Official ADAPT 2030 Website (Keeping Your Families Reset Prepared)

Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport (KMTT) Project aims to provide an alternative route that connects Northeast India and the mainland India, Kolkata in particular, through Chin and Rakhine in Myanmar .

KMTT project includes following infrastructure development: (1) expansion of Sittwe port from the maximum capacity of 4,000 to 7,000 ton; (2) construction of river port in Paletwa; (3) channel dredging of Kaladan River from Sittwe to Paletwa; (4) road construction from Paletwa to Myeikwa at Myanmar-India border (129km).

ASEAN-India Connectivity: Asia Development Plan (CADP), Phase 2 PDF

Myanmar’s Ministry of Energy said on April 11th it would open bidding in June for petroleum operations on a production-sharing basis in 11 shallow and 19 deep-sea blocks in an effort to pull more foreign investment into the country’s oil and gas sector.

The Ministry of Energy's announcement, dated April 11, said “the potential bidders will be allowed to submit three proposals for any three offshore blocks [shallow water or deep water or both].”

The announcement said companies that won licenses for the 11 shallow blocks would have to work with at least one registered local partner, but foreign companies would be able to operate alone in the deep-sea blocks.

Analysis of Local Partner Requirements for Offshore Oil and Gas Myanmar 2013 VDB-Loi

On April 2, 2008, the Indian government signed an agreement with the Myanmar military regime for the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project which is also known as the Kaladan Project. The project will connect Eastern Indian seaports, particularly Kolkata seaport in East India, with the seaport in Western Myanmar's Rakhine State capital, Sittwe—a total distance of 593km. It will then link Sittwe to the landlocked area of Mizoram in Northeastern India via river and road transport. The project is divided into three main phases: [Read more…]

International education providers are a big market in Myanmar because parents want their children to get a quality education and many are prepared to invest a lot of money to achieve this.

“The government’s educational policies have changed significantly. Private schools are now allowed to operate. However, the government universities allow admissions only if the student passes the Myanmar tenth standard matriculation, meaning that the universities remain attached to the Myanmar community. There will be changes later, when private universities get the green light to operate.”

Full list of Private Schools and Training Centers operating in Yangon 2013  [Read more…]

A full program schedule for the MTL (Myanmar Transport & Logistics Summit) 13-14 May, 2013 in Yangon at the  Park Royal Hotel is available in PDF.

Gas exports have already surpassed last year’s record of US$3.5 billion and are on track to total nearly $4 billion when the fiscal year ends at the end of this month, a commerce ministry official said.

The total had exceeded $3.7 billion as of the middle of this month.  Next year is expected to see the value of gas exports surge again as the Shwe Gas project is expected to begin exporting in May and the Zawtika project by December.  [Read more…]

Myanmar's Thanlwin River will soon lose its status as a dam-free waterway as six hydropower projects have been approved for it, Deputy Minister of Electrical Power Myint Zaw told Parliament on Wednesday.

The projects will span Shan, Kayar and Karen states and generate a combined 15,000 megawatts of power when completed, he said.  The six projects have already been named: Upper Thanlwin (Kwanlon), Upper Thanlwin (Minetone), Hatgyi, Naungpha, Mantaung and Ywarthit. [Read more…]

The Myanmar Government has implemented the country’s 2013 Foreign Investment Law (“FIL”) with two Notifications (together referred to here as “the Rules”), creating a practical framework to match the Government’s policy.

In general, Notification 1/2013 sets out the permitted activities for foreign investors and the activities which require a joint venture (“JV”), and Notification 11/2013 introduces various helpful regulations on applying for an investment license (“MIC Permit”), the use of land, transfer of shares, remittance of foreign exchange and the taking of security on land and buildings.

2013 Foreign Investment Rules in Myanmar VDB/Loi

The South China Sea is a critical world trade route and a potential source of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, with competing claims of ownership over the sea and its resources.

EIA estimates the South China Sea contains approximately 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in proved and probable reserves. Conventional hydrocarbons mostly reside in undisputed territory.

EIA-South-China-Sea-Overview-Country-by-Country PDF 2013

In Myanmar, Mineral occurrences include:

Metallic ore minerals:Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo. Base & non-ferrous metals: Pb, Zn, Cu, Sn, W, Sb & Ti. Precious & rare metals- PGM, Au, Ag, Nb, Ta

Industrial minerals: Barite, fluorite, Gypsum, dolomite, feldspar, quartz

Precious & Semi-precious Gemstones: Ruby, Sapphire, Jade, Diamond

Survey of Myanmar's Mineral Resources, Geologic Outlook PDF 2013

Myanmar has put out a tender offer for two nationwide mobile operators licenses.Your firm must have Primary Experience of 4M mobile Subscribers, management controll for at least 4 years, revenue exceeding $400M. For Secondary providers your firm must have 1M subscribers and management responsibility for 3 years.

VDB-Loi Analysis of the Myanmar Telecom Tender Committee Experience Requirements

Port devolopment along the rivers in Yangon is in the infant stages, but there is forward movement, albiet slowly. Singapore, Japanese and Korean firms have been given prime locations for redevelopment of wharfs and dock areas. Below is a layout of the areas in Yangon being developed riverside.  [Read more…]

The Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)  has announced an initial period of 90 days for exchanging abolished Foreign Exchange Certificate (FEC) with foreign currencies or local currency Kyat starting on April 1, official media reported Friday.

FEC, which has been put into circulation in place of U.S. dollar for two decades, will be terminated for use on July 1. The period of exchange is extendable to March 31, 2014. There are a total of 31 million units of FEC (1 FEC unit = 1 U.S. dollar) in circulation according to the central bank. [Read more…]

Myanmar will open one more border trade point with Thailand in April (Mawtaung in Myeik southern Taninthayi Region).

It will become the fifth border trade point with Thailand in addition to the existing Myawady, Tachikeik, Myeik and Kawthaung. According to official statistics, bilateral trade between Myanmar and Thailand stood at 4.576 billion U.S. dollars in 2012.

Original Link  Peoples Daily

With the increase in tourist arrivals to Myanmar, Air Bagan has expanded the number of destinations throughout Myanmar. These are the current destinations served by the airline in March 2013.

Air Bagan Destination Cities  [Read more…]

Myanmar is the second poorest country in Asia on the UNDP Human Development Index, fully 30 percent of its population live in acute poverty according to some estimates. The average household monthly income in the Ayeyarwady Delta township of Laputta is around US $80/month, but for around 40% of the population who work as casual labourers, the average monthly income is only around $44.

Myanmar Energy Poverty Survey 2011-2012 PDF