CNI News

17 October 2023 

As many factories and workshops in Thailand could not pay overtime, Myanmar migrant workers' income has decreased, those who are helping migrant workers told CNI News. 

Due to the impact of the wars breaking out in some foreign countries, Thai economy is also affected. Some factories don't receive sufficient orders or any order, they said. 

So, Myanmar migrant workers should not change workplace at present, U Aung Kyaw, an official of the Labor Rights Foundation, told CNI News.

" In the past in the factories the workers get overtime pay as well, so they were convenient but currently some factories don't receive enough orders, so the workers don't have overtime. They work only three days a week in stead of working six days a week. Some workers suddenly quit jobs and went to another factory. But that factory didn't accept because it was waiting for orders and then they had gone jobless." he said.

Those working in the water industry

If the workers would change workplace, they would have to decide only after studying the current political and economic situations abroad and domestically suggested the people helping migrant workers. Moreover, in relation to registration in the name list until the end of July, some Myanmar citizens were cheated up to 30 lakh kyats reportedly.

" There are offices opened by Thai citizens near the No.1 Friendship Bridge. They say that they would be able to send workers to factories after connecting with Myanmar brokers, taking 20 lakh to 32 lakh kyats. It tends to take three to six months to be a MoU worker. Some workers come to these offices to make labor cards through brokers. They come here with bridge passes. About four groups came and complained to our organization. About 200 people came and complained. Over 300 people have assigned work to get certificates in an office alone, they told us." said Ko Thar Gyi who is helping migrant workers.

The period of asking undocumented workers to register in the name list has expired and those who have registered in the name list have been allowed to stay and work until 13th February 2025.

So, the workers should study what is right or wrong without believing brokers and if not so, there will be workers who are defrauded, pointed out the people helping migrant workers.

Moreover, there are checks every day in Thailand. So, undocumented workers should take care of their steps, they suggested.

CNI News

17 October 2023

A free and fair general election that will reveal the true desire of voters would be compulsorily held, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council. 

He said the above at the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) that was held on 15th October 2023.

" Our government will inevitably continue to move towards a multi-party democratic system full of genuine discipline which the people have wanted. In order to do like that, we are making necessary preparations to hold a free and fair multi-party democratic general election. A free and fair general election that will be able to reveal the voters' true desire will be compulsorily held, which I want to tell seriously." said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

While the 2020 general election was being held

However, he did not tell exactly when the election will be held. Census-taking would be conducted in 2024 and after that, the election would be held, he had said.

" Those who claim to be working for democracy conducted voting fraud and chose the path of armed violence without solving the problem democratically. Some foreign countries that claim to be practicing and protecting democratic system are encouraging these armed terrorist attacks directly and indirectly, which is the opposite of democratic system. These are delaying to practice multi-party democratic system which Myanmar people have wanted. They are supporting a dictatorship in the name of democracy." said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

A general election was held in Myanmar in 2010 after which a civilian government led by U Thein Sein came to power. After the 2015 general election was held, the civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi came to power. 

While seeing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing

And then, when the 2020 general election was held, having said that the NLD government led by DASSK was trying to form a government without solving the ballot dispute, the Tatmadaw toppled down the NLD government on 1st February 2021 and has taken power.

After the Tatmadaw took power, the State Administration Council was formed and is carrying out administration, judiciary and legislation as well as to hold a general election again. After a general election is held, the State power will be handed over to the winning party, Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said.

CNI News

17,October  2023

As export through border trade routes has been restricted, coffee must be exported only by sea in the coming coffee season, said coffee growers and exporters. 

The traders who export coffee from the border were getting more profit than the traders, by sea, which were complained to the department concerned, so export from border trade has been suspended reportedly. 

So, coffee must be exported by sea in the coming coffee season, said U Min Hlaing, founder of the Sithar Company Ltd, to CNI News.

" The coffee traders from the border will have to export by maritime officially. Buyers probably will not buy coffee if it costs them a lot. Other countries also grow coffee. Secondly, in the past, border trade worked better for the growers and the traders. The traders who shipped legally by sea could not compete with the border traders. In maritime trade, the main thing is the 50-50 policy ( 50 percent of the foreign currency earned from foreign trade must be exchanged at around 2,000 kyats and the rest 50 percent at around 3,000 kyats). Shipping by sea is better, busier and longer. But the traders who shipped by sea couldn't compete with the border traders. The reason why exporting coffee through border trade has been suspended." he said.

While seeing the coffee fruits on the coffee tree

Myanmar coffee was being mainly exported to Thailand and China and it was also being exported to western countries and European countries by sea. 75 percent of Myanmar coffee was being exported through border trade each year.

