CNI News

15 Oct 2022

Authorities in Thailand have stepped up arrests of undocumented migrant workers recently and most of the arrestees were from Myanmar, labour activists told the CNI.

Authorities have rounded up undocumented migrant workers in the entire kingdom as an operation and the number of arrestees is likely to increase over time, labour activists told the CNI.

Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers in Thailand, told the CNI, “Authorities have stepped up arrests of migrant workers for four or five days. They rounded up a large number of undocumented migrant workers in Tak Province. Some Myanmar workers have required documents but the documents have expired. They were also arrested. Those who have been detained will be repatriated to their countries. Political situation is Thailand is complicated and more arrests are likely in the future. They usually arrest undocumented migrant workers at the end of a year.”

  Pink cards issued by Thailand.

At the same time, Thai authorities are also issuing pink cards (temporary work permits) to illegal workers.

Myanmar migrant workers who have not received pink cards should take heed of the situation, labour activist U Min OO of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.

He said, “There are laws and rules issued by the Ministry of Labour of Thailand. First, an illegal migrant can be detained and sentenced to prison terms under the immigration law. After serving prison terms, they will be repatriated to their countries. Another factor is that they may be detained at home or at work. If they are detained at work, they may face another charge for illegally working. Such workers will be banned from entering Thailand for two years after serving the prison terms. Again, there are jobs which migrant workers are not allowed to take up. If they take up such jobs, there will be another charge. So, such workers may face three charges of illegally entering Thailand, working without permission and taking up jobs which migrant workers are not permitted.”

U Min Oo pointed out that it is beneficial for Myanmar migrant workers to understand the labour laws of Thailand.

Undocumented Myanmar migrant workers detained in Thailand.

As authorities have stepped up arrests of undocumented migrant workers, those who want to work in Thailand should not come to Thailand at the moment, labour activist U Ba Yee of the Migrant Workers Rights Network told the CNI.
He said, “It is dangerous for migrant workers to come to work in Thailand at the moment. If authorities stop issuing pink cards, they will face problems and won’t get jobs. They cannot apply for pink cards. Those who apply for pink cards through agents before entering Thailand may be able to work in Thailand. So, I would like to urge them not to come to Thailand at the moment.”

There are millions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand including undocumented workers. About 400,000 have received pink cards.

CNI News

15 Oct 2022

The Peace Process Steering Team is trying to implement three basic principles of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement as much as it can to help people overcome the current crisis, according to a statement issued by the PPST on 14th October.

The political landscape has changed significantly since February, 2021 and resulting instabilities, conflicts and armed conflicts have increased day by day, forcing the public to face various crises, the statement says.

To overcome the crises, the PPST has been implementing the three basic principles of the NCA such as resolving political issues through political means, engaging in inclusive and meaningful political dialogues and protecting civilians, the statement added.

    A PPST meeting. (NCA-S EAOs)

“The PPST seriously believes that the NCA can help ease the current violent conflicts that lead to civil war and is the beginning of restoring peace aspired by the public by resolving political issues through political means,” the statement said.

It cannot be denied that the public was able to enjoy a significant level of stability, peace, development and individual freedom for ten years from 2001, when negotiations for the NCA, the second most important agreement after the Panglong Agreement, to early 2021 thanks to the NCA, the statement continued.

The 7th anniversary of the signing of the NCA falls on 15th October, 2022.

The statement issued by the PPST.

On 15th October, 2015, the ceasefire agreement was signed by the RCSS, the KNU, the DKBA, the KNU/KNLA(PC), the PNLO, the CNF, the ANP and the ABSDF.

The NMSP and the LDU signed the agreement on 13th February, 2018.

The PPST was formed with representatives of the NCA signatories in 2017.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

Despite the growing demand for Myanmar freshwater rohu in Bangladesh, fish exports to the neighbouring country through border trade have been delayed by stop-and-search operations along the route, according to merchants in Rakhine State.

As the close season has started in Bangladesh, the demand for Myanmar freshwater rohu is growing there but stop-and-search operations along the trading route have delayed fish exports and quality of fish has dropped, a merchant from Maungdaw who exports rohu from Sittwe Port told the CNI.

