Khine and the motorcycle driver were waiting at a teashop on the main road. Surely, I thought, Salay must be close. But it was here that I discovered that the day would be longer and more difficult than anticipated: The motorcycle driver informed me that, according to his odometer, we had already travelled 44 kilometres (27 miles), and a local patron at the teashop delivered the unfortunate news that Salay was still 28 kilometres (17 miles) away. Utilising every spare brain cell at my disposal, I calculated that this added up to 72 kilometres, exactly double the 36 kilometres claimed by Lonely Planet. Which, calculating further, meant that the days total cycling distance would be 144 kilometres (89 miles). Despite this fairly conspicuous discrepancy, I decided to forge ahead anyway. It was just past 8am and the air was already warm, but still comfortable for cycling. The savannah-like landscape south of Chauk was a punctuated by several decent-sized hills, after which came the turnoff to Salay. I found myself on a narrow, bumpy and pleasantly quiet road lined with Indian neem trees and flanked by paddy fields, where groups of women stopped working to wave as I passed. We made it to Salay just after 9am, and stopped at a teashop for water and some excellent nan gyi thoke before heading a couple hundred metres down the road to Youqson Kyaung. We found that the museum inside the monastery was closed for the long Thingyan break, but I wasnt disappointed: We were still able to study the famous teakwood figures around the outside of the structure, and

YANGON TO SITTWE
MON 6T 611 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 TUE 6T 611 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 WED 6T 611 09:00 10:25 W9 309 13:00 14:45 THUR 6T 611 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 FRI 6T 607 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 K7 426 15:00 16:20 SAT 6T 611 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 SUN 6T 611 11:15 12:40 W9 309 13:00 14:45 K7 426 15:00 16:20

WED W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 6T 402 K7 223 W9 021 6T 802 AW 792 YH 738 AW 752 6T 502 K7 825 THUR W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 AW 902 6T 402 YH 812 W9 021 AW 202 K7 224 YH 730 6T 502 FRI W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 251 AW 212 YH 731 6T 502 W9 232 YH 728 K7 825 6T 404 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 W9 262 YH 812 6T 802 AW 602 K7 224 YH 730 6T 502

NYAUNG U TO YANGON
MON K7 222 08:40 11:45 AW 792 17:50 19:10 W9 109 17:25 18:20 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 K7 225 18:40 20:00 TUE YH 910 08:40 10:00 AW 762 17:20 18:40 W9 109 17:25 18:20 AW 792 17:25 18:45 6T 502 18:05 19:25 YH 732 18:10 19:30 K7 225 18:40 20:00 WED K7 222 08:40 11:45 W9 109 17:25 18:20 AW 792 17:25 18:45 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 THUR YH 910 08:40 10:00 W9 109 17:25 18:20 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 K7 225 18:40 20:00 FRI K7 222 08:40 11:45 W9 109 17:25 18:20 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 SAT YH 910 08:40 10:00 6T 404 08:45 10:05 W9 109 17:25 18:20 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 K7 225 18:40 20:00 SUN K7 222 08:40 11:45 YH 910 08:40 10:00 W9 109 17:25 18:20 YH 732 17:55 19:15 6T 502 18:05 19:25 TUE

WED AW 891 AW 911 6T 401 6T 331 K7 222 6T 801 AW 751 YH 737 K7 824 K7 622 W9 261 AW 791 YH 731 6T 501 THUR YH 909 AW 891 AW 901 6T 401 W9 255 6T 331 YH 729 AW 201 K7 226 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 FRI AW 891 W9 251 6T 401 YH 917 6T 331 K7 222 AW 751 AW 211 K7 824 6T 501 YH 731 W9 271 6T 403 YH 909 AW 891 AW 911 6T 401 YH 729 6T 801 AW 601 K7 622 K7 224 6T 501 AW 891

SITTWE TO YANGON
MON 6T 612 12:55 14:20 W9 310 15:00 16:45 TUE 6T 612 12:55 14:20 W9 310 15:00 16:45 WED 6T 612 10:40 12:05 W9 310 15:00 16:45 THUR 6T 612 12:55 14:20 W9 310 15:00 16:45 FRI 6T 608 12:55 14:55 W9 310 15:00 16:45 K7 427 16:40 18:00 SAT 6T 612 12:55 14:20 W9 310 15:00 16:45 SUN 6T 612 12:55 14:20 K7 427 16:40 18:00

HEHO TO YANGON
MON W9 143 09:05 10:15 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 011 09:40 10:35 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 223 10:30 11:45 AW 792 16:55 19:10 K7 225 17:40 20:00 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 011 09:40 10:35 6T 402 09:45 10:55 W9 116 16:45 17:55 K7 827 11:15 12:30 K7 225 17:40 20:00 WED W9 143 09:05 10:15 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 223 10:30 11:45 THUR W9 143 09:05 10:15 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 827 11:15 12:30 K7 225 17:40 20:00 FRI W9 143 09:05 10:15 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 223 10:30 11:45 SAT AW 911 08:55 11:05 W9 143 09:05 10:15 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 6T 402 09:45 10:55 K7 827 11:15 12:30 AW 752 17:15 18:25 K7 225 17:40 20:00

SAT

YANGON TO MYEIK
MON K7 319 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 TUE AW 301 07:00 09:05 K7 313 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 WED K7 313 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 THUR K7 319 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 AW 301 12:45 14:50 FRI AW 301 07:00 09:05 K7 319 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 SAT K7 319 07:00 09:10 6T 707 08:00 10:00 SUN K7 319 07:00 09:10 6T 707 11:30 13:30 AW 301 12:45 14:50

SAT

SUN W9 009 YH 910 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 K7 223 W9 256 YH 812 6T 802 AW 212 YH 738 6T 502 MON W9 143 AW 891 YH 633 6T 401 YH 917 K7 222 K7 224 TUE W9 143 AW 901 AW 891 6T 401 YH 917 K7 224

YANGON TO MYITKYINA
MON W9 255 06:30 09:25 TUE W9 251 06:30 09:25 K7 622 13:30 16:30 WED K7 622 13:30 16:30 THUR AW 201 06:30 09:20 W9 255 06:30 09:25 FRI SAT W9 251 06:30 09:25 K7 622 13:30 16:30 W9 255 06:30 09:25 K7 622 13:30 16:30

MYEIK TO YANGON
MON K7 320 11:50 14:00 6T 708 15:55 17:55 TUE K7 314 09:30 11:40 6T 708 15:55 17:55 AW 302 17:15 19:20 WED K7 314 09:30 11:40 6T 708 15:55 17:55 THUR AW 302 11:30 13:35 K7 320 11:50 14:00 6T 708 15:55 17:55 FRI SAT K7 320 11:50 14:00 6T 708 15:55 17:55 K7 320 11:50 14:00 6T 708 12:25 14:25

YANGON TO NYAUNG U

SUN AW 211 06:00 08:50

SUN YH 909 AW 891 6T 401 W9 255 K7 222 6T 801 AW 211 AW 751 K7 622 6T 501 MON YH 634 AW 892 6T 402 K7 223 W9 262 6T 802 W9 021 YH 728 AW 762 K7 224 6T 502 K7 825

MYITKYINA TO YANGON
MON W9 256 09:45 12:40 TUE W9 252 12:05 15:00 K7 623 16:50 19:50 WED K7 623 16:50 19:50 THUR AW 202 09:35 12:25 W9 256 09:45 12:40 FRI SAT W9 252 12:05 15:00 K7 623 16:50 19:50 K7 623 16:50 19:50

Domestic Airlines
Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)
56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 652754 (Airport Office), Fax: 525 937

MANDALAY TO YANGON

WED W9 143 06:00 07:20 AW 891 06:15 07:35 6T 401 06:30 07:50 K7 222 07:00 08:20 YH 917 06:30 08:05 AW 781 15:00 17:10 THUR AW 891 06:15 07:35 W9 009 06:30 07:25 AW 901 06:30 07:50 6T 401 06:30 07:50 YH 917 06:30 08:05 K7 224 15:00 18:20

Asian Wings (AW)

No.34(A-1), Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Township,Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: 951 516654, 532253, 09-73135991~3.Fax: 951 532333

SUN W9 256 09:45 12:40

SUN K7 320 11:50 14:00 6T 708 15:55 17:55 AW 302 17:15 19:20

Air KBZ (K7)

33-49,Corner of Bank Street & Maha Bandoola Garden Street, Kyauktada Tsp,Yangon, Myanmar Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (Airport) Fax: 372983

YANGON TO HEHO
MON K7 222 07:00 10:10 W9 119 11:00 12:10 AW 761 11:00 12:10 YH 727 11:00 12:25 6T 501 15:00 16:10 YH 731 15:00 16:25 K7 224 15:00 17:20

Domestic
6T = Air Mandalay W9 = Air Bagan AW = Asian Wings K7 = AIR KBZ YH = Yangon Airways

Yangon Airways(YH)
166, MMB Tower, Level 5, Upper Pansodan Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (+95-1) 383 100, 383 107, 700 264, Fax: 652 533.

Subject to change without notice

Air Mandalay (6T)

146, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon Tel : 501520, 525488 (Head Office) 720309, 652753,

39
July 16 - 22, 2012
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf
DAyS Flight Dep Arr DAyS Flight
SAT 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517 SUN 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517

d by Lonely Planet

trAvel
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES
Dep Arr
07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 13:20 17:50 16:40 21:15 TUE

DAyS Flight

Dep Arr

DAyS Flight
THUR MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 8M 234 FRI MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 SAT MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 SUN MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 8M 234

Dep Arr
07:55 09:20 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 18:50 20:20 07:55 09:20 09:10 10:40 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 07:55 09:20 09:10 10:40 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 07:55 09:20 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 18:50 20:20

YANGON TO BANGKOK
MON 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 TUE 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 WED 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 THUR 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 FRI 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 SAT 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 SUN 8M 335 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 07:35 09:20 08:30 10:15 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40

BANGKOK TO YANGON
MON FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 WED FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 THUR FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 FRI FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 FD 3772 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 SAT FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 SUN FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 16:25 17:10 15:00 15:50 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:15 20:00

YANGON TO SIEM REAP

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 08:50 11:25 08:50 11:25

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

MON 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 TUE 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 WED 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 THU MH 741 AK 851 FRI 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 SAT 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 SUN MH 741 AK 851 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05

KAULA LUMPUR TO YANGON

MON MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 TUE MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 WED MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 THU MH 740 AK 850 FRI MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 SAT MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 SUN MH 740 AK 850 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 15:40 16:45

The road through the sandy wash marking the border between Mandalay and Magwe regions. Pic: Douglas Long frankly I was happy to have an excuse to spend less time in Salay and start the ride back to Bagan sooner rather than later. I started the return trip around 10:30am. The heat was starting to build, and the small but repetitious hills were taking their toll on my legs. Worse, around the time I reached the turnoff to the main road back to Chauk, I noticed my front tyre was going flat. I had a spare tube with me, but my minipump, after eight years of unblemished service, picked that moment to stop working properly. A group of locals had gathered to observe my struggles, rivers of sweat running into my eyes as I made a heroic effort to inflate the tire with my dying pump. Mercifully, not all of them remained idle spectators: One man eventually retrieved another pump from a nearby house, allowing me to complete my repairs. Effusive thanks, smiles and laughter were exchanged, and I was on my way again. I re-crossed the big, barren hills, a bit more slowly than I had in the morning, and then flew downhill into Chauk, where Thandar Khine was waiting at a snack shop. I ate two scoops of best-ever strawberry ice cream, drank a litre of cold water, and bought two more litres to take with me. Before I had the chance to re-mount my bike, the motorcycle driver did me the dubious favour of pointing out the temperature gauge mounted to the side of a nearby building. It read 48 degrees Celsius (118 Fahrenheit). It was just past noon, and I still had 44 kilometres to ride. At that point I could have justifiably bailed out and hopped into the back of a local truck with my bike for an easy ride back to Bagan. Instead, I told my wife to get back to the hotel and out of the heat as quickly as possible, and I would make it back on my own. With this decision Lonely Planet, no matter how sketchy or unreliable its information, was absolved of all responsibility. My demise would have to be ruled suicide by stubbornness or stupidity. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. The small but incessant hills, the fatigue of riding for hours on end, and the hot, hot heat all conspired to make for a challenging stretch of cycling. I remember reading somewhere that the signs of heat exhaustion included excessive sweating, thirst, extreme weakness or fatigue, headache, nausea, lack of appetite and giddiness, pretty much all of which I experienced during the long slog back to Bagan. But these are also sensations that can be triggered by hour after hour of long-distance cycling, regardless of the weather, so in this case I couldnt tell whether I was dying or having fun exercising. Difficulties aside, at long last the hideous Serenity Garden Resort loomed into view, marking my return to the Bagan area. I drifted like a ghost through New Bagan and Myinkaba, and soon made the turnoff onto Anawrahta Road. I took the last few gulps from my sixth one-litre water bottle of the day, the liquid made as warm as green tea from the power of the sun. The last stretch seemed to take hours, the heat relentless, my fatigue reaching unprecedented heights as I pedalled on and counted down the kilometres four, three, two, one until I was back at the hotel with my wife, enjoying yet another litre of water, followed by a cold beer, in the air-conditioned room. I later read in the local press that the official temperature in Chauk that day was 46.1 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit), the highest in 28 years. Several villagers in Magwe Region were reported to have died as a result of the heat. I consider myself lucky to have not been among them. The ill-conceived foray to Salay certainly was not the first time in my life that wilful foolhardiness provided a memorable travel experience, and I knew, even as I lay in the hotel room bed that afternoon, giddy with exhaustion and survival, that it wouldnt be the last.

