CNI News

11 September 2023

The tourism season of Myanmar will start on 1st October, 2023 and as many skillful workers have gone abroad, a shortage of professional tour guides is a challenge for the tourism industry, according to tourism operators.

A shortage of skilled staff can be replenished with new workers after they are provided training courses by remaining skilled staff. But, the scarcity of tour guides and interpreter guides like this is challenging the future tourism industry, said U Zaw Weik, chairman of the Myanmar Hotelier Association (Bagan Zone), to CNI News.

" Many staff from our tourism industry have gone abroad. If tourists come again, we need to provide training courses to new staff. Key professional staff, guides, managers and receptionists resigned. This is a challenge for the tourism industry. If the tourism industry regularly operates again, many more new staff must be trained with skilled staff. We did so in the past as well. It is not a big challenge. But we find it a bit difficult to get professional tour guides such as ones who can speak French, German and Italian because many of them also have gone abroad. And we lost many guides during the Covid-19 pandemic. And many guides have grown very old. These are challenges for the future of the tourism industry. But we have to try to get over them." said U Zaw Weik.

Some foreign tourists who come to Bagan

Not every hotel can be open at present, travel operators and hoteliers tend to employ staff depending on the number of tourists who enter. The current number of staff could provide service to the number of tourists who will enter, U Aung Aye Han, deputy director general of the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism, told CNI News.

" Many staff have gone abroad.  Some staff were left here. There is no hundred percent employment at hotels. Maybe there are 60 or 70 percent that are convenient to operate. So, a shortage of labor force is not a problem up to now. Hotels have made preparations. Hotels have minimum requirements. They have employed staff that are needed minimum. So, if they need any more staff, they will need a few staff. Tourists might enter anymore. Hotels can provide service properly." said U Aung Aye Han.

As Chinese and Indian tourists have been granted visas on arrival and there are direct flights between Myanmar and Russia, more tourists might enter Myanmar. 

So, some tourism industries are making preparations and the owners of the hotels that have been closed are reportedly preparing to re-open.

 However, some tourism industries are finding it difficult to re-open due to a shortage of skilled workers and instabilities reportedly.

CNI News

11 September 2023

The United Wa State Army (UWSA) arrested 1,207 Chinese citizens who committed online scams in the territory controlled by the Wa Self-Administered Division in Shan State and extradited to China reportedly. The extradition was conducted from 6th to 7th September.

CNI News

11 September 2023

China will not accept the National Unity Government that is close to the western countries, said Dr. Aung Myo, a Myanmar political analyst, to CNI News. 

There are disagreements among the revolutionary organizations without any unities among the revolutionary forces, he said.

" By considering the problem in Pale, NUG/PDF won't beat this war. China won't allow the NUG to beat the war. I'd like to tell a point that nobody knows. China doesn't accept it. Most of the people these days don't know how the Patriotic Liberation Army (PLA), a rebel organization active in Myanmar from 1962 to 1974, badly ended. All PLA forces were disarmed by the Karen National Union (KNU). High-ranking people of the PLA were killed. The people who were personally friendly to them were released. Bo Let Ya, who took part in the PLA as a leader, who was a flagship leader of the 30 Comrades and who was the first defense minister of Myanmar, was killed by KNU. So, in the end, will KNU dominate? Will Bamar PDFs with more manpower dominate the KNU? In the end, they will fight against each other that we can guess." said Dr. Aung Myo.

Some PDFs

China's Investments in Myanmar are Kyauk Phyu Deep Sea Port, gas and oil pipeline, special economic zones and other investments. Because there are a lot of Chinese investments in Myanmar, China would deal with the State Administration Council (SAC) that has taken power currently, said U Htet Myet, a Myanmar political analyst, to CNI News.  

" In general, the problem is that the NUG is right-wing. Western countries are in more harmony with right-wingers. If you ask if the NUG get in touch with left-wingers, Vietnam, for example, will have no relation with the NUG. The NUG and Russia are the opposite. China also will be the same as Russia. But because China is a bit skillful in diplomacy, it knows how to behave or speak. It's hard to say what it is if we can't practically see. China has invested a lot in Myanmar. So, China will mainly deal with the government that has taken power. It will be difficult for China to deal obviously with the rebel government, I think." said U Htet Myet.

the NUG and US representatives

After the Tatmadaw took power on 1st February, 2021, democratic elements have been waging an armed revolution with protesting against the Tatmadaw. And then, armed conflicts have been breaking out across the country and peace, economy, education, health and social affairs of the country are being damaged. 

