CNI News

21 December 2023

There are reviews and discussions among Myanmar political circles whether there is a new template to solve Myanmar political problems. Myanmar is facing crises and deteriorating from all sides.

Despite efforts to resolve these crises through dialogue, they are not working. On the other hand, revolutionary forces are waging battles to topple down the Tatmadaw, saying there is no reason to discuss the blood debt. 

However, in order to be able to solve the political problems, discussions can be conducted while fighting and if reliable individuals or organizations mediate, the path that can solve the problem might be opened, Sao Khun Seng, a person who is taking part in the peace process, told CNI News.

Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Commander in Chief of the Defense Services

" The voice saying 'no discussion for the blood debt' is very loud. So, the prospect of swaying towards discussion is less likely. But if we can study international incidents, we can find that they are discussing while fighting. There may be publicly-known discussions There may be closed door discussions. Moreover, there may be discussions through an intermediary. It is necessary to use both ways. 'I must fight. I won't discuss it.' This idea cannot be taken for granted. In the same way, 'I must discuss. I don't fight.' This idea also cannot be taken for granted. In fact, we can discuss while we are fighting. But I understand  it's difficult to do so at present. Some leaders also understand that. But we need to make the people in the organizations understand. So, shouldn't we start discussing through trusted organizations or reliable individuals? But we don't have to discuss them publicly. The road to peace might gradually open." he said.

Due to the current domestic armed conflicts, civilians are being killed, houses and buildings are being set on fire and damaged, and the people are fleeing to safety.

the organization currently in power should carry out to solve the political problem, Naing Than Shwe, spokesperson of the Mon Unity Party, told CNI News.

While seeing the people fleeing to safety

" It's a little difficult to say what a new way is. Only if all the stakeholders solved the problem, could a new one be found. It would be very difficult if only one organization created a new template that can solve the problem. If we study the period of late 2010, it was the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) then in power that created a new political template. The council planned and held elections. And then, U Thein Sein who emerged from the new political template came to power. In the same way, will the current government create a new political template? If possible, after all the stakeholders meet and discuss, how will we go as a new template? It's better to have a format that everyone agrees on." he said.

If the armed conflict could not be solved, the people would suffer from worse economic crises and territorial insecurities, he added. 

Due to the current battles,Myanmar's politics, peace, economy, education, health, social and so on are facing crises.

CNI News

20 December 2023

Illegal cross-border gold trade and exports decreased due to domestic armed conflicts reportedly. Mainly, Myanmar gold often is illegally exported to India. 

Moreover, Myanmar gold is illegally exported to Thailand, Bangladesh and other countries. As the border path that goes to India is not stable for the time being, many illegal gold exports have been suspended, Ko Nay Khant, a gold market analyst, CNI News.

" All the border paths have been closed mainly because of the civil war. So, there is no path to export gold. But there are gold exports but not as many as in the past. Mainly, the gold was being exported to India. But now, the path to India is not good. Any gold trader doesn't use the path. Worse, there is a problem with fuel. So, many merchants have stopped exporting gold. You'll have to take a lot of risk if you use the path." said Ko Nay Khant.  

While seeing people who have held arms

It is estimated that cross-border gold export was about 10 visses and above at the time when it was peaceful. Because the gold export has been suspended, the gold price is stable locally.

However, it was less likely that the gold price would decline, U Kyaw Min, a gold trader from Mandalay, told CNI News.

" Because the gold doesn't go out from the border, it is stagnant. So, the price has been stable. But it doesn't decline because the Yangon Gold Entrepreneurs Association (YGEA) has officially set the reference price over 3.20 million kyats per tical" he said.

Myanmar-India border

Because the Gold Entrepreneurs Association is giving the courses on gold and anti-money laundry free of charge each month, cross-border gold trade and price speculation would die out at all in the market, said the Yangon Region Gold Entrepreneurs Association.

However, it was not right that illegal gold export was reduced due to the courses. But the gold export declined due to unstable border trade routes. If the routes were safe again, illegal gold export would resume again through the border.

CNI News

20 December 2023

The Naga Traditional New Year Festival is held on 15th January every year,But not to hold the coming festival and if the festival was held, the security of the festival would not be guaranteed, the Naga People's Defense Force (NPDF) warned in its statement released on 18th December. 

Preparations are being made to hold the festival in the Naga Self-Administered Zone of Sagaing Region.

