Hlaing Tha Yar Industrial Zone

Myanmar,a country with a thriving population of more than 55million has the potential for investment and future economic growth.

Myanmar is a country rich in natural resources such as precious gems,priceless jades,natural gas,petroleum,copper,nickel,tin,gold,silver,zince and a host of natural raw materials.

 An important East West Economic Corridor,Yangon has the largest metropolitan population with good basic infrastructure very well planned since British Colonial time.

The main ports and harbours are all just within vicinity. The British ruled Burma between 1824 till 1948 annexing it as province of  British India colony.Colonisation started when friction between the Burmese army crossing into British held Chittagong(capital Bangladesh) resulting in the First Anglo-Burmese War.

 The Yangon region has close to 23 industrial zones and the most established one is the Hlaing Tha Yar Industrial Zone.According to the Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone’s management committee, there are 45 garment factories at the zone, less than half the 95 located within the zone in the heyday of 2003 before the West imposed economic sanctions.

Most of the factories have an export credit of 780 Myanmar Kyat and if the US Dollar falls below that mark,factories will be struggling for survival.Hence the dollar exchange rate plays an important part in the profitablity of the companies.

 Mandalay,the ancient capital up north is the second largest city having mostly small and medium size industrial enterprises but specializes more towards the agro-base industry. Mawlamyaine (Moulmein)located midway between the southern coastal cities is within close proximity to the Greater Mekong Subregion will be the entry and exit point of the western end of the East-West Economic Corridor.

 The Friendship Bridge between Myawaddy(Burma) and Mae Sot (Thailand)has long been the trading route to The Greater Mekong subregion. Transport Company Guide: Shwe Sin SetKya Services Company

Burmese people.

It was August 8, 1988, or “8-8-88” as it’s widely known, when hundreds of thousands of Burmese from all walks of life joined a popular protest in the former capital Rangoon to topple the dictator Ne Win’s single party rule that had oppressed them for 26 years.

 It was an important milestone in modern Burmese history—a day that marked the emergence of a full-fledged democracy movement that managed to topple Ne Win’s regime, only to see a new junta seize power and spend the ensuing decades relentlessly suppressing its leaders, including Burma’s newfound democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Repression intensified, with the number of political prisoners reaching into the thousands. Today, the Myanmar military is more firmly entrenched in power similar to dictators in Cambodia and Malaysia. These dictators will use any tool necessary, from detention, torture and violence against his opponents, to lies, deceit, delay and false promises to the international community, or the manipulation of astrology and religion to convince their own people. Promised of democratic transition only fits with those kingly designs only to find henchmen as modern-day "tyrants".

Myanmar’s newfound place in the sun is the product of a series of reforms instigated by the country’s new president, Thein Sein, since he came to power at the head of a nominally civilian government in March 2011.

Though most of these reforms have been political rather than economic, they have helped change international sentiment on a country otherwise seen as a human rights pariah, and with an economy long viewed as a wasteland of missed opportunities.

Governments in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have gradually lifted most of the sanctions they had imposed on Myanmar to reward the reforms, bolster the reformers and open up previously restricted business opportunities for their own nationals.

 Despite this positive glow, Myanmar’s reforms are fragile and contingent upon a few key individuals, not the least of whom are the president, his key lieutenants, and also opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The reforms are also far from complete.

The scars of five decades of misrule: degraded infrastructure, rampant corruption and cronyism, severe capacity constraints in government and policy making bodies, residual human rights abuses and ethnic conflict, a dysfunctional financial sector, and a myriad of other obstacles to a smooth transition.

These impediments are common to reform scenarios in many places, but they suggest that the bullish assessments of Myanmar’s economy should be viewed with caution.

 

Meanwhile, the remaining economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar continue to constrain investment flows that would otherwise be expected.

The most crucial of these is the import ban imposed by the United States. This was first mandated in 2003 under the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, and was authorized again almost two months ago for three more years.

It is something the US president can suspend if certain conditions are met. This sanction has the effect of making Myanmar an unlikely destination for foreign investment in labor-intensive manufactures such as clothing and textiles.

Domestic legislation with respect to foreign investment is a key and often decisive component of a country’s relative attractiveness.

 This is especially important for a transitioning country such as Myanmar, where policy has historically been unwelcoming and restrictive toward foreign investment.

Meanwhile, the remaining economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar continue to constrain investment flows that would otherwise be expected.

The most crucial of these is the import ban imposed by the United States. This was first mandated in 2003 under the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, and was authorized again almost two months ago for three more years.

 It is something the US president can suspend if certain conditions are met. This sanction has the effect of making Myanmar an unlikely destination for foreign investment in labor-intensive manufactures such as clothing and textiles.

Currently awaiting the signature of the president is the new Foreign Investment Law designed to make the country more attractive to foreign investors.

