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Extortion Scams Using Video Calls Increasingly Target Men

By
zhm
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According to sources close to the online fraud prevention task force, there has been a resurgence of online threats and extortions targeting men, via recorded video calls. Extortions and harassment are made via Facebook, Viber and Telegram, as well as other social media platforms,
which are the most popular
in Myanmar.
“The key is to avoid video calls from unknown accounts. If you answer, the other side may be doing some vulgar acts or replaying a video, and they will threaten to spread it after taking a screenshot. It is an extortion. Some have to pay a monthly fee,” he said. If the amount of money demanded is not paid, the screenshots are spread to the friends of the perpetrators to humiliate the victim.
“There are people in our community who have gone through the same incident. When he answered an unknown video call, the other side was showing a woman’s private parts. It hung up after about five seconds. Then they sent a recorded video and asked for money,” said a victim. Most victims had to pay as they feared humiliation.
“The scammers tend to target honest people. Even people who live in big cities pay money when they have to deal with this kind of thing. When they could no longer stand it, they revealed the case online. We can’t know how those in rural areas will cope with it,” said a resident of Yangon. In the past, threats of sexual harassment were often directed at women, but from 2023 onwards, their targets were shifting to men.
MI has spoken to the person in charge of technology and social media within the Yangon Regional government. He has mentioned that many elderly men of stature and position in government, asked him for assistance after they had fallen into the trap of showing off their innermost assets to girls on the videos and getting blackmail thereafter.

IFRC Urges Quake Donors to Support Myanmar Beyond Short Term Aid

By
zhm
-
As media coverage of the earthquake wanes, international donors should look beyond the short-term relief efforts and not forget the quake-stricken people of Myanmar, said an official from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Nadia Khoury, the IFRC’s representative for Myanmar, spoke about the situation where many people are still living in rescue camps after more than a hundred days since
a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28 at noon time. “Rehabilitation has a long way to go. We want to do everything possible to provide assistance to needy families and help these individuals regain their livelihoods, becoming healthy and contributing members of the community. We understand that rehabilitation has a cost. It takes a long time. For the next hundreds of days and several months, international aid is essential,” she said in an interview.
To meet these needs, the IFRC has urgently requested 100 million Swiss francs (approximately $125.9 million) to fund rehabilitation efforts over the next two years, according to Xinhua.
The government in the meantime, is providing the container houses for civil servants who have chosen to stay put in Nay Pyi Taw.

Ayeyawady, Sittoung overflow in NyaungU, Seiktha, Madauk

By
zhm
-
Due to the rise in Ayeyawady and Sittoung rivers, danger levels have been reached in NyaungU, Seiktha and Madauk, according to a statement by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology on July 16.
In NyaungU, the Ayeyawady river level was currently one centimetre above the danger level and could fall below it, while in Seiktha, it was reaching the danger level and may rise by about half a foot during the next day, remaining above it. The water level of the Sittoung River was more than half a foot above the danger level in Madauk and is expected to rise by about three inches over the next day, remaining above it. Therefore, people living in the lowlands in these three townships were advised to move to flood-free areas.
With incessant rains in the rainy season and with the increased frequency of more severe storms due to climate change and global warming, the probability of flood near major rivers is getting higher. Other areas within the country also reported significant disruption from floods. Tar Chi Lake, the border town in the eastern Shan, was flooded for the third time this year. The Yangon- Maw La Myine highway was shut off for nearly a week due to the overflow of Bee Lin river in July. Many towns and villages in Bago regions are also in danger of getting inundated. Widespread flooding is expected in most parts of lower Myanmar before the end of this raining season, based on the current weather patterns.

Myanmar Film Museum Reopens

By
zhm
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Museum at the Myanmar Motion Pictures Organisation has been reopened from July 5. All the six halls within the museum has been opened for public from 10 am to 3 pm on weekends and public holidays. Six halls are the silver gallery, the gold gallery, the diamond gallery, the centenary gallery, the academy gallery and the machinery gallery. “Myanmar film industry has completed the centennial anniversary. The museum has been around for 75 years to provide next generation with opportunity to learn and study the history of Myanmar film industry. It aims for researchers and media personnel to get the right information and to honour those in the film industry and to return benefits to them,” he said.