The Naga Traditional New Year Festival is a festival celebrating the Nagas' friendship, unity, traditional custom and the great history and tradition of the Nagas. 

However, because of the current political situations, it should be considered that celebrating festivals would be become a black mark for Nagas in the history of the future, said in the NPDF's statement.

Year Festival held on 15th January 2023

" While ethnic brothers living in other parts of the country are suffering from the effects of war, if Naga people will be holding the festival, they will not sympathize with ethnic brothers who are suffering from war and disagreements may occur." said in the statement. 

Moreover, the NPDF requested responsible Naga elders and Naga nationalities not to hold the festival after inviting Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing or any senior official of the State Administration Council.

If SAC officials were invited and the festival was held, the NPDF would not guarantee the security of the festival and individuals who organized the festival must be fully responsible for damages, said in the statement released by the NPDF.

While seeing the statement released by the NPDF

The festival is often attended by heads of state and tourists from local and abroad. The Naga Traditional New Year Festival that was held in Lahe Town on 15th January 2023 was attended by Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC.

There are Naga armed groups namely the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Khaplang Yung Aung (NSCN-K-YA), the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Khaplang Ang Mai (NSCN-K/AM), the Eastern Naga National Organization (ENNO)/ the Eastern Naga Defense Army (ENDA) and the Naga People's Defense Force (NPDF).

CNI News

20 December 2023

Extremist exiled politicians in collaboration with some EAOs that don't want the peace are taking support of some foreign countries and fighting against the Tatmadaw to disintegrate the sovereignty of the country and the national solidarity, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Commander in Chief of the Defense Services and the chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC). 

He said the above at the Cadet Course No. 24 graduation ceremony of the Tatmadaw Medical University that was held on 18th December 2023.

" Extremist exiled politicians are working together with some ethnic armed groups that don't want peace and carrying out terrorist attacks, taking supports of some foreign countries in order to disintegrate the sovereignty of the country and national solidarity." said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. When they did so, they were irrationally and purposefully fighting against the non-military health sector, he added.

The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), the National Unity Government (NUG) and the People's Defense Force (PDF) which have been declared terrorist organizations by the law have persuaded, pressured and threatened to the physicians, nurses and health staff to stop the state's health care system from operating, said the chairman of the SAC.

As the terrorist attacks, bombing attacks and damage to the health sector have emerged only after the Tatmadaw toppled down the civilian government, the Tatmadaw also is responsible, pointed out political commentators.

At present, armed conflicts are widely taking place in Myanmar and there are over one million IDPs. 

Moreover,tens of thousands of houses and buildings were set on fire and destroyed.

CNI News

19 December 2023

Labor wages have been designated on 9th December to raise from 2 to 16 bahts in Thailand starting from 1st January 2024, The Bangkok Post reported. 

Because the amount of wage that was raised was quite small, the Thai Prime Minister held a meeting with the tripartite committee on setting the minimum wage on 11th December. 

But anything confirmed has not released yet, according to the people who are helping in the affairs of migrant workers.

However, labor wages more probably will be raised from 2 to 16 bahts and rather than not raising wage at all, raising the wages like that will be supportive a bit to the workers, U Min Oo, in charge of labor affairs of the Foundation for Education and Development (FED), told CNI News.

Migrant workers

" In fact, the amount that is raised is not supportive a lot to the workers. But rather than raising nothing, raising by 16 bahts is supportive a bit. The cabinet meeting finally might confirm to raise from 2 to 16 bahts depending the provinces. The cabinet will have to make a decision. I'm not sure what will happen." he said.

According the currently designated rate, labor wages are raised from 354 to 361 bahts in Chon Buri Province where Myanmar workers are working, and from 335 to 345 bahts in Kanchanaburi Province, and from 332 to 345 bahts.in Tak Province.

However, there are still many workers who have not been fully paid at the rate that was previously raised, Ko Thargyi, a person helping migrant workers, told CNI News.

" In Thailand, wages are not uniformly paid. One province is different from another in paying wages. 300 bahts is set as a daily wages in Mae Sot. In other places, 320, 323 and 333 bahts are designated differently, according to the law. But in 80 percent of some places, 220 to 250 bahts only is paid. The factories that pay wages in accordance with the law are very few. Without solving these problems, the announcement that will raise wages has no effect on the majority of the Myanmar workers.” he said.

