Country launches its first online music store
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Myanmar's first online music store was launched on Sunday to combat piracy and illegal downloads.
The Myanmar Music Store opened officially after a successful week-long trial selling local music online. Among its first downloads released was popular rock star Lay Phyu’s album, “Diary”, which has already sold 4,000 copies.
“There are many advantages of buying music online. It saves time and energy,” said Ko Ko Lwin, managing director of Legacy Music Company.
“The online market will become a new platform for both local and international distribution of Myanmar albums, as the traditional distribution system has been plagued by piracy. Anyone with an Internet connection can easily buy the music,” he said.
Cover songs by local artists will only be available for local audiences due to copyright issues.
The music store charges 1,800 kyats (Bt57) for the latest albums and 1,500 kyats for older albums. Single tracks can also be bought for Ks 300 per song.
“The prices are much cheaper than elsewhere. You can also listen to the demo versions and buy single tracks,” added Ko Ko.
Local fans can buy the music through MyanPay, YPay, SMS and phone bills while those overseas can buy through PayPal.
Six river ports to be constructed with Japanese aid
The Directorate of Transport will construct six modern ports along Ayeyawady (Irrawaddy) and Chindwin rivers with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The ports will be constructed in Banmaw, Mandalay, Pakokku and Magway along the Ayeyawady River and Monywa and Kalaywa along Chindwin River.
“We have chosen a place between Mandalay harbour and Shan Lay village to construct the port. The project will be start in 2015,” said Tun Lwin Oo, director general of the Department of Water Resources and River Water Development.
Nissan factory to be built in Bago Region
A Nissan car factory is being planned on 32 hectares of land in southern-central Bago Region, according to company sources.
A local company, United Diamond Motors, was authorised as official distributor of Nissan autos in July this year.
“Nissan will build its auto factory in Myanmar. Once the factory is built, it will start marketing its motors in the country. Though we are an authorised distributor for Nissan, no deal has been made with us yet for the marketing when the factory is built,” said Aye Tun from United Diamond Motor.
The Myanmar Investment Commission granted a licence to Malaysia’s ETC to manufacture Nissan-branded motors in Bago Region on August 15 this year and the factory is expected to be completed by 2015.
Malaysia-based Tan Choung Group operates in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and Cambodia, in direct cooperation with Japan’s Nissan Company.
Timber worth $17m smuggled into China
Timber smugglers have used illegal routes to export more than US$17 million (Bt527.8 million) worth of hardwoods to China, Myanmar’s ministry of commerce revealed recently.
Official timber exports were worth just over $30,000, but import data released by the Chinese government showed $17.5 million worth of timber had been imported from Myanmar, the ministry said.
An official from the ministry speculated timber smugglers must have used illegal routes to avoid official checkpoints along the road to Muse, on the border with Yunnan, China.
As China sets import restrictions on some agricultural products from Myanmar, local exporters find it difficult to get permission from China for their exports, creating a growing illegal trade.
Recent official data for bilateral trade with Thailand also revealed smugglers had exported some $130 million in goods via Myawaddy and Tercheliek routes in just one month.
The ministry, working together with respective departments seized illegal products worth Ks 6.7 billion recently on trade routes across the country.
