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ASEAN Summit Special Edition Of The FMI Air In-Flight Magazine
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Yoma Bank Targets SMEs
With IFC Support pg. 06
Love Is In The Air
In Myanmar's Insurance Industry pg. 17
British Chamber Of Commerce
Launches In Myanmar pg. 26
Fly With FMI Air To The ASEAN Summit!
November 2014
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Contents
Editorial Team
05
Message From The Chairman
Editors In Chief:
06
Yoma Bank Targets SMEs With IFC Support
Tim Underwood, Chairman, Kaus Group
Nidia Ribeiro Serpa, Project Manager, Kaus Group
10
Message From The CEO
Contributors:
14
Winds Of Change
17
Love Is In The Air In Myanmar's Insurance Industry
21
An Insight To The Myanmar Hospitality
24
Myanmar Textiles – Highlight On Chin State
26
British Chamber Of Commerce Launch In Myanmar
28
FMI Air Flight Schedule
31
Cities Of Burnished Beauty
Serge Pun, Chairman, FMI Air
Bruce Nobles, CEO, FMI Air
Nigel Blackwood, Managing Partner, Myanmar Bureau
Philippe May, Senior Consultant, Global World Insurance
Denise Underwood, Managing Director, Kaus Group
Phillip Couvaras, Area Manager, Shangri-La Myanmar
CK Lun, Textiles Specialist, Chin Textiles
Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director,
British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar
Pamela McCourt Francescone
Layout & Design:
Creative Advertising Agency
04
Phone: +959 253685440
Email: oﬃ[email protected]
Web: www.kausmediagroup.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kausgroupmyanmar
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Message From The Chairman
The airline industry is undeniably a very challenging and tough business.
There are many reasons for us to not go into the aviation business. Many
people, even from within the airline community in Myanmar advised
against establishing FMI Air but why did we do it? For the simple reason
that we wanted to fulﬁll the needs of a big vacuum in the industry.
It is a need that I can attest myself because of my frequent four to ﬁve
hour road trips between Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. There was only one
way to go there and it was by car. During these long road journeys, I had
plenty of time to mull this over and decide that there was without a
doubt an opportunity in this particular market – the opportunity to
provide an alternative to ground transportation and a reliable, safe and
timely air service provider that would ﬂy at the right time and provide
time eﬃciency for business travelers.
FMI Air recently celebrated its second anniversary and continues to
provide a convenient, customer focused service between Yangon and
Nay Pyi Taw, and has become the carrier of choice for business travelers
and both foreign and local government oﬃcials -- a true testament to the
standards that have been set by FMI Air.
Riding the coattails of this success we continue to work with the
Government to establish a full-ﬂedged airline and aspire to become an
air service provider operating to international safety standards to other
destinations in Myanmar, and eventually to other countries within the
region. A management team with decades of international airline
experience has been assembled to establish our operations and instill
operational excellence within our staﬀ, and I am conﬁdent that FMI Air
will provide the leading customer experience in Myanmar.
Operations will be established with Bombardier CRJ 200 aircraft, which
will bring a new product oﬀering to the currently turboprop dominated
market, and provide a smoother and quicker journey for travelers.
Beyond our activities in the business traveler market, Myanmar has a
projected three million visitors in 2015, growing to almost 7.5 million in
2020 suggesting that we are set to see enormous growth within the
tourism sector. FMI Air will be well positioned to capture its fair share of
this growth.
I am however mindful of the many challenges that lie ahead and there
are many factors in this business that you cannot predict or control so we
will continue to evolve and react to any shifts in the market conditions as
and when they present themselves.
I sincerely thank you for choosing to ﬂy with FMI Air and I hope that you
have enjoyed your journey with us.
Serge Pun
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
05
Yoma Bank Targets SMEs With IFC Support
Founded
1993
Employees
2,300
Branches
56
Founded in 1993, Yoma Bank is one of Myanmar’s
leading fully licensed commercial banks with 2,300
employees and more than 50 branches covering 25
major cities nationwide. The Bank was founded by
Serge Pun, also known as U Theim Wai, in Myanmar
and its ﬁrst branch opened in front of the iconic
Aung San Stadium in Yangon. It was the ﬁrst bank in
Myanmar to use a computerized accounting system
and pioneered wireless banking communications.
Today, Yoma Bank is recognized as one of the most
progressive banks in Myanmar and is leading an
06
eﬀort to bring responsible banking to the country
with a strong emphasis on good corporate
governance and conservative capital-ratio policies.