The silver gallery features a collection of well-known films made between 1920 and 1945, with the gold gallery showing posters and memorabilia of films made between 1945 and 1970, the diamond gallery exhibiting information about the films made from 1970 to 1995, the centenary gallery showcasing information about the films made from 1995 to 2020, the academy gallery showing photos of the winners, and the machinery gallery showing machines used 25 to 50 years ago.

Entrance fees are 1,000 Kyats for Myanmar nationals, with a 50 per cent discount for associations and schools, and $2 for foreigners, in Kyats equivalent. Built in 1996, reopened once in 2022 and attempted to reopen in 2023, the museum has been closed since then for various reasons and hopefully after this reopening, it would not be closed again for whatever reasons.

MyanTrade Eyes Coffee Export to Russia

By
zhm
-

Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization (MyanTrade) under the Ministry of Commerce held a hybrid meeting on July 28 for the export of Myanmar’s high grade coffee to Russia. The director- general of the MyanTrade led the meeting and discussed matters to bolster bilateral trade between Myanmar and Russia, coffee cultivation to export high-grade coffee, production situation, coffee market outlook in Russia and potential coffee varieties, in presence of officials of the MyanTrade, Myanmar’s economic counsellor in Russia, and representatives of Myanmar Coffee Association and coffee suppliers. MyanTrade, under the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and the economic counsellor in Russia will coordinate the efforts for this coffee export to Russia.

Myanmar-India Trade Surpasses $2.1B in FY 2024/25

By
zhm
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Myanmar India bilateral trade amounted to $2.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, and Myanmar’s pharmaceutical imports from India showed a 5% increase, according to the Embassy of India in Myanmar.
Of them, Myanmar’s pulses and other commodities exports generated over $1 billion. Myanmar’s main export items are various pulses, fish and clothes while pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, electricity and construction materials are currently being imported.
Following growing pharmaceutical imports, Myanmar and India also had a series of discussions on India’s investment in Myanmar’s pharmaceutical industry. Myanmar’s Ministry of Health also invited Indian investors to make investments in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. India is ranked 11th in the list of top countries with foreign direct investments into Myanmar. It is also one of the largest trade partners for Myanmar too.

Myanmar Media Council Signed MOU with Thai Counterpart

By
zhm
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Myanmar Press Council (MPC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its counter part in Thailand – National Press Council of Thailand (NPCT) at the end of July 2025. The two year MOU outlines how the two councils would cooperate to enhance media development and collaborate on activities of mutual interest. This is the first time in many years that the Council signed a MOU with a foreign counterpart.
The two councils missed the media briefing afterwards as the afternoon of the signing coincides with the press conference by Thai military on the Thai – Cambodia clash update and the guided tour of correspondents of the border province where it all started. It is an achievement for the Myanmar Media council, a statutory entity tasked with media development and handling media disputes in the country. Although the council receives a certain yearly budget from government, by law, it is an independent entity reporting directly to the President or the head of state.

Shwe Thaung Yan Beach Welcomes More Visitors

By
zhm
-
There is a new beach in town. In addition to the commoner preferred Chaung Thar and more upscale Ngwe Saung, there is a not-so-new kid on the block. The lesser known Shwe Thaung Yan Beach in Pathein Township, Ayeyawady Region, saw a total of 11,243 visitors, both domestic and international, in June 2025, according to Cherry Myint (Ms), an Executive of the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Federation. The beach now has a total of 20 hotels and guesthouses open to visitors year-round.
“Shwe Thaung Yan Beach was visited by 11,243 domestic and foreign tourists in June 2025. In comparison, 19,243 tourists visited in May. Despite the rainy season, Shwe Thaung Yan Beach attracts visitors year round, with day-trippers being the most frequent. There is also the Kyauk Maung Hna Ma (Rock Siblings, in literal translation) Elephant Camp nearby, which contributes to the steady flow of visitors,”  said Cherry Myint.
Each hotel on Shwe Thaung Yan Beach provides services such as cleaning the beach in front of the property, maintaining landscaping within the hotel compound, keeping
walkways clean, tidying public areas, and serving local cuisine to guests.
In addition, beachgoers are offered safe and peaceful recreational facilities, including bicycle rentals, motorboat rides, and horse rides, as well as markets where they can purchase local food, accessories, and souvenirs.