YANGON TO GAUNGZHOU
WED CZ 3056 THUR 8M 711 SAT CZ 3056 11:20 15:50 08:40 13:15 11:20 15:50 08:40 13:15

SUN 8M 711

YANGON TO TAIPEI
MON CI 7916 WED CI 7916 FRI CI 7916 14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
WED CZ 3055 THUR 8M 712 SAT CZ 3055 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:50 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:50

YANGON TO KUNMING
TUE CA 906 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35

WED CA 906 THUR CA 906 SAT SUN CA 906 CA 906

SUN 8M 712

TAIPEI TO YANGON
MON CI 7915 WED CI 7915 FRI CI 7915 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45

YANGON TO KOLKATA
Mon FRI IC734 IC734 13:30 16:40 13:30 16:40

KUNMING TO YANGON
TUE CA 905 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI

THUR W9 9607 SUN W9 9607 12:00 13:30 12:00 13:30

WED CA 905 THUR CA 905 SAT SUN CA 905 CA 905

YANGON TO HANOI
MON VN 956 WED VN 956 FRI SAT VN 956 VN 956 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 TUE

YANGON TO SINGAPORE
MON 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517 TUE 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 13:20 17:50 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 13:20 17:50 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15

SINGAPORE TO YANGON
MON MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 8M 234 WED MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 07:55 09:20 09:10 10:40 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 07:55 09:20 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 18:50 20:20 07:55 09:20 09:10 10:40 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45

KOLKATA TO YANGON
Mon FRI IC733 IC728 10:00 14:55 15:50 16:40

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH

TUE VN 942 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON

THUR W9 9608 SUN W9 9608 14:30 15:00 14:30 15:00

International Airlines
Air Asia (FD)
33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Ground Flr, Parkroyal Hotel, Yangon. Tel: 251 885, 251 886.

THUR VN 942 SUN VN 942

HANOI TO YANGON
MON VN 957 WED VN 957 FRI SAT VN 957 VN 957 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10

Bangkok Airways (PG)

Air Bagan Ltd.(W9) Air China (CA)

#0305, 3rd Fl, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 255122, 255 265, Fax: 255119

Silk Air(MI)

WED 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517 THUR 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 FRI 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 15:15 17:40 15:15 17:40

339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, 2nd Floor, Sakura Tower, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 255 287~9 , Fax: 255 290

56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Building (2), corner of Pyay Rd and Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Hotel Yangon, 8 miles, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : 666112, 655882.

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

335/357, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 387648, 241007 ext : 120, 121, 122 Fax : 241124

Thai Airways (TG)

Room No. 1101, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255491~6 Fax : 255223

International
FD & AK = Air Asia TG = Thai Airways 8M = Myanmar Airways International PG = Bangkok Airways MI = Silk Air VN = Vietnam Airline MH = Malaysia Airlines CZ = China Southern CI = China Airlines CA = Air China IC = Indian Airlines Limited W9 = Air Bagan 3K = Jet Star

HO CHI MINH TO YANGON

TUE VN 943 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25

Subject to change without notice

Air India

Myanmar Airways International(8M)

Vietnam Airlines (VN)

THUR VN 943 SUN VN 943

75, Shwe Bon Thar St, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 253597~98, 254758. Fax: 248175

08-02, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255260, Fax: 255305

#1702, Sakura Tower 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Fax 255086. Tel 255066/ 255088/ 255068.

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON

WED 8M 402 SAT 8M 402 18:40 20:05 18:40 20:05

teA BreAk
July 16 - 22, 2012
the

40
MyanMar tiMes

Wine sleuth stems tide of counterfeit bottles

By Elin McCoy HOLDING a bottle of 1998 Sassicaia in her left hand, Maureen Downey squints at the iconic Italian label through a large silver-rimmed magnifying glass. It looks authentic, but is it? Were in the chilly Vintage Wine Warehouse in Queens, New York, to find out. Downey, with streaked-blond hair, wearing jeans and flip-flops that show off white polkadotted red toenails, is one of the experts you call if youre worried your Romanee-Conti, Lafite or Sassicaia might not be legit. For more than a decade shes been on counterfeit high alert, first at three auction houses and now at Chai Consulting, the San Francisco-based wine collection management firm she founded in 2005. The March 8 FBI arrest, and indictment on May 9 by a federal grand jury in New York, of alleged wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan aka Dr Conti who has sold millions of US dollars worth of rare wines at auction, have raised fears among collectors about whats actually in their cellars. Last month, French authorities detained four executives of Burgundy negociant Laboure-Roi on suspicion of wine fraud. Theres a lot of dubious wine out there, says Downey, pulling her sleuthing tools from a black bag. I dont sugar-coat it if I find fakes. A New York client recently bought the 1998 Sassicaia and hired Downey to inspect his collection. She has zeroed in on 11 boxes of wines, including some containing Chateau dYquem and Chateau Lafite, and pries up wooden case lids with a special hammer. As she lines up bottles, she lists the most frequently faked labels: Chateau Petrus, 1961 Bordeaux first growths, 1982 Lafite, Chateau Lafleur, Sassicaia, large-format bottles of pre-1985 Domaine Larose he wanted to bid on. Billionaire William Koch filed a lawsuit against Rodenstock in 2006, alleging wines he sold once belonged to Thomas Jefferson are fakes. In 2009, Koch sued Rudy Kurniawan, alleging that he, too, had sold fraudulent bottles. The Indonesian national is now in Brooklyn, New Yorks Metropolitan Detention Centre awaiting trial. The week before we met, Downey had found some suspicious bottles bought by two clients at sales of Kurniawans wines. On her iPad she scrolls through some of the 1700 photos she took in a New Jersey warehouse, and others she stores for comparison, tapping on an image of a 1945 Mouton Rothschild label. The colour of the paper, the print, the size of the label, the cork nothing is correct, she says, admitting shes pleased Kurniawan has been indicted. When I first met him in 2001, he was drinking Pahlmeyers Napa Valley merlot, she says. Only a year later, when she joined Zachys auction department, he was offering a consignment of rare 1940s and 1950s Pomerols bottled by a Belgian negociant. When she asked where he obtained them, he came up with faxes of faxes of receipts in Chinese, so she refused to take the wine. Many collectors who have bought fakes dont want to admit theyve been cheated, Downey says. Not her client James Grandison, a seminary teacher. Right after snapping up a bottle of 1949 Chateau Lafleur for US$3000 at auction, he met Downey at a restaurant for lunch and showed it to her. She was aghast. Before the water was served, she insisted I take it back immediately and she called the auction house, he recalls. They refunded my money. Bloomberg News

YOUR STARS
By Astrologer Aung Myin Kyaw Aquarius
Aimless drifting often results in a trip to hell, but careful steering can lead directly to heaven. Maintain harmony in your family by aiming to understand their needs and feelings. Doing so will lead to positive changes in your domestic life, which will help you develop steadfastness and flexibility in pursuing social goals. Diplomacy requires a pleasing manner. Create a new face to present in your quest for beautiful love.

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Pisces

It is very important to live in peaceful coexistence, which is the silver foundation upon which to build trust in society. Tune in to the problems of society but dont feel too anxious that you cannot do more to relieve the suffering that prevails in the world. Its enough to get involved in programs aimed at dealing with human needs. Learn to differentiate truth from illusion.

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Aries

Being a success and being a winner dont just happen on their own. But you can make them happen if you know the rules and learn to play by them. You are in control of your life in many ways, but you arent yet aware of how to achieve the golden experience. Know that you have the inner strength to handle any predicament. Encourage yourself to make the right choices to get the results you want.

March 21 - April 19

Taurus

Dont stew over your problems and dont look for excuses about why you cant get things done. Believe I using your own initiative to design your life, and use your skills to their potential. You must look beyond the mask to see the behaviour of others in light of their true frame of mind. Choosing love based on emotions is fine at first, but a long-lasting relationship must be managed based on wisdom.

April 20 - May 20

Gemini

Maureen Downey, founder of Chai Consulting, with the tools she uses to check the authenticity of wines. Pic: Bloomberg News/Elin McCoy de la Romanee-Conti and Henri Jayer Burgundies. If any of these comes from a retailer or auction house she doesnt trust, another red flag goes up, she says. As I peer at the magnified Sassicaia label, Downey points out details that help her determine whether a bottle is genuine. See the paper grain and the way the print ink is pressed into the paper? Thats good, she says. A fake label usually looks flat, with the ink resting on top. Downey shines a small flashlight on the raised letters and numbers in the bottom of the bottle, then sketches the markings in her notebook. She slits the side of the capsule with a razor blade, lifting it gently to view cork markings. The 1998 Sassicaia brand looks OK, but she photographs label, cork and bottle for further research. I look for consistency, she says as she turns to some 1978 Lafite with brownishtinged labels. Are all the paper elements on a bottle of a similar age? The combination of a new-looking label with a battered capsule would be suspicious. Since one trick used by fraudsters is salting a case of mostly real bottles with a few fakes, she scrutinises every one. Downey credits alleged wine counterfeiter Hardy Rodenstock, the central character in the best seller The Billionaires Vinegar, for first getting her to pay attention to obscure details. In 2000, Id just begun working at Morrells auction department, she says. He kept faxing questions about glue, tiny numbers on the labels, punt marks on magnums of 1945 Gruaud-

Focus more on your family and inner psychological state to maintain your emotional harmony. Avoid risky activities, confrontations, conflicts or arguments. You seem to lack direction, unsure of what you want or where you want to go, and this will be reflected in your love life. Organise yourself.

May 21 - June 20

Cancer

Dont cling too tightly to others. The best way to hold on is to let them come and go at will, thereby demonstrating your trust and social understanding. While its fine to work on self-improvement, its also worth helping others to reach their potential according to their own abilities and personalities. Weigh the pros and cons before taking advantage of new opportunities; dont allow greed to coerce you into make rash decisions.

June 22 - July 22

Leo

Get involved in a big project in which you will have to artfully carry a greater burden of responsibility for an extended period. Your persistent efforts will pay off as you reap the benefits from your creative talents , but you will need to devise ways to motivate others to enjoy similar rewards for themselves. Diplomacy is essential in social relations, and in love affairs as well.

July 23 - Aug 22

Virgo

Determine how best to use your skills to relieve your burdens and achieve fulfilment. Never be intolerant of those who require additional time and effort to accomplish the tasks under your management. Love needs to be renewed, so put some effort into injecting some new energy into your relationship. Know the limits to what you can achieve on the way to success.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Libra

Not wanting to alienate anyone, you often find yourself proceeding according to an easygoing nature that can sometimes result in self-pity leading to discouragement. Never feel conciliatory to the point where it becomes a personal fault. Helping yourself is one way to success, and dont be afraid to stand firm in your position when necessary. Dont look for love outside of yourself; it is embedded deep within.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

Lawsuit challenges foie gras ban

LOS ANGELES Days after a foie gras ban came into force in California, a Los Angeles restaurant group and others have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the bill outlawing the controversial gastronomic delicacy. Hots Restaurant Group, Canadas Association des Eleveurs de Canards et dOies du Quebec and New York-based producer Hudson Valley Foie Gras claim the ban is unconstitutional, vague and interferes with federal commerce laws. California lawmakers agreed to the ban in 2004, but gave the western US states only foie gras producer seven and a half years to comply before it came into effect on July 1 this year. Restaurants serving the gourmet item made from force-feeding ducks or geese can be fined up to US$1000. But the legal challenge claims the 2004 law is unclear in defining what constitutes force-feeding, said attorney Michael Tenenbaum, who filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles this week. The Bird Feeding Law does not provide any intelligible measure such as weight, volume or caloric value by which those involved in the feeding of the ducks may determine at what point a duck has been fed more food than the statute allows, says the lawsuit, cited by the Los Angeles Times. Tenenbaum said he is seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the law until the lawsuit which cites California governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris goes to trial. In the run-up to the July 1 ban, some of the Golden States top chefs including Thomas Keller, the only US chef with two three Michelin-starred restaurants, redoubled efforts to persuade lawmakers to overturn the ban. Calling themselves the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (CHEFS), they have staged a series of foie gras-rich evenings to raise money for the cause. But John Burton, the former California legislator who drafted the law, dismissed their calls, likening the tradition of foie gras to water-boarding and female genital mutilation. Id like to sit all 100 of them down and have duck and goose fat better yet, dry oatmeal shoved down their throats over and over and over again, he told the San Francisco Chronicle in April. AFP

Scorpio

Quick decisions are not in your favour during this period. Without risk there can be no progress, and you will need to make a radical change to your previous professional program in order to achieve your objectives. Spend some time considering whether people have negative expectations of you and your behaviour. Teach yourself to adapt to others in a harmonious way.

