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Is Food In Yangon Safe and Hygenic?

By
Aye Chan
-

Myanmar is one of the hottest des- tinations as much for the avid touristss as for people across the

globe wishing to participate in a country’s development, who enthusiastically shift base to this once pariah country. For both, living conditions and access to edible, safe and hygienic food is a major consideration. While drastic transformation is evident in both, in the last three years, I wonder if we can say with certainty that all the food avail- able in Yangon is safe and hygienic.

Food hygiene comes gradually and is seem- ingly linked to the stage of economic devel- opment of a country. This is because access to safe drinking water, provision of neat and clean places for food preparation, education and awareness about the need for hygiene in every aspect of our lives, comes only as countries develop. Of course, pollutants and contaminants also grow over time, but knowledge and awareness being created, is half the battle won.

The Hygiene Concept

Food hygiene can be defined as, “the set of basic principles employed by food operators at all stages of food handling to ensure that food is safe for humans to consume and is of good keeping quality”.

Good food hygiene whichhygiene, which makes food safe to consume, involves re- moval of dirt, germs and contaminants at every stage of food handling, including pro- duction, storage, preparation and presen- tation. The principle idea being to prevent food poisoning and diseases in the digestive tract, ensuring that food does not get spoilt or turn rancid, personal hygiene maintained by food handlers and food related places kept clean and pest free.

Governments play the most important role in establishing rules and regulations, pass laws and acts to be followed by food busi- nesses, and ensure they are implemented and followed stringently, keeping public health in mind. They have to set up systems and standards to ensure that the right pro- cesses are followed to promote food hygiene, and then issue ratings, which give an inkling to consumers whether the food on offer is safe to eat. The entire food chain from the farm to the table, is involved in this. The onus for providing access to providing clean water, proper sanitation and other basic facilities also lies with governments.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set clear guidelines for proper food handling and its preparation to ensure that it is done with utmost cleanliness, safe raw ingredi- ents are used, the contact between raw and cooked food is avoided, that food is cooked thoroughly to kill all germs, and the pre- pared food is stored at the right temperature to avoid its spoilage.

This is actually a tall order, since it involves extensive training of food handlers in basic food safety, knowing the best practices, and being acutely aware of the risks involved due to even a slight negligence on their part. It is also part of the social responsibility of busi- nesses to protect people from getting sick, promote better health through provision of quality and safe food products, and in the process, protect their business and their reputation.

Thus, a few habits have to become a way of life for every food handler:

  • Frequent washing of hands, ideally with warm water and soap, especially after using the toilet, each time they enter the kitchen, change tasks or return after an interruption in a food related activity.
  • Any illness like influenza, diarrhea, cold or throat ache, skin eruptions etc. means staying away from food handling, since it leads to the passing on of germs and infection.
  •  Ensuring cleanliness of the food preparation area, including surfaces and equipment, disinfecting the place, and regularly getting pest control treatment done to keep the place bug and rodent free.
  • Utensils, crockery and cutlery must be washed and cleaned with good detergent and hot water, and not wiped, but air dried.
  • Cooked foods and perishable items must be stored at appropriate temperatures, since keeping them at room temperature means risking their getting spoiled. All food has to be kept covered and free from dust and flies.
  • Uncooked foods, especially meats must to be kept away from cooked items with no chance of them touching prepared foods so as to avoid the transfer of pathogens.
  • Personal hygiene of food handlers is imperative. Besides keeping hands clean, nails must be clipped short since germs get stuck in long nails and get passed on into the food. Coughing and sneezing is not permissible, hair must be tied, and covered with a cap, while also not touch- ing or scratching any part of their bodies. Cuts/wounds must be dressed and cov- ered. Besides wearing clean, protective clothing disposable gloves must be worn before touching food. Smoking has to be avoided while handling food.
  • The premises where cooking and pro- cessing of food has to be undertaken must necessarily be equipped with prop- er light and ventilation, have appropriate temperature control, keep the place in good repair and absolutely clean, ade- quate sanitation and clean toilets and ensure supply of potable water.

Food Hygiene in Yangon

It is a well known fact that food hygiene in Yangon is rather low, something that even the government admits, while attempting to improve existing standards. Starting from the basics like providing clean drinking wa- ter, and adequate water supply to facilitate washing and cleaning, the concept of hy- giene in the food industry is abysmally low. Hygiene issues persist at every level, from raw ingredients, to cooked foods both do- mestically and commercially. Methods of cleaning, storage, preparation and serving, are all far behind international safety stan- dards in the realm of human consumption. The downtown area is lined with small eat- eries, and most of them do not even appear clean, even though they seem to be doing brisk business. Hot food, freshly prepared, is safe, and since turnover is high, the level of freshness ensures its safety for consump- tion. Avoiding prepared food, lying in the open, often uncovered, is recommended, just as much as uncooked foods.

While many residents may perceive this to be a snobbish perspective, this is reality and stomach disorders are so very common. Locals have been habituated long enough to develop immunity against harmful food bacteria. Bacteria are commonly found in roadside food and transfer easily and quick- ly. Hawkers do not have access to sufficient water to clean utensils and dishes, there is not even enough shelf space to place large pans, which are left on the pavement, ex- posed not just to the elements but numer- ous living beings as well. Unclean hands, recycling disposable plates and spoons, providing a single tumbler for hundreds to drink from, are some of the unhygienic practices witnessed by all of us.

Over three quarters of the cooked food sold in Yangon is from street stalls and mobile vans, which stop and set up shop anywhere and everywhere. Offering an amazing vari- ety of local delicacies, the aroma is tempt- ingly appetizing. Thus one can select the various types of satay, mo hin gar and other soups, salads, fish, vegetables and curries, besides rice and noodles. The dishes are amazingly cheap and a sumptuous meal can be had for as little as 2000 kyats. People frequent these stalls since it is time saving, cheap and tasteful. While many eat on the same tables and chairs provided, an equal number carry packed food home, often in polythene bags unfit for hot foods. The hy- giene issue obviously takes a back seat, and eyes are closed to dishes being just dipped into tubs of dirty water twice over and re- used. Bare hands being used for serving, dirty food counters, the same hands being used for handling both money and food, are some of the dangerous habits noticed about food handlers. Flies and insects buzz disturbingly close to the stored food, dogs and cats are seen close to the large pots of- ten left on the floor. The results came out in the testing of food samples from numerous food stalls. It was found 35% of the food samples of popular preparations like fried rice, sausages and ice cream, contained the dangerous food bacteria like Bacillus cereusv or Staphylococcus aureas, both causing food poisoning. These bacteria get transferred into food due to lack of personal hygiene of food handlers.

