TheIrrawaddy

The Irrawaddy magazine covers Myanmar, its neighbors and Southeast Asia. The magazine is published by Irrawaddy Publishing Group (IPG) which was established by Myanmar journalists living in exile in 1993.

EDITOR (English Edition): Kyaw Zwa Moe

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Sandy Barron

COPY DESK: Neil Lawrence, Paul Vrieze, Samantha Michaels, Andrew D. Kaspar, Simon Lewis

CONTRIBUTORS to this issue: Aung Zaw; Kyaw Zwa Moe; Bertil Lintner; Zarni Mann; Laetitia Millois; Sean Havey; Kyaw Phyo Tha; Lisa Shwe; Kyaw Hsu Mon; Saw Yan Naing; Thierry Falise; Nyein Nyein; Andrew D. Kaspar; William Boot; Marwaan MacanMarkar; Simon Roughneen.

PHOTOGRAPHERS : JPaing; Steve Tickner

LAYOUT DESIGNER: Banjong Banriankit

REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS MAILING ADDRESS: The Irrawaddy, P.O. Box 242, CMU Post Office, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

YANGON BUREAU : No. 197, 2nd Floor, 32nd Street (Upper Block), Pabedan Township, Yangon, Myanmar. TEL: 01 388521, 01 389762

EMAIL: editors@irrawaddy.org

SALES&ADVERTISING: advertising@irrawaddy.org

PRINTER: Chotana Printing (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

PUBLISHER LICENSE : 13215047701213

Features

16 |

Sports: Athletes, Organizers Ready for SEA Games

After decades of isolation, Myanmar gears up to host the region’s most important sporting event

20 | Border: Two Decades on the Trail of the Wa

Myanmar’s most feared ethnic armed group gains new strength, but for ordinary Wa, life remains as difficult as ever

24 | Society: Riding the Death Highway

Frequent accidents and fatalities have given the road between Yangon and Naypyitaw a fearsome reputation

28

|

COVER Ready or Not, Here They Come

The coming peak tourism season will be Myanmar’s biggest yet, but can the country handle the expected influx of tourists?

Business

36 | Transport: Regional Competitors Set to Challenge Domestic Airlines

After decades of dominating Myanmar’s skies, domestic carriers brace for turbulent times ahead

38 | Banking: Shadow of Decade-old Crisis Looms over Credit Card Plans

Memories of a financial meltdown in 2003 weigh heavily on Myanmar banks’ hopes to reintroduce consumer-friendly credit services in the near future

42 | Roundup: Japan’s Nissan to Assemble Cars, Trucks at New Myanmar Factory

Regional

44

|

Nepal: ‘Third Sex’ Becomes a Political Force

As the political landscape of Nepal changes, lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders make unprecedented gains in the halls of power

46

|

Southeast Asia: No Longer a Pariah, but Still Behind

Myanmar’s international standing has greatly improved over the past two years, but it is still in bad company as far as human rights are concerned