This law will grant them the right to hold long leases on land (until now leases have been greatly restricted and the state was the exclusive owner of most productive land).

 Overseas investors will also be able to enjoy a five-year profit tax “holiday,” other tax concessions, and are guaranteed against the nationalization of their businesses (a necessary step given Myanmar’s long history of state expropriation).

Myanmar’s new Foreign Investment Law is also reflective of the country’s continuing divisions.

The law has been heavily influenced by the interests of Myanmar’s “crony” conglomerates, which in recent years have come to dominate key areas of the economy.

With interests that extend to almost every sector, such cronies (as people in Myanmar routinely refer to them) are likely to feel the threat of foreign competition first and foremos

Myanmar is undergoing a sure transition to a more open political system which may bring democracy, or could legitimize the long-ruling military regime thus bringing it out of isolation.

 Myanmar's military regime, in power since the early 1960s, though politically backed by Beijing, remains in the steely grip of mainland Chinese military and commercial deals.

Yangon University, once one of Asia's finest and a poignant symbol of an education system crippled by Myanmar's half a century of military rule.

Only graduate students are still allowed to study here. Fearful of student-led uprisings, the regime has periodically shut down this and other campuses and dispersed students to remote areas with few facilities.

 Now, as the nation also known as Burma opens its doors to the outside world, it is paying a heavy price unless drastic educational reforms is on the card. The crackdown on universities has spawned a lost generation.

The pace of development will be slowed and Burmese exploited, educators say, as the poorly schooled populace deals with an expected influx of foreign investors and aid donors, along with profiteers looking for a quick dollar.

Thanaka  is a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from ground bark.

It is a distinctive feature of Myanmar seen commonly applied to the face and sometimes the arms of women and girls and to a lesser extent men and boys.

The use of thanaka has also spread to neighboring countries including Thailand. The two most popular wood trees to produce the cream are Shwebo thanaka from Sagaing Division and Shinmadaung thanaka from Magwe Division.

Thanaka in its natural state is sold as small logs individually or in bundles, but nowadays also available as a paste or in powder form. Thanaka cream has been used by Burmese women for over 2000 years.

It has a fragrant scent somewhat similar to sandalwood. The creamy paste is applied to the face in attractive designs, the most common form being a circular patch on each cheek which  gives a cooling sensation and provides protection from sunburn. It is believed to help remove acne and promote smooth skin.

Handloom textiles and cottage industry crafts have always played an important role in the life of rural communities, providing a major source of income that goes directly into the hands of artisans.

There are nearly 5,000 registered  cottage industries across Myanmar and many successful businesses are headed by ladies who make rich contributions to the improving economy.

The outcome of this struggle between liberal reformers and the beneficiaries of Myanmar’s past regime will ultimately shape the new Foreign Investment Law.


This struggle will also determine if Myanmar is finally on the path to genuine transformational growth. A tiger in waiting perhaps, but not one yet. Myanmar was Ranked No. 180 of 183 nations in Transparency International’s 2011 corruption index.

Despite the liberal elements of the new Foreign Investment Law, other key clauses limit the role of foreign investors in a host of sectors, including retail trade, agricultural processing, fisheries and many light industries and services.

Glittering Shwedagon Pagoda,Yangon.

Located at Singuttara Hill in Yangon capital city Myanmar is an ancient sacred site where the relics of Buddha was buried.

The height: of the Shwedagon Pagoda is about 98 metre and base perimeter is 432.8 metre.

The lower stupa  was plated with 8,688 gold bars while  upper part with 13,153 gold bars.

 A cool and serene praying platform with a beautiful and unique pagoda can easily make visitors spending hours enjoying the charms of  this entire temple complex.

Devotees and pilgrims sat on the wide platform and perform their prayers.
This was once the Victory Ground and  most sacred places here.

 Women sweepers have just completed their day's task and were passing by the bell shrine near the north passage.







Smaller Buddha shrines surrounding the temple acts as  the Guardian Spirit of the Shwedagon Pagoda.












  Offering water and flowers to the Buddha.












Each and every corner has a place like this, making a total of 12 places.










 
Devotion Hall with a large drum.


















As dusk  falls,a gust of strong winds  through the pagoda site makes you imagine being in wonderland.

 Over 2,500 years ago, there lived a king by the name of Okkalapa. He was ruler of Suvannabhumi and ruled over the Talaings. At this time, Siddharta Guatama was living in northern India. He was still a young man and was not yet recognized as the Buddha.

The Eleven Shrine clusters.








As Guatama was reaching the end of his 49 days of meditation, he was visited by two brothers. Their names were Tapussa and Bhallika, and they happened to be from Myanmar and were subjects of Okkalapa. These two merchant brothers present Guatama Buddha with a gift of some honey cake, as they recognized him as The Enlightened One






To express his thanks to them,  Siddharta Guatama pulled out 8 of his hairs off of his head, and gave the hairs to Tapussa and Bhallika. They took the hairs and headed back home.
However, during their journey they were twice robbed, and 4 of the sacred hairs were taken from them. By the time they reached Myanmar, they had only 4 of The Buddha’s hairs left.