The common man and the tourist remain skeptical about how safe the food is, but due to lack of cleaner options at similar price lev- els, remain helpless and optimistically con- tinue buying and eating, hoping that their systems are immune to the bacteria.

Food hygiene being an issue of national concern is conceded even by officials of the Myanmar Restaurants Association (MRA), and the organization has taken it upon itself to educate street vendors about the impor- tance and the process of preparing hygienic food. Taking on one vendor at a time, the MRA is educating them about cleanliness and how to store food, personal hygiene of vendors, the use of proper crockery and keeping food covered and contamination free. It is also persuading the government to ensure adequate water supply for proper washing of equipment. Multinationals like Unilever Food Solutions have been invest- ing both money and effort since 2010, to train staff in Myanmar’s formal hospitality sector about the need and significance of food hygiene.

The flip side of eating unhygienic foods Illness and digestive disorders are a natural corollary to the consumption of unsafe, un- hygienic foods. The extent of contamination 2. determines the symptoms that appear, like diarrhea, throwing up, cramps or nausea, 3. besides various allergies. Dangerous bacte-

ria like E.Coli and Salmonella spread due to 4. poor food handling practices and can cause 5. lasting damage to the victims.

When food is not hygienic, the illness threat looms large, and while most people equip themselves with emergency medicines, it becomes important to be familiar with medical facilities available. Medical insurance

has yet to develop in Myanmar, and most ofus come use international insurance com- panies to provide cover, with the so essential, emergency evacuation option. And sure enough, neighboring countries equipped with the latest healthcare facilities and state-of-the-art hospitals, promote medical tourism in Myanmar to benefit from the missing facilities here, knowing that hospitals and health care has yet to come up to international standards.

High Risk Foods in Yangon

  1. Street food
  2. Uncooked vegetables
  3. Unpeeled and unwashed fruits
  4. Raw, cold meats
  5. Unpasteurized dairy products
  6. Cold sauces, like salad dressings,
  7. mayonnaise, chutneys
  8. Ice in drinks
  9. Tap water
  10. Fruit juice from open stalls
  11. Uncovered foods with flies and in-
  12. sects visible around them.

 

A Few Don’ts

The biggest problem of eating carelessly es- pecially when in doubt about food hygiene, is the risk of being inflicted with amoebic dysentery. Food poisoning is common, and with lack of quality healthcare facilities, there is a bigger risk involved. It is better to be safe, than sorry.

  1.  Do not drink just any water, ask for bottled water only.
  2. Do not have any fruit juice extracted in open juicers.
  3. Do not raw vegetables or unpeeled fruits.
  4. Do not eat street food.
  5. Do not eat in small, unclean tea shops and food centers.
  6. A Few Safe Eateries in Yangon

The best places to eat in Yangon are largely upscale, including all the restaurants in star rated hotels. A few worth mentioning in- clude the following:

Myanmar Cuisine – Padonmar Restaurant, Monsoon, Green Elephant.

Thai Cuisine – Mai Thai, Nacha, Sabai Chinese – White Rice, My Garden, Oriental House

Italian – Sharky’s, La Opera, Parami Pizza, Pepperoni, Napoli

Indian – Corriander Leaf, Titu’s Banana Leaf, A.V.’s

Multicuisine and tea salons – Acacia Tea Salon, Fuji Coffee House, Union Bar & Grill, 50th Street Grill & Bar.

Hygenic food-a precursor to tourism devel- opment

The world today, is virtually without bor- ders, and travel has become a favorite pas- time especially for a generation that believes in working hard and partying hard. Chang- ing mindsets, the spirit of adventure and a nearly hassle free experience of exploring new countries and cultures, has made tour- ism a big industry, and for many countries, the largest revenue earner. Developing countries exude an old world charm that fas- cinates and beckons those willing to spend on travelling. Myanmar, naturally then, stands to benefit immensely from this, and its earnings out of this industry might well fund the infrastructure development des- perately needed in the country. But it has to first provide for the very basic needs of tour- ists, providing them quality accommodation and safe, hygienically prepared food.

Heated Up Revolution in Myanmar: The Final Frontier for Asian Telecoms Growth

By
Aye Chan
-

In Myanmar, a country which was large- ly forgotten by the rest of the world until a decade ago, mobile telephone

was a simple luxurious possession for the high class people. A single mobile SIM card price was up to $1600 in junta-ruled coun- try when the average price for one in other counties was almost free.

Very few people owned mobile phones in Myanmar years ago. Fewer people have ac- cess to the internet. The country’s telecom sector was controlled and organized only by government-backed Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT), which services were poor comparing within the region ac- cording to the feedbacks from the local cus- tomers.

Now, the country’s telecoms are at breaking point. Owning a mobile phone in once-re- clusive Myanmar is now getting a lot easier and much cheaper along with the heat up competition between two foreign telecom giants from Norway and Qatar.

Now two foreign telecom giants have al- ready tapped into that hunger for Internet services, mobile phones and the other tech- nology advances that most of the world has enjoyed for years. Today, as Myanmar pries open its economy, mobile phone use is up to 10% of the population of more than 51 mil- lion, while fewer than 7% now have Internet access. But these rates are set to skyrocket at fiber-optic speed as Norway’s Telenor and Qatar’s Ooredoo start rolling out mod- ern equipment over the coming months. Ooredoo plans to invest $1 billion this year and bring service to 70% of the population by the end of next year–within five years 97%. Telenor, a veteran of tough Asian mar- kets, also is pledging $1 billion to start.

“We’ve never entered a market before where demand is so visible,” says Petter Furberg, Telenor Myanmar’s CEO.

Being referred as Asia final telecom frontier, many investors competed for the telecom li- cense by the ambitious and recently reform- ist ASEAN republic which has a population of 51.4 million people where mobile phone penetration is still estimated to be below 10%.

Even the companies and consortiums that were unsuccessful at the bid stage spoke promisingly about how transparent and fair the whole process had been. Clearly, it was a test that the Myanmar government passed. The two international operators, which have licensed to operate business in Myanmar for building mobile networks last year, entered into agreements with other investors to put money and know-how into developing the industry. These two telecom giants are now opening their frontiers to compete along with the reforming MPT which cooperating with Japan’s KDDI.

Though MPT has announced its SIM card’s price tag is only Ks 1,500, ( $1.5)demand pushed the black-market rate to between Ks 15,000 ($15) and Ks 20,000 ($20). De- spite the high number of SIM cards from Ooredoo, a customer in July also ended up paying Ks 7,000 ($7) for a Ks 1,500 ($1.5) card when sales agents in Mandalay began selling ahead of the planned debut. Earli- er this month, MPT launched new products and services through a partnership with Japanese telecommunication giants KDDI and Sumitomo.

