#43, July 2020
PLANTS AND EMPIRE: A HISTORY OF PLANT-HUNTING IN MYANMAR THREE DAY TRIPS FROM YANGON, TO ESCAPE, TO INDULGE, TO EXPLORE FEATURE HEADLINE
CITY MART: SUPPLY DAW ANDWIN DEMAND WIN TINT
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#43, July 2020
Managing Director Andreas Sigurdsson Editorial Assistant Hsu Myat Lin Naing Cover Photo Zwe Wint Htet Photography Khiri Travel Contributors Christian Gilberti Susan Bailey Nay Thiha Sam D.Foot Min Pyae Sone Art & Production Win Zaw Htun
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What's On
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Cover Story City Mart : Supply and Demand
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Feature 14 Plants and Empire: A History of Plant-Hunting in Myanmar Travel 18 Cruising The Upper Irrawaddy River 22
Eat & Drink New Openings for July
24 Durian Season! The Five Best Spots to Try Durian Delicacies 26 New Concepts and Specials for July Arts 28 Thoe Htein: Exploring the Future and the Past
Publisher MYANMORE Magazine Pyit Thiri Thaw Lychee Ventures (Myanmar) Limited Permit No. 01588 Printer Rhythm Force Offest Permit No. 01588 Sales & Advertising sales@myanmore.com 0977 900 3701 / 3702 Give us your feedback Believe it or not, but we love to hear from you both good and bad. You can find us on social media, email, web, and even through our physical office if you prefer to come over for a chat over a cup of coffee or tea. editor@myanmore.com www.facebook.com/myanmore www.instagram.com/myanmore www.linkedin.com/company/myanmore https://www.myanmore.com/contact/
About Myanmore MYANMORE Magazine is an English language publication that started in 2014. It is the print version of MYANMORE.COM which launched in 2013 and has consistently maintained its status as the go-to source of inspiration, curating the best things to do and the coolest places to go. Locals and visitors trust us to cut through and help them discover incredible things to eat, drink, see and do. We know because we go! The magazine you are reading is distributed for free and finance by advertising. The editorial content is exactly the same, 100% editorial. MYANMORE is politically independent but you can trust that we believe in gender equality. We believe in great content and experiences, and our mission is to inspire and enable you to enjoy and explore the best of Yangon and Myanmar.
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Address 2nd Floor, Urban Asia Center, Corner of Mahabandoola Road and 48th Street, Botahtaung Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar.
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WHAT'S ON 47th & 48th St, Botahtaung Tsp, Yangon P 4:30 pm - 11 pm
Thanaka Thursdays 9th, 16th July
Go local every Thursday at HAVANA. Come wearing a cooling swipe of traditional Myanmar Thanaka and get a FREE beer or house cocktail on entry. ? Havana Social Club Unit G23 Urban Asian Center Mahabandula Road, Between 47th & 48th St, Botahtaung Tsp, Yangon P 4 pm - 11 pm
Incredible Staycation with Free Dining Until 31th July
DJ at Garbo Bar
Ladies' Night at Havana
Salsa on Sunday
The perfect place for a fancy drink or a dinner in a relaxed atmosphere, together with the best tunes. DJ Andrew will cover the Saturday night with 80’s disco music from 7 pm. Also, enjoy their daily happy hour ‘buy 1, get 1 free’ promotion on the entire range of cocktails, beers and wines.
Put your lipstick on and dress to impress as it's Ladies' night every Wednesday at HAVANA. Ladies get a FREE house cocktail of your choice on entry, or come in a group of 4 and get a house cocktail JUG. Come for a drink and stay for a dance only at HAVANA.
Every Sunday HAVANA hosts a marathon of salsa classes beginning at 4.30 pm with their 1.5 hour beginner class, followed by improver level (post beginner) from 6.30-7.15 and intermediate from 7.30-8.30 and social dancing until late. All classes are 5,000 kyats each or you can attend two or more for 8,000 kyats. No partner required.