Migrant workers in Thailand

Although Thai PM said that the minimum wages should be around 400 bahts, the committee responded that the current rates were decided based on the proposals by the province sub-committees and it would be necessary to ask the province sub-committees to re-arrange if the rates were changed and it would take about two to three months.

Of the 46 manufacturing industries in Thailand, 50 percent are using manual workers and the majority of industries are seafood and garment industries.

If what the prime minister was implemented, the number of labors must be reduced and the productivity probably would decline, pointed out the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)
So, if there was no further change about wages until the end of 2023, labor wages would be raised from 2 to 16 bahts, depending on the provinces.

CNI News

19 December 2023

The people should be careful when travelling in Yangon where explosions often takes place, U Thet Zaw, a businessman, told CNI News. 

Most people were facing with crises and it was necessary not to hurt the people because of explosions, he said.

" The people should be careful. Especially, I want the people not to hold unknown things. If possible, report the officials concerned. At at a time like this when the people are poorer, if you open curiously to know what is inside something, it may explode. If a poor person was injured due to an explosion, he will spend money to receive treatment. He'll wait some time to recover. He must have a lot of responsibilities for his family. So, we don't want to encourage explosions like that. In any case, I don't want anything to hurt the people's livelihoods." said U Thet Zaw to CNI News.

While seeing somewhere in Yangon

Revolutionary forces have released a statement urging the people not to pick up or hold things that have nothing to do with them. Two civilians were injured when they  picked up and tested a Bluetooth speaker that was attached to mines on 15th and 16th December.

If the people went out, they'd better take care and they should exchange news and information, Mai Oke Khine, a Palaung politician, told CNI News.

" The people should take care of themselves when travelling at a time like this. And before travelling, they should inquire some news. And they should go out only after informing of one another. If you find something doubtful, you need to be careful." he said.

At present, there are killings and exploding mines in the cities including Yangon and Mandalay, and some civilians are injured or killed.

CNI News

19 December 2023

As India has fixed the price of its onion when exporting not to sell at the price below 800 rupees per ton, the price of Myanmar onion also has increased, according to onion traders. 

Because India is the country that is exporting most to Bangladesh and ASEAN countries, its fixation of the price made the Myanmar onion increase, said the traders. 

Because the price of Indian onion has increased, the countries that buy onion have bought Myanmar onion more.

Myanmar onion prices will remain high until March 2024 because of India's price fixation, U Aung Myint, an onion trader from the Myingyan onion wholesale center, told CNI News.

" India has fixed its free on board (FOB) price of its onion not to sell at the price below 800 rupees per ton. And then, the prices have become higher there. So, if Myanmar can sell at the lower price than India, buyers will buy all the Myanmar onion. As India's FOB price is about 4,800 kyats per viss, the price will be between 5,500 and 6,000 kyats in the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand due to transportation charges. Unless India lowers the price, the price of onion will never decline." said U Aung Myint.

Trucks carrying onions

Over 100,000 visses (360,000 lb) are entering the Myingyan onion wholesale center each day and the amount of onion bought to export is almost the same as that of entrance reportedly. However, it is difficult to export through China-Myanmar border trade, Myanmar Thailand border trade and Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade.

Exporters have to be shipping by sea and due to high cost, the prices of onion are declining a bit. Moreover, the quality also was declining because of suffering the bad weather, U Kyaw Thaung, an onion trader from Myingyan, told CNI News.

" Myanmar onion can be sold at the price above 4,000 kyats per viss in a normal situation. If India sell at 4,800, we can also sell at that price. But the transportation charges have been higher. Without the ability to use normal routes, because we have to use other routes, transportation charges have been higher. So, traders can't buy at a higher price. Now Myanmar onions are declining in qualiuty due to bad weather. In fact, the onion with a good quality like Myitthar can be paid at 4,000. Now we can't use Myawady border trade. We have to use other routes. Myanmar onions are being bought by the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. Bangladesh also buying Myanmar onions at the FOB price at Yangon Port, I think." he said.

The demand for onion in the domestic market is on the rise and old summer onion prices are between 3,200 and 3,400 kyats per viss at the Myingyan and Pakokku wholesale centers and new rain onion prices are between 2,300 and 2,700 kyats per viss reportedly.

Myanmar onions are being exported to Thailand, Vietnam, Lao, Malaysia and Bangladesh. Moreover, the Philippines is buying Myanmar onion with G to G system.

