The company has set up a wholly owned Singaporean subsidiary Siam Gas Power, which signed a sales and purchase agreement on July 18 to invest $48 million (1.68 billion baht) in the 230-megawatt project.
The plant joined the national grid system earlier this year, and is operated by Myanmar Lighting under the government’s independent power producer (IPP) system. Myanmar Lighting contracted Singaporean firm Asiatech Energy to build the plant.
The Myanmar government rolled out its IPP system in 2011 to encourage private investment in electricity production, especially in areas off the national grid, hoping to produce more power and alleviate shortages. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
July 23, 2016
Myanmar consumers slow to adopt debit cards
Kinks inherent in the system are preventing a rapid growth in the number of users, which has hovered at around 1.8 million, says U Zaw Lin Htut, CEO of Myanmar Payment Union (MPU).
“People are starting to use cards issued by banks and brands, and are finding it increasingly convenient as the number of stores that take cards increases,” he said.
But while international customers use their cards when they need to buy something and leave the rest of their money in their account, Myanmar users typically use cards to withdraw their entire salary at an ATM every payday, he said, adding, “We would like to encourage them to refrain.” (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
“People are starting to use cards issued by banks and brands, and are finding it increasingly convenient as the number of stores that take cards increases,” he said.
But while international customers use their cards when they need to buy something and leave the rest of their money in their account, Myanmar users typically use cards to withdraw their entire salary at an ATM every payday, he said, adding, “We would like to encourage them to refrain.” (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Myanmar expands fibre optic cable to 31,000 kilometres
Myanmar had only used the SEA-ME-WE 3 fibre optic cable previously, but people in the country will be able enjoy the benefits of the SEA-ME-WE 5 and AAE1 cables soon.
The inland fibre optic cables link Muse and Myawady to Thailand, and in the 2015-16 fiscal year, a new inland fibre optic cable linked Tachilek to Thailand.
Three phone service providers operate in Myanmar.
International bandwidth has reached to over 200 Gbps in 2016, which is nearly seven times the country's capacity in 2013. Although the number of telecommunication towers in Myanmar was under 3,000 before the foreign were introduced, the number of telecommunication towers in Myanmar reached over 11,700 in 2016, sources say. (Courtesy of nationmultimedia.com)
The inland fibre optic cables link Muse and Myawady to Thailand, and in the 2015-16 fiscal year, a new inland fibre optic cable linked Tachilek to Thailand.
Three phone service providers operate in Myanmar.
International bandwidth has reached to over 200 Gbps in 2016, which is nearly seven times the country's capacity in 2013. Although the number of telecommunication towers in Myanmar was under 3,000 before the foreign were introduced, the number of telecommunication towers in Myanmar reached over 11,700 in 2016, sources say. (Courtesy of nationmultimedia.com)
July 22, 2016
Myanmar census data undercuts Buddhist hardliner claims
Muslims make up just over two per cent of Myanmar's population, government census figures showed on Thursday (Jul 21), undercutting claims by Buddhist hardliners that Islam poses a threat to the dominance of their faith.
Full details from the 2014 count, the first of its kind in decades, was withheld for almost a year to avoid stirring tensions in the Buddhist-majority nation ahead of elections that propelled Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party to power.
Islamophobia has rippled across Myanmar in recent years, with Buddhist nationalists sending alarmist messages about the growth of the Muslim population. (Courtesy of channelnewsasia.com)
Full details from the 2014 count, the first of its kind in decades, was withheld for almost a year to avoid stirring tensions in the Buddhist-majority nation ahead of elections that propelled Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party to power.
Islamophobia has rippled across Myanmar in recent years, with Buddhist nationalists sending alarmist messages about the growth of the Muslim population. (Courtesy of channelnewsasia.com)
Myanmar military admits soldiers killed villagers during interrogation
Five villagers have been killed by soldiers during an interrogation in Myanmar, a senior general said, in a rare admission by the country’s powerful military which promised to prosecute the perpetrators.
Witnesses have told Reuters that soldiers rounded up dozens of men in a remote part of the northern Shan state – an area riven by a long-running ethnic insurgency – on 25 June and led five men away. The bodies of the five were found in a shallow grave a few days later.
Lieutenant General Mya Tun Oo, one of Myanmar’s highest-ranking officers and the chief of military intelligence, told a news conference in Yangon that a court martial was under way and that the verdict would be made public. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
Witnesses have told Reuters that soldiers rounded up dozens of men in a remote part of the northern Shan state – an area riven by a long-running ethnic insurgency – on 25 June and led five men away. The bodies of the five were found in a shallow grave a few days later.
Lieutenant General Mya Tun Oo, one of Myanmar’s highest-ranking officers and the chief of military intelligence, told a news conference in Yangon that a court martial was under way and that the verdict would be made public. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi accepts Obama's invitation to visit US
Myanmar government leader Aung San Suu Kyi has accepted an invitation from President Barack Obama to visit the United States, the government said on Thursday, in what would be her first trip to America since she won an election in November.
Suu Kyi planned to travel at a "mutually convenient time", a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said. Another government source said the trip was likely to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly session in New York in September.
Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, swept to power in a historic election in November after decades of campaigning against military rule.
It took over the running of the country after a transition from semi-civilian rule in April.
"She accepted President Obama's invitation to visit the U.S. before his presidency ends," said Aye Aye Soe, a spokeswoman at the foreign ministry, which is run by Suu Kyi.
Visiting U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes delivered Obama's invitation during a meeting with Suu Kyi in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday. (Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk)
Suu Kyi planned to travel at a "mutually convenient time", a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said. Another government source said the trip was likely to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly session in New York in September.
Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, swept to power in a historic election in November after decades of campaigning against military rule.
It took over the running of the country after a transition from semi-civilian rule in April.
"She accepted President Obama's invitation to visit the U.S. before his presidency ends," said Aye Aye Soe, a spokeswoman at the foreign ministry, which is run by Suu Kyi.
Visiting U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes delivered Obama's invitation during a meeting with Suu Kyi in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday. (Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk)
Myanmar frees BBC reporter from jail after appeal
A journalist from the BBC's Myanmar-language service walked free from prison on Thursday after a court accepted his appeal against a three-month sentence handed down in June for striking a policeman.
“I'm in good health and I'm very thankful to those who expressed concerns and worked for my release,” the journalist, Nay Myo Lin, told Reuters by telephone.
Thein Than Oo, his lawyer, told Reuters the court in Mandalay, the country's second largest city, accepted Mr. Nay Myo Lin's appeal and he was freed from prison soon afterwards.
Photographs uploaded to the BBC Myanmar-language Facebook page showed a smiling Mr. Nay Myo Lin walking out of prison beside his pregnant wife. (Courtesy of thehindu.com)
“I'm in good health and I'm very thankful to those who expressed concerns and worked for my release,” the journalist, Nay Myo Lin, told Reuters by telephone.
Thein Than Oo, his lawyer, told Reuters the court in Mandalay, the country's second largest city, accepted Mr. Nay Myo Lin's appeal and he was freed from prison soon afterwards.
Photographs uploaded to the BBC Myanmar-language Facebook page showed a smiling Mr. Nay Myo Lin walking out of prison beside his pregnant wife. (Courtesy of thehindu.com)
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