The previously unknown competition be- tween the major players in Myanmar’s tele- com landscape has prompted some custom- ers to complain that the new rates are still too high and they would wait for cheaper packages offered by the market entrants. Both newcomers are now offering promo- tions with subsidized mobile phones and airtime or Internet bonus packages with un- believable low prices for the people.

Telenor, one of two telecom companies winning the 15-year licenses, is now initi- ating their mobile networks starting from Mandalay on September 27, Nay Pyi Daw and soon in Yangon. Qatar’s telecom giant

Ooredoo, which started services in Myan- mar in August, is now finally confronted with competition of Norway’s Telenor, the second foreign license holder on the highly undersupplied mobile phone market in the newly opened country.

Telenor’s CEO Petter Furberg said, “Every- thing is ready. Every SIM card comes with voice, SMS, Internet, etc. Also roaming is enabled from the start. It is important when you travel you can immediately use roam- ing if that country has signed an agreement with Telenor.”

The country’s Ministry of Telecommunica- tions and Information Technology expects the number of mobile phone users to reach up to 80% of the population as early as next year, while the number of Internet users is forecast to reach 50% in the same period.

Ooredoo Myanmar, which sold 1 million SIM cards in the first three weeks after its launch, said it has a target of 25 million cus- tomers by end of 2014. Telenor’s CEO Petter Furberg spoke of a target of 9 million cus- tomers in the same period.

There are some issues for Ooredoo and Telenor had to deal like sky-rocked land prices, human resource problem and a lack of infrastructure. Both operators have to complete a target to cover a majority of the population with network coverage by 2016. In Myanmar almost all mobile penetration is urban, and 65% of the population lives in rural areas. So, meeting such a penetration target will be a tall order when it comes to network rollout and investment. Add to that Myanmar’s mountainous terrain, and it is evident that delivering widespread connec-

tivity in a few years could be difficult.

As parts of the country, especially in the north and the west, continue to hit by eth- nic tension and violence, some experts said it remains to be seen whether the operators can spread their networks in the areas.

The Booming BeautyBusiness

By
Aye Chan
-

Is looking good necessarily the re- flection of natural beauty and the features one is born with? Not quite. A subtle enhancement of nat- ural appearance transforms men

and women alike, though the latter spend far more time, effort and money to look what they perceive to be beautiful. Wom- en certainly take their external appearance very seriously, seeking to change any of their physical attributes that do not appeal, or seem to detract from their beauty. The straight-haired wish their hair would curl, while those with wavy tresses spend time and money straightening them.

The beauty industry is booming and de- mand for the phenomenal variety of prod- ucts and services is spiraling, even as mil- lions of dollars are being spent on research to find solutions for perfect skin, perfect hair, age-defying creams, and potions that will elevate beauty. The global demand can be gauged from the figures released by Euromonitor International, which pegged global sales of skin care products at USD 107 billion in 2013, and hair care products at USD 77 billion, with both industries slat- ed to see a 20% increase in the next three years.

It’s all about personal preferences and being beauty conscious

Looking good has different connotations for different people and among the many influencing factors are, age, nationality and gender. Time and effort levels may vary but the global consumer does focus on being clean and presentable, though some are obsessed with enhancement of features and going to great lengths and pains to remove every blemish. There are many who believe in bathing being the complete cleanser, and just as many who follow a four-step regimen of cleansing, toning, scrubbing and mois- turizing, every day. Some are comfortable with their acne and freckles, while others may visit dermatologists and skin clinics to try out skin peeling, ozone treatments, and steroid creams to get rid of them. The bot- tom line of course, is that we all want to have softer, smoother, blemish free skin, shining and whiter teeth, and wish to age gracefully, albeit with age reflecting last on our face!

Some of the universally accepted char- acteristics of looking good include:

  •  A clean appearance and fresh smell- ing, odor free body
  •  Well combed hair that are neat and tidy
  •  Presentable attire that is neither dirty nor crumpled
  •  Some form of makeup that adds to fa- cial features.

Style is one aspect of personal image of which physical appearance is one signifi- cant part. The all-important need to be well groomed that adds charm to the outer ap- pearance requires a wide range of products for skin and hair care, cosmetics to add col- or, and fragrances.

Myanmar’s budding beauty sector

That knee touching mane of straight, dark and silken hair, and ‘thanakha’ covered cheeks is perceived by most tourists as the most pleasing, pristine beauty in the wom- en of Myanmar. How long this lasts in the country which is now an open playground for global players of the beauty business, remains to be seen. Strong influences from highly fashion conscious neighboring coun- tries, already seem to be permeating in big cities like Yangon and Mandalay.

The Euromonitor International ranks Myan- mar as one of the 20 markets of the future. With a middle class that will double in num- ber by 2020 and a potential customer base of nearly 60 million across age groups, near- ly every player in the global beauty and personal grooming industry is waiting to step into the country. The money making poten- tial apart, this will create job opportunities for aspirants, and contribute substantially towards capability building through train- ing programs that will take the recruits to international standards of service and per- formance. Eventually, as the country turns more cosmopolitan, there will be a need to provide world class services, comparable to what neighboring countries offer.

Myanmar hosted its first internation- al beauty trade exhibition, Cosmobeaute Myanmar, in June 2014 where 58 com- panies from 11 countries showcased their products. This is one of many firsts, intro- ducing locals to a variety of brands, not known before. Not that most international brands aren’t available – they have been flooding the market for the last two years. It is now easy to buy the latest creams and lotions, toners and cleansers, in fact a sig- nificant part of the range offered by Kanebo, L’oreal, Revlon, Maybelline, Shishedo, Joi- co, Clinique, and other leading international brands, are seen in spas and beauty parlors. Supermarket brands like Dove, Sunsilk, Rejoice and Rexona seem to have been left behind, at least by those who can afford to pay more.

Beauty parlors, spas, skin clinics, nail art and hair salons have multiplied manifold in the last two years. While earlier, one could expect high quality services only at salons located in four and five star hotels, it is now possible to enjoy similar services in one of the many spas and parlors opening up. L’Oreal Salon, California Skin Spa, Niti- pon Beauty Center, Clinique Skin and Laser Clinic, are some of the foreign chains that bring with them better expertise and inter- national standards. From small hair salons to upscale parlors, the number runs into hundreds now.