The lender is well positioned to support Myanmar’s
continued economic growth.
Yoma Bank has been successful in retaining its most
experienced branch managers and staﬀ that now
lead the re-emergence of the Bank. This core group
is now complemented by an expanding group of
Myanmar nationals returning from overseas with
experience in respected international ﬁnancial
institutions such as Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, Citi
and Credit Suisse.
As Myanmar emerges from years of isolation, the
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demand for ﬁnancial services in the country is huge.
More than 70 percent of adults do not have formal
access to credit, deposit, and other ﬁnancial
services, such as insurance and remittance; only 5
percent of adults have a bank account in their name.
capacity to provide ﬁnancing for importers and
exporters.
Partnership With IFC
As Myanmar’s ﬁnancial sector opens up, so is
competition increasing and this has compelled the
country’s domestic banks to become more
competitive and re-position themselves to support
local businesses.
In September this year, Yoma Bank inked a deal with
the International Finance Corp., the World Bank
group's private-sector arm. Under this partnership
IFC has provided US$5 million convertible loan for
Yoma Bank to develop its capacity to ﬁnance SMEs in
Myanmar.
The loan is the ﬁrst initiative dedicated to helping
smaller businesses in Myanmar, where local
entrepreneurs complain of being deprived of bank
loans and left behind by the country's economic
reforms, which have so far focused on developing
infrastructure and rewriting laws to primarily beneﬁt
foreign investors.
In Myanmar, access to capital is one of the biggest
hurdles facing small businesses in Myanmar and
Yoma Bank aims to be a leading SME Bank in the
country and to contribute toward developing a
vibrant SME sector in the country.
The loan is the ﬁrst step in IFC’s ﬁnancial support for
the bank, which may be further increased to up to
$30 million in coming years in the form of equity,
senior debt and trade guarantee lines under IFC’s
Global Trade Finance Program, which boosts banks’
08
Positioning For Strong Growth
18.6 CM.
The role of IFC is pivotal to Yoma Bank’s growth. In
addition to the loan, IFC advises Yoma Bank in a
variety of areas through the support of a full time IFC
Resident Advisor supported by a team of sector
specialists. Focus areas include identifying and
installing a core banking system, enhancing Yoma
Bank’s risk management and corporate governance,
developing new products and delivery channels for
small and medium enterprises over the next three
years.
Yoma Bank will also develop policies and procedures
to identify and manage environmental and social
risks associated with the business activities it
ﬁnances. IFC’s investment and advisory support is
expected to help Yoma Bank provide an additional
1,000 loans worth $370 million to small and medium
enterprises in Myanmar by 2019.
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Message From The CEO
When we set out to create our own airline we
decided to build everything from scratch. We
have written our operating manuals and
procedures speciﬁcally for these CRJ aircraft
operating in Myanmar. We have developed
safety procedures far beyond the normal
requirements, matching the best international
standards. We already have a senior
management team with more than 250 years of
aviation experience from more than 30 diﬀerent
airlines around the world. Our pilots and
engineers also have many years of experience
with this type of aircraft and safety is now and
always will be our number one priority without
any compromise.
While safety continues to be our most important
job we also work hard with our partners to
provide a reliable service with convenient
schedules, clean comfortable aircraft and
facilities, managed by people who are friendly
and eﬃcient as well as professional and well
trained. Our goal is to provide you with the best
value for your money.
Welcome aboard. We are happy you have
chosen to ﬂy with FMI Air and we will do
everything we can to make your short trip an
enjoyable one.
You may or may not know that FMI Air is a new
airline. We began life a little over two years ago
as a charter operation using aircraft rented from
other local airlines. We carefully chose partners
who share our values of safety and service.
However, very soon we expect to receive our own
license from the Myanmar Civil Aviation
Authority to begin ﬂying our own jet aircraft.
As FMI Air transitions to our own aircraft we
intend to become the premier airline in Myanmar
for the people of this region as well as visitors
from around the world.
We sincerely hope you have enjoyed your trip
with us and that you will come back again and
again.
As we say in Myanmar “Cezu tin ba de”!
Bruce Nobles
The planes we will be using are manufactured in
Canada by Bombardier and the engines are from
the USA made by General Electric. The aircraft is
a CRJ 200. Although there are not many of these
aircraft in Asia, the CRJ is one of the most popular
regional aircraft ever built and today operates
around the globe.
