Huge narcotics, weapons haul in Shan state

Authorities seized 30 packs of brown opium, 0.5 kilograms of raw opium worth over 528 million kyats, an AK-47 and a .22 firearm with 30 bullets from a green Land Cruiser driven by Ko Aung, also known as Lauk Ale.

“We are doing our duty every time to arrest [traffickers] and combat narcotic drugs. The suspected drug dealers are being investigated and we are going to take action and rapidly capture others involved in these drug cases,” an officer from the Shan State Police Office said.

Officials from Light Infantry Unit 125 and Nay Pyi Taw Anti-Drug Control apprehended the suspect on the Theinni-Kwenlon Road in Theinni township, northern Shan state, on November 23 at around 7pm. On the same day, the authorities arrested 34-year-old Yaung Hsin, together with Kyan Kwen Lin and Ahr Phar, for possession of 451,500 pseudoephedrine tablets, 2kg of pseudoephedrine powder and 32,500 Coldifed tablets worth of more than 5 billion kyats. 

The suspects were also found in possession of two .20 calibre pistols and two M22 machine guns with 60 magazines. 

Pseudoephedrine is a common nasal or sinus decongestant found in cold remedies, but is also used as a precursor chemical in narcotics production.

 

Free public health clinics to reopen

Public health clinics will soon be reopened in various towns across Myanmar, according to the Public Health Foundation.

The clinics will be free of charge and are due to open in Yangon and Mandalay, followed by other major towns early next year. 

“There were 33 clinics opened across the country under the Myanmar Garunar Foundation in 1990, but those clinics had been suspended temporarily by the Ministry of Health in 1997. Now, all clinics were handed over for reopening to our foundation. 

“Our aim is for the clinics to cater to ordinary people living in the suburbs and far-flung areas,” said Dr Than Sein, chairman of the Public Health Foundation.

The new clinics will give first priority to treatment of patients suffering from common illnesses. Those with chronic illnesses will be referred to hospitals.

Initially, the clinics will be launched in Hlaingtharyar and South Oakkalapa townships of Yangon region and Chanmyathasi and Pyigyidagon townships of Mandalay region.

There will be six medical staff including two doctors and two nurses serving at each clinic. 

The Public Health Foundation will participate in research work, conducting educational talks and capacity building for medical staff with the Ministry of Health.

 

Lender tests mobile-banking service

Co-operative Bank is currently testing its new mobile-banking service pending Central Bank approval, according to deputy general manager Oo Thein Myint. 

It will be the first bank to offer mobile banking services in Myanmar.

“Our bank is testing the mobile banking system internally. We are ready to offer our services to the people. We have applied for approval to the Central Bank and they like our mobile banking system. Once the Central Bank gives the approval, we will launch the mobile banking services,” said Oo Thein Myint.

The bank is planning to enable clients to make money transfers worth between 1 kyat and 5 million kyats using their mobile mobiles. Users will first need to open a savings account with the bank and install the bank’s mobile application into their phones, the deputy general manager explained.

The system will operate 24 hours a day. Users can remit money or check the balance of their account any time on their phone. Money transfers will be free of charge within the same town, but if money is transferred to a different town, remittance fees will be charged at the bank’s usual rates. 

In areas where the bank does not have a branch, mobile agents will be assigned, Oo Thein Myint added.

Co-operative Bank is a leading public bank in Myanmar that has opened more than 60 branches across the country so far. It offers a wide range of retail and commercial banking services to its clients.

 

Rice exports to miss targeted 3m tonnes: federation

Rice exports are unlikely to reach 2.5 million tonnes – well below the target of 3 million tonnes for this fiscal year.

“Myanmar exported just over 410,000 tonnes of rice during the last eight months. This is half of the figure for the same period last year,” said Dr Soe Tun, secretary-general of the Myanmar Rice Federation.

Myanmar hit the 1 million-tonne target of rice exports last fiscal year. Therefore, the Ministry of Commerce announced in a business meeting that it had set a target of 3 million tonnes for 2013-14.

The country exported just 412,740 tonnes of rice between April 1 and November 15, according to reports from the Ministry of Commerce. It needs to export an additional 2.5 million tonnes of rice in the next four months to meet the target for this fiscal year.

Dr Soe Tun attributes the slump in rice export volume to rising production costs, low demand in export markets and reduced production of rice due to climate change.

He added that there are still hopes for better export figures as African countries usually start buying a large amount of rice from Myanmar around November and December.

Currently, most of rice exports go to China. This year Japan has started buying Myanmar rice for the first time and Myanmar exported over 5,000 tonnes of rice to that country in June. Rice exports to Japan are expected to increase.

As of November 15, Myanmar earned a total of US$165 million (Bt5.3 billion) from rice exports, according to the Ministry of Commerce.