The newer salons and spas are vying for space in upscale localities while the older businesses continue to flourish in their old locations. All of them are replicating décor and designs seen in places like Thailand, with soft soothing music offering relaxation, dim lights and clean, sterilized equipment being used. La Source has two branches, one that lies off Inya Road and another in Sedona Hotel, and it had to close down the one it had opened in Junction Square. Le Coiffeur is off Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, the Clinique Skin Clinic has recently opened on Kan Street, off Pyay Road. T8 and Tony Tun Tun are popular beauty and hair salons with multiple outlets. Similarly, Beauty Concepts serves customers from the Sule Shangri-La Hotel and Market Place. Spa Paragon has conveniently opened at ground level in the luxurious Shwe Hin Tha Condominium, benefitting from its 150 plus apartments mostly occupied by expatriates, and a vast clientele beyond. The Inya Day Spa has many walk in clients due to its prominent location, and the standard of its services does not disappoint. Last year, the well- known Thai salon, Nitipon, opened on Ka- bar Aye Pagoda Road. With shopping malls mushrooming in every part of the city, small beauty salons are opening up on higher floors to attract mall visitors, and complet- ing their mall experience.

Most of these offer membership that comes with a 10-20% discount for all treatments. As competition increases, these salons are coming up with festive promotions, and freebies that were practically nonexistent two years ago. Luring customers is one thing, retaining them requires a higher quality of services than what is found in oth- er salons.

Popular beauty treatments

Most of the spas and parlors visited seem to be using similar brands and have both local and expatriate clients. While tourists vis- it mainly for body massage and hair wash, those residing in Yangon, opt for the whole gambit of services. The range of services of- fered is most or less similar too, though La Source offers ozone treatment for hair, some hair regrowth therapy, and hair steaming to promote hair growth.

The majority of local Myanmar ladies, visit salons for hair wash, color and treatment and nail art. For them hair care takes prece- dence. Hair straightening is extremely pop- ular, especially since the local women have admirably long hair. Coloring hair into nu- merous shades of brown or just highlighting the ends, is a favorite pastime of the young- er generation, wanting to sport a new look, every few days. Hair wash outside the home seems an alien concept to most expatriate women, but once tried, they get hooked on to it too. Manicures, pedicure and foot massage are very common too. Footfalls increase over the weekend, though during the week, one would find these salons over- staffed, with the staff just sitting around beautifying themselves.

Asian women with darker hair often have to resort to hair removal treatments and frequent salons for waxing and threading, eyebrow reshaping and so on. Removal of facial hair does wonders to the appearance. Permanent solutions like laser treatment for hair removal have started appearing, but have yet to make a mark in Yangon since this requires a high level of expertise and experience.

Yangon is one more Asian city where so called beauty therapists provide a wide range of beauty services at home, visiting client homes, and are much cheaper, though one cannot compare the quality of services. This is partly because the better salons send their staff to Thailand for training and learning all the essential skills, who then come and train other staff on the job. Most of the staff are young ladies, though some men work as hair stylists. Almost all the spas visited had young ladies in their twenties, working with reasonable levels of expertise.

Most of these beauty treatments are rather time consuming and don’t come cheap. A body scrub at Spa Paragon takes two and a half hours and costs 60,000 kyats. A prefer- ence for natural products has made French brands like Decleor and Sothy’s very popu- lar. The Japanese SK-II is another frequent- ly preferred brand. Hair care products from Shiseido, Joico, Kerastase, L’Oreal Profes- sionnel and others have become popular though prices vary.

Price range of services

The list of beauty services provided for hair and skin, the face or the body, is rather long, but some of the most frequently used ones are mentioned. Hair loss treatments have recently picked up, and can put anyone down by a few hundred dollars. Their effec- tiveness, of course, remains debatable.

  •  Hair wash costs between 2000- 10000 kyats depending on the salon. The shampoo and conditioners used also affect the price charged.
  •  Maincure charges range between 5000 – 12000 kyats
  •  Pedicure can cost between 6000 – 15000 kyats.
  •  Hair cut with shampooing of hair costs between 6000 – 20,000 kyats
  •  Facials which include face cleaning and elaborate treatment come for anything between 25000 – 85000 kyats
  • Body scrub costs 40000 – 60000 kyats

Staying Natural

All the salons may be doing brisk business, but coming to Yangon made me understand what wonders natural skin products can do. Applying ‘thanakha’ actually improves the skin in texture and clears blemishes left by pimples and acne, and I wonder why Myanmar folk, for whom applying this san- dalwood paste has been a sacred routine, should even dream of giving it up. I, for one, prefer natural looks more than heavily made up faces caked with layers of foundation, and admire those who dare to step out with their simplicity on display.

 

THE BLUE LAGOON

By
Aye Chan
-

Not being very religious minded, going to the temple infested town of Puri wasn’t my idea of a fun-filled vacation. But the word ‘sea beach’ created waves of excitement and soon I found myself in the holy city which is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage site and one of the ‘char dhams’ because of the Jagannath Temple. It’s amazing to see how the swirling pinnacle of this 12th century temple made in the typical Kalinga style of architecture com- mands the landscape for miles around. Soon after having a darshan of Lord Jagannath with the help of a local panda (without which it would have been a sacrilege on my part), I literally dragged myself out from the sea of pilgrims at the temple and rushed towards the sea which fortunately wasn’t very far from the temple.

The sea with all its essential ingredients – sun, sand and surf- was waiting for me as if it was a gesture of mutual admira- tion. Throwing the garb of a pilgrim, I soon made my way into the pearly waters- not to take the traditional holy dip to wash my sins off, but to get completely soaked by the crash- ing surf. It was December- the best time to visit Puri climate wise, but worst time to be there – population wise. The pil- grims-turned-tourists throng this place around this time.

The Puri beach offers a rare opportunity of witnessing the colourful sunrise and the sunset where you can bathe and laze around for hours on the golden sands. Watching local fishermen in large groups, plying their catamarans or sail boats and drawing into their nets rich catches of crabs, prawns, pomfrets and other fish could be a sight of a life- time. You will also find people breaking shells and taking out (fake) pearls and corals right in front of you.

On this beach, for the first time I saw sand turning into a stunning examples of art. There was a group of students under the tutelage of world famous sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik, showing their creativity in sand, by carving huge face of Lord Shiva or a sleeping Buddha or a saint in deep meditation. The students would go leaving their creations behind only to be washed away by the waves that come to the shore in the evening.