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
11
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Winds Of Change
When I ﬁrst came to Myanmar in 2001, little did I
know that my life was about to change forever. I
was intrigued by the country’s enchanting
people, fascinating culture and spectacular
scenery. I was just about to embark on a
diplomatic posting at the British Embassy in
Yangon and was bowled over by the warm
welcome I received from each and every person I
met. My portfolio mainly focused on political and
developmental issues and my tour of duty
stretched to 2007.
In 2005 I married a Myanmar lady which ensured
that I would become inextricably entwined with
the country’s aﬀairs and its wellbeing. It has been
a wonderful yet challenging journey, but we are
both now delighted to be back in Myanmar
making a contribution to the country’s economic
development.
On leaving Yangon in 2007, we were posted to
Shanghai, after which I took a career break from
the Foreign Oﬃce to sit an MBA at Melbourne
Business School. We returned to Myanmar again
more than two years ago to set up a business
consultancy and advisory company, Myanmar
Bureau.
One of the questions I get asked most often these
days is ‘What changes have you seen in Myanmar
over the last decade?’. There are always a lot of
answers that immediately spring to mind. Most
of the diﬀerences are noticeable in Yangon and
the other major cities, but when travelling in
rural areas, there is little obvious change in terms
of standards of living or lifestyles.
Some of the most visible changes have only
become apparent over the last couple of years
although the process of change could be traced
back to the Military’s road map to democracy in
2003. The most regularly cited changes include
the dramatic increase in the number of cars on
the road and the widespread use of mobile
phones and the internet. Along with political
change, the media has a freedom to report in a
way that was unimaginable just a few years ago.
There is a steady increment in Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) and property prices in Yangon
14
have gone through the roof. The demand for
skilled, educated and experienced Myanmar staﬀ
has sky-rocketed and a resulting reverse
brain-drain has begun. However, there is little
evidence to suggest that the change is really
being felt at the grassroots level.
The greatest diﬀerence I have seen in the country
over the last decade is a shift in attitude. There
seems to be a conﬁdence throughout the country
that the winds of change are irrevocably blowing.
When I left Myanmar in 2007, nobody was
conﬁdent that progress would be coming
anytime soon. Now I feel a sense of optimism,
even in parts of the country still untouched by
any signiﬁcant development.
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In his speech at the opening session of the of the
third annual conference on media development
in Myanmar on 18 September 2014 in Yangon,
Information Minister U Ye Htut confessed, ‘In the
last few years most of our reforms have been
happening in the structural, policy and macro
level process, but some reforms, especially those
in the economic sector are not reaching down.
Our concern is that if we cannot narrow the gap
some groups can use this gap to create social
instability.’ The audience comprised of Myanmar
and foreign journalists, media executives,
government oﬃcials and representatives of civil
society groups.
As a strong advocate for responsible business and
investment, I believe that FDI can play a
signiﬁcant role in supporting the country’s
transition
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
transition towards a more democratic, peaceful
and egalitarian environment. Transparent, ethical
business practices can play a major role in
changing not just the corporate scene in
Myanmar, but also society in general. With it
comes not just jobs and wealth creation, but an
understanding of worker’s entitlements and
human rights. Establishing a more substantial
middle class will not only build a bridge that helps
wealth to cross the divide between rich and poor,
but will also have an impact on education, the
peace process and the future of the ﬁnancial
sector.
Through our work we have already seen the
impact of international standards in a number of
sectors. The garment sector is an obvious case in
question, where international companies are
demanding
15
demanding a high degree of compliance and
transparency from their suppliers leading to
better working conditions and reduced
corruption. We have seen similar examples
across a range of sectors including oil & gas,
manufacturing, hotels & tourism, banking,
aviation and IT & Telecoms.
What I would also like to see is more ﬁnancial
support for local SMEs, which can have signiﬁcant
impact across the country, especially outside the
major cities. One of the major challenges for
entrepreneurs is access to credit and it is great to
see banks such as Yoma and KBZ providing much
needed services for these enterprises.
Nigel Blackwood is a Managing Partner at
Myanmar Bureau, a business consultancy and
advisory company providing services for both
local and international companies across a broad
range of sectors. Its services include due
diligence, compliance, market entry, public
relations, reputational risk, Environmental &
Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR). Myanmar Bureau is a
Founder Member of the British Chamber of
Commerce Yangon. For more information, visit
www.myanmarbureau.com
Nigel Blackwood
Managing Partner
Myanmar Bureau
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Love Is In The Air
In Myanmar's Insurance Industry
More than any other ﬁnancial sector in Myanmar,
the insurance industry has undergone
tremendous change in the last two years. Until
early last year there was only one provider,
state-owned “Myanma Insurance”. The total
premium volume did not exceed USD 30 million –
only a fraction of countries like Vietnam and even
Cambodia or Laos. It was only in September 2012
that a newly formed regulatory body under the
auspices of the Ministry of Finance has granted
12 private domestic companies conditional
licenses to oﬀer insurance services including life,
nonlife and composite insurance. The aim was to
create a greater capacity to meet the needs of
customers - a move that was certainly much
needed.
