HOUSE OF THE WEEK
Value for money in two-storey Thingangyun house
THIS fully furnished two-storey house in Thingangyun could be considered something of a bargain because it provides loads of space and plenty of features for a relatively low price of K200 million. more
Media Roundup
May 24 - 30, 2010
Passport office begins e-passport program
THE passport office has been issuing machine-readable passports since May 1, Modern journal reported on May 14, quoting an official from the office.
The change comes after the International Civil Aviation Organisation set a deadline of April 2010 for countries to stop issuing handwritten passports. All old-style passports will be phased out by 2015, the report said.
Previously, the official cost of acquiring a passport was K8000 and this has increased to K19,000, which is now payable to the Myanmar Economic Bank. A fingerprint will also be captured on computer when an application for the passport is made.
Those carrying old-style passports can continue to use them until they expire, the report said.
A passport office official said the new system would make it more difficult for people to use fake passports.
Chin orchids find favour among foreign buyers
CHIN mountain orchids are in high demand among buyers from China, Malaysia, Singapore and European countries, Myanmar Newsweek journal reported on May 13, quoting an agriculture businessman who sells orchid seeds.
The report said Myanmar orchids are rare and foreign demand is developing day by day.
“Our orchid and flower export market is developing around the world. The hottest items in the market are Chin mountain orchids. Mostly, buyers from China, Malaysia and Singapore want these orchids. Previously, there were many species of orchid in the Chin mountains but now that is no longer the case. So our business is good,” one businessman said.
Buyers from China, the main purchaser of Myanmar orchids, use the plants for medicine and decoration.
“We climb up the mountains and take the orchids and sell them for K4000 or K5000,” one orchid hunter said.
Thais to upgrade border trade infrastructure
THAILAND will set up a special business zone at Mae Sot on the Thai-Myanmar border, Weekly Eleven reported on May 19, quoting a Ministry of Commerce official.
No 2 Peace Bridge, which crosses the Moie River border at Myawaddy-Mae Sot, will also be broadened to four lanes, the report said.
The Thai government has also released 870 million baht (US$26.8 million) for the upgrade of the 27.2-kilometre Myawaddy-Kawkareik road.
“There are two zones; the trading zone and the business zone. Part of Myawaddy is a trading zone and the authorities want to control the illegal trade,” said the official.
“They have already built the road from the bridge to the trading zone near Myawaddy. And then they will repair the road up to Kawkareik past the Dawna Mountain,” said one businessmen involved in the border trade.