4th, 11th, 18th, 25th July
? Meliá Yangon 192, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon P 7 pm - 10 pm
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8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th July
? Havana Social Club Unit G23 Urban Asian Center Mahabandula Road, Between 47th & 48th St, Botahtaung Tsp, Yangon P 4 pm - 11 pm
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12th, 19th, 26th July
? Havana Social Club Unit G23 Urban Asian Center Mahabandula Road, Between
Treat yourself to an amazing package starting at only USD 89 net and stay in one of their lavish rooms for an unforgettable getaway. And what’s more, whatever price you pay for your room, they will match it and give you the equivalent in food & beverage credit for a sumptuous dining experience at any of their outstanding restaurants or bars. ? Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon - 40 Nat Mauk Street, Yangon
RAINY DAY HIDEAWAY Until 31th July
45 USD NETT – One Bedroom Studio Apartment Equipped with fully functional kitchen to unleash the ‘masterchef’ in you WiFi connection for your ‘Netflix and chill’ Access to pool and sweat club for your fitness goals Accommodates 2 adults and 1 child (under 12 y.o.)
OPTIONAL ADD ON Lavish breakfast on 2 for 1 offer at 16USD net If Coming with mote friends or perhaps a bigger family 60 USD NETT – Two Bedroom Apartment Accommodates 4 adults and 2 children (under 12 years) ? Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye No 17 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon
MONSOON POOL & FITNESS PACKAGES! Until 31th July
Any exercise routine will keep your mind and body strong and healthy. Get you and your family a 3-months membership today with a special price. $ 500 net - 1 Adult & 2 Kids $ 700 net - 2 Adults & 2 Kids ? Meliá Yangon 192, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon
SIZZLING Mango Beef Until 31th July
There’s a new hotline for your mighty, meaty, sizzlin’ mango beef cravings. SIZZLING Mango Beef plus spicy sweet and sour sauce favorites. That’s quite a match with unmatched deliciousness. Available: Daily Lunch and Dinner. ? LOTTE HOTEL YANGON No. 82, Sin Phyu Shin Avenue, Pyay Road, 6½ Mile, Yangon P 11 am - 10 pm
BUY NOW - STAY LATER Until 31th July
Enjoy a delightful experience at Rose Garden Hotel Yangon with their “Buy Now – Stay Later” Green Season Voucher Sales Promotion which includes breakfast for up to 2 persons. Their Superior Rooms offer contemporary, Burmese inspired décor, comfort and a full array of amenities that ensure your stay is pleasant and hassle-free. 1 Voucher = 1 Night stay 1 Superior Room Voucher – US$ 60 net 2 – 9 Superior Room Vouchers – US$ 55 net per voucher 10 – 25 Superior Room Vouchers – US$ 50 net per voucher
? Rose Garden Hotel - Yangon No. 171 Upper Pansodan Road, Yangon
Marry Me@Mercure Until 31th July
Make it easier for you with their friendly team offering flexibility and budget-friendly packages to suit your requirements. You don’t need to have all the details figured out, call them and let’s plan it together. Special limited-time offers are available right now and they know
you don’t want to miss them.
? Meliá Yangon 192, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon P 4 pm - 7 pm
? Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye No 17 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon
BEER BUFFET AT GARBO Until 31th July
Their Garbo bar is the perfect place for a gathering and why not make use of their freshly introduced “beer buffet” – a free-flow package for 3 hours, every day. Only US$10++ per person for unlimited Myanmar draught beer.