At present, as coffee must be exported by sea, coffee growers cannot get the money at the rate of exporting through border trade and because of export earning policy, coffee export would reduce, said a coffee grower from southern Shan State to CNI News.

" To tell you frankly, Europe and America can't buy all the coffee produced here in Myanmar. In fact, Myanmar coffee had been sold out because it was being sold from border trade. Coffee farmers can't benefit from higher price but beneficial to exporters. As a matter of fact, it shouldn't be like that. Coffee farmer will grow more coffee if they get higher price. if the supply overtakes the demand, the price will decline. But now, the supply can't catch up with the demand. If the coffee is not allowed to export from border, then coffee export will decline." he said.

They wanted the government to allow them to export coffee limitedly so that it would be convenient for them. said coffee farmers. Myanmar coffee is mainly grown in Mandalay Region, Shan and Kayin States and its cultivation area is about 50,000 acres. 

Coffee is reaped between December and March and exported between April and May.

Over 9,000 tons of coffee are produced in Myanmar each year and Arabica coffee is being exported to the world market.

CNI News

17 October 2023

Even though it was time for national reconciliation processes to be compulsorily implemented, due to policy competition, political crisis could not be overcome, said General Yawd Serk, Chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA).

 In his speech at the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) held in Naypyidaw on 15th October 2023.

" It's time we must implement the national reconciliation, so it's necessary to build mutual confidence among the stakeholders. If the stakeholders have held  on their policies without yielding, the current political crisis can't be overcome. The only exit of the union out of crisis is to discuss without precondition. I want to urge all the stakeholders including international community to find the solution through meaningful all-inclusive discussions." said General Yawd Serk.

EAO leaders and members of the SAC together with Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing

The 8th Anniversary Celebration of the NCA was attended by NCA signatories - RCSS, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU).

Having said that the NCA has been void because the Tatmadaw has taken power on 1st February 2021, the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) did not attend the event. The implementation of the NCA has stopped due to the current political crisis, said Saw Mutu Say Poe, former chairman of the KNU.

EAO leaders and international diplomats together with Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing

" Before the current political crisis, the implementation of the NCA was successful to an extent. But due to the current political crisis, the implementation stopped. I want to demand all the stakeholders to negotiate and find the solution for the sake of national reconciliation without putting forward their own wishes but with mutual respect." said Saw Mutu Say Poe.

The NCA was signed by 10 EAOs and NCA non-signatories have been invited, said Chairman of the State Administration Council. 

However, because of different political attitudes and policies, armed conflicts have been taking place across the country and it has not been able to resolve up to now.

CNI News

16 October 2023

The beginning of domestic avocado season this year is showing great potential to become a better market than last year and the price is going up, according to avocado farmers. Avocados were sold 2,500 to 4,000 kyats per kilo last year.

However, this year, the floor price has been up to 5,000 kyats. Moreover, the floor price of Hass type avocados has been estimated to get from 6,000 to 10,000 kyats. 

The reason why the price is that high is because of foreign demand in increase and rising foreign exchange rate, said Ko Kyaw Soe Min, secretary of Myanmar Avocado Producer and Exporter Association (MAPEA), to CNI News.

" In fact, Hass season has not started. But other types have started. For example, Amara is sold 5,000 kyats per kilo at wholesale price. The retail price is 8,000 kyats. Burkania is sold at 4,000 kyats per kilo. At present, growers benefit from the price. Hass type avocado that is exported abroad has not started. The floor price is opened at 4,000 kyats per kilo, the price at which all avocados will be bought. But it hasn't been bought. The price has been opened. Hass will stary in November. We have estimated its floor price between 6,000 and 10,000 kyats. The price is higher than last year. We started opening at 2,500 kyats per kilo last year. Avocados were being sold at 4,000 kyats for long and later reached 6,000 kyats. The first thing is the exchange rate. When we sell avocado to Thailand, because the exchange rate goes up, we can sell at higher price. The second thing is demand. The price depends on these two things. If avocado farmers sell early, the price will decline. However as those who sell the whole avocado farm get higher price, it's not bad." said Ko Kyaw Soe Min.

Myanmar Hass Type of Avocado

Although the price of avocado is high, growers need to control the quality and not to sell urgently and if not so, it could affect the price, pointed out avocado exporters.

Although the price is high this year, because of export earning policy, it is not convenient for traders to export and in spite of getting orders, they could export some countries only, said an avocado exporter from Shan State, to CNI News. 

