Myanmar Morning News For July 16

Total FDI in Thilawa SEZ project hit nearly $ 150 m in three months
From April to July, this year, the total foreign investments in Thilawa Special Economic Zone have reached nearly US$ 150 million, according to the Myanmar Investment Commission’s press conference.
— Eleven Myanmar

Smuggled brand-name goods, onions seized in Mae Sot
Customs officials in Mae Sot district, with support from a local military unit, have seized about 3-million-baht worth of brand-name goods ordered on eBay and 1,156 kilogrammes of onions – all smuggled…
— Bangkok Post

Fool’s gold: Thousands out of work as dispute shutters dozens of mines
A long-running dispute between the government and a mining company over a debt has shuttered dozens of gold mines in the Yamethin area of Mandalay Region, crippled small operators and left thousands out of work.
— Frontier Myanmar

Chinese demand for Myanmar cotton could surge on trade war with US
China, the world’s largest importer of cotton, has been eyeing Myanmar-produced cotton with much greater interest in the wake of its trade war with the US, local cotton growers have told The Myanmar Times.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar armed groups vow to continue peace meetings with govt
Seven armed groups have vowed to continue peace meetings with the government, saying that they will discuss the message delivered by Myanmar authorities at the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Nay Pyi Taw, official media reported Sunday.
— Global Times

Military chief discusses non-NCA signatories’ possibility of immediate signing with ethnic NCA signatories
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, met members of Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) formed with ethnic NCA signatories at the guest hall of Bayintnaung Yeiktha in Nay Pyi Taw on July 12.
— Eleven Myanmar

Another Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in Trang
The body of a young Irrawaddy dolphine was found floating to the east of Khang Khao island in Ta Se bay of this southern province on Sunday.
— Bangkok Post

Myanmar’s need for a shared long-term vision
U Thant Myint-U has called for a shared long-term vision for Myanmar.
— Mizzima

First United Nations office opens in Nay Pyi Taw
According to the department, the new office comes at a significant moment as the General Assembly recently approved a UN reform that aims to strengthen the organisation’s ability to effectively support governments and people in need.
— Myanmar Times

Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference
Women account for 17 percent of the delegates at the ongoing third session of the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference, according to figures the government released Saturday, 2 percent more than the proportion of female delegates at the previous session last year.
— Irrawaddy

Behind the scenes in Yangonywood
Have you recently seen a Myanmar TV ad for body oil, spotted an impossibly handsome background extra, and launched a Cinderella-style citywide search to find him?
— Frontier Myanmar

Deputy Finance Minister Named New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ
Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Set Aung has been appointed chairman of the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Management Committee amid the government’s ongoing efforts to renegotiate its agreement with the project’s Chinese developer to give Myanmar a larger stake.
— The Irrawaddy

Landslide at Myanmar jade mine kills at least 15, injures 45 – official
A landslide killed at least 15 people in northern Myanmar on Saturday, with 45 others injured after the latest disaster in the Hpakant jade mining region, a local official said.
— Channel News Asia

Aung Win Zaw testifies he did not see alleged gunman at airport
Accused Aung Win Zaw testified in court that he did not see the alleged gunman Kyi Lin at Yangon International airport on the day of the assassination of advocate Ko Ni.
— Mizzima

Slight earthquake hit Pyay
A slight earthquake of magnitude 4.7 Richter Scale with its epicenter inside Myanmar (about 29 miles west-northwest of Pyay), latitude 18.90°N, longitude 94.78°E, depth 10 kilometers about 107 miles southwest of Nay Pyi Taw seismological observatory was recorded on July 13, announced Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).
— Eleven Myanmar

Govt losing hundreds of millions a year on SOE profit rules, report reveals
Rules introduced in 2012 have seen state-owned enterprises build up cash reserves of K11.45 trillion (US$8.6 billion) in accounts that earn no interest – money that governance experts say would be better spent on infrastructure or social services.
— Frontier Myanmar

Talk of signing NCA or not is premature, says Maj. Gen. Gum Maw
Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Vice-Chairman Maj. Gen. Gum Maw said that it was premature to talk about the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) or not.
— Mizzima

3 regions earmarked for Myanmar-China border economic zone project
Kanpiketi, Muse and Chinshwehaw in Myanmar-China border have been chosen for the border economic zone project, said Dr Than Myint, Union Minister for Commerce at the first coordination meeting of the Central Committee for the Joint Implementation of Myanmar-China Border Economic Zone Project on July 12.
— Eleven Myanmar

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Myanmar morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Myanmar news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Myanmar Morning News For July 16 added by Maria Mirasol Rasonable on July 16, 2018
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Maria Mirasol Rasonable

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Maria Mirasol Rasonable graduated with a Bachelors Degree in journalism from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines.

She previously covered police rounds for Philippine Daily Inquirer as a trainee before becoming editorial staff at Gospel Komiks under the Communication Foundation for Asia (CFA-MG), Santa Mesa, Manila where she wrote lifestyle and trending fashion and styles articles.