Bubbly Brunch at Sedona Sunday, July 12, 19, 26
There is no better time to indulge in a lavish Bubbly Brunch Buffet at D’Cuisine restaurant, Sedona Hotel. Every Sunday till the 31st July feel free to pop in with your family and friends from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and enjoy sumptuous a la carte brunch buffet with pool access and unlimited luscious sparkling wine, beer and soft drinks at an offer of USD 68 nett for 2 persons. ? Sedona Hotel Yangon No. 1, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon P 11 am - 3 pm
Mango Durian Dreams AT BreadTalk Myanmari One of the most famous bakeries in MYANMAR, BreadTalk Myanmar has introduced its new menu, a special “ Mango Durian Dream” series. In this Mango Durian Dream series, 7 buns and 2 types of cakes made with Mango and Durian are included - Mango Durian Biscotti, Mango Cuptart, Durian Puff, Mango Vanilla Panna Cotta, etc. This new menu will definitely be heaven for Mango and Durian lovers, with its rich use of these seasonal fruits in pastry items. This new menu is now available at every BreadTalk outlet so go and grab yours. ? BreadTalk Myanmar Ground Floor, Myanmar Plaza, Yangon NR 43, 2020 |
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CITY MART:
SUPPLY AND DEMAND From humble beginnings at her father’s retail space in Aung San Stadium, Daw Win Win Tint has grown Myanmar’s first modern supermarket, City Mart, into Myanmar’s preeminent retail and distribution group, City Holdings. Taking the reins of the company at just twenty-one years of age, Daw Win Win Tint is now regarded as one of Myanmar’s foremost business figures. In 2014 she became the first Burmese woman to make Forbes’ Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen list. City Holdings now operates over 200 different retail channels across the country. MYANMORE sat down with the CEO to discuss the history of City Holdings, the group’s closely monitored reaction to the Covid-19 crisis, the value of market knowledge in an emerging economy, and doing business over twenty five years of rapid change and growth within Myanmar. TEXT: SAM D. FOOT PHOTOS: ZWE WINT HTET
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Q Tell us about your background? City Mart started in 1996. The supermarket was a new type of business in the post-socialist era and people were unfamiliar with such shopping behaviours. At the time, my father owned five small retail units in the Aung San Stadium complex. My Aunt in Singapore - where I was studying at the time - suggested that we create a modern supermarket. I was so excited by this idea that I returned to Myanmar and persuaded my parents to let me run this business. Since then, a lot has changed. Originally, we mainly served a small group of foreigners - in general, local consumers were intimidated by our modern presentation as people habitually shopped at places like wet markets. I even got advised by friends to remove the glass doors and switch off the air-conditioners as people’s unfamiliarity was driving an impression that we must be very expensive! It took us at least 20 years to become a routine destination for shoppers. We have seen a tremendous lifestyle change in Myanmar’s larger cities - I am very pleased that we have been part of that consumer journey. Q How has the make-up of your product offering changed from then to now? Before City Mart started trading, dayto-day products in Myanmar were not packaged in a form that we could shelve. Early on we had to establish a processing centre as we could not find suppliers who could clean and wrap products according to the way we sold. We mainly sold imported fresh goods, which became increasingly available after 1992 when Myanmar began trading with regional countries. We now have a large number of local suppliers, our own small processing centres, and a significant range of imported goods. Q How have the costs of doing business changed in that time? The costs of operating the business have changed so much - in a negative way. Early on, overheads were low. Now overheads are up - the biggest are rent and human resources. HR costs have overtaken others: from 2011 to 2018 salary inflation was 20-25pc per annum! Q Was the growth of City Mart able to sustain this inflation?
