CNI News

20 July 2023

Although there are political tensions among the political parties in relation to forming a new government in Thailand, migrant workers including Myanmar who have been illegal because of various reasons have been allowed to nominate in the name list through online. 

But nomination has just been allowed and there is nothing issued about the contents that will have to proceed. 

As there will be a decision by voting in the parliament to elect the Prime Minister on 19th July, another statement relating to the migrant workers will probably be delayed to be issued, said those who are helping in the affairs of migrant workers.

" What I don't know clearly, they have said just to register. They haven't said about work permit, visa and reading QR code and how much they will cost. And in Thailand, there probably will be problem depending on whether the leader of the winning party will be accepted or not. In my opinion, at any rate, a government will be surely formed. If Pita isn't the Prime Minister, his supporters don't accept. His supporters are protesting even now. If there will be a problem, depending on forming a new government, there will be delays in making policies including migrant workers affairs, which will affect migrant workers more or less." said U Min Oo, incharge of Labor affairs from FED.

People demanding for the cancellation of Article 112, which can take action against those who insult the royal.

According to this statement, those who are affected are migrant workers who will be illegal because their visas expired before 5th July, 2023 and ones who have gone illegal because they cannot renew their work permits in time although they came legally as well as illegal migrant workers currently working in Thailand after coming illegally. 

Migrant workers who will register in the name list don't have to pay any money and the employees who find it difficult to use online can register in person after going to 10 employment offices in Bangkok territory and district employment offices concerned.

"Although the statement saying that migrant workers can nominate was issued on 14th July by the Thai Ministry of Home Affairs, nomination period is until the end of July only. So, designated period is very short, said the people helping migrant workers. What it's important is that when a migrant worker nominates, he and his employer need to describe in the name list. If so, he can work in the workplace. He can get this opportunity. But if a migrant worker has nominated, it will be convenient for him. Designated period is short. How many migrant workers have nominated by percentage? We have to watch if Thai authorities will extend the designated period, depending on the precents nominated." said Ko Naing Naing Aung, Director of Arakan Workers Organization.

 family Myanmar nationals.

When migrant workers demonstrated for their rights on 1st May (May Day) in Thailand before the Thai election, those who were not migrant workers took part in the demonstration.

Because Thai people would probably protest relating to the position of the Prime Minister if they were not satisfied, Myanmar migrant workers should not participate in the protest, suggested the people helping in the affairs of migrant workers.

if migrant workers were arrested because they participated in the protest, they would be expelled from Thailand and banned to work in Thailand.

CNI News

20 July 2023

The car prices are greatly going up because businesspeople are buying cars without holding their money in their hands as a result of monetary inflation in Myanmar at present. 

Because the value of Myanmar currency has decreased, local businesspeople are making investments in real estate, gold market and car market. 

Of them, investment in the car market has increased rather than ever because cars can be easily sold, according to car dealers.

Some businesspeople don't want to hold Myanmar Kyat in their hands, so they have increasingly bought real estates and cars, said U Min Min Maung, chairman of Yangon Region Automobile Manufacturer and Distributor Association, to CNI News.

"The price of land is also rising greatly. Gold is a little difficult to deal with. So, cars that can be bought are bought more than they are needed. For example, if they need a car, they have bought two or three cars. If they need two, they have bought 4 or 5. In this way, car demand has become high. Also, more and more people are entering and investing in this business.That's why there is a lot of demand. If there were about 100 people doing transactions in the past, there are about 2,000 people now. But when the prices go up, they sell their cars again. So, demand is high and the prices are going up. Mainly, it's hard to say whether Myanmar currency is stable or not. The price of Myanmar currency, 1 USD is equal to around 3,000 Kyats. People who want to buy valuable items instead of keeping Myanmar money has increased. So, they invest in real estate. They buy cars." he said.

 A car sale center

Although the government cannot control the rising prices of automobiles, if the car import is re-allowed after it has been closed for over two years, car prices will go down, said car policy experts and car sellers.

It would be convenient only if the government had enough foreign currencies to manufacture locally-assembled cars, pointed out some people.Due to the current foreign currency crisis, the government will not allow the car import. So, car prices will go on rising, said U Aung Pyae Sone, car policy analyst to CNI News.