The country has quite some natural disaster risk
exposure, earthquake risk, and some exposure to
tropical cyclones. It also has a large agricultural
sector which is longing for bad weather index,
crop and hail insurance. But the insurance market
is still very undeveloped or underdeveloped. It’s
not a ﬁnancially wealthy country and there’s not
a lot of industry here - not yet! Despite the arrival
of some MNCs, most big-ticket investors are still
on the sideline and probably waiting for the
national elections to be held in 2015 and for the
USA to lift all of the remaining sanctions. The
potential for growth and the appetite for
insurance and asset protection is therefore
enormous, both among local and foreign
customers.
No Foreign Players Yet, But…
Foreign companies are not yet permitted to do
any underwriting, but the number of
representative oﬃces has increased signiﬁcantly.
Foreigners can neither be shareholders nor hold
executive positions in local companies. They can
take up the role of an advisor though, given they
are properly authorized by the authorities. The
author of this article is only one of what is
believed to be no more than a dozen of early bird
foreigners active in the country’s insurance
sector. Nevertheless, the interaction between the
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
17
local and international insurance industry has
increased thanks to various workshops, seminars
and conferences, many of them held jointly with
multinational insurers and the regulator. Most of
the private companies have become operational
in 2013, among them Global World Insurance
GWI. The company is owned by one of the
country’s largest business conglomerates and
quickly became one of the most eminent
composite insurance providers. Half of new
companies oﬀer life insurance products only,
while the other half oﬀers life and general
insurance products. The required paid capital for
composite insurance companies is MMK 46
billion. (Approx. USD 46 million) and the amount
for life insurance companies is MMK 6 billion.
These amounts are relatively high compared to
other emerging markets at a similar stage to
Myanmar. It is thanks to these stringent
regulations that the public is ﬁnally able to build
trust in the local insurance industry and achieve
asset protection through risk transfer.
18
Risk Transfer For SMEs
Under life insurance endowment plans are
available, however, so far only in local currency.
Pure risk insurances are available as well, namely
in the form of group life insurance, which oﬀers
an attractive form of risk transfer to SMEs.
Previously, many local companies used to
compensate staﬀ and their families for
work-related accidents directly, and booked
these costs as out of the pocket expenses. Thanks
to group life insurance, those who want to insure
their staﬀ against death and permanent disability
can do so conveniently through the new
providers, though the sum insured remains low
by international standards. Non-life products
include comprehensive motor and ﬁre insurance.
The latest product that has been launched is a
travel insurance which has proven popular
among long-distance bus passengers. There is
still no health insurance available yet, but a mixed
study group has been created recently and is
expected come forward with proposals in 2015.
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Identical Products And Tariffs – Different Service
Terms and Conditions (incl. beneﬁts, sum insured, etc.) as well as tariﬀ rates are mandated by the
regulator, and identical throughout the entire industry. Certain types of insurance, such as liability or
transport, are provided exclusively by the former monopolist. Therefore, each company tries to
distinguish itself through outstanding customer service, modern IT solutions, creative advertising, wily
marketing eﬀorts etc.
Global World Insurance GWI is delighted to oﬀer life, ﬁre, travel and comprehensive motor insurance to
an ever growing base of local and international customers who seek peace of mind. The company runs
three oﬃces, incl. Yangon and Mandalay, and its staﬀ numbers almost 100 after only one year of
operations. The staﬀ is trained to identify and meet customers’ needs, and many of them are ﬂuent in
English and Chinese. We look forward to oﬀer new products to the public and grow further along the
booming economy of the country.
Philippe May
Senior Consultant
Global World Insurance
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
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An Insight To The Myanmar Hospitality
Q: Tell us a little bit about the background of the
Shangri-La Group in Myanmar. Shangri-La has
been a visionary, entering the market a lot sooner
than other competitors. Can you elaborate on
this?
Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is one of the ﬁrst
international luxury hotel groups to debut in
Myanmar having opened and operated the then
Traders Hotel, Yangon since 1996. The Shangri-La
group is well known for entering emerging
markets before the pack. These moves are
always backed up by comprehensive research
and feasibility studies plus the keen business
sense of our owners.