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I’d say so, because we have seen a proportional rise in disposable incomes. The human resources costs are higher in the larger cities because of opportunities driven by growth across all sectors. Q Has the rise of individual spending power been a driver of City Holdings’ expansion? Yes, absolutely. We started in 1996 and soon saw many lifestyle changes creating business possibilities outside the supermarket. We were pioneers in introducing different shopping formats - a pharmacy, baby stores, book stores, and bakeries - and later expanding into the hypermarket format with Ocean Supercenter. Even later, as urban population density increased, we added our convenience store City Express. Our vision was to be Myanmar’s benchmark of excellence in supply chain delivery - we are a consumer facing business so our vision has always been to fulfill customer’s retail expectations. Q When you were expanding, which foreign companies influenced your business model? At the time, Walmart, Tesco, and Carrefour were the three largest, so we closely monitored them. Tesco was very impressive because they were leading with their Clubcard and digital interface systems. Regional retailers like Central Group in Thailand and SM in the Philippines are very strong family businesses, run very professionally, so we look up to them. After 2011, what we call the ‘second opening up’ gave us a real opportunity to connect with these global players. Q Was there anything in particular that you learned from this opening up? We saw more opportunities, but then more challenges. The challenge of the open economy is different to that of the closed economy. When Myanmar’s economy opened, a totally new set of challenges emerged - most notably, more intense competition. Q What were the challenges in a more closed economy? 2011 was very interesting - there was a 360 degree change. Before then, we were under both the military government and sanctions and we were being squeezed to the corner. The economy was slowing and the government tried to tighten
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trade deficits, so imports became very difficult - just surviving one day to the next without imports was a challenge. Then, suddenly, we went from this very tight situation to a very open playing field! We had to really adapt to this new environment. Q With regards to adapting to new environments - how are you dealing with the current Covid-19 situation, especially from a logistics and supply-chain perspective? When the first Covid-19 patient was declared, the first challenge was panic buying. Panic buying creates a lot of abnormalities in the supply chain. The second challenge - water festival - came at the same time. Usually, during Thingyan, there is disruption as trade flows stop when we close our stores. The third disruption came due to curfew regulations set up by different regions - sometimes these were not that coordinated. Some authorities would allow trucks to move, whereas another city might block them. Finally, because of the unfortunate happenings overseas, the supply of overseas products was disrupted. Overall, the past three months were an unprecedented challenge to our supply chain. However, two weeks after Thingyan we were able to restock around 80pc of our products. Q Would you say demand for your products increased as households were locked down and restaurants closed? No. We saw a period of panic buying for two weeks. But after water festival there was a noticeable drop in demand. We did anticipate that more people would be cooking at home, but we did not really see that. A lot of expats have left the country and, as Covid has affected the broader economy, locals are now more mindful of their spending. Q Do you have an idea of the split between local and foreign spending in your stores? At Marketplace, expat spending drives around 30pc of revenue. At Ocean Supercenter and other businesses, expat contribution is much lower - around 5pc. Q Would you say there has been a huge change in buying habits
in Myanmar over the last ten years? Ten years ago, consumers did not necessarily shop but came for novelty and experience. Now shopping is routine, and consumers see a need for both ready to eat and international foods. In the past, if I went to dinner with ten of my colleagues, only two or three would be willing to try new types of food. Now everyone, especially younger consumers, want that experience. Q How recent is that trend? The last six or seven years. You also see the take-off of the F&B industry at that time - MYANMORE rode that wave! Q What was the inspiration behind the new City Value line? Myanmar is an agricultural country but unfortunately we are still importing a lot of basic finished products from overseas. City Holdings’ Sustainability Initiative keeps track of local goods sold versus imports. According to our latest stats, 52pc of our revenue now comes from Myanmar made products - up from typically 40pc in the past. We want to be a change agent in improving the value-added industry. Similarly, we launched our Pride of Myanmar program four years back to promote locally made products. This is proving successful - these product’s sales values are increasing 20pc year-on-year through co-marketing programmes, trade incentives, and preferred trade schemes for SME suppliers. Q What is the best selling product over time in Myanmar, by unit sales? By quantity it would be instant noodles! The Tom Yum flavoured instant noodle is very popular! Q Is it still hard to find suppliers for certain items? I would say fresh meat still has a lot of issues due to regulations. We are hoping that the government will bring reforms. Currently, you need a permit to operate an abattoir, and these are granted by bidding system with five to ten licences going to the highest bidders - not necessarily those that will operate the most hygienic practices or those that have an interest in long term investments.