He said, “There are so many checkpoints along the road. It takes longer to transport fish and restrictions have been imposed in the state. As travelling in some areas is prohibited from 6 pm, it takes three days instead of two days previously to transport fish. We cannot export goods from Maungdaw and we have to export fish to Bangladesh from Sittwe. The main problem is transportation. We could transport fish as soon as we had one truckload of fish in Maungdaw and got higher prices because fish arrived at the market on time. Now, we have to wait until we have one shipload (five truckloads) of fish in Sittwe. As a large volume of fish entered the market at the same time, prices fell. It takes longer and fish quality has dropped.”

A police station on Angumaw road.

Rohu is one of the main exports in Myanmar-Bangladesh border trade.

Moreover, authorities have closed the Sittwe-Angumaw-Maungdaw road and waterway as well as Sittwe-Maungdaw road and waterway since September. As a result, rohu exports to Bangladesh have dropped.

Merchant U Naing Myint (The name has been changed.) said authorities should open the border trade route to Maungdaw.

He told the CNI, “There are no armed clashes along Angumaw-Maungdaw road. If they open the route, business activities in Maungdaw Economic Zone will revive. The will contribute to the economy of the country. Now, they have closed the route, causing difficulties for local residents. Commodity flow has halted and prices have risen in surrounding villages. Exports to Bangladesh have been disrupted. I want authorities to reopen the road.”

A road junction in Rakhine State.

Rohu bred in Yangon is transported in cold storage vehicles to Sittwe to export it from Sittwe-Bangladesh border trade zone and Maungdaw border trade camp.

Currently trade routes to Maungdaw have been closed and traders have to rely on the Sittwe-Bangladesh border trade zone to export goods to Bangladesh despite delays.

Rohu is one of the major export items in Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade. In July, Myanmar exported 900 tons of rohu from Maungdaw border trade.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

The Myanmar Rice Federation is planning to export 200,000 tons of rice including 2,500 tons from Rakhine State to Bangladesh.

As paddy yields in Rakhine State this year dropped below the local consumption, it was important to review the self-sufficiency of rice in the state, Chairman U Kyaw Zan of All Rakhine State Peasant Union told the CNI.

He said, “Normally, Rakhine State consumes 500,000 tons of rice annually. We need to think about local rice sufficiency. The G-to-G export system is good for the country but we need to conduct surveys to see whether we have enough rice for our state and we should export 2,500 tons of rice from our state or not. We need to respond to the demand based on the situation on the ground.”

2500 tons of rice to be exported from Rakhine State to Bangladesh are quality rice milled in Sittwe, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships.

   A junction in Rakhine State.

The rice from Rakhine State would be exported to Bangladesh directly from the Sittwe Port, Secretary U Aung Myint of Myanmar Rice Merchant Association told the CNI.

He said, “We haven’t received approval but the MRF planned to export quality rice from Rakhine State from Sittwe.”

As paddy yields in Rakhine State this year did not meet the local consumption, rice was bought from other states and regions, according to farmers.

Plans to export rice from Rakhine State to Bangladesh are being carried out by the Rakhine State Rice Millers Association, the Rakhine Rice Merchant Association and the MRF.

However, it is still unclear when rice from Rakhine State will be exported to Bangladesh.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

The Thai government urged the Department of Labour of Myanmar to issue certificates of identity to Myanmar workers who have received pink IDs (temporary work permits) in Thailand.

Thai labour officials made the request to Myanmar counterparts during a meeting in Bangkok on 6th October, Director U Thurein Lin of the Department of Labour told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “Thailand issued pink cards for illegal workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia in 2020, 2021 and 2022. It is now currently issuing pink cards or temporary work permits. Thai officials requested us to issue CIs for Myanmar workers who received pink cards in 2021. We are preparing to issue CIs for them. Pink card holders are allowed to travel within a province. If they have CIs, they can travel in the entire Thailand.”

A CI centre.

CIs are valid four years and officials are still discussing when the CIs will be issued. Centres have been set up to renew CIs.

It costs Myanmar migrant workers a large sum of money to apply for pink cards and now they will have to pay about Baht 10,000 to get CIs again, Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers in Thailand, told the CNI.

He said, “Thailand has issued pink cards for them. Each of them had to pay about Baht 15,000 for the pink card. CIs are not passports and they are just identity cards for pink card holders. So, CIs should be issued at a cost of less than Baht 1,000. It now costs too much for them. Some workers want to apply for CIs but they are required to travel to other provinces and it costs a lot of money. Moreover, it is found that CI centres are set up in safe places and there are only a few CI centres.”