" The government needs to spend a lot of USD to import cars and to manufacture locally-assembled cars that need machine tools from abroad. But there's a question if
the Central Bank has enough foreign currency. The price of a Mark II car was about 100 million Kyats in 2008 and 2009. U Thein Sein became the president in 2010-2011 when the price was reduced to 200 lakh Kyats because the car import was permitted. At that time, a lot of foreign currencies were spent. A lot of debt from abroad was reduced. But at present, sanctions were imposed by abroad. Let alone reducing foreign debt, the government is being pressured. So, the government won't permit importing cars and manufacturing locally-assembled cars temporarily. So, car prices will be going up." he said.

Cars arriving at Myanmar port

The government has banned car import since October, 2021 for the reason why the country has needed foreign currencies reportedly.

Although there are automobiles being manufactured locally with the SKD system, because necessary parts are not allowed to import, production is slowing down. 

Only one type of EV electric vehicle is allowed to be imported at present.

CNI News

20 July 2023

Mr.Don Pramudwinai,the Thai Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who will soon end his duties came to Myanmar and met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 9th July.

There are questions why the Thai FM came to Myanmar that have been asked by the political community. Because the State Administration Council (SAC) Front, to CNI News.

" Although his duties will soon end, he still is Thai FM. Another striking thing is that there was a meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers before he came to Myanmar. When he came and met with the military council, he asked permission from the SAC and met with DASSK, I think. Maybe he went to meet with DASSK if there's something that he can do because the military council hasn't been invited to ASEAN meetings, I think." he said.

Mr. Don Pramudwinai told at the meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers that was held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 11th July that he met with DASSK.

Thailand is making preparations to elect a new Prime Minister after the election. 

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Mr.Don Pramudwinai

The caretaker government is taking responsibility before the new Thai government is formed.

Why the Thai FM has taken part in Myanmar politics depends on what his give and take with the SAC is, said U Min Oo, one of the people helping in the affairs of migrant workers in Thailand, to CNI News.

"To tell you frankly, they are acting government before the new government is formed. But before their tenure ends, maybe they want to prove to an extent how much they can do or that they want to save face as well. On the other hand, they have good relations with the SAC. They went to meet with the SAC very often. So, what is the give and take between them? Why have they been acting as an important role? They seem to mean that they were able to meet a person such as DASSK who other diplomats were not able to." he said.

That Thai FM went to Myanmar before the meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers was started was conducted in timing, he added. 

Prayuth, the Prime Minister of the current caretaker government, has close relations with the SAC and they are closely cooperating in politics and border security affairs, which some reviews said.

CNI News

18 July 2023

Reviews and discussions are underway among the politicians and revolutionary forces relating to whether the election of a Thai Prime Minister at the Thai parliament will impact on the Myanmar Spring Revolution or not. 

If Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward Party was elected as the Prime Minister, more humanitarian aids for the IDPs along the Thai-Myanmar border could be provided and pressure on revolutionary forces could decrease, said Ko Banyar, director of Kareni Human Rights Group to CNI News.

"Thailand always adheres to a neutral policy. Its interest is related to a long border between Myanmar and Thailand. The Myanmar military council has controlled power. Thailand has not wanted a military confrontation. And Thailand won't bet on who will win politically. it seems to weigh on existing investments and attractions matched with the military." he said.

The Move Forward Party that won the most seats in the Thai election nominated Pita, the party leader, for the position of Prime Minister. 

And then a decision was made by voting in the parliament for the position of Prime Minister on 13th July. Pita received only 324 upvotes. Only if he received 376 votes, he would be the Prime Minister.So, a second time decision will be made by voting in the parliament on 19th July.

soldiers deployed to prevent protests(EPA)

If Pita was elected as the Prime Minister, there probably would be changes in ASEAN as well. Peter's election was welcomed by their democratic institutions, said U Myo Kyaw, spokesperson of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) to CNI News.

" The effect may be more or less if he is elected. Thailand is Myanmar's neighbouring country. Many comrades participating in the Spring Revolution and democratic groups are along the Thai-Myanmar border and some of them are sort of taking refuge in Thailand. He had said that if he led the government, they would carry out for the democrats and Myanmar as much as they can. So,we have to say there would be an impact if he was elected," he said.

demonstrations in Hlaing Tharyar Township on 14th March, 2021(FrontierMyanmar)

Because Prayuth, Prime Minister of the current Thai caretaker government, has a close relation with the SAC, democratic groups and revolutionary groups are struggling. If a democratic leader like Pita became the Prime Minister, it would benefit the groups a lot, he said.