Myanmar Avocados

" 50-50 export earning policy is not convenient for us. We are receiving orders continuously. India, Thailand and China are interested in buying Myanmar avocado. Even though they want to see avocado farms here for themselves at present, it's not been convenient for us." he said.

According to export earning policy of the government, 50 percent of export revenue must be exchanged at the rate of 2,100 kyats per US dollar that is designated by the Central Bank of Myanmar and the remaining 50 percent, at the rate of 2,920 kyats per US dollar. This policy makes traders get less profit, said traders.

CNI News

16 October 2023

Salary income tax of overseas Myanmar workers will be collected in two ways, according to the Internal Revenue Department. As the first way, without deducting the reliefs allowed under the Income Tax Act, 2 percent can be paid.

As the second way, After deducting the reliefs allowed under the Income Tax Act, tax rates can be calculated on the basis of income strata and the tax can pe paid. There are disagreements about the income tax among the overseas Myanmar workers and many of them are transferring money through Hundi system.  He still doesn't know how the government will collect the tax, said Hmwar Michael who is living in Malaysia, to CNI News.

"There are many places here where you can transfer money. The tax can be collected when the money are officially transferred through a bank. Most of the workers here don't transfer money through a bank. Largely, they transfer through money changers. So, the tax can't be collected. But when they renew their passports, the tax can be collected." said Hmwar Michael.

Although Myanmar workers are making pieces of evidence that both of countries ask, because the government did not provide suitable service for the workers, he wouldn't pay the tax, said Ko Moe Lay, who is working in Thailand, to CNI News.

Overseas Myanmar Workers

" Myanmar government hasn't helped us anything. When we change a CI book overseas, the government has designated 3 to 5 hundred bahts, but we have to pay 4 to 7 thousand bahts. It is the same as in Myanmar Embassy. The embassy says we have to pay 1,200 to 1,3000 bahts for a book to be changed. But it costs us 2,000 to 3,000 bahts because of officers and brokers. If the government help the workers effectively, we, the people won't hesitant to pay the tax." he said.

Because Myanmar Embassy helps Myanmar citizens just a little in comparison with other countries' embassies, overseas Myanmar workers don't want to transfer 25 percent of basic salary and they have no wish to pay the tax reportedly.

"Myanmar embassy tends to help Myanmar workers in the incidents that are noticed by the public such as the types of shooting cases in a Bangkok shopping mall and in car accidents in which MoU workers are included. But the embassy is far from helping in the cases such as the workers lost their jobs daily and MoU workers don't get full salaries and employers have taken the documents." said Ko Naing Aung Aung, director of the Arakan Workers Organization to CNI News.

In relation to salary income tax, the money that is to pay the tax can be calculted on the website of the Internal Revenue Department. For example, a Myanmar worker who is working in Thailand - if he gets 10,000 bahts a month, he must pay about 400 bahts as income tax if it is calculated at two percent of tax rate.

After deducting the reliefs allowed, if a worker pay the income tax at the tax rate depending on income strata, 10 lakh kyats for a parent, 10 lakh kyats for a spouse, 5 lakh kyats for a child and the money for social security fee have been designated. 

So, the tax that is to be paid will be different from one another depending on individual income

CNI News

16 October 2023

Some commodities have been restricted at the Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade relating to export and as they must be traded at the Sittwe border only, there is hardly any trade now, said traders in Maungdaw. 

Aqua products - various kinds of fish from fresh and saltwater and agricultural products - rice, broken rice, various pea and bean, sesame, onion and so on must be trades at the Sittwe border trade only starting from 4th September, the government restricted. Traders in Maungdaw don't export a lot of other products and the situation must be watched in the coming open season, said U San Thein, vice chairman of the Maungdaw border trade association, to CNI News.

" Because the restriction has been conducted, traders have to export the goods from the convenient places. There are no restricted products here in Maungdaw and they haven't been able to export other products. It is drawing near thee open season. We have to go on trading based on open season." he said.

While loading bags of onions onto a truck at the Sittwe border trade camp

So, there is hardly any trade at the Maungdaw border trade and the trade is almost stopping, said traders.

Because the goods ordered from Bangladesh must be exported from the Sittwe border trade, traders in Maungdaw are finding it difficult. 

Some traders whose license period have not expired could export.

As Rakhine-Bangladesh trade depends on the orders from Bangladesh, at present, exporting goods from the Sittwe border trade is just in the normal position, said U Tin Aung Oo, Rakhine State Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, to CNI News.

Cargo workers at the Maungdaw border trade camp

" At present, we can regularly export, but it depend on the orders from Bangladesh.  The export has not increased a lot. When the open season comes in the end of this month, we will export more, I think." he said.