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Sagittarius

New and difficult challenges will provide the opportunity to make your role great, but first you must learn more about the game and its rules. All relationships can be renegotiated, and you can reopen negotiations through either word or deed. Love depends on your understanding.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Capricorn

Though you are basically a realist and usually resourceful in your endeavours, you often get yourself hooked into an enterprise so totally that you fail to consider other matters. Dont neglect those you love or the attention they need from you. Otherwise, misconceptions can lead to a period during which you might feel as if there is not much love to spare. For a personal reading contact Aung Myin Kyaw, 4th Floor, 113 Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: 0973135632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com

Dec 22 - Jan 19

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PROPERTY
HousingforRent
(1)Banan, New University Avenue Rd, 120x100, 2nd Storey new house, Nice and beautifully, P-furn, Ph, 8A/C, US$6500, (2) Than Lwin Rd, 0.335, RC2 Storey house , Ph, 7A/C, asking price US$ 3500, (3) New University Rd, 100x100, RC2, Nicely house, Ph, 7A/C, US$3500. (4) New University Rd, 30x100, BN2 16 Lakhs, Call Maureen: 09-518-8320. bAHAN, 7 C Wingabar Rd, Next to Clover Hotel & Japanese Embassy. Brand new condo, whole 5th Flr. 2220 sqft. $1200/MAmerican/ International standard, 2 Bed, 2 Bath, Beautifully designed by USA Firm. Contact jeffreyatint@yahoo.com or jeffreyatint@ gmail. com Local ph # 09-73108503. apaRTMEnT (Double Slab) US$ 300/- (Per Month). Building 123, Cherry St, 4th Flr, Air Con 2, Setty, TV, Dining Table 1, Gas Store 1, Contact Add: A-17, Padaetharpin St, FMI City, Hlaingtharyar , Yangon. Ph: 680699, 687666, 09-730-74542. Office Time. bAHAN : New University Avenue Lane, Condo, 7 Flr, 1500 Sqft , Fully Furnished, Fully Furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR ,1PH, 6.5 Lakhs, (Suitable to Rent for Foreigner), Ph:09-43200669 bAHAN: Golden Valley, 2 Story Building, Fully Furnished, Fully Furniture, 2MB, 2SB, Ph, A/C, Good Neighborhood, 25 Lakhs, Foreigners welcome. Ph: 09-432-00669 bAHAN,(1)0.5 acre land, 1 & half storey, 2 MBR, Ph line, 5 Aircons, 2 Single Rm, Generator, Nice Garden, Fully Furnished, US$ 3500 per month. (2) Inya Rd, 0.45 acre land, 11 Aircons, 3 Storey new house, Nice Garden, 5 MBR, 3 BR, US$ 8500 per month, (3) Thanlwin Rd, 0.23 acre land, 3 Storey new house, Ph line, semi furnished, 5 MBR, nice lawn, US$ 8000 per months, Ph: 09-513-7670 nORTh DagOn, Shwe Pin lone Housing, Good Estate, 80' x 80', 2 MB, 2SB, Without Furniture, Fully Furnished Good neighborhood, near Pinlone hospital, Foreigner welcome 4.5 Lakhs, Ph: 09432-00669 or email : nicerealproperty@ gmail. com bAHAN, Thakhathoyeikmon Condo, 7F, 1500 Sqft, Fully Furnished, Fully Furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR ,1Ph, 6 Lakhs, Ph : 09-73135900 viRTual OFFICE Have your office at the prestigious Central Towers for only 39,000 kyats a month. Pls call 09-516-6859, 09-49247013, 01-377151 Ext: 80643 for more details about the facilities and services offered. kaMaYuT, Attia Rd, Big compound, 2 Storey, 4MB, 2 Living room, .027 acre land, Foreigners welcome, call. E-mail: star85ster @gmail.com Ph: 389706, 09-2004467.

Language
HOHES ZIEL Foreign Languages Centre : German, English, Chinese, Spanish, French, Korean, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Thai. Add: (374), Second Floor, Banyadala Rd, Kyauk Myaung, Tamwe , Yangon. Ph: 09- 731-18792. Email: hohesziel@gmail.com EffECTivE Myanmar Language: Teaching Program for Foreigners who live in Myanmar. Private Home Classes are welcome. We are the first Myanmar Language Group in Myanmar in last ten years. For details, pls contact to keencentre @ gmail.com or +959-423 668 824. ENGLISH 4 Skills and Business letter writing for office Staff and employee, IELTS Intensive Cource and Practice for Students preparing for Exam. Ph: 09-505-2302. SPANISH Classes/ Spanish Tour Guide Trainer: Teacher Mr. Mario (MSc.), Native

For Sale
gOlf SET : S. Yard. Iron. 5000 pcs for Golf shop. Ph:09-857-0600, 09-450-015788. (1)ninTEnDO DSi (Second Hand) : Very Good Condition R4i Card with latest modified version (can play latest DS games) 1 GB Micro SD card Charger, Original Box Silicon case, Carrying case Battery - at least 4 hr of playing Guarentee 30 + Games (if you bring external harddisk, I can give them all to you) Price - Ks 50,000 (2) PSP-2000 (second hand) Firmware version (modified) - 6.20 PROB7 Good Condition - all buttoms including analog buttom working properly Battery - Extended Battery kit (2200 mAh) at least 8 hrs of playing Guaren-tee Carry case, Charger, Original Box 4 GB Pro Duo Card 40 + Games (if you bring external harddisk, I can give them all to you) Price - 50,000 Ks. Ph: 09 50 79980 Aung Thu Hein VOLVO 740 GLE (1990 Model) [ New Body with WRTA ] [ 4u/ ] [ ABS, AC, PS, PW, MP3 Player ] [ Mileage : 53000 Km ] Contact : 09-44-8006520 HUAWEI S7 Slim : Tablet with original leather bag, internal memory 8G, micro SD 16G, Bluetooth 1. Price: K 200,000/. Ph: 09-505-4649. PSP Go built in 16GB (2 month used) Full game install, already modified with cover, screen guard Condition - Almost original good Fixed Price : 155,000, Ph: 09-73903193 (Mandalay) MiDORi TRaDE LINK CO., Special offer for year 2007 (1300 cc) Cars. All in price: Mazda Demio : 129 Lakhs. Nissan March 129 Lakhs. Nissan AD Van :139 Lakhs Probox Van : 159 Lakhs. Contact Us at: 25 A-3, New University Avenue Bahan. Ph: 543139, 09-731-53678. Email: midoritradelink@gmail. com SAFE, LEECO Digital Safe, Model No.702 PL, Made in Thailand, Ph: 09-504-1875. hD Game, app (install) iPhone, iPod touch 6000ks, iPad 8000ks, iTunes account open (free game, app download) Gmail account open , All iDevices iOS 5.1.1 version upgrade full untethered jail-break (power off) . contact : 09-450-017770, 09514-7480 CDMa 800 MHz Mobile Phone: A few

Housing for Sale

LASHIO : Ward 12, 2Acres Land including the main house and 2storey building. In downtown and Very Good place for business. Price: negotiable Ph: 09517-1377, 09-515-8738 SANCHAUNG , (1) near CityMart & Yuzana Super Market) Condo 32 ft x 52 ft, 6 Flr, MB (1) SB (2) renovated/ Lift. 1600 lakhs (2) Panchan st, new building, 15 ft x 50 ft, high 12 G Flr, 700 lakhs) Ph: 09-731-10110 09-508-0880 bAHAN, Natmaut Yeiktha Lane, 0.22 Acre, RC 1 1/2 storey, Ph: 543350, 09-508-3097. No broker pls. n/DagOn, No.17, (Rose Garden) shwe pinlon, 8325 sq ft, land & building , 2RC price : 4500 lakh ph: 09-503-5522. HLAING , Near Yangon Insein Rd For more information K Khaing Kyaw : 09-518-2894

an ElEganT, grand and ancient teak bed for sell. For more information after 6 pm Myo Thura Tin Aung: 09-431-79637, 09-492-23231

For Sale/Hire
ISUZU Trooper (1999 model) Left Hand Drive, 4X4. Ph: 09-500-9450

Expert Service
hOTEl Management, Consultants, Available Pls contact : 09-5123260

General
MObILE CLASSIC Alluminium, Stainless Steel, Composite & Iron Work. Office :No10-Ground Flr ,Bo Moe St, Myae Ni Gone, Sanchaung. Ph: 09431-79764, 09-43195286. Email: goodwill 303164@gmail.com NYOON Book Dealing: Various kinds of Books regarding Business Management, Business & Investing, Accounting, Briefcase Series, Interview skills, English Language can be available at Innwa Book Store, A Yone Thit Book Store, TAB Book Centre (Taw Win Centre), Yar Pyae (Mandalay) Book Store & Tun Oo (Mandalay) Book Store: 214, 4th Flr, Corner of Anawrahta Rd & 32nd St, Pabedan, Yangon. Email: nyoon. bookdealing@ gmail. com. Ph: 386693, 09-504-6769.

on July 8, 2012. For more information, inquiries or enrollment pls contact the Corporate Learning Academy (CLA) : 5 MeilikhaRd, Mayangon Tel: 650329, 664397. E-mail: cla@myanmar. com.mm BaSiC COnCEpTS and Applications of Statistics Using SPSS software : 30-6-2012 (Saturday) to 29-7-2012 (Sunday). 159, Thukha Myaing 3rd St, Ward (8), Hlaing. (Near Thukha Bus-stop on Innsein Rd.) Sat & Sun, 8:00 am to 10:30 am . 10 days ( five weeks). 25 hrs for Ks 50,000/- U Zaw Win, Ex-Lecturer, Dept. of Statistics, Yangon Institute of Economics. Research Manager at an INGO. Hp: 09-501 7691, Email: zawwineco@gmail.com

Want To Buy
uSED Laptop, Notebook, Netbook, MacbookPro, Macbook Air, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, External Hardisk, External R/W, Used Phone Nokia Blackberry Motorola LG HTC Sony Ericsson Samsung Galaxy S2 Galaxy Note Galaxy Nexus, Huawei C8500 C8600 C8800 C8810 Ipod Touch 4G Iphone 3gs iphone 4, 4s handset Ipad Ipad2 New Ipad. Ph: 09-517-8391, 01-376420

Want to Hire
uRgEnT We are looking for the suitable place where to open the office in Bahan, Hlaing, Kamayut, Mayangon, Sanchaung.Compound or Condo, at leat 2,000. sq ft. Near to bus-stop. Pls contact to U Nyo Htun, Ph: 09 731 32 818. RESiDEnCE needed (independent house) 3 ~ 4 bed rooms with attached baths, a living room with a bath room attached,dining kitchen and a maids room. Within 1 or 2 kilometers of Eyes Hospital (Natmauk Yeiktha Rd). Pls contact 9:30am ~5:30pm. Ph: 545884

Education
TEaChing combination of Foreign and Myanmar Style/ Skillful Te a c h e r s , Te a c h e r s who have got Teaching experience in Singapore, Now back to Myanmar/ Teaching for those who need Foreign teaching experience/ Study Guides for Grade 10, 11 and Ints School( ISY, MISY,ILBC, Total, PISM, Crane, MLA, Diplomatic, RV ) , GCSE , SAT , IELTS, TOEFL ,American Native English Teacher Tr.Albert c/o 0942 0070692 SayarBryan, ME ( IT) 0942 007 0692, Sayar

KAYAH Pin Min (Since 1967) (Washing, Bleaching and Dyeing) Our Laundry Services established since 1967, which can be made Washing, Bleaching and Dyeing with fully satisfaction and fair price for Hotel, Motel, Inn, Guest House and Restaurants also. Pls call us 09-731-31387. No.621, Khay Mar Thi Rd, Za Myin Zwe ward, N/Okkalapa, Yangon. IOLAR Translation Service Phone: 09 4200 31866 / 01 - 229 301 Email: iolar.translation @ gmail.com . REal ESTaTE or Landhousing investment in Myanmar. We coordinately invite Myanmar citizens or nons to cooperate with us as we will take responsibilities with our citizenship scrutiny For those who interest and want to cooperate with us may contact Saya Bryan (Engineer): 09-420-070692, Saya Htet (Engineer) :09-21500 75. auguST Engineering Service : Aircondition &

Speaker Group / oneto-one classes available. Contact: 01-543207, 09504-0648. MYANMAR Language Progressive myanmar language private classes for foreigners who live in Myanmar. Private home classes are available. For details , please contact to 09-423 668 824. afTER SChOOl & SunDaY Academic English and IELTS Preparation classes. Limited seats (6) only. Shwe Gone Daing, Bahan, Yangon. Teacher from the Philippines with masters degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and have been teaching graduate English courses in Yangon for two summers. Over 9 years of teaching experience in an internationalcommunity. Classes start on August 6. Contact Alex Dugan. Ph:09-851-6735 , Email:pinoytesol @ gmail.com FOR EMbASSY family and others : When you

Travel
NYAN MYinT Thu: Car Rental Service. Ko Nyan Myint Win Kyi. Address: No.56, Bo Ywe St, Latha, Yangon. Ph: 246551, 375283. 09-645-0599, 09-213-2778.

Want to Hire
SUV CAR 2007 Model upwards Left Handrive For Longterm Please Contact : 09- 420-087374 (Pls No Broker)

Training
SMaRT (Fitness Center). Invite to all of our customers. Guarantee for over weight men and women (over 200 lb). To get always smart and healthy body. Available to discuss with skillful training teacher. Teach in systematically. 142, 1st Flr, 47th St, Botahtaung, Ph: 09-730-17729. UNI AIM Training Group will offer International Education Consultant Training class starting from this coming 27th July. Course duration 1 month, Sat & Sun evening. Class location : Hledan. To register your class pls call 09-43197761, 09-4016-03454.