Because the NUG that is striving to topple down the Tatmadaw is close to the western countries including US, China will not probably accept the NUG for the sake of its national security and self-interest protection, pointed out some people.

CNI News

9 September 2023

Domestic gold price is gradually falling and now in the second week of September, the pure gold price has fallen 200,000 kyats per tical (1 tical=16 grams).

So, gold sellers have outnumbered gold buyers, according to the Yangon gold market. 

Because the international gold prices tend to fall down during the period from September to December, domestic gold price also has declined and can decline anymore, said U Myo Myint, chairman of the Yangon Region Gold Entrepreneurs Association (YGEA), to CNI News.

" Gold sellers have increased. When the gold price went up in the past, a lot of people buy gold at the same time. Now when the gold price is falling, a lot of people sell their gold at the same time. The period from September to December is the season that gold price falls. When everyone makes annual accounts in December, the transactions are reduced. Those who have to sell gold, they sell all gold. It is a custom of the whole world. Gold sellers outnumber gold buyers. So, the gold price can fall anymore." said U Myo Myint.

Some goldware

The current domestic gold price was 3.76 million kyats per tical on 5th September and reduced to 3.66 million kyats per tical on 6th September. The price reduced to 3.45 million kyats per tical on 8th September again. 

Gold price was almost 4.00 million kyats per tical and the current price is just a bit over 3.00 million kyats per tical. The price may fall until 3.3 million kyats, said Ko Ne Lin Khant, a gold market analyst, to CNI News.

" The price can reduce to 3.3 million kyats. But it is less likely to reach under 3.3 million kyats. If the price is too low, how much will gold shops sell and how much will they buy back? For the time being, gold sellers outnumber gold buyers. There are the people who try to make gold price high or low at present. We don't like that sort of thing. We like regular trading." he said.

Although the gold price falling is good, there are gold traders and gold entrepreneurs who are waiting to make speculations, taking advantage of gold price falling. So, it is necessary to regulate not to make gold price higher again, said gold market analysts.

Because the price of gold affects other commodity prices,  gold trading should be performed carefully, pointed out gold market analysts

CNI News

9 September 2023

Reviews and discussions are underway among the political community whether the way the three ASEAN countries including the rotating chairman of the ASEAN will take responsibility to handle the Myanmar issue can work or not.

There was an agreement at the ASEAN summit held in Jakarta, Indonesia to enable the current rotating chairman and the two former chairmen to handle the Myanmar issue in a new method.

The style that will be used now creates a condition that can continue to handle from the way ASEAN chairman is currently handling the Myanmar issue, said U Thar Tun Hla, chairman of the Arakan National Party (ANP), to CNI News.

" ASEAN chairmanship changes once a year. So, in order to enable the way Indonesia is currently handling the Myanmar issue to continue, this method is used, I think. We'll have to wait and see how effective it will be." said U Thar Tun Hla.

People protesting against the Myanmar Tatmadaw

Due to the political landscapes that changed after 1st February, 2021, Myanmar is facing with crises.

Although ASEAN countries agreed to five-points consensus to solve these political crises, they have not been able to implement the consensus. So, after changing its handling style, ASEAN decided to allow three ASEAN countries to handle the Myanmar issue reportedly.

ASEAN is trying to solve the Myanmar issue in their own way, said Col. Saw Kyaw Nyunt, spokesperson of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST), to CNI News.

Security forces are arresting protesters

" They (ASEAN members) are trying to solve the problem in their own way. According to our experience, we haven't seen any improvement in the reality during the past over two years. There might be different opinions on this." said Col. Saw Kyaw Nyunt.

To solve the Myanmar issue, Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao will take responsibility until the end of 2023 and Indonesia, Lao and Malaysia, in 2024 reportedly.

CNI News

9 September 2023

Because Myanmar's agricultural industry is unstable in the market, fatigue and agricultural failure, many Myanmar people have changed workplace, going abroad for work after leaving farmlands, which cause the problem of farm labor shortage. 

