NLD's Education Network to help mobile schools at the border

NLD Education Network will provide 50 million kyats (Bt1.75 million) initially and the first recipients will be six schools, including an orphanage, in Mae Sot. Schools in Kachine, Kayar, Shan and Rakhine states will also receive help. 

The network is using cash collected at a fund-raising concert held by NLD in December. 

“There are some students who have already applied for financial aid, but there are many others who need assistance. We will ensure that the right students are helped. We should have enough funds to provide assistance for up to 40 students a year,” NLD Education Network’s Dr Thein Lwin said.

The network has set up 86 institutions called “Mother’s House” to provide free education in the Yangon region. 

 

Election Commission to help mend ties between govt and parties

 

Myanmar’s electoral body is willing to intervene and help resolve conflicts between the government and political parties. 

Union Election Commission (UEC) chairman Tin Aye made the offer at a meeting with the country’s political parties in Nay Pyi Taw on January 3. 

“The chairman said the commission would help parties make up for mistakes and ease differences they might have with the government,” Thu Wai, chairman of the Democratic Party (Myanmar), said. He added that they also discussed the need to implement the work of political parties within the framework of law. 

Tin Aye, meanwhile, said the UEC would do what it can to help deal with contentious issues such as the ongoing war in the northern state of Kachin and the Latpadaungtaung copper mining project in central Myanmar.  

“We talked about many things such as Kachin’s peace process and the holding of a political dialogue beyond Parliament. Our country is facing many challenges and problems, like the commission’s chairman said, cooperation is necessary. We must accept cooperation by setting aside differences,” Thein Nyunt, chairman of New National Democracy Party, said.    

Tin Aye, meanwhile, commended all parties for their efforts in organising public talks to raise awareness and publicise their role in the country’s political, economic and social affairs. He, however, warned the parties of doing anything that violates the Constitution or the existing laws. 

Of the 54 registered political parties, 53 sent representatives to attend the meeting. 

 

Myanmar gets 1 million tourists in 2012

 

Last year, Myanmar reached its goal of attracting 1 million visitors for the first time ever, an official from the Hotels and Tourism Ministry said. 

“Preliminary figures are around 1,060,000 when we combine all the [figures] from airport gateways and border-entry points, but we are still awaiting official statistics,” the official said. 

Visitors enter the country through Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Nay Pyi Taw or one of the many border checkpoints. Yangon International Airport and Yangon Port welcomed some 560,000 visitors last year, while the rest arrived at airports in Mandalay, Bagan and Nay Pyi Taw.

Arrivals from border-entry points near Thailand and China are estimated at 400,000.