Employment
INGO Position
PSI/ Myanmar requires a well experienced (1) program support officer in Yangon : Any graduate who have knowledge in contracts with good communication skills & related experience at least 2 years can apply not later than 24 July, 2012. (2) grant & Sub contract Manager in Yangon. Any graduate who have some skills in English language, Office Computer Software and related experience at least 2 years can apply not later than 23 July 2012. Pls submit to PSI/ HR mail: hr@ psimyanmar. org. MYANMAR Red Cross Society is seeking(1) assistant finance Officer 1 Post in Myaebon : B.Com (or) B.Act (or) DA (or) LCCI Level III Group Diploma or equivalent. 2 years of professional experience in finance & accounting field. Effective both Myanmar & English (written / oral). (2)watsan Technical Community Support Officer - 1 Post: Bachelor degree in Engineering. Prior knowledge of health, hygiene, teaching or community development. 2 ~ 3 years experience in community mobilisation in Myanmar in relation to water & sanitation projects. Computer literacy. Fluent Myanmar, ability to speak and write good English. Pls submit a letter of application, relevant documents & CV, Copy of Recommendation letter from Police station , Labor registration card & health certificate & 1 passport photo (Cover letter & CV documents only need to be sent via e-mail to U Khin Maung Hla, Executive Director, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Nay Pyi Taw, mrcshrrecruitment@ gmail.com before 18th July 2012 MYANMAR Red Cross Society is seeking field logistics Training Officer - DRR Field, Team, 1 Post: University degree or diploma related to the position (logistic). 3 years experiences . Must have very good computer literate with Microsoft Office park (word, excel, power point, etc...). Pls submit: a letter of application, relevant documents & CV, Copy of Recommendation from Police station, Copy of Labor Registration Card, Copy of Health Certificate & 1 passport photo (Cover Letter CV documents only need to be sent via e-mail to Khin Maung Hla, Executive Director, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Nay Pyi Taw, mrschrrecruitment@ gmail.com before 20th July 2012 For more information & applicat-ion, pls visit to the www. myanmarredcrosssociety.org. aMDa is seeking a health promotion Officer for Healthy Village Project in the Western Part of Pakokku : Extensive experience in effective program planning and strategic management of Public Health Sector. Strong understanding of community development in public health sector. Excellent in English and Myanmar communication both spoken & written. Experience in water quality testing. University degree with 3 years experience in int'l orgainzations or Institutions, degree in public health or similar field preferred. 3 years experience in Community health promotion and Watsan preferred. Strong computer skill. Ability to type in Myanmar language. Pls enclose C.V, copies of testimonials (references) & photograph (passport size), & send it to Senior Officer, Admin/Finance Unit, AMDA Myanmar Country Office, 19/B, Thukhawaddy Rd, Yankin . Tel: 578353, Email:amda@mptmail. net.mm Closing date: 19th July 2012. SOliDaRiTES Int'l is seeking Deputy programme Manager in Bhamo, Kachin State: Technical qualification or degree holder at least three years professional experience similar position in INGO. Excellent level of written & spoken English and Myanmar. IT skills: proficiency in MS Office. Basic knowledge of quality insurance methods. 3 year experience in a similar role, preferably with an INGO or UN. Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) by email : Bmo.prg. manager@solidaritesmyanmar.org, hr. solidarites.mm@gmail. com. Closing date: 25th July 2012 SOliDaRiTES Int'l (SI) seeking (1) administra tive & finance Manager in Kanpelet, Chin State: University level or equivalent in accounting/ manage-ment/ administration. 2 years experience in a similar position with NGO. (2) Deputy administrative & finance Manager in Bhamo, Kachin State: University level or equivalent in account ing/ management/ administration. 1 years experience in a similar position with NGO. For all posts excellent knowledge of word & excel, knowledge of accounting software SAGA & HR software HOMERE is a plus. Fluent spoken & written English & Myanmar. (3) Data Management Officer in Kanpetlet base, Chin State: Previous 2 years experience in similar position with INGO, INGO or UN in Myanmar is preferable. Experience in Chin State will be an added value. Humanitarian values & strong motivation to for work with International Humanitarian OrganiLearning, Monitoring & Accountability) 1 post (3) Technical Officer (Maternal & Child Health Technical Area) 1 post (4) Driver cum logistic assistant - 1 post. Detailed information can be assessed at Burnet Institute Myanmar office. All positions will be based in Yangon. Pls submit an application letter, CV with recent passport sized photo and copies of relevant documents to : HR Officer : Burnet Institute Myanmar : 226, 2nd Flr, Wizaya Plaza, U Wisara Rd, Bahan Email: burnet. myanmar@gmail.com CARE Myanmar organization is seeking (1) aRT Doctor - 1 post in Monywa Closing date: 17th July 2012 Pls request the detailed Terms of Reference at the CARE Myanmar office during office hours Monday to Friday or can obtain by email: recruitment @ care.org. mm . 17A, Pyi Htaung Su St, Sayarsan Rd, Sayarsan NorthWest Ward, Bahan . Tel: 401419, 401420, 532438, 532447, 09513-6584. Qualification: university degree in Computer Science/ Computer Engineering or IT related field. Knowledge of software engineering best practices including patterns. Self motivated, Team work & willing to learn a new technology. Fair to good communication skill in English and Japanese would be a plus. (Note: We recruit 50 positions). Job Requirement: Specially (Business Application)- OS: Any kinds of recent version of Unix/ Linux, Windows. DBMS: Oracle, SQL Server. Programming Language :Java, JSP, .NET (VB), C/C++, C#). Technology :J2EE, Struts, Spring, iBATIS, Hibernate, Apache, Tomact, Eclipse, .NET Framework. Concept :OOP, OOAD, UML. Benefit for Successful Candidates: 1. Salary: Competitive. 2. Support Japanese Language, IT and Business Manner Courses. 3. Professional working conditions. Applicants interested in this vacancy announcement, pls submit CV, References, two color passport photos, Certificate and other necessaries documents to the NTT DATA as mentioned address not later than (27-7-2012). Rm 0302, 3rd Flr, Sedona Hotel Business Suite, No.1, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin, Yangon, Republic of the Union of Myanmar. paDOnMaR Restaurant is seeking (1) Receptionist - F 1 Post : Age above 20. Graduate. 1 Year experience. Good personality & energetic person. (2) Cashier - F 1 Post : Aged above 20 . Graduate. Good personality. 1 year service cashier & familiar with computerized software experience are preferable. (3) Store keeper - M 1 Post : Aged 30 years. Must have computer data entry experience. 1 year experience. (4) Junior accountant F/M) 1 Post : Aged 23 ~ 30 . LCCI I, II. 1 or 2 year experience of Accounting & computerized system. (5) Bar Manager - Bar experience 2 years. Age 25 ~ 40 years. For 1 , 2 & 5: Able to understand and speak English. For 1,2, 3 & 5 Will provide food & accommodation. (6) Driver - 1 Post : 3 years experience. Non alcoholic and personal hygiene are essential. Pls apply with update CV form, recent photo, Government labor registration, Copies of related data with NRC to 105/107, Kha Yae Bin Rd, Dagon Tsp, between Pyi Daung Su Yeik Thar (Halpin) Rd & Manawhari Rd/ Ahlone Rd, Yangon Ph: 538-895. 09-73029973. uRgEnT Vacancy: (1) Reservation for hotel flight 1 post Female- two-year experience in travel agency. (2) admin & guest relation staff -1 post M/F - Who can speak English very well, 2 years experience in travel agency. Pls contact AZURE SKY Travel. Rm (02-01) Asia Plaza Complex. Seikkan Thar St, Kyauktada, Ph: 379304, 703526. (1) pROJECT Coordinator - M 3 Post: Bachelor Degree. Computer Literate (MS Office, Email & Internet). Fluent in English speaking, writing & reading (Foreign language is a plus advantage). ble to travel A Yangon Outside Area. (2) Secretary to president (attractive Salary) F 2 Posts :Bachelor Degree or Master Degree Holder) Prefer English Major or Abroad Education). Fluent in English Speaking, Writing and Reading. 2 years experience in secretary field & abroad working experience. (3) invoicing Officer - F 1 Post : B.Com or Diploma in Accounting (LCCI Level 3). Good in English Reading and Writing. (4) assistant accountant (attractive Salary) - M 1 Post : Age under 35. B.Com or LCCI Level 2 or 3. Must Chinese Speaking (Four skills preferred). 2 years experience. (5) administrator - M/F 1 Post : Age under 30. Bachelor Degree in Administration or Management. Fluent in English . 2 year experience. (6) procurement Officer M/F 1 Post : Age 25 and 30. Bachelor Degree. Fluent in English Speaking, Reading and Writing. At least two year expeirence in related area. (7) Safety Officer (health, Safety and Environment) - M 1 Post : Age 25 ~ 30. Bachelor Degree (Prefer Safety or HSE Certificate Holder). Fluent in English Speaking, Reading and Writing. 2 years experience. (8) Operation assistant M 1 Post : Any Degree with F & B background or Diploma in Hospitality & Manage-ment. Fluent in English Speaking, Reading and Writing. Willing to travel if necessary. 1 year experience. (9) Driver M 2 Posts : Must have driving license (black or red). 1 or 2 years experience. Pls send CV, 2 passport photos, copy of NRC card, academic transcripts (copy) and testimonial documents to SMART Group of Companies, City Bank Building 4th Flr, Banyardala Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt, Ph: 701593, 09-8616730, 09-861-6731 within 2 weeks hOTEl BuSinESS Unit (1). Chief Engineer M 1 post : Bachelor of Engineering(Mechanical or Electrical). 10 years experiences in hotel property maintenance operations. Ability to manage all engineering & maintenance operations, including maintaining the building, grounds and physical plant with particular attention towards safety, security and asset protection. Accountable for managing the budget, capital expenditure projects, preventive maintenance & energy conservation. Ability to lead the emergency response team for all facility issues. Good command of English Language. (2).asst. Chief Engineer - M 5 posts : A degree in Mechanical / Electrical Engineering BE/AGTI/B. Tech (EP/EC). 7 years experience in hotel engineering & maintenance operations. Ability to assist Chief Engineer in managing all engineering & maintenance operations, including maintaining the building, grounds and physical plant with particular attention towards safety, security and asset protection. Strong leadership skill and interpersonal skill &Goodcommunication skill. Must be able to travel for the maintenance of hotels & resorts in other cities. (3).Shift Engineer - M 7 posts : AGTI/B. Tech (EP/EC). 4 years experiences in hotel engineering & maintenance operations. Must be able to work independently without minimum guidance. Good communication skill. Must be able to travel for the maintenance of hotels and resorts in other cities. (5). Account Receivable - F 1 post : Any Graduate with LCCI level 2 or and Myanmar Pls send application with a CV, one recent passport size photo and copy of labor registration Card, NRC card, graduation certificate & other for a Teacher (More Prefer Native Speaker) for Drama in English, who can teach Drama subject very well and must speak in English. Requirements:Excellent English, Experienced in teaching drama, Preferred College degree in English, self motivated. Interested person can apply throughannie. san@ graces-studio. net. Enquiry : Annie San, Ph : 09-732-4 8314, 09-73097 836 (1 pm ~ 5 pm) the Media, Events and Trouism industries. He is currently touring the country looking for new opportunities Resume available on request. Contact: australianinmyanmar@hotmail.com MDs assistant for a New Insurance company Graduated female fluent in English, knowledge in French (if possible), good presentation, with previous experience in the insurance business. please contact: dsavariau@ gmail.com inCEpTa Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is seeking Medical promotion Officer - 8 Posts: Graduate from any discipline (science graduate with 1-2 years experience. Ability to work under pressure. Incumbent must have good presentation skills to communicate up-to-date product informat-ion to medical professionals to generate prescriptions. Willing to travel extensively. Age 30 years. Pls submit updated resume/ CV to No.92/94, Rm #3B, 52nd St, Pazundaung, Ph: 09-294-859, email: kyaw.zar.min@gmail. com, Closing date: 30 July, 2012. viSiOn inTERiORS renowned internationally, is starting its operations in Yangon & require eligible and efficient candidate for each of the following post: (1). Draftsmen: Should have min. 5 years of experience in both residential & commercial designs, must be well versed with Auto-Cad / 3D Max, can draft/ sketch designs manually, responsibi-lities include site visits & supervision. * Must speak, read & write English fluently. (2). Carpenter: Should have min. 10 years of experience in carpentry, musthaveateamofskilled labor.(3). Contractor Cum Site Supervisor: should have min. 5 years experience in the required field, must have a technical know-ledge & good network among coworkers: civil engineers, painters, electricians, masons etc. Eligible applicants must send in CV to visioninteriors@ gmail. com or contact 09-4200-87374 during office hours (10AM - 6PM, Mon-Sat) wanT TO lEaRn to write news, articles and do market research? Thura Swiss a Yangon-based research & consultancy company, is looking for a bright individual with initiative, analytical skills & excellent command of English (able to read articles and texts and write clearly) to fill the temporary vacancy of a research associate. The initial contract will be for 3 to 4 months with possibility of extension. Shortlisted candidates will pass a writing test and interview. Pls send CV with a cover letter to hr@ thuraswiss.com indicating research associate in the subject line before 20 July 2012.