The Sun and Moon Stupa.












 The Hall of Gold and Silver Hill.

 












 
 
U Po Thaung Hall.









 The dark sky and sudden downpour lasting for nearly thirty minutes.
If you were lucky to be near the southern entrance,there will be a large hall to take some shelter from being drenched.
Fortunately there were not many visitors at that time.












 Reclining Buddha.






















  The years of 1852 through 1929 mark a time of British military occupation in Myanmar, with colonial rulers controlling the areas.

 However, the people of Myanmar were still able to have full access to the Shwedagon.

In 1871 a new diamond-studded piece for the pagoda’s structure was donated by King Mindon of Mandalay.

The people of Myanmar were thrilled at this tribute and well over 100,000 of them gathered at Shwedagon to celebrate. And although this made the British military somewhat uncomfortable, they had to allow it as the people were honoring their faith.


 The tip of the stupa too high to be seen by our naked eye contains 5,448 diamonds,2,317 rubies,sapphires and other gems,1,065 golden bells,and at the very top ,a single 76-carat diamond.

There were two location where the glittering diamond can be seen at night.

At one location you will be able to see the green and red  sparkles while the other location is the orange and crystal white.

 The bell(Khaung-laung-pon),normally to be hit only three times with a piece of wood during  prayer ceremonies.

In 1608, a Portuguese invader by the name of Philip de Brito y Nicote stole a bell that weighed around 6,0000 lbs, or 30 tons.
However, as he was attempting to return home with the bell, it fell into the Bago River and was lost.
 The bell was replaced in 1779. That was after a massive earthquake in 1768 toppled the highest part of the pagoda.

 Photo showing the thickness of the bell's outer layer.
 After the stupa, was rebuilt, King Hsinbyushin’s son Singu had a 23 ton bronze bell cast.

It was called the Maha Gandha bell.
In the 1820’s, however, British soldiers plundered the pagoda, and stole this bell.
En route to Calcutta, the bell fell overboard and sank into the sea.
 It was later recovered and now sits atop the pagoda platform, on the northwest side.
 Finally, in 1841 another bell was created, this one weighing approximately 8,000 pounds (40 tons) and covered with 45 lbs (20kg) of gold plating.
This bell, called the Maha Tissada bell, still resides in the pagoda, on the northeast side of the enclosure.

From the south entrance which is the stairway used by most foreign visitors,you'll arrived at the Southern Main Shrine(Devotional Hall).

There is an image of Konagamana Buddha (2nd Buddha of this world).

There were 4 Buddhas in this world,with the fifth and the last to come in the future.

 The Maha Bodhi Tree is located near the North right entrance.








Junior nuns visiting the museum. 
Hsi-la-shin (Nuns) were commonly seen in the street of Yangon going round for alms only on two pre-Sabbath days unlike the monks who move around everyday.
 

 
 







The Chinese Merited Association Tazaung.
 Here, there were 28 Buddha images that represent all Buddhas who have lived since the creation of time.

The Shrine of the guardian spirit of Shwedagon Pagoda (or) Shwedagon Bo Bo Gyi.
This was kept behind the glass together with Thagyamin (or) the King of heaven.

There are iron grill fencing to protect from intruders stealing this pure gold statues.

 No through access path from the golden statues shrine located just beside the Eastern stairway.

Buddha’s Footprint Hall encircled and protected by a naga (serpent).
Historically, during the third week after enlightenment, Gautama Buddha was protected by the naga king Mucalinda when there was a great shower of rain.

Before 1st century AD when Buddha was starting to be represented in human form, his footprint, wheel and the Bodhi tree were used as iconographic figures to represent Gautama Buddha.

To pray for blessing here,spill water with the purplish cup near the neck of the naga 5 times and subsequently dip your fingers into the water and wet your forehead three times.






  A small Chinese temple within. 








This is the Pagoda of the Eight Weekdays.

On each side (there were eight sides) of the pagoda is a niche, in which there is a small Buddha image.
Above each Buddha image is an image of an animal that represent each day of Burmese eight weekdays.

Met this young graduate monk with excellent English who provided me with a short guided tour and invaluable talk about Buddhism.

Hpone-kyi or Monks are dedicated to the service of the Buddha with the main role being the propagation of Buddhism.

The influence of hpongyis, therefore on the lives of the Myanmar people is indeed considerable.
About 60 percent of Buddhist boys received free education in hpongyi kyaungs(monks monastery) both as lay pupils or as koyins (i.e., novices). No fees were charged and poorer boys were even given food and clothing. In return the boys rendered a few personal services to the master or teacher.