Although it was not difficult to export other products from the Sittwe border trade, when the aqua products were exported through Sittwe, because it took long to cross the sea, the quality of aqua products declined and the price also declined, said traders.

So, traders and fish entrepreneurs are requesting to allow then to export through both Maungdaw and Sittwe border trade camps.

The export value from the two border trade camps was 8.77 million US dollars from April to September in the 2023-24 fiscal year. 

Goods were exported for 1.42 million US dollars from Maungdaw and import value was 0.004 million US dollars. And Sittwe exported goods for 0.518 million US dollars, according to the Rakhine State Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

CNI News

13 October 2023

As Malaysian authorities are checking by surprise and arresting illegal foreign workers, Myanmar embassy has warned its citizens to take passports and necessary documents with them. 
Myanmar people need to take care of their steps for the time being and when they have to go unavoidably, they are asked to carry the evidence in order to show them when there are checks.

" Currently, as Malaysians are putting so much pressure on their government relating to foreigners through social media such as Facebook or Tiktok, their government is also conducting checks and arrests. In Malaysia, authorities tend to check motorcycles and cars first. It's finished. For the time being, the customs department is checking illegal shops. The immigration department will start checking in about December. But the places that have been complained is being checked." said Hmwar Michael who is living in Malaysia, to CNI News.

Three entertainment centers that had been opened illegally were arrested by Malaysian immigration department and police on 16 September 2023 and 92 so-called Myanmar people were arrested reportedly.

" Authorities are currently checking licenses and illegal goods of the shops. At present, if you are arrested, you can't negotiate at all or you can't give money like in the past. You'll be sentenced to 7 month imprisonment or you must pay 100,000 ringgits as a fine at a court." he added.

While foreigners were being arrested in Malaysia

Although there were a lot of arrests in Malaysia after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, because Myanmar embassy did not release any warning statements, Myanmar people in Malaysia were taken aback by this warning statement. 
However, the embassy should find ways that could help Myanmar people in Malaysia instead of releasing the statement like that, said U Nyi Nyi Lwin, director general of the Center for Arakan Refugees, to CNI News.

" If you apply for a new passport, you'll have wait from three months to one year to get it. So, most of Myanmar people here have no documents. And if you register at the UNHCR for protection and care, you'll have to wait about one year. There is nothing that is served quickly. There are one hundred thousand above Myanmar workers here. 70 percent of them have no documents. That the embassy has released a statement like this is right. But rather than the statement, Myanmar Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should find ways that can help Myanmar citizens. How can they do to issue passports quickly? To the best of my knowledge,if a Bangladeshi applies for a passport today at the Bangladeshi embassy, he will get the passport tomorrow. But he needs to have necessary facts." said U Nyi Nyi Lwin.

Myanmar illegal workers should apply for Rekalibrasi permit that allows illegal foreign workers to officially work if convenient, urged Myanmar embassy.

Although the program will be served until 30th December, it probably will be extended and arrests will increase when it is drawing near to the period designated, said Myanmar citizens in Malaysia.

CNI News

13 October 2023

The 8th Anniversary Celebration of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will be attended by the seven NCA signatories, said Nan Yin Yin Soe, spokesperson of the Peace Process Steering Team that is made up of the NCA signatory EAOs, to CNI News. 

EAOs that will attend the event are discussing about peace with the State Administration Council (SAC), she added.

" 7 NCA signatory EAOs will attend the 8th Anniversary Celebration of the NCA and they are the Arakan Liberation (ALP), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and they are also discussing about peace with the military council." she said to CNI News.

While The NCA was being signed on 15 October 2023

The 8th Anniversary Celebration of the NCA will be held on 15 October 2023 and not only NCA signatory EAOs but also NCA non-signatory EAOs have been invited to attend the event, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC.

The 8th anniversary celebration of the NCA would be able to find a solution for peace, said Nan Yin Yin Soe. It was difficult to believe that the peace would arise from that event, said Naing Than Shwe, spokesperson of the Mon Unity Party (MUP), to CNI News.

While NSPNC and 7 NCA signatories were discussing

" it's difficult to believe that peace will come out from the 8th anniversary celebration. We have heard that discussions are underway. Based on the result from the discussion, we can say if it is possible. We can't say based on the event alone." he said.

Only if the involvement of the Tatmadaw in politics could be ended, would they be able to meet and discuss, said in the statement released by the NCA signatories - the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) on 12 October 2023.

The NCA was signed by the KNU, CNF, ABSDF, RCSS, DKBA, KNU/KNLA-Peace Council, ALP and PNLO on 15 October 2015. After that, NMSP and LDU signed the NCA on 12 February 2018.