Overseas
SINGAPORE Chinese Sales girl @ Fancy Shop (1F) S$1000+S$ 200 for housing + Breakfast, general worker @ Super-market (1M) Salary S$1100 + Duty Meal, Selling & packing worker @ Vegetable Shop (1F) Salary S$1100 + S$200 for housing, Chinese Male @ Bakery & Catering (1M) Salary S$1000 + Housing + Duty Meal, Chinese Cook @ Restaurant (1M) Salary S$1200 + Housing + Duty Meal, Dishwash er & general worker @ Catering Factory (1M) Salary S$1000 + S$200 for Housing + 1 Meal, interior Designer @ Furniture Co., (1M) Salary S$1500 + S$200 for housing, Chinese Sale girl @ Cake & Bread Shop (1F) Salary S$1100 + Housing, Service Crew @ Thai Restaurant (1F) Salary S$1300 + Housing + 2 Meals, Electrical autoCaD (1M) Salary S$2000, project Engineer (1M) Salary S$2000, graphic Designer @ Advertising Co., (1M/F) Salary S$1500~1600, Ph: 256963, 09-861-0435, No. 116, G Flr, 42 St, Botataung, Yangon.

zation. Any University Degree or Diploma Or related proven experience in similar area. Fluent spoken and written Myanmar, basic 4 skills of English. Good writing & communication skills. Good MS Office (Excel, Word, Power Point) Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, re ferences) by e m a i l : h r. s o l i d a r i t e s . mm@gmail.com, sol. ygn. hr@gmail.com, hr. solidarites.chin.mm@ gmail.com. Closing date : 31st July 2012. BuRnET inSTiTuTE Myanmar is seeking (1) project Manager (Maternal & Child Health Program) 1 post (2) Technical Specia list for QLMA (Quality,

Local Position
I CARE Medical Group is seeking Medical Doctor - F 1 Post : Must have a minimum degree from university M.B.B.S with SA MA registeration. Age 30-35. Good communication in English. 2 years experience at medical field. Must be able to use computer, internet and microsoft application with excellent skills. Pls submit: CV with recent photo, copy of relevant certificates & docu-ments, describe working experience from graduation till present & expected salary. Rm G-07, Ground Flr, Diamond Center, Pyay Rd, Kamayut. Tel:

relevant certificate toTreasure Hotels ~ Resorts) Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (Lake View Building), Kan Yeik Tha Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt. not later than (23.7.2012). ESTaBliShED local trading company seeking (1) Office Secretary - F 2 Posts: officer secretaries. Must hold a University Degree or equivalent. Must be fluent in speaking and writing English. Ability to use computer programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel is essential. Previous work experience, knowledge in accounting and understanding in client handling would be added assets. (2) Driver - M 1 Post : (preferably age under 40) required for local trading company. Must hold a valid driving license with at least 5 years above experience. Must be able to drive saloons as well as mini trucks. Knowledge in minor repairs would be an added asset. Those interested submit a cover letter (for position 1), CV (with detailed work experience), one passport size photograph, copy of NRC and valid driving license (for position 2) together with contact phone number to goodfortune myanmar@ gmail.com or call 296339. INOWAVE MYANMAR is seeking Software Engineer (1) Post :Degree in IT / Computer Science or equivalent, 3 years of C#/VB.net working experience required, Proficient in SQL SERVER 2005/2008, Experience in using Crystal Report or other reporting tools, Knowledge on php is an added advantage, Able to lead a team with good interpersonal and communication skills. Software Developer (2) Posts :Diploma or Degree in IT / Computer Science or equivalent, 1 years of C#/VB.net working experience required (Fresh graduates with academic software projects can apply too), Proficient in SQL SERVER 2005/2008, Knowledge on php is an added advantage, Able to work indepen-dently with good interpersonal & communication skills and also a good team player. Pls send your resume with your current / last drawn salary, expected salary and available date to nyinyi@ i n n o w a v e m y a n m a r. com GRACES SPEECH & Drama : We are seeking

QRESHI Restaurant is seeking(1)waiter - 2 post Salary 40000 Working Hour 9:00 ~ 10:00 PM (2)Manager - 1 Post Salary 100000 (Uniform & Two meals are provided) Contact : 379311, 09-730-50603 MANAGER agency Services Commercial real estate services firm plan to set up subsidiary in Yangon. Offer property facilities and project management; appraisal & valuation; development services; investment manage-ment; and research and consulting. The role encompasses day-to-day responsibility for the management and development of the Agency Services business including recruitment and team development; market data and research collection, & implemen tation of standard processes, procedures & documentation; business development; client service delivery; financial management (budgets, P&L). Working in conjunction with the Senior Director, Agency Services, the position only for local applicant with fluent spoken and written English, Chinese is a plus, send CV and salary expectation to sdhhenry @gmail.com. MYanMaR auTO Corporation is looking for(1).Manager (Agricultural B.H.D) Oil-palm plantation experience at least 5 years (2).assistant Manager (Agricultural B.H.D) experience with oil-palm plantation. Ph: 662602 09-493-17989 myanauto@ gmail. com Both positions need to able to live at countryside. ThE OpEning soon International Fitness Center require ; Sales Coordinator - 3 posts Customer Service attendances 10 posts. For position 1; Must be pleasant personality, intelligent & excellence customer relation skill Must be able to communicate in English Minimum 1 year experience in hospitality industry. For position 2; Must be pleasant personality Knowledge of Fitness Center equipment will be plus Pls send CV latest by 13 July 2012 to; No 201, 2nd Floor, Shwe Hinthar Tower Block A, Pyay Rd, 61/2 Miles. Email: thadar9@ gmail.com M u lT i Ta l E n T E D Australian Seeks Employment in Myanmar. Mr Craig Hodges has 20 years experience in

Job Wanted
OffiCE SECRETaRY : B .Sc Eng Age 26 years, Female Work Experience: 2 Years Contact : candlelight 295 @gmail.com SOCCER and Fitness Coach : Very eager to work in Myanmar as Soccer or Fitness Coach at FCs, sports clubs and schools. Have considerable amount of experiences in Singapore & overseas. Please feel free to contact Joseph Ronald for further enquiry at josephronald@yahoo. com

The Essentials
EMBASSIES Australia 88, Strand Road, Yangon. tel : 251810, 251797, 251798, 251809, 246462, 246463, fax: 246159 Bangladesh 11-B, Than Lwin Road, Yangon. tel: 515275, 526144, fax: 515273, email: bdootygn@mptmail.net. mm Brazil 56, Pyay Road, 6th mile, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 507225, 507251, 507482. fax: 507483. email: Administ.yangon@ itamaraty.gov.br. Brunei 317/319, U Wizara Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 526985, 524285, fax: 512854 email: bruneiemb@ bruneiemb.com.mm Cambodia 25 (3B/4B), New University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 549609, 540964, fax: 541462, email: RECYANGON @mptmail. net.mm China 1, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 221280, 221281, 224025, 224097, 221926, fax: 227019, 228319 Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 222886, 222887, fax: 222865, email: egye mbyangon@mptmail. net.mm France 102, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 212178, 212520, 212523, 212528, 212532, fax: 212527, email: ambaf rance. rangoun@ diplomatie.fr Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 548951, 548952, fax: 548899 email: info@rangun. diplo.de India 545-547, Merchant Street, Yangon. tel: 391219, 388412, 243972, fax: 254086, 250164, 388414, email: indiaembassy @mptmail. net.mm Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 254465, 254469, 229750, fax: 254468, email: kukygn @indonesia.com.mm Israel 15, Khabaung Street, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 515115, fax: 515116, email: info@ yangon.mfa.gov.il Italy 3, Inya Myaing Road, Golden Valley, Yangon. tel: 527100, 527101, fax: 514565, email: ambyang.mail@ esteri.it Japan 100, Natmauk Road, Yangon. tel: 549644-8, 540399, 540400, 540411, 545988, fax: 549643 Embassy of the State of Kuwait Chatrium Hotel, Rm: No.416, 418, 420, 422, 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe Tsp, Tel: 544500. North Korea 77C, Shin Saw Pu Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 512642, 510205, fax: 510206 South Korea 97 University Avenue, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 527142-4, 515190, fax: 513286, email: myanmar@mofat.go.kr Lao A-1, Diplomatic Quarters, Tawwin Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. tel: 222482, fax: 227446, email: Laoembcab@ mptmail. net.mm Malaysia 82, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 220248, 220249, 220251, 220230, fax: 221840, email: mwkyangon@mptmail. net.mm Nepal 16, Natmauk Yeiktha, Yangon. tel: 545880, 557168, fax: 549803, email: nepemb @mptmail.net.mm Pakistan A-4, diplomatic Quarters, Pyay Road, Yangon. tel: 222881 (Chancery Exchange) fax: 221147, email: pakistan@ myanmar. com.mm Philippines 50, Sayasan Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 558149-151, fax: 558154, email: p.e. yangon@gmail.com Russian 38, Sagawa Road, Yangon. tel: 241955, 254161, fax: 241953, email: rusinmyan@mptmail .net.mm Serbia No. 114-A, Inya Road, P.O.Box No. 943Yangon. tel: 515282, 515283, fax: 504274, email: serbemb@ yangon.net.mm Singapore 238, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 559001, fax: 559002, 559922, email: singemb_ ygn@_ sgmfa. gov.sg Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Road, Yangon. tel: 222812, fax: 221509, email: slembassy. yangon@gmail.com, info@slembyangon.org, www.slembyangon.org Thailand 94 Pyay Road, Dagon Township, Yangon. tel: 226721, 226728, 226824, fax: 221713 United Kingdom 80 Kanna Road, Yangon. tel: 370867, 380322, 371852, 371853, 256438, 370863, 370864, 370865, fax: 370866 United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Yangon. tel: 536509, 535756, 538038, fax: 650306 Vietnam Building No. 72, Thanlwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. tel: 511305, fax: 514897, email: vnemb myr@ cybertech.net.mm Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia No.287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel : 01-536153, 516952, fax : 01-516951 UNITED NATIONS ILO Liaison Officer Rm (M1212~1220), 12 Fl-A, Traders Hotel. 223, tel: 242 393, 242811. fax: 242594. IOM 12th Flr, Traders Hotel, 223, tel: 252560 ext. 5002 UNAIDS Rm: (1223~1231), 12 Fl, Traders Hotel. tel: 252361, 252362, 252498. fax: 252364. UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St, Mayangone tsp. tel: 666903, 664539. fax: 651334. UNDP 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tel: 542910-19. fax: 292739. UNFPA 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tsp. tel: 546029. UNHCR 287, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung tsp. tel: 524022, 524024. fax 524031. UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl, Traders Hotel.tel: 254852, 254853. UNIC 6, Natmauk St., BHN tel: 52910~19 UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders Hotel. P.O. Box 1435, KTDA. tel: 375527~32, fax: 375552 email: unicef.yangon@unicef. org, www.unicef.org/myanmar. UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward 7, MYGN. tel: 666903, 660556, 660538, 660398, 664539, fax: 651334. email: fo.myanmar@unodc.org www. unodc.org./myanmar/ UNOPS Inya Lake Hotel, 3rd floor, 37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 951657281~7. Fax: 657279. UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O. Box 650, TMWE tel: 542911~19, 292637 (Resident Coordinator), fax: 292739, 544531. WFP 3rd-flr, Inya Lake Hotel, 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 657011~6 (6-lines) Ext: 2000. WHO 12A Fl, Traders Hotel. tel:250583. ASEAN Coordinating Of. for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force, 79, Taw Win st, Dagon Township. Ph: 225258. FAO Myanma Agriculture Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel: 641672, 641673. fax: 641561.

General Listing
ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS
Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe. tel: 544500. fax: 544400. Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. fax: 227995. Thamada Hotel 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon. tel: 243639, 243640, 243641. Traders Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel: 242828. fax: 242838. Winner Inn 42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 535205, 524387. email: winnerinnmyanmar @gmail.com Yangon YMCA 263, Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung Tsp. tel: 294128, Yuzana Hotel 130, Shwegondaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600, 543367 Yuzana Garden Hotel 44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp, tel : 01-248944

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

Charted Certified, Certified Public Accountants. tel: 09-5010563. drtinlatt@matglobal.com

AIR CONDITION
Chigo No. 216, 38 Street (Upper), Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 373472

No.7A, Wingabar Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : (951) 546313, 430245. 09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01) 546313. www.cloverhotel.asia. info@cloverhotel.asia Confort Inn 4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd & U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut, tel: 525781, 526872 Golden Aye Yeik Mon Hotel 4, Padauk Lane, 4th Word, Aye Yeik Mon Housing, Hlaing. tel: 681706. Hotel Yangon No. 91/93, 8th Mile Junction, Mayangone. tel : 01-667708, 667688. Inya Lake Resort Hotel 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 662866. fax: 665537. Orchid Hotel 91, Anawrahta street, Pazundaung Township, Yangon, . Tel: 399930, 399990, 901061~65. E-mail: orchidhotel@ myanmar.com.mm.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (NAy PyI TAw)

The First Air conditioning systems designed to keep you fresh all day GUNKUL Engineer supply Co., Ltd. No.437 (A), Pyay Road, Kamayut. P., O 11041 Yangon, Tel: +(95-1) 502016-18, Mandalay- Tel: 02-60933. Nay Pyi Taw- Tel: 067-420778, E-mail : sales.ac@freshaircon. com. URL: http://www. freshaircon.com General 83-91, G-F, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 706223, 371906

Reservation Office (Yangon) 262-264, Pyay Road, Dagon Centre, A# 03-01, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 95-1-501937, 536255, 09-520-0926.
The Oasis Hotel (Nay Pyi Taw)

ASTROLOGER
Saya Min Thoun Dara Astrologer No(2), Maha Wizaya Pagoda North Stairway, Dagon Tsp. tel: 296184

Tel: 95-67-422088, 422099

ACCOMMODATION LONG TERM

Espace Avenir No 523, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 505213-222.

BARS
50th Street 9/13, 50th street-lower, Botataung Tsp. Tel-397160.

No. 205, Corner of Wadan Street & Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3, 229358 ~ 61, Fax: (95-1) 212854. info@myanmarpandahotel .com http://www. myanmarpandahotel.com Panorama Hotel 294-300, Pansodan Street, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 253077. PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 250388. fax: 252478. email: enquiry.prygn@ parkroyalhotels.com Website: parkroyalhotels. com. Savoy Hotel 129, Damazedi Rd, Kamayut tsp. tel: 526289, 526298, Seasons of Yangon Yangon Intl Airport Compound. tel: 666699. Sweet Hotel 73, Damazedi Road, San Chaung Tsp, Ph: 539152 Sedona Hotel Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin. tel: 666900. Strand Hotel 92 Strand Rd. tel: 243377. fax: 289880.

Real estate & PRoPeRty ManageMent

Happy Homes
Green Garden Beer Gallery Mini Zoo, Karaweik Oo-Yin Kabar.

