Water taxi service set to ease Yangon traffic

“We have already invited tenders for the water-taxi service, and two companies submitted tenders. Both of them may be selected, as there are two routes. One of the routes is Nga Moe Yeik Creek, and the other route is a river. They will need multi-sized vessels for carrying passengers,” Maung Aung said.
The Yangon Region Transport Authority plans to launch the water-taxi service on Nga Moe Yeik Creek and the Hlaing River in an effort to reduce traffic congestion in Yangon city. The tenders were invited on November 20 and closed on December 26. Only two companies submitted tenders: Tin Tin Myanmar Company and Golden Palace Company.
“After being selected, they will need to carry out a pilot survey by themselves. If they import vessels from abroad, the project will quickly be accomplished. They say it takes at least 45 days to build a vessel,” Maung Aung said. – Myanmar Eleven

Business optimism in 
Vietnam expected to rise 
Business confidence in Vietnam is expected to improve this year after the government’s hastened reform efforts aiming to create momentum for companies and boost start-up entrepreneurship.
“I believe that business confidence will strengthen and help boost economic growth,” said Tran Thi Hong Minh, director of the Business Registration Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Convenience in setting up companies – such as free online business registration from the beginning of this year – will promote private investments into the economy, Minh said.
According to the General Statistics Office, 8,990 new companies were founded in January with total registered capital of 90.3 trillion dong (Bt139 billion), representing increases by 8.1 per cent and 52.3 per cent respectively over the same month of last year. Registered capital averaged 10 billion dong, a whopping rise of 40.9 per cent.
Existing companies registered to increase capital by a total of 114.6 trillion dong in January, statistics showed. In addition, more than 5,560 firms resumed operations, up by 14.2 per cent.
The number of new companies hit a record of more than 110,000 in 2016, two years since the amended laws on enterprise and investment came into force. – Viet Nam News

Indonesia eyes technology
transfer from LRT projects
Light-rail-transit (LRT) projects in Jakarta and in Palembang, South Sumatra, are expected to set an example for similar projects in the future and also facilitate technology transfer, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has said.
“We do not have any experience in this field – in the construction of MRT, LRT and even high-speed rail. We hope that these constructions can be a sort of technology transfer,” he said before a closed-door meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.
The construction of both LRT projects is expected to support the upcoming Asian Games.
The LRT from Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport in Palembang is expected to span 23 kilometres and pass through 13 stations. Meanwhile, the Jakarta LRT project will connect a number of sports arenas in the capital for the Games and connect Jakarta to neighbouring cities.– The Jakarta Post