Global peace index ranking improves in Myanmar + other

Myanmar improves in Global Peace Index ranking

Peace seems to be improving in Myanmar as the 2016 Global Peace Index report has ranked the country at the 115th spot, which is a stark improvement compared to its ranking last year. Myanmar was ranked 130 in previous years' Peace Index.

The Global Peace Index was instituted in 2007 by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an international think tank, that collects the data and conducts the research. The index considers a gamut of indicators to arrive at its Peace Index, including terrorism, military expenditure and political instability. This year a total of 163 countries were analysed to prepare the index.

Apparently, Myanmar's peace ranking is better than India, which is ranked 141st in the list, while Syria has emerged as the least peaceful country.

How do you see this when visiting in Myanmar?

More previously closed areas are now accessible easier and more tourist destinations has been opened during the last six years. Also there is no more curfew, that used to be the fact of life for decades. When I have been staying in country, I have not seen anything disturbing anymore, thou I have not visited the rural areas and stayed mainly on Yangon area. During my visits end of  80's and early 90's, there was military present everywhere and people were acting very hesitantly, comparing today.

Major problems with peace issue today are the mountain border areas  (India, China, Laos) with the limited possibilities to control them. That allows the areas to thrive with illegal activities including smuggling, logging, drug business and general disregard of the laws. However the major cities are very peaceful and relatively safe to visit and stay.

Education news from Mandalay

Just over one-third of students who sat for their matriculation exams this year in Mandalay Region have passed, the Department of Basic Education announced. The result is higher than the national pass rate of 29.9 percent announced in state media this weekend.

Out of 91,688 who registered for the exam in Mandalay, 35.5pc – or 32,551 students – achieved scores high enough to matriculate. Those who passed will now be allowed to register for university education.

Results revealed on June 11 were slightly down from last year, when 38.6pc of students passed. Last year the national pass rate was 37.6pc.

“I was so excited when I checked my results. I was worried, but I am happy because I passed with one distinction,” said Ma Su Myat Phyo, who took her tests at the Aung Myay Tharzan township exam centre.

Within Mandalay Region, the highest percentage of students passed in Mandalay district, at 40.58pc. The order from there was 38.06pc in Meiktila, 38.46pc in Pyin Oo Lwin, 31.32pc in Nyaung-U, 31.06pc in Myingyan and 29.55pc in Yamethin. Kyaukse District scored lowest at 29.44pc.

“I am relieved that my child passed the matriculation exam. It is important for them to be able to choose the right next steps for their future,” said U Ye Win Aung, a parent from Pyigyitagun township, part of Mandalay district.

Though unwilling to comment on the results, some parents said teaching methods have to be improved in order to achieve a higher graduate rate in the future.

“I am not in the position to comment on the percentages of the results. But, I would like to say that teaching for grade 11 matriculation students may need to change,” U Ye Win Aung said.

Out of all students who passed in Mandalay Region, nearly 25pc received distinctions, including 279 students who received distinctions for six subjects.

Medicine news

25 percent of the drugs available in local pharmacies are illegal or substandard.

In an ongoing effort to clamp down on the illegal and unregulated pharmaceutical black market, a Food and Drug Administration director announced plans yesterday to institute official retail prices.

The Maximum Retail Price (MRP) will stop businesses from staging a price war over official medications, and ideally will protect consumers, said Dr Than Htut, director general of the FDA.

Because of the price difference between registered and unregistered medicines in local markets, many patients cannot afford the legal product, he said.

He added that he intends to out-price the illegal market and will model the MRP system on India’s.

“Tomorrow I am going to join the [National Health Committee] meeting … where I will propose to implement this plan,” he said, referring to an advocacy and education conference for the pharmaceutical industry in Yangon.

Dr Thit Lwin, owner of a pharmacy wholesale shop in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, said that while he supports better regulating the industry, a crackdown on prices needs to keep in mind the average patient’s limited budget.

“Unregistered medicine is very popular, with at least 100 kinds in one shop to meet the demand. Most people find and use cheap medicine because they are poor and the price between legal [registered] and illegal [unregistered but not necessarily fake] medicine is very different,” he said.

Dr Thit Lwin added that some patients need medicines that are not readily available in state health facilities, or are not purchased by the government. He gave the example of cancer medications, some of which are not registered by the state, driving desperate patients to underground imports. He said that while registered brands can cost K100,000, (about EUR 75.-)  a bottle of the same medication that has not been registered will cost K50,000 to 60,000.

He added that if the FDA shuts down the medical black market many patients will be in trouble.

“I am not urging the government to accept unlicensed medicine, but they need to register more medicines, control prices and arrange enough essential drugs,” he said.

My experience is that they have branded drugs as well as non-branded same drugs sold in same store. You can make your own decision, which one to buy. Price difference is substantial, could be 10 times. Major issues in Myanmar currently are with this field that;

1. Most of the products comes over the border without any real control. You pay some lump sum of "tax" and your cargo can be anything. Or the smaller items, like medicine, are just carried in backpack.