Q: How has Shangri-La positioned itself to cater
for the rapid growth in visitors to Myanmar, both
business and tourist markets?
Following the successful re-branding of the
Traders Hotel, Yangon to Sule Shangri-La Yangon
in April this year, along with the increase in guest
rooms. Shangri-La has developments in Yangon
including the Shangri-La Residences (introduced
in January 2014) and is planning to open a second
hotel – Lakeside Shangri-La, Yangon – in 2017.
Both hotels are positioned and equipped to cater
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
to both the discerning business and leisure
traveller. Aside from being part of the city for the
last 18 years, Sule Shangri-La, Yangon reﬂects a
sense of place and embraces the local
community and culture in both design and
oﬀerings A great deal of care is made in selecting
local artists for the hotel art pieces, as well as
artefacts, and wood carving. Perhaps Shangri-La
is best known for the care it tales is designing and
selecting the uniforms for its colleagues making
them proud of the industry they work in. The
hotel also reﬂects the brand’s Asian heritage and
Shangri-La’s distinctive Asian standards of
hospitality and service. The company is fully
committed to this journey towards the country’s
continued progress.
Q: What have been the biggest challenges with
the new demand?
Myanmar’s growth rate has undoubtedly been
extraordinary and anyone wanting to take part in
the country’s journey will have to keep up with its
ever-evolving business landscape. As more
investments and new industries come in, the
‘human resources bank’ of local talents is
stretched. Many corporations ﬁnd that the
hospitality
21
hospitality industry is a good place to look for a
skilled workforce and this obviously puts a strain
on our staﬀ retention. We believe however that
where there are challenges, there are
opportunities. We will continue to ride the ‘waves
of change’ and adjust to the very dynamic market
forces currently in play. Shangri-La is proud to be
an industry leader in development and training.
Q: You have been through a rebranding earlier this
year, what were the challenges with regards to the
rebranding?
Shangri-La commenced with a phased renovation
in mid-2010. Phase one encompassed the porte
cochere or main driveway, lobby, Peacock Lounge,
Café Sule , Gourmet Shop, Ballroom and the hotel
lobby. All the 479 rooms were refurbished
including the bathrooms and guestrooms. Phase
two included the Horizon Club Lounge and Horizon
Club accommodation, suites, Summer Palace,
Gallery Bar, function rooms, health club and pool,
as well as the business centre. The renovation was
timed and phased to keep any inconvenience or
disturbance at a minimum for our guests. As we
were upgrading the hardware, and changing over
all items to comply with the Shangri-La standards
and its corporate identity, intensive staﬀ training
was also being carried out to ensure the ‘software’
was also aligned as soon as the Shangri-La signage
was installed in late April 2014.
Q: How does the Shangri-La Group plan to
compete with the rapid inﬂux of the major
hoteliers in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw?
New players in the market can be a good thing.
The more stakeholders there are in the market,
the more there are promoting the destination.
Competition can be healthy in that it raises
standards and lifts the bar. We are conﬁdent that
Shangri-La as a brand, with its many years of
operating in Myanmar, its strong presence in Asia
where majority of the current geographic feeder
markets into Myanmar are, along with our quest in
continuing to reinvent ourselves to keep up with
what the market expects, will be able to eﬀectively
compete with the major hotel chains that are just
starting to enter Myanmar.
Q: With the well advertised plans to develop the
area, the old railway headquarters close to
Shangri-La, what initiatives could be taken by the
group to retain the market position as the top
hotel in Yangon?
Strategies are well in place to stay on top of our
game. We are hopeful that there is enough
demand to make every hotel in the country
satisﬁed with the level of business this growth will
bring.
Q: The Shangri-La Group have big plans in
Myanmar, with 2 hotels, one business and retail
building and two towers of residences. Tell us more
about these plans.
Aside from oﬀering luxury facilities and services at
Sule Shangri-La, Shangri-La’s second hotel in
Yangon is planned to open in 2017. Guests can
choose between staying in the commercial
business district oﬀering convenient CBD access.
Alternatively a suburban hotel location, the
Lakeside Shangri-La, Yangon, just beside the
Shangri-La Residences which is located alongside
the peaceful Kandawgyi Lake. It is also within
walking distance to the 44.5-hectare Kandawgyi
Nature Park and the Yangon Zoological Gardens. A
mixed-use retail and oﬃce complex, Sule Square,
is also being built right beside Sule Shangri-La and
is expected to complete in early 2016. Another
retail complex adjacent to the Lakeside Shangri-La,
Q: Shangri-La also invests in a strong CSR
programme. Would you like to tell us more about
this?