Although Myanmar agricultural sector has been changed from manual farming to mechanized farming system, Myanmar farmers are using only farm labors because they are not able to widely use necessary mechanic equipment. 

The consequence of the problem of farm labor shortage is not obvious for the time being, but in the long run, it can threaten domestic food security, said Ko Zaw Min Naing, an agricultural and economic advisor, to CNI News.

" Due to the shortage of labor, farmers can't clear the weed very well, feed the fertilizer and transplant paddy. So, they are unable to cultivate fully. According to the current political situation, youths are more interested in better job opportunities and well-paid jobs. The production of agricultural sector will decrease. And then, the amount of export will decline. And then foreign income will be less. In the end, it can threaten the domestic food security." said Ko Zaw Min Naing.

Moreover, the price of agricultural machinery is so high that farmers cannot buy them. If they buy the machineries by instalment, it is not easy like before, according to farmers. And service businesses that rent out the agricultural equipment are almost none. 

Those who are transplanting paddy

So, the government should support the farmers with agricultural machineries, pointed out farmers. Due to the scarcity of labors, he was hiring labors only after providing them with their necessities, said U Aung Kyaw Mya, a farmer from Rakhine State, to CNI News.

" Farm labors want to work in the nearby farms. They worked eight hours a day in the past. But now they work seven hours a day. Agricultural machines are so high that we can't buy them in cash. It will be more convenient if the government can perform to enable the farmers to use the machines smoothly." said U Aung Kyaw Mya.

The relevant departments should find the answer to both the problem of labor shortage and the reason why the farm labors deserted the farmlands, said Ko Zaw Min Naing, an agricultural and economic advisor, to CNI News.

" In some foreign countries, for example, even in Thailand, AI technology is being used such as spreading pesticide and herbicide on the plantations. If they are worked manually, it is very dangerous to man. We still need humans. There are some parts that human will do. But if we have enough machines, because the demand for labor is no longer so great, we will be able to promote the production." said Ko Zaw Min Naing.

After the political change, many Myanmar youths have changed to well-paid workplaces, including going abroad for work after deserting farmlands reportedly. 

Due to not only the labor shortage but also being unable to cultivate because of instabilities, the paddy yield declined last year. So, the people are suffering from very high prices of rice at present.

CNI News

8 September 2023

Over 100 overseas employment agencies have increased more than the last two years because it has become good to do business as agencies and the number of people who go abroad for work has increased, those who help migrant workers said. 

There were about 300 licensed overseas employment agencies in 2021 and the number of agencies has been up to over 400. 

Although the ministry of labor grants a license if an agency meets the requirements when it applies for a license, as fraudulent issues may be rampant with more agencies, the ministry needs to strictly supervise them, said Ko Thar Gyi, one of the people helping migrant workers, to CNI News.

" An overseas employment agency can earn money easily and the relevant department is not free from corruption if there's anything wrong. Talking of more agencies, former police officials or people relating to them, and people relating to military officials found the agencies. They have more rights than an ordinary civilian. If an agency is closed and another agency is founded, the founder must be another person. But what is related, when the agency that is closed has to deposit, they pay for it. Even though the ministry know about it, the ministry grant the license due to consistence with the procedure. It's too bad that the agency that is closed cannot be taken action against." said Ko Thar Gyi.

Moreover, the agencies that were closed re-applied for licenses as new agencies changing the name of founder and have got licenses reportedly. Overseas employment agencies become more not because the number of people who go abroad has increased, said U Zaw Min Min, leader of the Malaysian Working Committee, to CNI News.

" Not everybody who applied got the license. Some agencies haven't got the licenses for about six months. You can't say the number of people who go abroad has increased. Recruitment of new labors from foreign countries has become less in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. According to the office of the Overseas Workers Identity Card, the number of people who officially go abroad relatively has so much decreased. Job opportunities in those countries are not good." said U Zaw Min Min.

People who are waiting in line to get passports

In stead of granting licenses to agencies, the ministry should carry out emphatically for the sake of Myanmar migrant workers, said the people helping migrant workers.

" When the people are sent to another country, we should systematically solve the problems of the migrant workers without being a way of focusing on agencies. Apart from taking action against an agency, we should take into account of the emotional damages and lives of those who were victimized. We need to help them because this is a way of official selling the people. The agencies should have understood they are the workers who came taking risk of all their ownerships, having sold their farmlands or their houses." said Ko Naing Aung Aung, director of the Arakan Workers Organization.