On being told that Orissa has many more sea beaches be- sides Puri, the beach- lover in me couldn’t help exploring the beauty of other beaches. Nearest to the Puri beach is Balighai beach. This is a casuarinas fringed beach with a Sea Turtle Research Centre situated nearby. If you wish to enjoy just the tranquility of a beach side and the gurgle of the sea waves then this could be an ideal spot for you.

Chandipur a small town 16 kms away from the bigger town of Balasore, is a unique beach – unique in the sense, where sea water recedes about 5 kms during low tide and advances to the shoreline again during high tide, each day giving rev- elers the ultimate pleasure of walking into its shallow depths with fearless abandon. The swaying casuarinas trees and the shimmering waters of this seaside resort have made Chan- dipur a favourite haunt for a small coterie of beach lovers. The beach offers gorgeous views of dynamic seascapes and timeless dawns.

A trip to Orissa is incomplete without a visit to Konark, where the famous Sun Temple built in the 13th century AD stands as the crowning piece of Orissa’s architecture and sculpture. After visiting this religious and historically fa- mous site, a short drive (about 3 kms) brought me to the Chandrabhaga beach. According to a myth, the Sun God is believed to have sought a beautiful sea- maiden named Chandrabhaga. After chasing her upto this point, she is said to have disappeared into the sea. As another legend goes, a river by the same name Chandrabhaga is supposed to have existed just 3 kms away from the temple where Shamba, the son of Lord Krishna prayed to the Sun God for 12 years to be cured of leprosy. In memory of Shamba’s successful pen- ance, the Chandrabhaga Mela (festival) is held every year. During the full-moon phase in the month of Magha, the fes- tival is marked by certain rituals. People bath in the pond at night and then watch the sunrise over the sea the next morning.The strong currents of water do not make it either safe or easy for swimming but the picturesque view of the sunrise and sunset at this place is enchanting.

One of the most pristine beaches of Orissa, Gopalpur is a surfer’s delight and is excellent for sailing too. This qui- et beach is a splendid retreat for sea-worshippers, located about 16 km from Berhampur. Once a humming seaport, Gopalpur offers its visitors a slice of serenity in environs that are conducive to introspection and conviviality. You can still see the crumbling walls and pillars of the jetty, witness to its past glory of commercial activity. Now, plans are on to revitalise the port again and make it fit for modern ships. The pleasures of the blue beach and the blue bay with her backwaters continue to lure the water babies.

Mining and Energy Sector

By
Aye Chan
-

What? Myanmar has oil?

In discussions with foreign investors about the Myanmar economy, I am fre- quently taken a back by a lack of aware- ness of the substantial level of petro car- bon resources the country possesses and of the historical significance and ongoing importance of oil and gas production as a driver of the economy. With this in mind, I thought I would relate some of the basics in this month’s column.

How much oil and gas does Myanmar have? Opinions clearly vary, largely be- cause the country has not had the techni- cal capacity to assess its possible reserves, something that is reflected in the contrac- tual arrangements attached to the offshore exploration licences allocated earlier this year. There are no promises made as to the size of reserves- there may be little found at all, but bidders clearly are expecting that there is much wealth to be discovered. Ac- cording to BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy, Myanmar currently has 8 Trillion Cubic Feet (TcF) of proven gas reserves. This places it close to Thailand – hardly known as a large producer on a global scale. The lack of exploration activity in Myanmar, however, naturally means that less has been found. Some believe the actual number is much higher – as high as 90 TcF of natural gas- which would put the country’s endow- ment closer to that of Indonesia. Myanmar may also have 3 billion barrels of oil reserves, although proven reserves are currently very low.

Myanmar is, in fact, one of the oldest oil producers in the world – some dating pe- troleum discovery there to as early as 900 AD. It is evident that Burma was produc- ing oil long before it was discovered in the Middle East, where it was first discovered in Persia (modern day Iran) in 1908 and then Saudi Arabia in 1938. Marilyn Longmuir, in her book Oil in Burma – The Extraction of “Earth-Oil” to 1914, describes the early oil industry in Myanmar as “the largest in the world”. Oil was extracted by hand by mining families known as Twinza, who held hered- itary rights to the soil and to the oil below.

In 1854, as an early example of the introduction of state control over a clearly significant resource, King Mindon declared a royal monopoly on the wholesale trading of oil – Twinza were required to sell all production to the king, who became the sole wholesaler. Such regulation was later to be reflected in British policies and it finds its modern form in the 2008 Republic of the Union of Myan- mar Constitution and other legislation, which gives the central government control over the country’s entire hydrocarbon re- sources.

After the colonisation of Burma in 1885, following the Third Anglo-Burmese War, the British founded the Burmah Oil Compa- ny – which survives today as Castrol – and commenced exporting oil. The oil fields of Myanmar were of strategic importance as the only major oil-producing region in the British Empire, supplying the British Navy. As has been the case with a number of more recent conflicts around the globe, one sug- gested motivation for the British action in 1885 was to lock in access to Burma’s oil. Another suggested motivation was the fact that Britain’s rivals, the French, were in discussions with the Burmese crown, the British assault being aimed at keeping the French out. It is indeed ironic that the only European company with major oper- ations in Myanmar today is a French oil company, Total.

The mining and energy sector is ranked fourth in terms of contribution to Myan- mar’s GDP and the sector’s current trajec- tory alone suggests that its importance in driving economic growth must increase, going forward. The participation of virtu- ally all of the world’s major oil exploration and production enterprises in the bidding process for the MOGE 2013-2014 block releases suggests, however, that some be- lief in the credibility attaches to unofficial reserve estimates that, if realized, could ultimately place Myanmar among the top global oil and gas producers. In such circumstances, it may well be that oil and gas production becomes the key source of Myanmar’s future prosperity.

October Cover

By
Aye Chan
-

An Expatriate’s Experiments with Fish

By
Aye Chan
-

As the aircraft begins its descent to- wards the Mingladon airport, the view from the window is of numer- ous water bodies, the Yangon River, sever- al lakes, besides small ponds and streams. Myanmar has a 1930 km coastline as it bor- ders the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Further inland, there are large rivers like Ayeyarwady, Sittuang, Chidwin, Thal- win and a part of the Mekong river basin that stretch across 2000 km besides another 2600 km of their tributaries and smaller riv- ers. It is only natural then, to find an amaz- ing variety of fish and seafood in Myanmar. Fish, along with rice is principal staple fare for the people of Myanmar, who love small fresh fish with their meals, besides using dried fish and fermented fish paste in plen- ty for numerous exotic preparations. A dis- tinct fish aroma permeates the air especially around eating places, which one gets accus- tomed to, gradually.