The company indeed holds CSR very close to its
heart. In fact, one of the Guiding Principles each
staﬀ member lives by goes like this:
Denise Underwood
Phillip Couvaras
Managing Director
Kaus Group
22
Yangon called Lakeside Mall is also in the works
and should be ready along with the new hotel.
“We will be deeply committed to our social
responsibility by making a positive contribution to
our communities, environment, colleagues, guests
and business partners.”
There is volunteerism among the staﬀ for every
CSR activity we carry out – whether it is helping
clean our hotel surrounds on a regular basis, to
making donations to our chosen monastery or
charity institution to fun staﬀ fund-raising
activities.
Area Manager
Shangri-La Myanmar
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Myanmar Textiles
Highlight On Chin State
The region known as Chin is located in the
Western part of Myanmar, bordered by
Bangladesh and India on the West and North and
other Myanmar states on the South and East.
Chin state is a mountainous region with a limited
transport system which has reduced the impact
of the recent opening of Myanmar.
Chin textiles have been known to the world for a
long time, although detailed knowledge of the
manufacture, designs and history have only
recently been made aware to those outside a
small circle of retailers, collectors and scholars.
After the independence of Burma, the
missionaries and colonialists brought back Chin
textiles to their countries and as such other
civilisations came to know of these textiles
ﬁrst-hand. The appreciation of Chin textiles was
expanded with the advent of the breakdown of
the socialist economic systems of Myanmar.
Many people who were previously unaware of
Myanmar and speciﬁcally Chin traditions could
now observe ﬁrst-hand the quality and diversity
of the textiles.
As with people, textiles have their own identity
which diﬀers from other regions and countries
due to geographical and economical limitations.
Although Chin textiles have now become quite
popular with connoisseurs, the few who produce
these items are now alarmed that the know-how
will one day fade away, as has happened with
many other traditions.
This statement is true when it comes to textiles.
In the dyeing process, the more time you can boil
the yarn in with the dye, the longer and brighter
the colour will remain. However, the beauty and
durability also depends very much on the person
who controls the process, being traditionally a
woman’s task.
Weaving
A man weaving a big loom
The Dyes
The dyes are extracted from natural sources,
namely bark and petals of speciﬁc colour. Each
colour is then produced in separate vats. One
popular colour is indigo, a bright blue. Indigo
antique textiles are the most sought after and
appreciated, used in both Chin antique textiles
and Akha textiles. Nowadays, in Thailand, with
the encouragement of their King, an indigo plant
has been constructed.
“If you can spend on input, the quality will be
maintained”.
24
In Chin state there aren’t any electrical looms.
Even today, Chin textiles are still weaved by using
back strap looms and big looms.
People’s use of brand new textiles is expanding as
Myanmar opens its borders and commerce. A
new way for the fabric to be used is in interior
decoration, where blankets can be used as wall
hangings; former shawls are now table runners,
tunics hanged and displayed like paintings.
Brand new Chin textiles can be ordered as a
ceremonial sartorial. However, this is a very
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expensive purchase, as it is not possible to order a single piece from a big loom. One must not forget the
new textiles are still produced in the traditional way with regards to dye and hand weaving on looms. The
industrial revolution which was seen in European manufacturing of garments has yet to reach Chin
region. Minor design changes are also out of the question once an order has been placed. Most designs
are traditional, but new designs manufactured on back strap looms include Khami shawls and small wall
hangers.
Co-Operative Society And Chin Textiles In Myanmar
Today’s revival of Chin textiles can be traced back to the co-operative leadership since the beginning of
the socialist system. During that time, emporiums were encouraged by the government, the
co-operative system functioning as a main outlet for wholesale in Theingyi market, controlled by the
party, council and the previleged class.
Some new textiles
Difference Between Local And International Demand
In general, the local demand is for the lower price scale, as there is not such a great emphasis on quality.
In the near future, high-end designs will be on demand on the export market, where price plays less of
an important role in the purchase decision. The export demand is mainly for interior decoration with
fabrics such as high quality cotton or silk, handmade, using natural dyes.
There has also been an emergence of antique textiles with heritage. This market is extremely specialised
and deals with individual items such as blankets, shawls and tunics. However, one must approach this
market with caution as one would when buying a work of art.