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If this changes, quality will improve and prices will drop significantly. To this end, we know that the government are discussing inviting foreign investment - without bidding. For fruit and vegetables, availability is now higher and farmers can follow Myanmar’s Good Agricultural Practice And Organic Standards, Global Gap standards, and those set by The Growers Association. Q This new office suggests that City Holdings is going through organisational change? Since last year we have operated under a new company structure we call this ‘The Hub.’ We decided to merge separate entities into one group as we see that market dynamics are changing: there is more competition, consumers are more engaged since the country opened up, and industrial changes are happening due to tech change all around the world. The old top three global retailers are being superseded by Amazon and Alibaba. We now organise our business in six sectors - retail, two distribution entities, property, F&B, and a new sector called Accelerator which focuses on five growth opportunities
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related to the consumer space - finance, logistics, manufacturing, agri, and tech. We now have a small stake in Food2U, a joint venture with last mile delivery service, Ninja Van, and equity in digital services company, NearMe. We see these as growth sectors the idea is to connect the consumer ecosystem using technology. In terms of consumer facing tech, we have City Mall online. Covid has accelerated the growth of City Mall to the extent that we had trouble meeting demand during the panic buying phase. We are ramping up this presence and adding new services such as click and collect and express delivery. We also have City Rewards which reached 500,000 sign ups last night! We are launching a new City Rewards app from which customers can buy mobile top-up and access City Mall online from the end of July. Q So the changes are aimed to make the company more responsive and to allow you to benefit from scaling? Yes, with this group we can synergise more and we can leverage our consumer data set. We have the largest consumer data set in Myanmar - one of our largest assets. Also, our
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distribution network is the largest in the country: with these we believe we understand local consumer behaviours. Q What are the challenges of the retail industry in Myanmar compared to the rest of the world? Disposable income is low. We receive the same number of store transactions as regional players, but basket size is far smaller. Compared to Thailand, it is around one fourth. Also, Myanmar has become a very expensive place to rent - basket size is one fourth of our neighbours, but rent is on a par! Q What future challenges are you gearing up for? Increased competition from nonconventional competitors and tech change. We have Shop.com.mm - owned by Alibaba, who also invested in Wave Money - in the market, so you do not know now who you are competing with in the future. Also, you can see since Covid that the whole of Myanmar are selling things on Facebook. In a way it is good that digital is enabling these kinds of opportunities. As businesses we have to be really aware of these
changes and think about how to compete and survive in this fragmented market structure. Q Do you think Myanmar’s markets will fragment further, or revert back to more conventional big players? I think it will go both ways - this is what we are seeing globally and Myanmar is following this trend. Q How can Myanmar keep improving the quality and variety of products it produces, and how can City Holdings get behind this? That is a landscape change that we really want to happen. Covid emphasises that many supply chains need to be local. Agriculture and agri-based value-added industries hold the highest opportunity for Myanmar’s economic recovery, and we hope that the government will pay attention to their growth. New regulations relating to farmlands are necessary and more financing must be available within the industry. Importantly, Myanmar’s FDA will have to reform - the current process is too complicated, too tedious, and takes too much time. These reforms will need to happen!
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PLANTS AND EMPIRE: A HISTORY OF PLANT-HUNTING IN MYANMAR TEXT: CHRISTIAN GILBERTI
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ake a stroll through an English country garden on a summer’s day and you will encounter a colorful explosion of flowering plants — masses of white lilies, ropes of purple orchids, and heaps of pink rhododendrons, to name a few. But none of these plants is actually native to England. Instead, they originated in the temperate fields and forests of Northern Myanmar where the humid jungles of the wet Irrawaddy River Valley give way to the chilly foothills of the Himalayas. How, then, did they end up in a garden over 6,000 miles away? The story of the spread of Burmese flora around the world is one that involves a great deal of calculation, deceit, and the expansion of British imperial rule in the 19th century. As early as the 18th century, flowers were brought back to England as valued trophies by British botanists who often acted as reconnaissance parties for conquering British armies. Empire and plant-collecting went hand-in-hand, as in the example of Dr. Francis Buchanan — a Scottish Botanist and physician — who accompanied the diplomat Michael Symes on the first ever British mission to the Burmese king in 1795. During the expedition, Buchanan collected plants along the shores of the Irrawaddy River and sent dried specimens back to the Board of Directors of the British East India Company in London. Later on, in 1826, Dr. Nathaniel Wallich of the Calcutta Botanical Garden accompanied the Crawfurd mission to the Burmese King Bagyidaw, in order “to report on the resources of the forests of Pegu and Ava”. Politics and plants were interlinked
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they acted like vigilantes in their insatiable hunger for new and rare specimens to sell. Perhaps the most famous story of this sort of “plant piracy” was the case of Scottish botanist Robert Fortune, who was commissioned by the East India Company to illegally smuggle tea plants out of China in 1843. The Plant Hunter. Frank Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958) wrote over 25 books about his expeditions in search of plants
The tea plants were then replanted in British gardens in India, making the East India Company a fortune.
and new species meant big business for whomever was able to control supply.