The Myanmar-Thai border is 1,314 miles long and along the border, Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA), Karen National Union (KNU), Karencesi National Progressive Party (KNPP), United Wa State Army (UWSA/UWSP) and Spring Revolutionary forces are moving actively.

CNI News

18 July 2023

Because the job opportunities and economy are not good as result of local instabilities, many Myanmar citizens are leaving for foreign countries to work.

In some countries, Myanmar citizens are being oppressed at worksites and social community, said the people helping Myanmar workers.

Many Myanmar citizens have entered Thailand since 2021 legally or illegally. As a result of local instabilities, Thai authorities are mainly checking and arresting Myanmar citizens and extorting money as well as the employers in Thailand are increasingly exploiting Myanmar workers reportedly.

Moreover, because there are two governments in Myanmar at present, when they find it difficult about something, Myanmar migrant workers tend to come to the organizations that are helping workers to ask for help, said Ko Thar Gyi helping Myanmar migrant workers to CNI News. 

Thai authorities were arresting Myanmar migrants

“The employers in Thailand tend to keep the migrant workers' passports, pink cards called temporary worker certificates and Myanmar national registration cards. The embassies in Thailand aren't able to help effectively about it. Currently, when Myanmar nationals get into trouble in Thailand, they come to the organizations like ours to ask for help. We help them as much as we can. The embassy is mainly responsible to solve the problems for their citizens as much as they can. The embassy never helped effectively. Bad officials tend to oppress Myanmar workers in various reasons such as incomplete evident documents, expiries, and so on. Only when a migrant worker has been even allowed to renew by the Thai government, many Myanmar workers were arrested and extorted and threatened." he said.

In Malaysia, which is the second country with the second highest number of Myanmar citizens, although there is no violation of rules in the workplace and oppress from the social community, because the number of Myanmar nationals who smuggled into Malaysia has greatly increased, more checks and arrests have been conducted reportedly. 

Although there are smugglers from other countries, Myanmar citizens who smuggled into Malaysia outnumbers other citizens and their jobless rate has increased as well. Moreover, Myanmar nationals who come on visit visas are more checked than any other nationals at Malaysian airports, said Hmwar Michael helping Myanmar citizens in Malaysia to CNI News.

Myanmar citizens arriving in front of the Directorate of Labor

"The number of smugglers is by the hundred or by the thousand each day, so the employers don't dare to hire smugglers and those who overstay. So, the jobless have increased because they aren't employed in their motherland. They are already starving. In some regions, even houses are no more. Many houses were set fire and some people were expelled. Because they had no more food to eat in their mother country and couldn't live on anything, they bought all the properties they owned and left for other countries. There are so many incidents like that." he said.

Among the countries where Myanmar citizens are working, South Korea is full with democracy standards and not only the government but also employers have humanitarianism. So, Myanmar workers in South Korea are more convenient than those in other countries reportedly. Because the Korean history is similar with Myanmar,
South Korean people sympathize and help Myanmar people more, said Ko Khant Ne Kyi,from the Migrant Worker Assistance Center in Busan to CNI News.

" In South Korea, there are problems relating to that passports are not renewed. But the South Korean government issue a visa if you tell them the reason why you can't go back to Myanmar for the time being. If you have taken the kind of visa, Myanmar embassy there doesn't renew your passport. But the Korean government has issued the visas like that continuously. If you can't renew your passport, you can't board a plane. So, I don't know if there was a negotiation between the two governments, Myanmar embassy told that they would renew the passports and kept the passport books. You'll have to wait six months or one year. there is a difference between South Korea and other countries." he said.

The number of Myanmar people who go abroad for work has greatly increased from 2021 on and of them, some are okay and others are getting into trouble. Because those who want to go abroad have increased, scam brokers have increased more than ever and there are more and more cases of being cheated. 

According to some reviews, there might be a scarcity of labor in local due to the fact that the number of Myanmar people who are going abroad has increased.

CNI News

17 July 2023

Dr.S. Jaishankar, Indian Minister for External Affairs and U Than Swe, Foreign Minister of the State Administration Council (SAC) discussed collaboration in security and economy between the two countries on 16th July in Bangkok, Thailand. 