CK Lun
Textiles Specialist
Chin Textiles
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
25
Press Conference to Launch the Chamber: (L – R)
Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director of the Chamber,
Mr Antony Picon, President of the Chamber,
Mr Andrew Patrick, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma,
Ms Lisa Weedon, Director UKTI. Burma.
British Chamber Of Commerce
Launched In Myanmar
The British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar is the ﬁrst Chamber from the UK to be established in the country.
Since EU sanctions were lifted in 2012, interest from British companies to trade and invest in Myanmar has
been steadily increasing. The Chamber was oﬃcially launched in July 2014 in response to this interest.
Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director of the Chamber says “it is a dynamic, inclusive business group that
reﬂects the membership’s needs. It seeks to add value for companies operating in Myanmar and those
considering entering the market.”
What Does The Chamber Do?
The Chamber oﬀers regular social and business focused events including legal brieﬁngs on topical issues,
updates on activities of international donor activities, skills training and fundraising events.
Regular networking opportunities for the business community
Up to date and relevant information on doing business in Myanmar
Platform for members to engage with Government on issues
The Chamber works alongside the other National Chambers in Myanmar and in close collaboration with The
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). Stephanie Ashmore says
“British companies are committed to supporting responsible, sustainable and transparent investment in
Myanmar. They can play an important role in supporting economic and social development in Myanmar by
creating jobs and building local capacity.”
Who Are The Members?
Membership is open to all UK Companies and non-UK companies who have existing trade links, or are
interested in developing trade links in Myanmar or the UK. In just three months since its launch, the Chamber
has secured 115 members in addition to founding patrons: BG Group, Jardines, Prudential and Standard
Chartered Bank. The UK Government has provided seed funding to help with set up costs, as part of a global
initiative to strengthen overseas business networks.
The Chamber is supported by seven Gold Sponsors – Aggreko, British American Tobacco, Claridon, Herbert Smith
Freehills, Shell, Stephenson Harwood and Zeya & Associates. Antony Picon, Colliers International, President of the
Chamber, says: “Myanmar companies are encouraged to get involved in the Chamber to make connections with
26
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international businesses and keep themselves
informed of business trends worldwide.” A number of
high proﬁle Myanmar companies have joined,
including Parami Energy, Mizzima, KT Group, MSR and
MMRD.
What Are British Business
Interests In Myanmar?
The UK seeks to bring expertise to Myanmar in
numerous sectors, including energy and associated
industries, engineering and infrastructure, ﬁnancial
professional services, as well as education and
training. British companies are also beginning to look
to Myanmar to manufacture products, investing in
quality facilities and creating jobs.
There have been some notable recent successes for
British Business in Myanmar:
UK goods exports to Myanmar increased
from £12.8m in 2012 to £44m in 2013 an enormous
increase of 244%. UK goods imports from Myanmar
increased from £44m in 2012 to £65m in 2013, an
increase of 48%.
8 (of the 20 available) oﬀshore licenses were
awarded to British businesses such as BG Group, Shell
and Ophir with their local partners – more than any
other foreign country.
3 high-proﬁle British International Schools
will soon begin operations in Myanmar: Dulwich
College, Harrow International and the British
International School
Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s most successful
premium automotive manufacturer, has also just
launched in Myanmar.
Two landmark deals in power generation
were ﬁnalised during the visit of the H.E. Khin Maung
Soe (Minister of Electric Power).
Contact
To ﬁnd out more about the Chamber, visit
www.britishchambermyanmar.com or contact
Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director of the
Chamber: [email protected]
Stephanie Ashmore
Executive Director
British Chamber in Myanmar
Launch of the Chamber at the Strand Hotel, Yangon, 16 July 2014: (L - R)
Mr Andrew Patrick, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma,
Mr Antony Picon, President of the Chamber,
Ms Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director of the Chamber,
U Win Aung, Chairman of UMFCCI and
U Aung Naing Oo, Secretary of the Myanmar Investment Commission.