For someone who has grown up in a land- locked place, fish is an acquired taste, en- joyed, but even after decades of eating it, reservations persist about quality, odor, and freshness, and many a time I can’t help wrinkling my nose. Bones of the smaller fish scare me still, and I have never quite under- stood how native fish eaters are able to col- lect the bones and discreetly remove them to their plate.

In the last three decades, I have lived in places like Kolkata, Singapore and Bangkok, all of which are famous for fish and seafood, and widely perceived to have some of the world’s freshest fish varieties. But it is here, in Yangon, that I have found the fish to be the freshest, and hence completely odorless. The fish available in the market passes the freshness test I learnt-the meat is pink and moist, the scales are intact, the color is not dull and the gills still look pinkish red and not brown. Not knowing the language, the easiest was to buy fish initially from Citymart that carries the English names of the local fish varieties on sale. However, in a matter of days I found the Inya Road market, one of the many wet markets around town, and the fish on sale there, seemed even fresher. I somehow found it close enough, convenient, clean and cheap, and it has been my fish source for nearly two years now. It was here that I discovered the following:

Rohu- NgaMyit Chin – I was thrilled to find this freshwater brackish fish on my first trip to the market. Easy to identi- fy, this is one of the most popular fish varieties cooked all over Asia. Though bony, it belongs to the carp family, grows up to 200 cm in length and can weigh up to 45 kilograms. And the big- ger the fish, the tastier it is. Rohu has a smaller head and silver scales that darken with a tinge of red closer to the tail, and is generally big in size. Not too fond of smaller, finer bones for fear of choking, I prefer to buy the middle sec- tion of a big fish and prepare it like an Indian curry, to be eaten with rice. At Inya market, the fish vendors cut the fish into perfect pieces for curries and frying, and even remove the skin and scales completely, if preferred. Once cut, the meat is pink. It cannot be made into boneless fillets though. A dash of mustard, a mild flavor of garlic, Rohu makes for the most sumptuous after- noon meal.

Katla- NgaThaingGuangBua- Katla is another carp variety, a scaly freshwater fish that has a marked resemblance to Rohu, in size and appearance, except that it has a much bigger head and an upturned mouth. It is thicker around the middle and its deep body helps in differentiating it from other fish. Again, it is bony but with lighter pink meat when cut. Here too the midsection is the best cut. Native fish eaters love to prepare fish-head curry, while I am happy preparing a coconut milk based curry out of small less bony pieces, hap- pily leaving the skin, scales, head and tail for the fish vendor!

Mrigal- NgaGyin- It took me a long time to find the English name for Nga Gyin, that everyone spoke about. It is actu- ally ray-finned white carp. It is one of the most popular widely cultured fresh water fish varieties with fine white meat inside its silver, scaly exterior. Again a freshwater fish, it survives in fast flow- ing streams and grows extremely fast and up to a maximum length of one me- ter. The first time I bought Nga Gyin, I found it to have a very fine taste, and have since, used it for frying and mild gravies.

Hilsa- Nga Tha Lauk- The hilsa is a fish of the herring family, extremely flavor- ful and delicious. It is a silver colored tropical fish with a purple overtone and easily identifiable amongst the other varieties. For the people of Bengal and Bangladesh, it is the ultimate delicacy with its soft, smooth and creamy taste. The hilsa has an interesting life pat- tern since it spends its life in the sea and then migrates for spawning up to 1200 km inland through rivers. This migration typically takes place during the monsoons. The fish breed in fresh- waters and then move to the sea as the young ones grow. I had been hearing of hilsa for years in Kolkata, but could never attempt eating it due to its hun- dreds of fine bones. I was pleasantly surprised to try Hilsa prepared Myan- mar style at a friend’s place, where it had been soaked overnight in vinegar, which melted its bones completely and I was able to savor every bit of it!

  1. Butterfish- Nga Dang and Nga Myin – I loved this fish the first time I ate it, pri- marily because it was boneless. With a big center bone that is easy to remove it can be cut perfectly into fillets and cubes. I am told that there are two va- 7. rieties of butter fish, the lean nga myin that is the dearer, finer butter fish, and one that is true to its name, and loaded with butter-the layers of fat are visible and just have to be discarded-this is nga dang, the cheaper variety, delicious but probably too fatty, unless stripped clean of all the surrounding fat. This fish is ideal for frying, grilling and bar- becuing, and seemed to lose its softness when I once to prepare it as a curry. Butter fish stands out as a fresh water fish, with its smooth silvery skin, dark- er on top and nearly white below, and a flat body that is extremely broad in the middle.
  2. Seabass-Nga Ka Kadit- Seabass is an old favorite available in other countries, and always a safe bet, having neither a strong odor nor too bony, and its fillets are the easiest to cook. It took me a while to find out its local name, where after it was easy to buy. I learnt that there is extensive pond culture of sea- bass, which besides the local market is exported to Australia, and its culture is being encouraged since it is a spe- cies easy to produce, and highly lucra- tive. Seabass catch comes from shrimp ponds as well. It was interesting to find out that a new variety of seabass is cul- tured in easntern Myanmar and has been named ‘lates uwisara’, as a tribute to the famed Myanmar monk U Wisara who died while on hunger strike to re- volt against British rule. Seabass is uni- versally liked and adapts to all styles of cooking, retaining its taste, texture and moisture, as it melts in the mouth.
  3. Grouper- Nga Tauk Tu/Nga Kya Uk- The day I find a Red Grouper in the market becomes a feast day, since I love to steam it whole, with fresh herbs and spices, and serve with the flavorful Myanmar Basmati rice. There is a vast market for Grouper and it is also ex- ported live, mainly to Hong Kong. I did not know that twenty varieties of Grou- per can be found in Myanmar waters, and are now cultured in ponds and net cages. However, it is not one those fish varieties that are seen every day in the market, and never in plenty. For me, red Grouper stands out with its orange red colored scaled body and more of- ten than not, one finds small sized fish weighing up to 2 kilograms.
  4. Tilapia- Nga Yan- I believe the local people call it tilapia also. Tilapia is an easily available fresh water fish, and now being cultured extensively to feed export markets including the vast US market since the import ban was lifted, where it is the fourth most popular plat- ed fish. Its high protein content and fast growth makes it easy to farm besides being highly lucrative. Tilapia tastes best when grilled, but it is not one of the fish varieties I buy often. It is supposed to be rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fat- ty acids, but then that’s true for other varieties as well.