U Than Swe attended the 12th Foreign ministers Meeting of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and the meeting of the foreign ministers from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). 

After that, U Than Swe separately  discussed with Dr.S. Jaishankar, and Don Pramudwinai, deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand.

U Than Swe and S.Jaishankar discussed about expanding mutual-benefit corporations including promotion of long friendly relation between Myanmar and India, border region development and integration and connection relating to security as well as closer cooperation on the regional and international affairs including Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and Bimstec.

There are Naga, Kathe,Kuki (Chin) rebels waging armed revolutions against the Indian government, using the territory of Myanmar and there are Rakhine, Chin rebels and PDFs waging armed revolutions against the Tatmadaw as well, using the territory of Myanmar. 

 Don Pramudwinai, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Thai Foreign Minister was discussing with U Than Swe, the SAC's Foreign Minister on 16th July, 2023

So,peace and stability are weak along the India-Myanmar border with the trade suspension and some Indian citizens were killed. There is an ethnic conflict between Kathe people and Kuki people in Manipur Province in India near the India-Myanmar border, resulting in instabilities.

On the other hand, Myanmar discussed with the Thai government about strengthening partnership relations, promoting trade and investment and more cooperation in UN and ASEAN on 16th July. 

There are armed organizations waging revolutions against the Tatmadaw along Thai-Myanmar border and they are the National Unity Government (NUG),People's Defense Force (PDF), Karen National Union (KNU), Karen National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Kareni National Defense Force (KNDF).

CNI News

17 July 2023

Acting president U Myint Swe, former president U Thein Sein and U Tin Aye, former chairman of the Union Election Commission were seen together with the chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) in Naypyidaw on 16th July. 

They came to attend Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing's clarification ceremony relating to the completion of the great Maravijaya Buddha Image reportedly.

CNI News

17 July 2023

The National Unity Government (NUG) has asked the US government for over 500 USD in aid in order to help and care for internally displaced persons( IDPs) and to procure non-military items, which US-based VOA news agency reported.

NUG asked 200 million USD to pay humanitarian aid to over 1.5 million IDPs, and 325 million USD, to purchase non-military drones, armored vehicles and radar surveillance equipment, NUG requested USA for a total of 525 million USD in aid.

officials from NUG and US government

US congress has enacted the 2023 US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in which Burma Act is included in order to provide aid and support for Myanmar's democracy  

CNI News

16 July 2023

Commodity prices in Myanmar came to rise in 2022 and 2023 due to not only a wide gap between production and consumption but also high cost of production, Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC).

State-owned factories and private manufacturing enterprises which have stopped for various reasons needed to fully operate, said chairman of the SAC.

It is necessary to stop fighting in order to operate manufacturing enterprises and only when peace processes are strong, agro-based and other products can be produced, said U Thiha Paing, a businessman, to CNI News.

" Stop fighting, stop fighting, we have to shout like that. May they in peace. Only when there is peace, we can surely cultivate. Many crops are grown and many products are produced in Sagaing Region and also many other regions, but now production has decreased. So, we have to demand the two sides to be peaceful. We must push them to strengthen the peace process. Only when there is a stable situation, we can produce peacefully. If we go on like this, we will face starvation in the near future. Now it is said that there'll be a famine even in the world." he said.

A place selling lobster from a shopping mall in Yangon

Because the prices of fertilizers, pesticide, herbicide, machinery tools, fuel and engine oil used in agriculture come to rise, the prices of locally produced crops come to rise, said peasants.

If agriculture and livestock activities decrease, prices will rise. More investment in agricultural and livestock activities is needed and it is also necessary to provide support to these enterprises, said peasants.

"Input costs and labor charges are production cost. If input costs and labor charges are high, the production costs will be high and then  the price of product will go up.

Those who raise cows and chickens don't get much profit and the price of meat has decreased. If producers don't make a profit, their products will be scarce." said U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association.

A view of a row of shops in a market

Raw materials, fuel, and machineries used in local manufacturing enterprises are imported. So, if international prices go up, local prices will also go up. Besides,  because the value of Myanmar Kyat and the price of USD are based, it is impossible that local prices will decrease, said peasants and businesspeople.

Because farming lands are being used to build buildings, it is affecting agricultural enterprises. So, in accordance with the law, it is necessary to strictly scrutinize and fully plant on the cultivated land, said chairman of the SAC.