Public Warned of Crocodile after Attacks

By
zhm
-
Officials from the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division and the Mein Ma Hla Kyun (pretty woman island – in literal translation) Wildlife Sanctuary office conducted educational programmes near the vicinity of rivers and creeks of the sanctuary after the death of two civilians eaten by crocodiles in July in the creek of Chaung Bye Gyi Village in Bokale Township, Pyapon District in Ayeyawady Region.
They used loudspeakers to make public announcements that June to August is crocodile nesting season and warned that the area around Mein Ma Hla Kyun is dangerous. Residents were advised not to walk pets near the creek, play, swim, or bathe for extended periods. Fishermen and prawn catchers were also urged to stay alert for crocodiles. Bushes, trees, or grass grown near the banks should be cleared as much as possible, as crocodiles may hide there and not to scare or attack the crocodile  with sticks and stones.

To Engage or Not to Engage

By
zhm
-
Russia and Belarus are already in the deep. China and India has done it long ago. So had some countries of South East Asia. ASEAN is now doing it using a different approach. Trump and USA has done it too. Hey, we are talking about engaging the Myanmar government. So who is left to engage the legitimate government now?
Aussies
Australia has been supportive of Myanmar since its opening up in 2011. They had participated in offshore oil and gas tenders and many other businesses dealing with the government. With much underground resources in Myanmar, it would be a lose-lose situation if Aussies remain aloof to engagement. They wanted the market economy, competitive pricing and democracy. How to have the market economy, if all the resources can only be sold to one buyer i.e., China. So that itself is a dilemma. How can Myanmar be helped to move more towards a more market and competitive economy, if Australia refused to participate in the economy, especially on natural resources?
Gangnam
Korea is one of the few countries that Myanmar people love, admire and look forward to working there. Korea and Japan is consistently ranked as countries with best labor
conditions based on survey of Myanmar workers. Korea took  step higher with the legislation that foreign workers in Korea cannot be paid lower that Koreans with equal qualifications and experience, hence providing the most take-home pay for foreign workers.  Korea government also wants to engage, but they have to rely on the US in case of war with its unpredictable northern neighbour. Their reliance becomes even more inevitable, as they rightly worry as North Korea sent fighters to Ukraine to fight together with Russia. And Myanmar being the long time ally of Russia is not making the initiating of engagement any easier.
Rising Sun
Japan like Korea is continuing all engagement at humanitarian and general public level, from continuing recruitment of Myanmar workers to donating for the quake victims through various associations. And it has to take cues from USA too. With many Japanese entities running away from Myanmar, the ‘first to leave and last to arrive’ nation is
exactly looking after its own interests, despite its affinity to Myanmar.
The old rich
The diplomats stationed locally do want to engage more, in private capacity with the top decision makers of nation. Yet the Union is not keen. So the only way out seems to be to entice the European Union leaders far away with some tenable deeds and get the green light from them to take the engagement with myanmar to the next level. Why non-engagement is bad for Myanmar and the World Let’s give the example using Wa and the rare earth.
Wa independent state is the largest self administrative region in the Eastern Shan region. Even Myanmar military cannot go into their region without prior approval by them. According CIA Hanbook 2019, Wa is already the third largest exporter to rare earth in the world and 100% of their rare earth is exported to China. Kachin and Shan state armies are also contributing China stockpile of rare earth through their respective exports. The end result is that now China is controlling 90+% of global rare earth inventory.
USA, EU and Australia could have participated to absorb the supply thereby retaining some form of control over the rare earth global supply. Without engaging Myanmar, they are deprived of that opportunity. And Myanmar lose out too as it loses competitive pricing due to having only one monopolistic buyer. Simple argument perhaps, but it’s factual and the whole truth.
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