CNI News
17 December 2023

Plans are being made to lend 400,000 kyats per acre to farmers who own 10 acres and above as a short term loan, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation.

The MRF had a coordination meeting with those in charge from the Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank, the Myanmar Economic Bank, the KBZ Bank, the A Bank, the AYA Bank and the UAB Bank and loans will be issued to farmers with form (7) guarantee reportedly.

Not only the farmers who own 10 acres and above, the farmers who own under 10 acres should also be lent, U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association, told CNI News.

" If the farmers who own 10 acres and above are lent, it doesn't kind of care the farmers with a few acres. Among the five points of protection of farmers' rights and promotion of interests, the final point is to give priority to the farmers with a few acres. In fact, the farmers with a few acres are largely lack of capital because they find it difficult to make ends meet. If possible, it would be better if they were lent." he said.

the Myanmar Rice Federation 

It was the first time that MRF had planned to lend the farmers and the loan amount would be supportive to the farmers, said farmers. Because summer paddy is being grown in some regions, only if the loans are issued before January, will it be convenient for the farmers, suggested the farmers.

The loan is only for the development of agricultural production in the areas where summer paddy is grown in Ayeyarwady, Bago, Yangon, Mandalay Regions and Naypyidaw Council area.

However, Sagaing Region and Rakhine State are not included in the places that the loan will be issued. It was probably because of instabilities in those regions, Ko Zaw Min Naing, an agricultural and economic advisor, told CNI News.

While seeing farmers

" The farmers in the regions supposed stabler in comparison with other regions are lent, I think. Although around Shwebo area is grown paddy, armed conflicts are severely taking place. Moreover, the number of people who grow paddy has declined. And banks don't seem to accept to lend the farmers in those regions because they have to take a lot of risk. Because the battles are breaking out in Rakhine State, the banks seem to have decided not to lend the farmers in the state." said Ko Zaw Min Naing.

The MRF and the banks had a negotiation meeting to lend for 100,000 acres as the pilot project.

Because the farmers are finding it to buy fuel at present, the MRF is planning to enable the farmers to buy fuel and fertilizer sufficiently at lower prices reportedly.

CNI News
17 December 2023

In spite of having to exchange 50 percent of the export earnings to Myanmar kyats at the price designated by the Central Bank of Myanmar in the past, only 35 percent must be exchanged at present.

So, the export sector will improve, said traders.

Relaxation of export policy like that would make the export sector better, U Thant Zin Tun, vice chairman of the Myanmar Corn Industrial Association, told CNI News.

" It's better. 65 percent of the export earnings is spent for import and 35 percent must be exchanged to Myanmar kyats. There will be further relaxations. But the government hasn't announced it officially. Exports will be able to be exported more." he said.

While seeing trucks loaded with watermelons heading to China

Exporters of rice, bean and corn have been currently allowed to import fuel by the Ministry of Commerce. In the same way, exporters of rubber have been allowed to import necessary products and fertilizer reportedly.

Exporters have earned more and more profits after the export policy was relaxed, an official from the Myanmar Rice and Paddy Traders Association, told CNI News.

" Exports will increase a bit and so will rice. Because more foreign currency is earned, exporters have increased a bit. Our reserve supply of rice has dwindled a bit.
When the new rice comes out, they give priority to export because they earn more export earnings. At the same time, domestic rice prices have gone up a bit." he said.

Because the policy relating to export earnings has been relaxed, the prices of bean, pea, rice and corn have gone up a little in the domestic market, said farmers. However, due to rising transportation costs, ‌only a little profit has been earned and there were various prices depending on region, Ko Min Khaing, a corn farmer from Ayeyarwady Region, told CNI News.

While preparations are being made to export rice

" The current price is about 1,100 kyats per viss and the price of corn has increased by 10 to 15 kyats per viss (one viss=3.6 pound). Transportation charges also increase due to rising fuel prices. So, it doesn't make any difference to farmers up to now. The freight cost depends on the distance. The cost of transportation is from 30 to 100 kyats per viss." said Ko Min Khaing.

In recognition of entrepreneurs who are making efforts to improve exports, they have been allowed to import to an extent, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Local exporters are working to export local products to foreign markets on time and due to the ongoing armed conflicts on the border trade route, they are making preparations to export goods by sea.