Migrant workers apply for CI.

More CI centres should be opened to enable workers to get CIs, according to labour activists.

There are millions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand and some of them are working in Thailand illegally.

Authorities in Thailand are issuing pink cards for migrant workers and more than 400,000 Myanmar workers have received the cards.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

The Union Election Commission warned the Arakan National Party to comply with existing laws, Chairman U Thar Tun Hla told the CNI.

On 29th September, the ANP issued a statement on hardship of local residents caused by resumption of fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.

It was learnt that the UEC summoned the ANP official because it considered the statement one-sided.

U Thar Tun Hla told the CNI, “They summoned us over our statement issued on 29th September and explained that the statement failed to respect certain provisions of the Political Parties Registration Law and that it was one-sided. They told us to comply with the constitution and rules when we issued further statements and not to issue statements contrary to the law. They seemed to have been informing or warning us of that. We explained out stance on the situation.”

A map showing armed conflicts between the military and the AA in Rakhine State.

The statement strongly condemned fighting in residential areas, civilian causalities and damage to property caused by heavy weapon rounds of the Myanmar military.

Moreover, the statement urged authorities to lift restrictions imposed on INGOs, NGOs and CSOs, which are delivering humanitarian aid to local residents, saying that banning travels in conflict areas as well as in areas which were not affected by fighting amounted to intimidating the livelihood of local residents of all ethnic groups.

 A junction in Rakhine State.

U Thar Tun Hla added, “Our statement just reflected the current grievances caused by the resumption of clashes in Rakhine State and we believe that it is our responsibility as a political party to voice the suffering of the public and we need to issue statements to protect our people. Although they expressed their concerns, we explained that we needed to issue such a statement.”

Armed clashes between the Myanmar military and the ULA/AA have resumed since September after almost two years of hiatus.

The clashes displaced 6,167 people in August and September, according to the AA.

CNI News

13 Oct 2022

A Toyota auto company in Thilawa Industrial Zone launched the sale of Hilux Double Cab vehicles it assembled during the last two years, according to sources in the market.

The sale has eased the exorbitant prices of Hilux Double Cabs in the market, Chairman U Min Min Maung of Yangon Region Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association told the CNI.

He said, “Toyota vehicles are not manufactured in Myanmar. The company is selling vehicles that were assembled during the past two years because their models will be outdated if it continues to keep them in garages. It is selling Hilux Double Cabs. The prices of a Hilux Double Cab rose over MMK 200 million recently. The company is selling them at MMK 170 million but the number of vehicles to be sold is not many. It does not accept pre-orders and cannot tell the delivery date exactly. So, the sale does not have impacts on vehicle prices. However, the prices of Hilux Double Cabs dipped below MMK 200 million.

A Toyota double cab. (GETTY IMAGES)

Currently, the sale does not have impacts on prices of other vehicles. The company is not selling them at previous prices. It sells a Hilux Double Cab at MMK 170 million at the current exchange rate. However, rising car prices have stagnated. It augurs well for buyers.”

Toyota sales agents in Myanmar started accepting orders for Hilux vehicles on 11th October, according to a news report from Nikkei Asia.

However, a Toyota sale agent told the Japanese news agency that precise delivery dates could not be guaranteed as the number of vehicles to be assembled was limited.

Most auto companies, which import parts and assemble them under the SKD system, have suspended their operations due to import policies of the government and exchange rate discrepancies.
Vehicles manufacturing operations can resume if the Ministry of Commerce issues import permits, said U Min Min Maung.

Toyota Motors Corporation. (GETTY IMAGES)

More than 10 companies in Myanmar assembled vehicles such as Suzuki, Hyundai, Jetour, Nissan, KIA and Ford under the SKD system.

Yangon Region Automobile Dealers Association Chairman U Aung Than Oo told the CNI, “The prices of vehicles in the market have been stable for over a month after prices nosedived dramatically. When the prices of US dollars rose from MMK 3,000 per US$ to MMK 4,000 per US$, many people rushed to buy vehicles and sellers could set the prices as much as they wanted. Vehicle prices almost doubled. When vehicle prices rose significantly, businessmen resold their cars. As people do not want to hold cash, they buy vehicles and gold. People who had MMK 500 million invest MMK 300 million in the automobile market and try to resell the cars they bought. Currently, they could not resell their cars and have to keep them. So, their profits are dwindling. At present, people have stopped buying cars and resellers may suffer losses.”