2. Medicin is sold without any control anywhere. The laws are not there or if they are, I don't see them followed. You can buy pretty much any medicine without any doctor control with low prices, if they are available. 

3. Many hospitals do not have drugs or materials themself. Patient have to go and buy everything if they have operation or medical treatment in hospital. Other Asian countries hospitals have also their own pharmacies so patients can get the medicine as soon as they leave the hospital and all medical materials are supplied from hospital, this is not the case in Myanmar. 

4. If you have money, it is often easier and better to fly to Bangkok or Singapore for treatment. 

Government should concentrate their affords first offering proper medical care with real hospital services, before going in to target "illegal" medicine business. After there is proper channels available, it is surely easier to suspend illegal drug sale and make proper licensed business practices for it. As long as there are no proper medical supply from legal channels and hospitals, all kind of unauthorized business will be standard in this field.

Logging in Myanmar, sea turtles and more

Logging in Myanmar

Myanmar has banned lucrative logging operations as the newly-elected government of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi steps up a battle on deforestation, an environment official said on Thursday.

The restrictions start already at after 2011 elections bun since 60's the illegal logging, specially at Thai and China border has continued up till today. The main problems are that most neighboring countries has lost their own Rosewood and Teak forests and are eyeing Myanmar, that has had its forests mainly intact due the country's isolation last decades.

Currently the biggest problem is northern border logging that continues regardless the government ban of log exporting. The logging has been lucrative business and participants are not very keen on losing their profits, including government own logging companies. Also there is the question of getting a new work for almost 17000 workers in this industry.

IMO only way to stop this practice completely is to build Myanmar's own timber industry and demand for Teak and Rosewood so that neighboring countries can't compete with the manufacturing industry anymore. This is the long process but I am sure that if the job is done properly, enough foreign investments to this industry will help i.e. furniture manufacturing in Myanmar to compete in international level. Instead of selling raw wood, Myanmar government should attract companies to add the value the wood products and export only semi- or final hardwood products out.

Save sea turtles and dugongs in Myanmar

To the naked eye, the blue sea and miles of white sand with no development or people in sight were a vision of paradise. And yet, as we learned, below the surface things were far from idyllic. The young dugong that accidentally drowned in a fishing net was just one symptom of another tragedy and challenge unfolding in this country – one that, while nearly unnoticed, could have major implications for the future of millions of rural people.

Literally out of sight, the country’s marine resources have been pillaged almost to the point of no return. Research data released in February of this year by the Norwegian government demonstrated a decline in Myanmar’s oceanic and coastal fish stocks of between 70-90% since the late 1980’s.

If you are interested in to read some data, here is the Myanmar part report of BOBLME  project (THE BAY OF BENGAL LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM)

Updated Myanmar fishing industry report

Also Norwegian Institute for Water Research has done the pollution report of Myanmar waters, which you can read here:

Myanmar water pollution report

To protect these beautiful beaches and sea life, government should act fast before it is too late. The income from tourism will surpass any benefit in future over the excess fishing in Myanmar waters.The scuba-diving industry is increasing in the world, while the amount of  clean reefs and waters are reducing. So last intact areas will be the most valuable to this big tourism industry in future.

Myanmar giving tax exception to investors

In a bid to ensure equitable development, the Myanmar Investment Bill will enable investors to enjoy tax exemptions from three to seven years for designated regions and sectors.

The bill, to be passed this year, is a combination of the Foreign Investment Law and the Myanmar Citizens Investment Law. In addition, the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) will be reformed this month.

The MIC can scrutinize and allow tax exemption or relief to investors in order to support equitable development.

Aung Naing Oo, secretary of the MIC and director-general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, said: "Now we are planning to attract a massive inflow of investment. The bill includes that provision. Investors in less-developed regions shall enjoy tax reductions rather than those in more developed regions. They can get tax relief based on the region and sector. The MIC will fix the rates after seeking the approval from the government and the enactment of the law."

The MIC will designate less-developed areas as Zone One, moderately developed regions as Zone Two and Zone Three for the areas least in need. Zone One investors can get tax exemption for seven years, Zone Two for five years and Zone Three for three years.

Whats good with this? The investments are spread more around the country, not just the Yangon or other major cities. Also the labor cost is usually lower in rural areas so the manufacturing costs are lower.  And downside? It is hard to attract foreigners staying far out of major cities due the lack of modern living facilities (I.E. water, shops, electricity and proper modern sewage system).

Getting 3 years tax exemption will naturally pressure you to make as much profit in these 3 years as possible, which is usually hard for the new business. So these kind of incentives attracts mainly large international companies that can move the goods and manufacturing process fast from place to place. To attract more long term permanent manufacturing  business, government should provide infrastructure with proper facilities with low cost as it is done in Europe and many other places. End of the day the tax benefit will help only some prospectors, not long term the country.