The list can go on, but I probably will not even be able to find local names for the numerous varieties available and enjoyed by the locals. There is plenty of fresh and dried fish available in the markets, but I un- derstand that though fish exports must be permitted after local consumption has been provided for, this is not generally the case. Lack of sufficient data prevents an accurate calculation of the gap between demand and supply of fish for local markets. As of now, only a handful of the 450,000 fish and

shrimp farms are able to produce fish that matches international standards, and this has led to a decline in export earnings by the fishery sector by over $116 million over last year. This is disappointing since fisheries stand third in earning foreign exchange for the country.

There is obviously a tremendous opportuni- ty waiting to be tapped to its fullest potential with Myanmar’s abundant freshwater and brackish water fisheries. The vast river sys- tems run from north to south in the country and offer promise of tens of thousands of tons of marine products and seafood. It is only a matter of time before foreign invest- ment and participation in introducing the latest fish culture and farming techniques yield seafood that is comparable to the best in the world.

One of kind a luxury penthouse in myanmar

By
Aye Chan
-

StrongHouse is a fabulous penthouse, convertible into a great office space, of 4,150 sq.ft with luxurious fixtures and finished on the 17th floor of a beautiful and iconic Shwehinthar Towrs building next to the Barzilian Embassy in Yangon.It boasts of amazing views towards the airport from the roof terraces, which are fortified with a heated rooftop swimming pool.Additionally there are 2 reception rooms, 3 bedroom suites, gym, internal lift, swimming pool both in the building and a private one on the rooftop, separate staff flat, 24 hour porterage and security , valet parking available, modern

fully-equipped kitchen, ideally located in 6.5 mile on the Pyay Road in the heart of Yangon. This elegant apartment with magnificent entertaining space has been interior designed by Spine Architect and is offered for sale fully furnished. The apartment has been finished to exacting standards and perfectly complements the beautiful and carefully designed proportions of the architect’s vision; every detail has been considered to ensure the experience of life at StrongHouse is unsurpassed.

Hightlights:

  1. New Duplex penthouse
  2. 4,150 Square feet (Gross)5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms ( 2 en-suite) including staff quarters
  3. 1 bedroom convertible into office
  4. Main Living Room
  5. Second Living room with bar
  6. Dining room
  7. Storage room
  8. 2 balconies
  9. Large terrace with swimming pool, bar and sun lounging area

Myanmar Law and Companies Updates

By
Aye Chan
-

Nestlé announces plan to invest US$50 million in Myanmar over the next six years

Swiss food conglomerate Nestle SA (Nestlé) has announced that it intends to invest approximately US$50 million in Myanmar over the next six years. President Thein Sein met with Nestlé representatives during an official visit to Swit- zerland on 8 September 2014. The President’s office stated that the investment is subject to Myanmar Investment Com- mission’s approval. Nestlé’s brands are already well-estab- lished in Myanmar. Nestlé produces a wide range of goods including coffee, dairy products, drinking water and other beverages. (Source: Myanmar Times online, 10 September 2014.)

Young Investment Group and Pacific Hunt Energy being granted drilling per- mits

The Ministry of Energy has announced that Myanmar’s Young Investment Group Company Ltd and Australia’s Pa- cific Hunt Energy Ltd have been granted permits to drill for oil at block PSC C-1 in the Chindwin Basin and PSC H in the Pegu Yoma and Sittoung Basin. The joint venture partners are required to produce environmental and social impact re- ports before exploration activities can commence. (Source: elevenmyanmar.com, 7 September 2014)

Ho Hup Construction announces details of Yagon residential project

Malaysia’s Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad (Ho Hup) has announced details of a new residential develop- ment project in Yangon. The project has an estimated value of US$200 million. Ho Hup’s subsidiary, Ho Hup (Myan- mar) E&C Company Ltd (Ho Hup Myanmar), has entered into a joint venture agreement with Myanmar’s Zaykabar Company Ltd. Pursuant to the joint venture agreement Ho Hup Myanmar will have a sole and exclusive right to devel- op 191 villas and bungalows in Mingalardon Garden City. The project will be undertaken in three phases with the first phase expected to be completed within two years. Construc- tion will commence once all relevant permits have been re- ceived. (Source: einnews.com, 8 September 2014)

Taiwan’s Electrical and Electronic Manu- factuers’ Association to develop industri- al park in southern Ayeyarwady region

Taiwan’s Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Associa- tion (TEEMA) will spend approximately US$468 million de- veloping an industrial park in Myanmar’s southern Ayeyar- wady region. TEEMA has signed a letter of intent with its local counterpart to procure 1,400 hectares of land from the Government. (Source: Myanmar Business Today, 8 Septem- ber 2014)

Parami Energy, Petroleum Exploration Ltd and Siren Exploration and Produc- tion enter into Myanmar partnership

Myanmar’s Parami Energy Group, Pakistan’s Petroleum Exploration (Pvt) Ltd and UK based Siren Exploration and Production Ltd have entered into a production sharing con- tract in relation to onshore oil blocks PSC-O and PSC-J. The joint venture partners must complete environmental and social impact assessments before exploration activities can be commenced. Parami will hold a 30% share in the project with each of the foreign partners taking 35%.

Virtue Land signs a coal plant MOU with- the Ministry of Electric Power

Asia World Group subsidiary Virtue Land Company Ltd has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Electric Power in relation to the construction of a 300MW coal plant on Build-Operate-Transfer basis. The plant will have a maximum output capacity of 370MW. Since 2012 the Government has approved the development of nine new coal power plants.

German Development Cooperation now with offices in Yangon

German Development Cooperation officially launched in Myanmar by opening two of their representative offices on 25th September. The Office Opening took place in the same year in which Myanmar and Germany celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties. Dr. Christine Heimburger, KfW Director East Asia and Pacific, underlined the importance of the new KFW Country Office Yangon for the cooperation with the ministries in Myanmar ”the representation will help us to get closer to those we serve and to increase the efficiency of our activities”. German Development Cooperation on behalf of the German Government will contribute to Sustainable Economic Development and Rural Development in Myan- mar. In implementing projects of German Development Co- operation, both GIZ and KfW, will cooperate closely.

Myanmar Petroleum Products Enteprise- announces aviation-fuel tender shortlist

The Myanmar Petroleum Products Enterprise (MPPE) has named four shortlisted candidates in the running to win a Government contract to supply fuel to 11 domestic airlines operating in Myanmar’s largest airports. The four shortlist- ed companies have been chosen from an original long-list of 23 local and international companies who first submit- ted letters of interest in May 2014. The shortlisted compa- nies are Puma Energy Ltd, Singapore Petroleum Co. Ltd, Petroleum Thailand Exploration and Production Ltd, and Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services PC Ltd. The winner, to be announced by the end of September 2014, will enter into a joint venture arrangement with MPPE.