Tel: 09-7349-4483, 09-4200-56994. E-mail: aahappyhomes@ gmail.com, Facebook: happyhomes, Yangon Myanmar. Golden Hill Towers 24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 558556. ghtower@ mptmail.net.mm. Marina Residence 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630. MiCasa Hotel Apartments 17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp. tel: 650933. fax: 650960. Sakura Residence 9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 525001. fax: 525002. The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residence 372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp. tel 951-256355 (25 lines). fax: 951-256360. email: gmer@ mptmail.net.mm, www. grandmeeyahta.com Yangon City Villa (Residence) Pyay Rd, 8 Mile Junction, MYGN, tel: 513101

Emergency Numbers
Ambulance tel: 295133. Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022. Police emergency tel: 199. Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764. Red Cross tel:682600, 682368 Traffic Control Branch tel:298651 Department of Post & Telecommunication tel: 591384, 591387. Immigration tel: 286434. Ministry of Education tel:545500m 562390 Ministry of Sports tel: 370604, 370605 Ministry of Communications tel: 067-407037. Myanma Post & Telecommunication (MPT) tel: 067407007. Myanma Post & Tele-communication (Accountant Dept) tel: 254563, 370768. Ministry of Foreign Affairs tel: 067-412009, 067-412344. Ministry of Health tel: 067-411358-9. Yangon City Development Committee tel: 248112. HOSPITALS Central Womens Hospital tel: 221013, 222811. Children Hospital tel: 221421, 222807 Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital tel: 543888. Naypyitaw Hospital (emergency) tel: 420096. Workers Hospital tel: 554444, 554455, 554811. Yangon Children Hospital tel: 222807, 222808, 222809. Yangon General Hospital (East) tel: 292835, 292836, 292837. Yangon General Hospital (New) tel: 384493, 384494, 384495, 379109. Yangon General Hospital (West) tel: 222860, 222861, 220416. Yangon General Hospital (YGH) tel: 256112, 256123, 281443, 256131. ELECTRICITY Power Station tel:414235 POST OFFICE General Post Office 39, Bo Aung Kyaw St. (near British Council Library). tel: 285499. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Yangon International Airport tel: 662811. YANGON PORT Shipping (Coastal vessels) tel: 382722 RAILWAYS Railways information tel: 274027, 202175-8.

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, sales@thestrand.com.mm www.ghmhotels.com

Lobby Bar PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

mt QuiCk guide
July 16 - 22, 2012
ADvERTISING
wE STaRTED ThE aDvERTiSing inDuSTRY in MYanMaR SinCE 1991

44
the

MyanMar tiMes

ENTERTAINMENT
Room - 4021, 3rd Floor, Taw Win Centre. Ph: 8600111 (Ext:4021), 09-803-2581. La Brasserie (International) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388.

GAS COOKER & COOKER HOODS

24 hours Cancer centre No. 330, Yangon International Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

SAIL Marketing & Communications Suite 403, Danathiha Center 790, Corner of Bogyoke Rd & Wadan Rd, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 211870, 224820, 2301195. Email: admin@ advertising-myanmar.com www.advertising-myanmar. com

La Source Beauty Spa 80(A), Inya Rd, Kamayut. tel: 512 380, 511 252. Sedona Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 666 900 My Way Diamond Condo, Bldg(A), Rm (G-02), Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 52717, 09 51 70528

Zamil Steel No-5, Pyay Road, 7 miles, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (95-1) 652502~04. Fax: (95-1) 650306. Email: zamilsteel@ zamilsteel.com.mm

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519

DOMAIN

Dance Lessons Mon-Fri 12:00 to 23:00. Sat-Sun 10 am to 8 pm Fun dancing Friday nights with Filipino musicians 4, U Tun Myat St, Tamwe. Tel: 01-541 550 The Uranium Dance Studio Pearl condo Bldg (C), 2nd flr, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 09731-42624, 09-514-0404.

Yangon : A-3, Aung San Stadium (North East Wing), Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel : 245543, 09-730-37772. Mandalay : Room No.(B,C) (National Gas), 35th St, Btw 80th & 81st, Chanayetharzan Tsp. Tel : 09-6803505, 02 34455, 36748, 71878.

GEMS & JEWELLERIES

.biz.mm .per.mm .com.mm .org.mm

FITNESS CENTRE
Espace Avenir 523, Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Tel : 505214, 505222 FIT Club - Rm 101~3, Marina Residence, 8, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Tel : 650634, 650651 Ext:102 Parkroyal Fitness & Spa Parkroyal Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 250388.

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

BATTERY

CHOCOLATE
A Little Dayspa No. 475 C, Pyi Road, Kamayut, Yangon. Tel: 09-431-28831.

No. (8), Panchan Tower, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951-516891~3 sm@mtg.biz.mm, www.mtg. biz.mm, www.mmnic.biz.mm.

DUTY FREE
ISO 9001:2008 (QMS)

Natural Gems of Myanmar No. 30 (A), Pyay Road (7 mile), Mayangone Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 01-660397, 654398~9. E-mail: spgems.myanmar @gmail.com

24 hours Medical centre No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. 24 hour Call Centre : (951) 218 445 Clinic : (959) 4921 8159 Office : (951) 218 446 Fax : (951) 218 389 www.leomedicare.com

HOME FURNISHING

Traders Hotel, 5th Floor Tel: 242828,Ext: Coreana. Sedona Hotel, Mandalay Ground Fl. Tel: 02-36488, Ext: Coreana

Proven Technology Industry Co., Ltd. No. FS 14, Bayintnaung Rd, Shwe Sabai Yeik Mon, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951-951-701719~20, 527667, 531030, 531041, 530694. Fax: 527667, 531030. http//www. toyobatterymyanmar.com.

G-A, Ground Floor, Pearl Center, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon. Tel: 09 500 6880 Email: chocolateheaven. sale@gmail.com

GENERATORS

COLD STORAGE

BOOK STORES

Duty Free Airport Shopping Yangon International Airport Arrival/Departure Tel: 662676 (Airport) Office: 17, 2nd street, Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 660769, 664363.

HOTEL MANAGEMENT
Mr. Betchang No.(272), Pyay Rd, DNH Tower, Rm No.(503), 5th flr, Sanchaung Tsp, Tel: 095041216 The Yangon GYM Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. Traders Health Club. Level 5, Traders Hotel Yangon#223 Sule Pagoda Rd, Tel: 951 242828 Ext: 6561 Winning Way No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

EDUCATION CENTRE
Est. 1992 in Myanmar Cold Storage Specialist, Solar Hot Water Storage Solutions. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com MHR Business & Management Institute 905, 9th floor, Modern Iron Market(Thanzay Condo) Lanmadaw St. Tel: 707822. NLEC 82 Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 250225.

Hotel ManagementConsultants (Singapore) Yangon Office Tel. : 09-516-6400 Email: info@univel.com.sg

Inya Day Spa

16/2, Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 537907, 503375.

Innwa Book Store No. 246, Rm.201/301, GF, Pansodan Street (Upper Block), Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 389838, 243216, 374324, 514387 MYANMAR BOOK CENTRE Nandawun Compound, No. 55, Baho Road, Corner of Baho Road and Ahlone Road, (near Eugenia Restaurant), Ahlone Township. tel: 212 409, 221 271. 214708 fax: 524580. email: info@ myanmarbook.com

HEALTH SERvICES

LANGUAGE

CONSTRUCTION

FLORAL SERvICES

ELECTRICAL
Floral Service & Gift Shop No. 449, New University Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN. Tel: 541217, 559011, 09-860-2292. Market Place By City Mart Tel: 523840~43, 523845~46, Ext: 205. Junction Nay Pyi Taw Tel: 067-421617~18 422012~15, Ext: 235. Res: 067-414813, 09-49209039. Email : eternal@ mptmail.net.mm

Lemon Day Spa No. 96 F, Inya Road, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476. E.mail: lemondayspa.2011 @gmail.com Saw Peter Foot Reflexology Oil Massage, Body Massage, Foot Massage. Any time you want at your place. Tel : 09-518-8047.

81, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 548022, 542979, 553783, 09-8030847, 09-730-56079. Email: asiapacific. myanmar@gmail.com.

CAFS
Cafe de Angel No.24, Baho Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel : 703449.

From Singapore, one-stop construction service No.22, U Chit Mg Housing, U Chit Mg Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: +951554046 Fax: +951554048 Email: cnqcmyanmar@ gmail.com

Est. 1992 in Myanmar Electrical & Mechanical Contractors, Designers, Consultants. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com

No. 8, Panchan Tower, Dhamazedi Rd, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp., Yangon. Tel: 539581, 539582. nexus@kyaukseinnwe.com www.nexusmyanmar.com www.facebook.com/Nexus. English.Language.Learning. Centre

English Language Learning Centre

Agent Office, 5th Floor, Junction Centre (Maw Tin), Lanmadaw Township, Yangon. Myanmar. Ph: 09-731-56770, 09-5117584, Fax: 01-516313, myanmarmeditour@gmail. com

LEGAL SERvICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. uminsein@mptmail.net.mm

Flora Service & Gift Shop No.173(B), West Shwegonedaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.731 800 30 No.75/77, Yaw Min Gyi St. Dagon Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.431 432 34. Home: 01-577 387, Email: rosanafloral.ygn@ gmail.com

MARINE COMMUNICATION & NAvIGATION

Acupuncture, Medicine Massage, Foot Spa Add:No,27(A),Ywa Ma Kyaung Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-511122, 526765. Piyavate Hospital (Bangkok) Myanmar Represent ative (Head office) Grand Mee Yahta Executive Residences. No.372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, PBDN. Ph: 256355, Ext: 3206. Hotline: 09-73777799. Email: piyavate@cnt. com.mm, piyavate.cnt@ gmail.com, Website: www. piyavate.com PHIH-Specialist Clinic FMI Centre (4th Floor) #380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp. tel: 243 010, 243 012, 243 013

Top Marine Show Room No-385, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597

Media & Advertising

Floral Service & Gift Centre 102(A), Dhamazaydi Rd, Yangon.tel: 500142 Summit Parkview Hotel, tel: 211888, 211966 ext. 173 fax: 535376.email: sandy@ sandymyanmar.com.mm.

FOAM SPRAY INSULATION

Foam Spray Insulation No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazuntaung Road, Pazuntaung Tsp, Yangon. Telefax : 01-203743, 09730-26245, 09-500-7681. Hot Line-09-730-30825.

24 hours Laboratory & X-ray No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, (951) 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

Intuitive Design, Advertising, Interior Decoration Corporate logo/Identity/ Branding, Brochure/ Profile Booklet/ Catalogue/ Billboard, Corporate diary/ email newsletter/ annual reports, Magazine, journal advertisement and 3D presentation and detailed planning for any interior decoration works. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing, Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916. No. 105/107, Kha-Yae-Bin Road. between Pyi Daung Su Yeik Tha (Halpin) and Manawhari Road/Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp. Tel/Fax: 538895, Tel: 09730-29973, 09-540-9469.
padonmar.restaurant@ gmail.com. www.myanmarrestaurantpadonmar.com

MyanMar tiMes

MARKET RESEARCH
House of Memories Piano Bar & Restaurant Myanmar Cuisine & International Food 290, U Wizara Rd, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. tel: 525 195, 534 242. e-mail: houseofmemories 9@gmail.com

MMRD Research BLDG C, New Mingalar Market, 10-story BLDG, 8 & 9 flr, Coner of Mill St & Banyardala Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 200326, 200846, 201350. Fax: 202425.

OFFICE FURNITURE

Legendary Myanmar Intl Shipping & Logistics Co., Ltd. No-9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 516827, 523653, 516795. Mobile. 09-512-3049. Email: legandarymyr@ mptmail.net .mm www.LMSL-shipping.com

1. WASABI : No.20-B, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp,(Near MiCasa), Tel; 666781,09-503-9139 2. WASABI SUSHI : Market Place by City Mart (1st Floor). Tel; 09-430-67440 Myaynigone (City Mart) Yankin Center (City Mart) Junction Mawtin (City Mart)

No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org

SOLAR SYSTEM
The Brightest AC CFL Bulb 21, 9th St, Lanmadaw Tsp. Ph: 212243, 216861, 216864. spsolarstation@ gmail.com. www. spsolarstation.com

SCHOOLS
INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Phoenix Court (Chinese) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388. Royal Garden Nat Mauk Road, Kandaw Gyi Natural Park, Bahan Tsp. tel: 546202 Signature Near U Htaung Bo Round, about Bahan Tsp. tel: 546488, 543387. Summer Palace (Chinese) Restaurant Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223, Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242828. ext:6483 Target Bldg B, 1-fl, Rm F-23, Pearl condo. Bahan tsp. Tel: 09-513-5924, 09-5048750. TG Bar & Restaurant The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residences (2nd Flr), Bogyoke Aung San Rd. Tel: 385101, 256355. Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401.

Monday to Saturday (9am to 6pm) No. 797, MAC Tower II, Rm -4, Ground Flr, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lamadaw Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 212944 Ext: 303 sales.centuremyanmar@ gmail.com www.centure.in.th

Schenker (Thai) Ltd. Yangon 59 A, U Lun Maung Street. 7 Mile Pyay Road, MYGN. tel: 667686, 666646.fax: 651250. email: sche nker@mptmail.net.mm.

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

PLEASURE CRUISES
Bo Sun Pat Tower, Bldg 608, Rm 6(B), Cor of Merchant Rd & Bo Sun Pat St, PBDN Tsp. Tel: 377263, 250582, 250032, 09-511-7876, 09-862-4563. Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231 KSS Setyone Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt. tel: 203320.