In order to be able to prevent from nominal and dishonest agencies, the ministry is scrutinizing to enable the agencies that can really invest to apply, said Dr. Pwint San, former minister.

When the ministry scrutinize license application, an agency that has applied has to fully protect its workers who face problems in foreign countries, he said in the meeting held on 2nd August.

CNI News

8 September 2023

If traders and government servants work correctly, centralization system can be weakened, said businessmen and economists. As the current Myanmar economy has changed to centralization system from market economy, the people are facing with difficulties. 

Moreover, because restrictions on import and export, and controlling domestic trade have arisen, the people are suffering from higher commodity prices with unsmooth flow of goods.

If traders were fraudulent and government staffs didn't work correctly, market economic system could be weak and centralization system could be strong, said U Thet Zaw, an economic analyst, to CNI News. 

If we want the centralization system to weaken, traders need to work correctly and government servants need to carry out exactly." said U Thet Zaw.

Vegetables

Supporters of the market economy don't like the government's intervention on price limitation and allocation of licenses reportedly. However, the current economy of Myanmar is the mixture of market economy and some government interventions. Government interference in local businesses can cause the economy to decline and the public to suffer from crisis, concluded the market advisors and businessmen.

" I don't like the red-tape system or centralization system in which you can go on working only if you inform a senior official. Because we don't like a system like this, we pushed to apply a democratic system. But, the problem is that middle officials don't dare do anything without the knowledge of higher-ups because they don't want to take the responsibility. So, things that shouldn't be delayed are being delayed. Some issues are related to each individual. If the official is traveling, you have to wait until he returns from his trip. The official don't tell to do without his knowledge. But if the government servants work with responsibility and accountability, it will be better." said U Aung Pyae Sone, a businessman.

People from basic class

The centralization in economy must be reduced little by little, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council. According to the market demand, important commodities such as rice, edible oil and fuel should not controlled and the government should intervene some sectors that need stability, said businessmen.

Moreover, the government need to provide more support to the rice and oilseed sectors, they pointed out.

It is difficult to get permits for trading industries and export/import and it is also difficult to import goods from abroad. Moreover, illegal trade has been closed as well, said traders and businessmen.

CNI News

8 September 2023

Ability to produce weapons and ammunitions by themselves in order to meet the needs of the war was a turning point of the revolution, said Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the National Unity Government.

He said that in his speech in commemoration of the 2nd anniversary day of the Declaration of People's Revolutionary War that falls on 7th September, 2023.

" We have been able to carry out systematically in the sectors such as administration, judiciary and public service in the areas we have dominated. Moreover, that we have been able to produce weapons and ammunitions by ourselves to meet the needs of the war is a turning point. We can know that we are getting more and more military successes by looking at the results of the recent battles. Our revolutionary comrades have been able to perform to make the enemies feel insecure even in Naypyidaw which is believed to be the safest place for the enemy military group." said Duwa Lashi La.

Weapons that PDFs use

Production of weapons and ammunition was not strange these days, but it was impossible to produce high-quality weapons and ammunitions. Moreover, according the nature of war, no place was safe, said Dr.Aung Myo, a Myanmar politics analyst, to CNI News.

" In the nature of war, anywhere is not safe. He said that because he has never been a soldier. If a man had been a soldier or has been an anti-NUG politician, he is not safe. Since the time when there was a large white area in the interior of our country, as soon as I put on the uniform and I picked up the gun to go to the front line, I felt insecure. So, what he said is not wrong. No place is safe. To tell you frankly, even New York in US is not safe." said Dr. Aung Myo.

The NUG has won the military successes during the past two years and the State Administration Council has failed in military, politics and diplomatic affairs, said Duwa Lashi La. 

Bangladeshi ambassador is handing over his appointment letter to Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing on 6th September, 2023

On the other hand, ambassadors from Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Japan, Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and other countries have been presenting their letters of appointment as ambassadors to Myanmar to Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC. Moreover, representatives from UN and international organizations have been meeting with Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Democratic elements have been waging armed revolutions against the Tatmadaw since after 1st February, 2021. And then, armed conflicts began to break out throughout the country and battles between the two sides have been breaking out severely up to now.