The government has stopped issuing vehicle import permits due to shortages of US dollars since October 2021.

Prices in the vehicle market change depending on market exchange rates and the prices will rise only after the government resumes issuing permits for vehicles and parts to assemble cars under the SKD system, according to vehicle import policy experts.

CNI News

13 Oct 2022

Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the National Unity Government, has vowed to crush any attempts to hold elections by the State Administration Council.

He told the NUG meeting on 11th October that the SAC hoped to use the 2023 elections as their exit from the political crisis and measures must be taken to ensure that the SAC had no escape route from the current crisis.

The acting president said, “It is evident that the SAC has aimed to use the 2023 election as their political exit. We can also see that they have reshuffled the leadership in the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party to be compatible with their plans. We must respond very carefully so that the SAC has no political exit. We are taking pragmatic steps to respond to the 2023 elections to be held by the junta.
Measures beyond the complete sabotage, objection and denial of recognition are being taken into consideration.”

  An NUG meeting.

Then, he added that the outcomes of the military coup aggravated the situation and delivering aid directly to the public was limited although the international community is offering assistance.

If elections could not be held in 2023, the country would fall back under military rule, Secretary Maing Ohn Khaing of the Ta’ang National Party told the CNI.

He said, “Under the current circumstances, the country will be in so many crises. It is difficult to predict what will happen. Everything depends on whether the elections will take place or not. If elections are impossible, the country will fall back to military rule. It is too early to predict anything because no one is dead sure that the elections are impossible.”

Some political observers have questioned how to respond to the unfathomable absolute military rule if the election could not be held and the junta could not be overthrown.

Election results are being announced.

The junta seized power from the government of the National League for Democracy on 1st February, 2021 and declared a state of emergency, accusing the latter of forming a new government without settling voters’ lists disputes in the 2020 general election.

Since then, the National Unity Government and the People Defence Force have taken up arms to topple the junta and have urged all to boycott the elections to be held by the SAC.

However, SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing promised a new general election in August, 2023 to transfer power to the winning party.

CNI News

13 Oct 2022

More than 10,000 guests visited Chaungtha and Ngapali beaches during the Thadingyut Holiday and Chaungtha beach received the largest number of tourists, according to statistics released by the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.

Chaungtha beach greeted a total of 10,201 holiday makers including 3,022 guests on 8th, 3,142 guests on 9th, 1,794 guests on 10th and 2,243 guests on 11th October.

Therefore, compared with the statistics in 2021, the number of tourists increased this year, Staff Officer U Naing Aung of the Chaungtha Branch of the DHT told the CNI.

  Travelers during the Thadingyut holiday.

He said, “Last year, the beach welcomed 1,976 people on the first day, 1,961 people on the second day and 1,139 people on the third day of the holiday. Compared with the statistics last year, we received more visitors this year. Normally, about 1,000 people visit the beach on weekends and on weekdays, there are about 400 or 500 visitors to the beach. It takes about five hours to travel from Yangon to Pathein. It is a short trip compared to other destinations. People from towns in Ayeyarwady Region can even visit the beach on a day return trip. Easy access matters. It is one of the most easily accessible destinations.”

During the period from 7th to 10th October, a total of 24 flights landed at the airport near Ngapali beach, bringing 1,498 domestic tourists and 107 foreign tourists.

Compared with statistics during the Thingyan holiday, the number of tourists dropped during the recent holiday, Director U Tin Tun Aung of Rakhine State DHT told the CNI.

  Travelers during the Thadingyut holiday.

He said, “About 48 or 49 percent of hotel rooms were occupied but the number of tourists during the recent holiday was not as many as that during the Thingyan holiday. Most people have to rely on flight to visit the beach. Moreover, Thadingyut is a religious holiday, so more people chose to visit Bagan during the holiday. Tourists visiting here during holiday were people who pursue recreation. Tourists spread to all destinations in the entire country. The situation has improved. The rainy season has not ended in October. So, flights cannot fully be operated at present. When October is over, more flights will be scheduled and more visitors will come to us.”

Among 107 foreign tourists who visited Ngapali beach, there were no Russian tourists and only 26 foreigners with tourist visas visited the beach.

Tour operators have expected that more guests will go to tour destinations during the upcoming Tazaungdaing, Christmas and New Year holidays in November and December.