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
27
Monday - Friday
FMI Air Reservation And
Ticketing Address
Flight Schedule
YANGON TO NAYPYITAW
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A1
7:15:00 AM
8:15:00 AM
FMI B1
10:45:00 AM
11:45:00 AM
FMI C1
5:00:00 PM
6:00:00 PM
NAYPYITAW TO YANGON
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A2
8:35:00 AM
9:35:00 AM
FMI B2
1:30:00 PM
2:30:00 PM
FMI C2
6:20:00 PM
7:20:00 PM
Yangon Oﬃce
FMI Center, Level 9,
Room No ( 904-905 )
No.380, Bogyoke Aung San Road,
Yangon
Tel: (+95-1) 373 537, 248 061
Fax: (+95-1) 1220 589
Reservation Hot Line:
(+95-9) 4211 465 45
Nay Pyi Taw Oﬃce
Nay Pyi Taw International Airport
Domestic Departure Hall,
Nay Pyi Taw
WEEKEND
Flight Schedule
Tel: + 95 (067) 810 9015 ( Ex : 2008 )
Reservation Hot Line: 4500 63053
Yangon To Naypyitaw ( Saturday )
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A1
8:00:00 AM
9:00:00 AM
Yangon To Naypyitaw ( Sunday )
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A1
3:30:00 PM
4:30:00 PM
Naypyitaw To Yangon ( Saturday )
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A2
10:00:00 AM
11:00:00 AM
Naypyitaw To Yangon ( Sunday )
28
Flight No
Departure
Arrival
FMI A2
5:00:00 PM
6:00:00 PM
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Royal Palace Museum,
Luang Prabang, Laos
Cities Of Burnished Beauty
Mandalay, Hue and Luang Prabang, Ancient
Royal Capitals Of Indochina
by Pamela McCourt Francescone
photos by Pamela McCourt Francescone and Archive
ASEAN Skies | November 2014
31
Once glittering capitals of mighty kingdoms Mandalay, Hue and Luang Prabang have more in common than
their dynastic pasts. They are all on rivers - Mandalay on the Irrawaddy, Luang Prabang on the Mekong, and
Hue on the Perfume River - all three have ancient royal palaces, and they are in countries with strong Buddhist
traditions.
It is easy to fall under the spell of their majesty, history and spirituality and the unparalleled beauty of the
architecture of their palaces and temples. With the advance of tourism these former seats of ancient kingdoms
are battling to hold on to their age-old lifestyles and practices: an anchoring to the past that is kept alive by their
customs and rituals, their gastronomic traditions and their crafts and pursuits.
In 1857 King Mindon built his sprawling royal palace at the foot of Mandalay Hill and, for 26 years, it was the
last royal capital of the Kingdom of Burma. Burnt down during World War II, what is left of the old walls and the
broad moat make it easy to imagine how arresting this complex must once have been. Mandalay is a city of
artisans, with stonemasons, goldsmiths, silk weavers, umbrella makers and woodcarvers who ply their trades
on kerbsides and in small workshops, turning out crafts of the highest quality.
Royal Palace,
Mandalay, Myanmar
It is also a deeply spiritual city, a centre of Buddhist learning, and houses two of Myanmar’s most treasured
monuments: the sacred Mahamuni Buddha and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the World’s Largest Book for
its 729 stone slabs engraved with Buddhist inscriptions. Sunset is the perfect time to climb Mandalay Hill and
delight in the stunning views over the city, accompanied by the rhythmic evening chanting of the monks in
Mandalay’s many monasteries.
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Forbidden Purple City,
Hue, Vietnam (left & right)
Luang Prabang monk (centre)
Hue, capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen kings for over
250 years, is a culturally profound city. The
heritage left by the Nguyens includes hundreds of
temples and pagodas and an extensive royal
compound - the Forbidden Purple City. Alas, only
a handful of the original 160 buildings built
within the massive walls are left standing today,
but the dynasty also left many magniﬁcent
tombs, like the Tomb of Khai Dinh, an
architectural blend of European and Vietnamese
elements with intricately decorated rooms. For
his tomb Emperor Tu Duc chose an idyllic setting
of forests and lakes, while Emperor Minh Mang’s
tomb comprises some 40 monuments of
exceptional symmetrical beauty.
Luang Prabang is a chocolate-box city, sitting on a
peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan
rivers, where traditional Lao and European
colonial architecture blend to perfection, and
where the urban fabric is enhanced by the
encircling mountains. The former royal palace,
now the Royal Palace Museum, has
well-preserved private quarters that oﬀer a
fascinating glimpse into the lifestyle of the family
of the country’s last king Savang Vatthana. The
exquisite sweeping 3-tiered roof and gilded
carved doors of Vat Xiang Thong temple are a
stunning example of Lao art, and a climb up
sacred Mount Phousi aﬀords charming views
over the city and its rivers
Three charismatic cities – magniﬁcent Mandalay, high-bred Hue and laid-back Luang Prabang - where
past and present blend in a quintessential heartbeat of irresistible allure.
Tomb of Minh Mang,
Hue, Vietnam
34
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