PEB Steel Buildings 60 (A), Halpin Road, Yangon. Tel: 01-218223, 218224. Fax: 218224. marketing@pebsteel.com. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

SUPERMARKETS
ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: info@ilbc.net.mm www.ilbcedu.com ISM Intl School W 22/24, Mya Kan Thar Housing, Hlaing Tsp. tel:530082, 530083. International School Yangon 20, Shwe Taung Kyar St, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 512793. Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd.tel: 294074, 294083. Capital Hyper Mart 14(E), Min Nandar Road, Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136. City Mart (Aung San Branch) tel: 253022, 294765. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (47th St Branch) tel: 200026, 298746. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Junction 8 Branch) tel: 650778. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (FMI City Branch) tel: 682323. City Mart (Yankin Center Branch) tel: 400284. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Myaynigone Branch) tel: 510697. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Zawana Branch) tel:564532. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar Branch) tel: 294063. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Chinatown Point Branch) tel: 215560~63. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Junction Maw Tin Branch) tel: 218159. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Marketplace) tel: 523840~43. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (78th Brahch-Mandalay) tel: 02-71467~9. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) IKON Mart IKON Trading Co., Ltd. No.332, Pyay Rd, San Chaung P.O (11111), Yangon,

Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: salesikon@myanmar.com.mm Junction Mawtin Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Cor of Wadan St. Lanmadaw Tsp. Tel: Junction Square Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: Ocean Supercentre (North Point ), 9th Mile, Mayangone Tsp. Tel: 651 200, 652963. Pick n Pay Hyper Market Bldg (A,B,C), (14~16), Shwe Mya Yar Housing, Mya Yar Gone St, Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 206001~3, Fax: 9000199 Sein Gay Har 44, Pyay Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 383812, 379823. Super 1 (Kyaikkasan) 65, Lay Daunt Kan St, Tel: 545871~73 Super 1 (Shwe Bonthar) 397, Bogyoke Aung San St, Pabedan. Tel: 250268~29 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. Tel : 515136.

Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd. Islands Safari in the Mergui Archipelago 4 Days, 6 Days, 8 Days Trips Tel: 95 1 202063, 202064 E-mail: info@islandsafari mergui.com. Website: www. islandsafarimergui.com

TRAvEL AGENTS

RESTAURANTS

Road to Mandalay Myanmar Hotels & Cruises Ltd. Governors Residence 39C, Taw Win Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 229860 fax: (951) 217361. email: RTMYGN@mptmail.net.mm www.orient-express.com

24 hours open. 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon Tsp, inside Thamada Hotel. tel 243640, 243047, Ext: 32.

Asian Trails Tour Ltd 73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 211212, 223262. fax: 211670. email: res@ asiantrails.com.mm Htoo Travels 209/c, first flr, Shwe Gonedaing Rd, Bahan. Tel: 548554, 548039. Sun Far Travels & Tours 27, Ground flr, 38th st, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 380888.

Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244

Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174

PAINT
No.430(A), Corner of Dhamazedi Rd & Golden Valley Rd, Building(2) Market Place (City Mart), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 01-523840(Ext-309), 09-73208079. Black Canyon Coffee & International Thai Cuisine 330, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 0980 21691, 395052. email: blackcanyon@ yangon. net.mm. Feel 164/168, War Tan St, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon, Ph: 223697, 09 511 8415, 09 50 14288

Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-4210-34875 operayangon@gmail.com www.operayangon.com

Admissions Office: No. 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 535433, 09-850-3073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg

WATER HEATERS

TOP MARINE PAINT No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 09-851-5202

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel 541997. email: leplanteur@ mptmail.net.mm. http://leplanteur.net Little Tokyo Japanese Fine Dining No.168 (C), Dhamazedi Rd, Bahan Township, Yangon. Ph: 09-731-85168, 09-731-78946 Tiger Hill Chinese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6253 Traders Gourmet Corner Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel : 242828 ext : 6503 Traders Gallery Bar Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6433 Traders Lobby Lounge Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6456 Western Park Thakhin Mya Park, Ahlone. Tel: 225143 YKKO 28, Saya San Road, Bahan Tsp. tel:01-541998

RELOCATION

95, Anawrahta Rd. Tel:296552, 293754. 336, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. Tel: 526456. New University Avenue, 551521, 551951, 553896. U Wisara Rd, Tel: 524599, 501976.

The Global leader in Water Heaters A/1, Aung San Stadium East Wing, Upper Pansodan Road. Tel: 251033, 09-730-25281.

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

Relocation Specialist Rm 504, M.M.G Tower, #44/56, Kannar Rd, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 250290, 252313. Mail : info@asiantigersmyanmar.com

WEB SERvICES

Monsoon Restaurant & Bar 85/87, Thein Byu Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653. Pansweltaw Express Cafe: 228, Ahlone Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel: 215363 (1)-Rm-309, 3rd flr, Ocean, East Point Shopping Center, Pazundaung Tsp. Tel: 397900 Ext: 309. (2)G-Flr, Ocean North Point Shopping Center. Tel:652959, 652960, Ext: 133. www.pansweltaw.com E-mail: pansweltaw@ myanmar.com.mm

REMOvALISTS
Italian delicatesse & Ice-cream No.150, Dhamazadi Rd, Bahan Tsp. (Monunent Book Shop) Open Daily 9:00am to 7:00pm. Italian Ice-cream, Pasta, Pizza & Bar (2) G/F, City Mart, Myaynigone Centre. tel : 508469, 508470 ext. 113 Open Daily 9:00am to 10:00pm.

Crown Worldwide Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702, 7th Flr Danathiha Centre, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lanmadaw. Tel: 223288, 210 670, 227650. ext: 702. Fax: 229212. email: crown worldwide@mptmail.net.mm

Yangon International School Fully Accredited K-12 International Curriculum with ESL support No.117,Thumingalar Housing, Thingangyun Township, Yangon. Tel: 578171, 573149 www.yismyanmar.net Yangon International School New Early Childhood Center Pan Hlaing Golf Estate Housing & U Tun Nyo Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. Tel: 687701, 687702

World-class Web Services Tailor-made design, Professional research & writing for Brochure/ Catalogue/e-Commerce website, Customised business web apps, online advertisement and anything online. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing. Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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Swiss stakes claim as true great Afghans

LONDON Roger Federer won a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title and 17th Grand Slam crown on June 8, shattering tearful Andy Murrays dream of ending Britains 76-year wait for an All England Club mens champion. Federer, playing in his eighth Wimbledon final and 24th Grand Slam championship match, won 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to join Pete Sampras and William Renshaw as a seven-time champion. The Swiss great, who has also regained the world number one ranking, is just the third man over 30 to win Wimbledon following Rod Laver in 1969 and Arthur Ashe in 1975. It equals me with Pete Sampras, whos my hero, so it feels amazing, said Federer, whose last Wimbledon title was in 2009 and was without a major since the 2010 Australian Open. Murray, the first British man to reach a Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938, broke down in tears at the closing ceremony, delivering his speech but faltering on numerous occasions. Im getting closer, said an emotional Murray, who had to gather himself before continuing. Im going to try this but it wont be easy. Firstly Id like to congratulate Roger. I was asked the other day if this is my best chance? Rogers 30. Hes not bad for a 30-year-old. But Murray, 25, believes debate about Federers greatness shouldnt just finish with his own sport. The Scot, who is also a huge

launch first professional football league

By Mushtaq Mojaddidi KABUL Afghanistan is launching its first professional football championship with the ambitious goal of bringing peace to the war-torn country and with teams chosen on a groundbreaking reality television show. Thousands of young Afghans have already applied to take part, with the members of each of the eight teams to be selected on the Maidan e Sabz (Green field) programme. It will be the first Afghan football championship to be broadcast on television. Previous amateur competitions have involved little-known players and failed to capture the publics imagination. Football-crazy Afghans are more passionate about European competitions, especially Spains La Liga. Cushions with the emblems of Barcelona and Real Madrid are often seen in the back shelves of cars in Kabul. To establish peace and stabilise a country, one must not only focus on training soldiers, said Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) president Keramuddin Karim as he announced the championship. Sport is also a strong base for peace, as it [embodies] values such as unity, integration, pride and prevents racism, drugs and other elements that bring insecurity to the country, said Karim, who is also governor of Panjshir province. AFF member Sayed Ali Reza Aghazada said players would be paid but did not offer any further details. We are now in a test. This is the first test on that matter. We will draw conclusions at the end of the championship, he said. For the reality TV section, 30 players will be selected out of hundreds for each show and put through a series of physical, mental and football tests. Their performance will be judged by former Afghan national team players and coaches and 21 chosen, with each teams final squad of 18 being decided by the studio audience. We are doing it on TV so that people can know the players. They will be famous thanks to the reality show. This will help us to promote football, said Aghazada. The tournament, to be played in September and October, will involve pool and knockout stages with matches broadcast on Afghanistans two main TV channels. Phone company Roshan, which is sponsoring the event, said it would be a unifying institution for Afghanistan, a country made up of different and often conflicting ethnic groups. Football was one of the rare activities that escaped a ban by the Taliban during their hardline Islamist rule from 1996 to 2001. They took advantage of the sports popularity and the large numbers of spectators it drew to carry out punishments, using the half-time interval to chop off the hands of thieves on the pitch. As NATOs 130,000 troops prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014, Afghanistan is looking to use sport as a means of promoting peace and avoiding further bloodshed. The countrys young cricket team, another symbol of hope, has made great strides internationally and has qualified for this years World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. And all Afghan eyes will be on Rohullah Nikpai during the London Olympics to see if the taekwondo star, who became the countrys first Olympic medallist in 2008, can repeat the feat. AFP

Switzerlands Roger Federer falls to the floor in celebration after his mens singles final victory over Britains Andy Murray in the 2012 Wimbledon Championships on July 8. Pic: AFP Roger is still playing amazing making the most of his five-year fan of Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal, is convinced tennis. A lot of people have been advantage as Federer looked F e d e r e r d e s e r v e s t o b e asking me, Has he started uncharacteristically nervy. But Federer dominated after mentioned alongside immortals slipping? Is he not playing as the Centre Court roof was shut like Brazilian footballer Pele, well? If you look at the matches he early in the third set, admitting who inspired his country to three World Cup triumphs, and lost the last couple years they after that he had felt the sense charismatic former heavyweight were very, very close matches of occasion with Murray chasing champion Ali, widely regarded that he definitely could have down history. Today was unique because of as the best boxer ever to enter won. He could be sitting on 20 playing Andy. Obviously, being the ring. Hes up there. Rafa, as Grand Slams if one point or a able to play or finish a match well, for me is up there in that couple inches here or there had under the roof, I dont think thats ever been done before conversation, as well. Both of gone his way. In the opening exchanges of here for a final. I know the them have been unbelievable athletes. Theyve been great for this eagerly-anticipated final, occasion and how big it was for Murray was the stronger player, Andy and myself. AFP the sport, Murray said.

Kick-boxer drawn into fighting for a living

By Pinky ROUND one fight! These words can evoke a string associations, such as winning, losing, challenging, struggling. Other sensations and warnings also come to mind: pain, injury, danger. Welcome to the wonderful world of Myanmar kick-boxing. Spectators see the activity as a sport, a traditional art form and entertainment. For most of the kick-boxers, however, the pursuit is not only a lifestyle but also a career. U Lone Chaw, 35, is one of the most famous kick-boxers in Myanmar. He started boxing in his hometown in Ayeyarwady Region in 1995, before moving to Yangon in 1999. His first fight was at a traditional festival. At that time I was so scared my knees were shaking and didnt dare to fight. But after my first kick I had more self-confidence and enjoyed fighting back, U Lone Chaw said. He eventually developed into a professional kick-boxer who now has more than 50 fights under his belt. He was champion of Myanmar in 1999, 2006 and 2007, and has won plenty of fights in different classes. U Lone Chaw said his most memorable fight was against Shwe War Tun, whom he had admired since before he turned professional. The fact that he won the fight made him even more excited about competing. He also has vivid memories of fighting in Japan, where he also won. The Japanese boxers were very strong and incredible, he said. He added: I never get depressed or upset whether I lose or win because I learn a lot from every fight. Despite the difficulty of being a kickboxer, with its attendant hard training and suffering, U Lone Chaw said he will never give up the sport. Kick-boxing is my life and my career, and I will continue boxing to become a champion again, he said. In addition to training and competing, U Lone Chaw also works as a trainer at Thuti Boxing School on Wuntharakhita Street in Mayangone township. Men and women from seven to 54 years of age train there, including some foreigners who train for their health or because of a special interest in Myanmar kick-boxing. U Lone Chaw said the specific training varies from person to person. For example, casual trainees can schedule sessions whenever they have free time, but serious fighters like 21-year-old Ko Lay Nyoe Shin must commit hours each day to improving his fitness and his skills. Ko Lay Nyoe Shins daily routine includes running every morning from 6am to 8am, followed by kicking and punching boxing bags until afternoon. Training with others continues until evening. Ko Lay Nyoe Shin said he has no days off and no social life. He has no salary, and survives on the small amount he earns from winning fights. Im doing this because I dont have a high education. On the other hand, this is my hobby and interest. I feel good when I hit or punch people and they hit me back. Fighting makes me feel like a hero, he said with a smile. Even though he doesnt have much experience yet, he has a big heart for fighting and facing challenges. In a recent bout in Taungoo in Bago Region he had two teeth knocked out by his opponent. I lost two teeth but Im not embarrassed because Im not interested in any girls right now, Ko Lay Nyoe Shin laughed. I will think about my love life only when I become a champion like Ko Lone Chaw.