Ministry of Electric Power announces plans to develop three new gas-fired electricity stations

The Ministry of Electric Power (MOEP) has announced that it plans to develop gas-fired electricity stations in Kyauk- Phyu in Rakhine State, Thaton in Mon State and Thilawa near Yangon in an effort to resolve the country’s power sup- ply shortage. The Government-owned Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise Ltd is currently evaluating bids from five companies in relation to the development of the station in Rakhine State. The winner is expected to be announced by the end of December 2014. The stations will be supplied with natural gas from the China-Myanmar Gas Pipeline. The MOEP is also planning to build a 50MW gas-fired station in the vicinity of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (Thilawa SEZ). The development near the Thilawa SEZ will receive loan-funding from Japan.

The promise of mobile money

By
Aye Chan
-

The telecommunications industry has been abuzz lately with the launch of Ooredoo and the sale of SIM cards at record low prices. It was not left unan- swered by MPT as it announced the partner- ship with KDDI-Sumitomo Corp., followed by its offering of SIM cards matching the price of Ooredoo, sending the consumers waiting in long queues in mobile phone shops all over Yangon. With much antici- pation, the launch of Telenor later this year is also expected to whip up the same interest the other telcos have generated. The com- petition among the three telcos bodes well for the ordinary person as it provides cheap- er and more efficient service. Moreover, oth- er related products and services are expect- ed to be introduced that will empower the consumers through the ubiquitous mobile phone. One such service is electronic mon- ey or mobile money.

What is mobile money?

Mobile money is basically cash transformed in electronic form and uploaded into a mo- bile phone. The mobile money is now in a mobile phone instead of cash in a wallet. And how can an ordinary person acquire mobile money? In a more practical exam- ple, an individual can go to a cash-in/cash- out (CICO) agent of the telco who will trans- form his cash into a secured SMS or text message. The individual now has the mobile money in his phone, which he can send to another individual. The receiving individual can go to a CICO agent, present the SMS message to receive the cash equivalent of the SMS message.

Mobile money, when fully functional, will result to lower transaction cost, faster trans- action time, and convenience to its users. It is ideal for money transfer and payment, ser- vices most needed in a country with a wide urban-rural divide. Parents who want to send money to their children studying in the city, or workers who want to send back money to their families in the rural areas, would find mobile money a convenient alternative to banks and current money transfer agents. If wired with business establishments, mo- bile money can be used to pay for shopping purchases and even in paying utilities.

In its strict sense, mobile money is a telco service. Its equivalent in the banking in- dustry is the debit card, where charges are made against the deposit account of an in- dividual. Mobile money, on the other hand,is charged against the uploaded value in the mobile phone. A good synergy therefore, between banks and telcos will maximize the benefits of a mobile money platform. The telco can provide the infrastructure for the transformation of cash into electronic form, while the bank will provide the financial re- sources to the CICO agents.

One of the biggest telco in the Philippines, Globe Telecommunications introduced GCash as its mobile money platform. It partnered with its sister company, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), a universal bank, to form BanKo, a medium-sized bank that offers mobile banking services. This platform is also being used by a number of rural banks in the Philippines.

In Cambodia, WINGS, worked out a mobile money platform with ANZ, a regional bank to provide low cost services to its clients. Of course, the number one success story is M-PESA in Kenya, where 75% of the total population is using its mobile banking ser- vices. Safaricom together with Faulu Kenya set-up M-PESA which was later on joined by Equity Bank offering a full range of bank- ing services – deposit, loan disbursement, collection, payments, micro-insurance and other related services.

Factors contributing to the development of mobile money platform in Myanmar

Myanmar is ripe for the establishment of a mobile money platform. One of the main factors is the large unbanked population as a client base. The just concluded national census placed the total population of the country at 51.4 million. Of the total popu- lation, merely 5% are with bank accounts serviced by formal financial institutions. A lot of people are doing financial transac- tions like money transfer and payments in the old way – physical transfer of cash. Even if banks offer more services, its presence in the countryside is very limited with branch- es concentrated in big towns and commer- cial centers.

As a corollary to this, the number of people with mobile phones is estimated at 10 mil- lion, with MPT having the highest number of subscribers at 9 million and Ooredoo with 1 million. This represents 20% of the total population. Tapping people with mobile phones translates to innumerable financial transactions and enormous flow of finan- cial resources that will help in triggering economic activities in parts of the country reached by telecommunications. As the tel- cos are reaching out to more areas, the num- ber of mobile phone users and the potential mobile money users will also rise.

Challenges
  1. The need for an enabling regulatory environment. There are two main in- dustries involved in the development of mobile money – banking and telecom- munications. A synergy between these two industries must be forged and this can be done only by the government through enactment of laws on mobile banking and designation of appropri- ate regulatory agencies. The earlier the government acts to address this con- cern, the faster the country can benefit from mobile money.
  2. Telco outreach and the development of mobile money platform. The telco infrastructure remains to be the basis for faster and wider outreach. Issues 5. related to the slow setting-up of towers in some areas are a concern. Whateverthe cause, it will slow down coverage of the whole country. The technical part however, can be addressed by the telcos themselves. Interface of the core bank- ing systems of the local partner banks can be worked out once an enabling framework is provided.
  3. Limited Cash-in/Cash-out centers at present. Outreach and volume is a key element in this business. To be more effective, there is a need to set- up a massive network of CICO agents throughout the country. It would be a good opportunity for some enterprising individuals to set up CICO centers, but it needs more than individuals as CI- COs should be made as ubiquitous as the mobile phones. It should be made available so that a person may go out of his house and find a CICO agent just at the corner of the street for him to trans- act business. The need for identifying, vetting, training, and setting commis- sions are but some of the things that has to be defined.
  4. Initially, clients may have difficulty in using mobile money. Using mobile money requires certain level of func- tional literacy. With a big number of the people having low level of educa- tion, understanding and following the procedures in transforming or receiv- ing mobile money will be challenging. A massive information and education campaign can be done to address this concern and make people aware of the processes and procedures in using mo- bile money. It may be costly at the start but as the people get used to it, it will become an indispensable tool.
  5. Systems security has to be insured. Myanmar has witnessed several cri- ses that has dent the reputation of the banking industry and eroded the trust of the people in formal financial institu- tions. As such, the system that will be installed to run the platform should be ully secured to ensure that it cannot be accessed and manipulated to the det- riment of the users. Otherwise, it will face the same problem encountered by the banks as customers shy away from supposedly secured institutions.
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