Nightspots may return to normal

Kyaw Kyaw Htun, Myanmar Police Force Chief and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, said that the police had to limit the operational hours of these businesses in the past two months due to growing concerns of crimes that occur at night, which includes violence and street racing.

“We don’t want to impose time restrictions on these businesses [night clubs and KTVs]. But the police have to resolve the problems. Recently, we found some weapons hidden inside some vehicles at night,” he said.

He also added that only few of these nightspots have business permits.

The Yangon Regional Police informed managers of the night clubs and KTVs on November 5 and 6 about the limitations. They also formed a special force to curb illegal street racing and to seize illegal weapons.

 

50,000 villages without electricity 

Nearly 50,000 small towns and villages in Myanmar are still without electricity, statistics from the Ministry of Electric Power show.

Shan and Kachin states have the largest number of villages without power supply as well as those in Bago, Sagaing and Magway regions. 

Areas without electricity include three towns and 13,424 villages in Shan State; 8,602 villages and one town in Ayeyawady Region, 5,603 villages in Bago Region; 2,978 villages in Mandalay Region; 2,416 villages in Magway Region; 2,295 villages in Kachin State; and over 10000 villages and 10 towns in other regions and states. The government plans to build power grids ranging from 66KV to 500KV and sub-power stations in those villages.  

 

Mandalay needs more hotels

Business owners in Mandalay are seeing a rise in the demand for hotels with the steady influx of foreign tourists to Myanmar’s central region. 

“The hotel shortage is not really due to the increasing number of tourists. There are not enough rooms for them in the first place,” said a businessman.

With approximately 8,500 rooms, Mandalay region has two four-star hotels, eight three-star hotels, 25 two-star hotels, 19 one-star hotels, and 21 other hotels.

A hotel owner said it will take time before any new hotel can be built as local businessmen in the past had not been interested in investing in the hotel and tourism industry. 

The government, meanwhile, has been planning to establish a new hotel zone in Tada-U, near the Mandalay International Airport.

 

Mega complex for Yangon

Mall and property developer FMI Company will be building a complex designed to be an iconic landmark at the centre of central Yangon. 

“On 10 acres of land where the Grand Meeyatha Executive Residences is, FMI’s centre and the old railway head office will be demolished and replaced with hotels, condominiums, servicing centres, office buildings, and the biggest shopping centre in Yangon,” FMI Company 

chairperson Serge Pun said.