Professional kick-boxer U Lone Chaw instructs a junior fighter in a training session in Yangon. Pic: Adou

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SEA countries fear Olympic collapse

By Aidan Jones BANGKOK Shoddy management and a lack of funds look set to condemn Southeast Asia to yet another dismal Olympics, with one expert warning the regions sport even faces collapse without a drastic re-think. Home to around 600 million people, surging economies and a massive sporting fanbase, the group of nations stretching from Myanmar to Indonesia ought to be catching the eye at the worlds greatest sporting event. Instead, there are few title contenders making the trip to London, as enduring poverty, threadbare facilities, skewed funding and a focus on nonOlympic sports strangle the pipeline of talent. There are some bright spots: Malaysia boasts the worlds second ranked badminton player, Lee Chong-Wei, while Indonesia will look to maintain its record of a gold for its shuttlers at every Games since 1992. Thailand offers a smattering of weightlifters; the Philippines, whose vaunted boxers are mainly chasing professional riches, has its hopes pinned to its shooters; and Singapore will send some strong swimmers and 2008 team table tennis silver medallist Feng Tianwei. Yet among the 11 nations who contest the regional showpiece Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, there are no realistic medal prospects in the headline track and field events. The statistics make grim reading Southeast Asian nations harvested just a dozen medals combined in Beijing four years ago. It was a paltry return given the regions size, put further into context by the 13 podium places claimed by sporting minnow Kazakhstan. The risk is that sport in our region collapses, warned Santiparb Tejavanija, an advisor to the Olympic Council of Asia. If we cannot nurture the best young people, we will be unable to compete in the long term. Each year that passes, another group of potential athletes disappears. The reasons for the poor harvest of talent are myriad, but experts say they pivot around mismanagement and corruption, illustrated by massive graft relating to construction projects at last years SEA Games in Indonesia. Under-investment results in a lack of facilities, financing and top-level coaching, and short-changes athletes and the patriotic millions they represent, explains Santiparb. There are also arguments that smaller physiques put would-be Southeast Asian stars at a disadvantage in many disciplines, such as the short distance track events. But the bigger picture, according to Greg Wilson, an Australian advising the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), is that a lack of ambition by poorly run sporting bodies means any funding goes to regional, not global, competition. The Olympics was not on the radar for many athletes even six months before the London Games, he said, explaining that cash incentives are only offered to Indonesian athletes to prepare for the SEA Games and domestic competition. They dont think theyll make Olympic qualifications, so they look inward. Indonesian gold medallists were awarded US$22,000 for mediocre success at the SEA Games rather than given incentives to reach the higher mark of qualifying for the Olympics, said Wilson. Others lament a preoccupation with traditional sports which are virtually unknown outside the region, such as pencak silat and sepak takraw, and deflect resources from qualifying for the Games. We really need to change the mindset we should focus only on favourable [Olympic] sports, instead of some random ones, Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) chairwoman Rita Subowo recently told the Jakarta Post. Santiparb is scathing about the situation, decrying the regions sports fans for mistakenly going crazy for sports which they cant even spell. And all the time the region continues to fall further behind, adds the Thai. But the regions sporting travails may prove insurmountable, at least in the short term. Sport is a sideshow to survival in an area which, despite its fast pace of economic growth, remains desperately poor in many parts. Bad healthcare and diet, high rates of smoking and the fact many people hold down several jobs preclude mass participation in sport, draining the pool of available talent. At the same time there is a lack of the advanced sporting infrastructure enjoyed by similarly poor nations with a rich sporting history such as the ex-Soviet bloc countries, or nations like Jamaica or Kenya. However, the outlook is not entirely gloomy. Indonesia (badminton) and Thailand (weightlifting) have shown success within particular disciplines can inspire young athletes, creating a conveyor belt of potential champions relatively quickly. London could be the watershed, where people finally say hang on, why are we so far behind the rest of the world? said Wilson. AFP

Bulgarian weightlifting coach Mr Trendaf Stoychez watches Kyaw Htun Aung lift weights at Aung San Stadium on June 27. Pic: Boothee

Does hiring foreign coaches work?

By Aung Si Hein INCREASING numbers of Myanmar sports federations are hiring foreign instructors to help coach Myanmar athletes for next years SEA Games. But even with the professional expertise foreign coaches can offer, the broader context of Myanmars often dysfunctional approach to sports development means a continued lack of impact in international competitions, which begs the question of how much bringing in foreign instructors can really achieve. While some federations are looking at the development of their sport and signing coaches for longer term projects, too many are just focusing on the short term preparation for the SEA Games in 2013. U Myint Swe, the secretary of Myanmar Weightlifting Federation, believes that the situation is complex; given the existing low level of Myanmar sports, expectations cannot be put too high. Not all foreign instructors are fruitful here, but many of them have helped us with their improved techniques. Weve gained many useful methods but it is not surprising if they cant upgrade the entire standard of Myanmar sports because no matter how good they are, there is only a rarity of cases where a coach can turn very basic-level athletes into champions. Our sportsmen are still very much at the basic level, thats what makes it difficult, U Myint Swe said. Myanmar weightlifting Federation, which has hired a succession of foreign coaches in the past, with varying degrees of success, agreed a contract with the Bulgarian coach Trendaf Stoychez last month. Arriving in Yangon on July 7, Stoychez assumed work on July 8 with seven male weightlifters and eleven female weightlifters in a small hall occupied by the weightlifting federation at Aung San stadium. Mr Stoychez agreed to work for the federation until the 2013 SEA Games, on a US$2300 month salary. The federation claimed he was hired for his nutrition and management methods as well as training techniques. Our weightlifters have improved a lot within the few weeks he has been coaching. They have already increased their scales, U Myint Swe said Once he introduced a new diet and particular medicines ordered, the changes were obvious. Some of the prescribed medicines were not accessible in Myanmar, so we had to order them from Singapore. Also, we needed proper sports massage, so we are testing a Japanese technique at the [Kyeemyindaing] blind school and it seems to work, U Myint Swe said. Stoychez previously worked in Tunisia, India, Vietnam and Iran as a coach, instructing Iranian weightlifter Rizal who was World Champion and twotime Olympic Champion in Beijing and Athens. Speaking to The Myanmar Times, Stoychez was bullish about Myanmar being able to make an impact on the international scene. It is only one month I have been working here so it is still very early to say how many medals we will achieve. But I can say Myanmar weightlifters are working very hard and very disciplined, Stoychez said. For me, discipline is the first principle. If continue like this, for sure they can gain medals at the Junior Championships in 2012 and SEA Games in 2013. Myanmar will host the Junior Asian Championship 2012 at Yangons Theinbyu Indoor Stadium from November 2 to 15, with around 30 Asian countries participating, ahead of the SEA Games in 2013.

ACE FC overcome Yangon City FC to retain futsal crown

By Kyaw Zin Hlaing ACE FC retained their title as champions of the MFF AYA Futsal League after beating Yangon City FC 6- 3 at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium on July 6. Despite the uneven score, the game was hard fought, and not without controversy. Yangon City FC were better than we thought. Most clubs dont understand futsal but Yangon City played it the right way, said U Tin Maung Htay, coach of ACE FC. Despite ACE opening the scoring, Yangon City looked the better team, and were rewarded by reversing the score and went into the break 2-1 up. However, ACE came out fighting and dominated the second half scoring 5 goals to overturn the deficit. A late rally from Yangon City was not enough and ACE walked home champions for the second year running. We lost but satisfied with our performance, said Yangon Citys coach, U Soe Moe Nyunt The referee in particular was singled out for criticism in what he felt was unequal treatment. We gave away too many fouls but didnt get a penalty when we should have. Thats our only gripe in losing the game, U Soe Moe Nyunt said. I cant understand why the referee gave decisions to ACE time and again, he said. ACE player Kyaw San Win seemed to be intent on playing Yangon Citys standout performer, Pisi, out of the game but the referee rarely gave warning and only late on did he brandish a yellow card. I cant understand why a red card was not shown to [Kyaw San Win] who repeatedly hustled Pisi. His game was too rough, said U Soe Moe Nyunt. Kyaw San Win said he didnt want to judge the referee. He did his job. I would have accepted it if he showed me a red card, but thats the way it went, he said. Despite being given a rough ride, however, Pisi was still able to show off his mooted quality and duly received the man of the match award. ACE has more experience than our club and have many good players but Pisi deserved the best player prize, said U Soe Moe Nyunt. And U Tin Maung Htay agreed with the decision, saying: I liked Pisis performance, he is a promising player. Aces No 2 opened the scoring on five minutes while Pisi equalised for Yangon City FC on nine minutes. Kyaw Kyaw Tun then put Yangon City ahead just before the break. However, ACE proved too aggressive in the second half as their No10 brought it back to 2-2 on 52 minutes. Their Nos 3 and 7 snatched a goal apiece while Kyaw San Win scored two to take them to the title with 6 goals. Zaw Moe Khaing got a conciliatory third goal for Yangon City FC in the last minute, but did not look like they were going to trouble ACE so late in the game. ACE took home prize money of 3 million Kyats, with the runners-up getting 2 million Kyats. Pisi took the best player prize for Yangon City FC while the fair play trophy, together with 500,000 Kyats, was given to Mandalar FC. Translated by Thae Thae Htwe

ACE FCs goalkeeper dives for the ball during the futsal final against Yangon City FC at Thuwunna stadium on July 6. Pic: Ko Htaik

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Ex-FIFA chief took bribes from ISL - Swiss court
PARIS Former world football chief Joao Havelange received enormous bribes from FIFAs discredited former marketing company, court documents released in Switzerland reveal. The 96-year-old Brazilian, FIFA president for 24 years before Sepp Blatter stepped into the hotseat in 1998, pocketed at least 1.5m Swiss francs (US$1.52m) and FIFA executive committee member Ricardo Teixeira at least 12.74m. The bribes, made by International Sport and Leisure (ISL), were detailed in documents made public by Switzerlands supreme court and published by the BBC on June 11. FIFAs discredited Swissbased marketing partner collapsed in 2001 with debts of around US$300 million. But Blatter went on the attack on June 12, insisting that he was powerless to sanction his predecessor. I dont have the power to call him to account. The Congress named him as Honorary President. Only the Congress can decide his future, Blatter told www. fifa.com. Blatter insisted that payments were not illegal under Swiss law at the time. Known what? That commission was paid? Back then, such payments could even be deducted from tax as a business expense, he said. Today, that would be punishable under law. You cant judge the past on the basis of todays standards. Otherwise it would end up with moral justice. I cant have known about an offence that wasnt even one. Blatter admitted he had been referred to as P1 in the court documents. It was the Swiss Federal Court that decided to make the publication of the ISL non-prosecution order anonymous. As far as I am concerned, the whole document could have been published clean, to put an end to the speculation once and for all, he said. However, the Federal Court stated that the names of all non-accused third parties should be made anonymous. I am not accused, so I have been made anonymous as P1, which quite honestly is not difficult to find out. The court documents did reveal that FIFA chiefs had knowledge that Havelange and Teixeira had been paid bribes by ISL. It also disclosed that FIFA had agreed to pay 2.5million Swiss francs ($2.54m) in compensation but only on the condition that criminal proceedings against Havelange and Teixeira were dropped. Havelange, who remains FIFAs honorary president, stepped down after a 48year-spell as a member of the International Olympic Committee last December just days before an ethics hearing into his links with ISL. Havelange was accused by a BBC documentary in 2010 of kickbacks totalling $1 million from ISL for granting lucrative World Cup contracts. Havelange, who became an IOC member in 1963, was FIFA president between 1974-98 before he was replaced by Blatter, his long time FIFA secretary general. He is the former fatherin-law of Teixeira, who recently resigned as head of Brazilian football and as chief of Brazils organizing committee for the 2014 World Cup following a spate of corruption allegations. Havelange was instrumental in bringing the Olympics to Rio de Janeiro and to South America for the first time when in 2009 the IOC elected the city as the 2016 host. At the vote in Copenhagen he famously invited IOC members to his 100th birthday party on Copacabana beach in 2016 should they award the Games to Rio. AFP

July 16 - 22, 2012

MRTV-4 staff prepare for an MNL football match at YUSC stadium in January 2012. Pic: Supplied

Rivals to show Olympics live

By Aung Si Hein While scores of athletes will push themselves to the physical limit to beat their rivals in London later this month, competition over the Olympic Games is also heating up here as rival TV broadcasters compete to offer live coverage. Sky Net, which has been the countrys dominant broadcaster for sports coverage, securing rights to both international and local sports, was the first to announce broadcasting the Olympics live last month. I dont know if other channels are showing [the Olympics], but we aim to be the only broadcaster for future global sporting events, Ko Zaw Thet Maung, senior general manager of Sky Net said to The Myanmar Times. However, Five Movie, another pay broadcaster that falls under Forever Group, stepped into the arena by announcing it will also be running live coverage of the Olympics in an advertisement in the state-run newspaper, The Mirror, on July 10. The free-to-air channels, MRTV-4 and newly launched Channel-7, both of which come under Forever Group, will also be showing the London Games, including some live, delayed and highlights coverage. As Myanmar people love to watch football, we chose to focus on showing the football competition at the London Olympics games. Other sports will have limited coverage according to the preference of our audience, said Ko Tun Nay Soe, Chief Editor of Sports Department from MRTV-4. Broadcasting the Olympics on free channels will not have a negative effect over the pay broadcasters because their customers can have the luxury of preference over time and which games to watch, while free-toair customers have to be satisfied with what games are shown and to wait for the Olympics program as we have many other programs on MRTV-4 and Channel-7, Ko Tun Nay Soe said. Competing coverage is new to Myanmar, and Ko Tun Nay Soe hopes it signals an era of more choice and cheaper services for the country. Forever group was unable to secure coverage of Euro 2012 because it proved too expensive. However, they were able to buy rights to show the Olympics via partners such as APU and Asia Pacific Broadcast Union, collectively securing a discounted rate. In Thailand, there are hundreds of pay channels rivaling one another. Different cities have their own broadcasters, Chiang Mai have their own and Phukhat too. Having different broadcasters in a country lowers the purchase price, enabling people from the lowest living standard to see their favourite programs with next to no payment. By buying channels such as these at cheaper prices, people are able to have more choice, Ko Tun Nay Soe said. He did not feel more broadcasting companies would be negative competition as it would in fact make prices cheaper. As Myanmar is becoming a democratic country, the market is open and there will be many more investors and businessmen creating broadcasting companies. We are doing our best to improve our channels, so we welcome competition with rival channels, Ko Tun Nay Soe added. Sky Net also shared the sentiment for greater competition as it would usher in a bigger market. If channels and broadcasters increase in number, we have no concern because they will have their own market as we have ours, Ko Zaw Thet Maung said.