“At the moment [in Myanmar] you can only get a methadone prescription through a registered psychiatrist, but in China there are places where you only need a nurse to prescribe the drug. It makes it much easier,”

“The patients and their children were looking forward to this day, when they can share their difficulties, encourage each other and find some relief,”

“Normally, King Abdul Aziz Airport at Jeddah, the sole entrance for the millions of Hajjis around the world coming to Saudi Arabia every year, closes at noon on December 2. But Myanmar Hajjis could not meet the deadline because of the closure of the airports in Bangkok,”

“Currently there is no central organisation that can give information to stakeholders, such as airlines, tour operators and hotels. Last week we had to make several telephone calls just to find out basic information.”

“This is the sixth course for shrimp and prawn farming conducted by the MSA. In our previous courses, we accepted all interested candidates from around the country to attend, but this time we only accepted people from the cyclone-hit delta area,”

“We also suffered from the war as much as Myanmar people did. We want to help the Myanmar people as much as we can because we both experienced the bitterness of war,”

The grant money will be used to build a one-storey primary school containing six classrooms at Kambawza Shan Kyaung-gyi Monastery. School furniture will also be provided, according to a statement from the Japanese embassy.

Major Tin Win (Retired), the manager of research, technology and training at the centre, said the objective of the course was to teach rubber tree growers how to produce high-quality rubber products in preparation for the government’s plan to increase domestic rubber production.

”The storm destroyed all my property. Now it’s time to begin salt farming, regardless of whether we get any loans from the government. Otherwise our lives will never return to normal,”

We left the city in the morning on three motorbikes, two of the vehicles carrying two people each, and one carrying a single rider. I had never been to Yankin Hill before, so I was excited to set off, and I especially relished the feeling of the cool, fresh winter air on my face. It was definitely sweater weather, but not frigid enough to be uncomfortable.

A few miles before Intagaw, we cross Lagunbyee (or Lagunbyin) Creek, which marks the border between Yangon and Bago divisions. Just to the northwest lie the ruins of Lagunbyee, an ancient Pyu city that in Mon times was a military stronghold that protected the capital Bago.