Myanmar morning news for May 14

No more power cuts expected in 2020: MOEE
Arrangements are being carried out to ensure sufficient electricity for the summer of 2020 and avoid having to rotate the power supply, a move which has resulted in a spike in the number of power cuts this year, said U Tin Maung Oo, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE).
— Myanmar Times

Rubber exports expected to rise as production improves in Myanmar
Myanmar is expecting to export around 300,000 tonnes of rubber this year on the back of rising production at local plantations, U Khaing Myint, secretary of the Myanmar Rubber Planters and Producers Association (MRPPA) said last week.
— Myanmar Times

FDI inflows into Thilawa SEZ hit over 1.6 billion USD
Till April this year, Thilawa Special Economic Zone Project received an inflow of foreign investments worth over 1.6 billion US dollars, said Yangon Region Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, at Yangon Investment Forum.
— Eleven Myanmar

Thai, Myanmar Hotel Operators Sign MOU for $63 Million Project
Myanmar-owned KMA Hotel Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with one of Thailand’s largest hotel and resort operators, the company has announced, to partner on a US$63 million (96.86 trillion kyat) investment in several new and existing hotels throughout Myanmar.
— The Irrawaddy

CB Bank, Telenor launch new Visa card
Telenor Myanmar, CB Bank and Visa last week launched a new CB-Telenor Visa card in Myanmar, days after the Central Bank of Myanmar on April 24 raised annual credit card interest rates to 20pc from 13pc to put a lid on runaway credit card debt.
— Myanmar Times

Three ministries hold press conference on accomplishment in third one-year period in office
Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of Industry held a press conference at the Ministry of Information in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday over the accomplishments in the third one-year period of the government.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Workshop on development of soil-geographic databases held in Nay Pyi Taw
A third International Workshop of ASEAN-RUSSIA Joint Project (2017-2019) on “Development of expert systems based on large-scale soil-geographic databases” was held at Park Royal Hotel Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Govt aims to improve childhood cancer detection and treatment
Government health authorities hope to boost their ability to diagnose and manage childhood cancers by at least 30 percent through stronger cooperation with the World Health Organisation and other international partners, a senior paediatric haematologist said.
— Myanmar Times

Shwedagon pagoda receives over a billion kyat from foreign tourists over two months
The Shwedagon Pagoda Trustee received over 1 billion kyat from foreign tourists as entry fees to Yangon’s iconic pagoda during the two months of March and April this year.
— Mizzima

Union NREC Minister receives UN-Habitat’s Country Programme Manager
U Ohn Win, Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, received Mr. Bijay Karmarcharya, the Country Programme Manager of UN-Habitat, at his office guest hall yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Bangladesh rescues 23 refugee girls from traffickers
Twenty-three teenage Rohingya girls were rescued after being brought from refugee camps to the capital Dhaka to be sent to Malaysia by air, Bangladesh police said Sunday.
— Mizzima

Adani deal with Myanmar military-linked company raises human rights alarm
The Adani Group has signed a US$290m commercial deal with a holding company controlled by the Myanmar armed forces, who have been accused by UN investigators of committing genocide and crimes against humanity.
— The Guardian

Potato and garlic growers in southern Shan State facing losses
Potato and garlic growers in southern Shan State are facing losses and some didn’t even get their investment this year.
— Eleven Myanmar

Ceasefires and Conflict Dynamics in Myanmar
When Myanmar’s military declared a four-month unilateral ceasefire covering the northern and eastern parts of the country on 21 December 2018, its goal was not to cease hostilities, but to narrow the focus of its campaign against the many ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) operating across Myanmar.
— Reliefweb

Two warring Shan groups ink peace deal
The Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) has signed a bilateral peace agreement that ends months of clashes between fighters of the two armed groups in Shan State.
— Myanmar Times

Yangon Weekend Market set to transform Bank Street
Bank Street, (between Sule Pagoda Rd and Pansodan Street) is one of the busiest places in the downtown area during week days. However, during the weekends, the street is mostly quiet, with few passers-by.
— Myanmar Times

Fighting Spreads as AA Attacks Army Convoy in S. Rakhine
Army denies AA’s claim to have killed 4 soldiers in separate clash in Ponnagyun.
— Irrawaddy

Inside the Myanmar plane which landed without front wheels
A video has emerged from inside a Myanmar National Airlines plane which was forced to make an emergency landing using only its rear wheels after the front landing gear failed to deploy.
— Stuff.co

Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Centre to be set up
A Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Center will be set up to make women’s lives better and provide them economic information in real time, said Daw Khin Lay, the chairperson of Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs’ Association (MWEA).
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Union Minister U Thein Swe receives Executive Director of Euro Cham Myanmar
Union Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population U Thein Swe received a delegation led by Executive Director of Euro Cham Myanmar, Mr. Filip Lauwerysen, at the ministry in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Singapore surpasses China as Myanmar’s biggest investor
Singapore has overtaken China as the country’s main source of foreign investment in 2019, according to data from the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations.
— Myanmar Times

11th education and TVET sector coordination group meeting in Nay Pyi Taw
11th Education and TVET Sector Coordination Group Meeting was held at Office No. 13 meeting hall, Ministry of Education, Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Warring Shan Armed Groups Agree to Ceasefire
The armed wings of the SSPP and the RCSS have agreed to lay down arms and take to the negotiation table to settle their ongoing disputes over territory.
— Irrawaddy

Religious objects meant for Eternal Peace Pagoda displayed in Toungoo
Religious objects, along with two Buddha images carved from marble stones, meant for the Eternal Peace Pagoda were displayed in Toungoo yesterday to allow people to pay their respects, as part of a nationwide ceremonial procession. The Eternal Peace Pagoda is under construction in Nay Pyi Taw.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Lawmaker Blocked from Asking about Gov’t-Military Ties on House Floor
NLD member’s question removed from list of questions to be asked publicly.
— Irrawaddy

Vietnam, Myanmar to expand cooperation in defence, anti-crime
Vietnam and Myanmar agreed on Saturday to expand cooperation to potential spheres, including navy, military medicine, defence industry, logistics, search and rescue, and fighting crimes related to national and regional security.
— Mizzima

Muskogee couple raising money to assist Myanmar refugees
“It is not a good condition at all,” said Lembke, 27, who spent 17 years in refugee camps along the Myanmar/Thailand border. She and her family, members of Myanmar’s Karen ethnic group moved into camps when she was 3.
— Center Dispatch

Feature photo Pxhere

This week’s Myanmar morning news photo features Vesak Day, May 18.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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.