But, rather than criticize him, the European public praised Fortune’s theft of Chinese tea as an example of British individual fortitude and daring-do.
The British eyed Myanmar’s plants with envy and when they finally conquered the whole of the country in 1885, it was following a dispute over a plant — the teak tree — and the right to log it. After the British conquest, English botanists set to work collecting and identifying Burmese flora and fauna in the name of science (but also in the name of empire). Whenever they “discovered” a local flower or tree, they re-named it after themselves or their patrons, thereby inculcating British imperial dominance onto the landscape itself (for instance, a tree traditionally called Thawkagyi was renamed Amherstia Nobilis after the wife of a British Governor-General of India, the 1st Earl of Amherst). Perhaps no archetype conveys the great symbolic importance of plants to Victorian Britons quite like that of the plant hunter. Plant hunters were celebrities admired by the British public for their fearlessness in venturing into unknown lands in search of exotic plants, but more often than not
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In spite of their fame, plant hunters very rarely acted alone. Instead, they often relied on the labor of local porters, the creative skill of local artists, and the knowledge of local guides in order to locate and identify new plants. Take, for example, the most famous British plant-hunter in the history of Myanmar — Frank Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958). Between 1910 and 1958, Frank was sent to Tibet, China, India and Myanmar by a number of scientific organizations and seed companies in order to collect hardy and beautiful flowers that would thrive in English gardens.
have valuable medicinal properties. But more often than not, local knowledge was integral in helping Frank to locate the specimens he sought. When Myanmar gained independence in 1948, the new Burmese government began to harness the power of plants for its own purposes and it became harder and harder for British planthunters like Frank to gain access to the country. So, in 1953, Frank agreed to take on two young Burmese botanists and train them, in exchange for a visa and access to his former planthunting grounds. Their names were U Tha Hla (1916-?) and U Chit Ko Ko (1917-2008), and they would go on to become the forefathers of botanical science in a newly-independent Myanmar. After Frank’s death in 1958, Chit Ko Ko continued the task of seeking out and cataloging Myanmar’s 1,500+ native species of flora, though no longer to line the pockets of British companies. He would later go on to study as a visiting scholar in India, Indonesia and Japan. Since Chit Ko Ko’s retirement in 1983, his protege, Dr. Saw Lwin, an orchidologist and horticulturist, has kept the tradition of Myanmar flowercollecting alive.
Frank had an amazing ability to find plants and identify species on sight, but in his 40+ years of plant-collecting in Northern Myanmar he also relied heavily on the local Kachin porters and guides.
Between 1956 and 1997, foreign botanists were not allowed into the country, but in the 21st century plant-hunting has been revived, not for imperial prestige, but in order to protect the region’s biodiversity and prevent the extinction of native species.
Sometimes they would strike and refuse to work for him; other times, they would withhold information about certain plants considered to
This way, scientists will hopefully be able ensure that Burmese flowers can be found in their natural habitat for many years to come.
Sterculia Fomes B. - a plant collected in Burma by Dr. Buchanan and drawn by Indian artist Singey Bey. Source - Watson, M. and Noltie (2016)
The young plant hunter with his find. Frank Kingdon-Ward
U Chit Ko Ko was a noted Myanmar botanist who trained with Frank Kingdon-Ward. Source - New York Botanical Garden
A Burmese red rhododendron growing in a garden in Pennsylvania. Source - Beechwood Gardens
The Thawkagyi tree. Renamed Amherstia Nobilis after the wife of the 1st Earl of Amherst
Frank Kingdon-Ward identified this amazing slipper orchid near Putao in 1922. It was named Paphiopedilum Wardii in his honor. Source - Gardenwise
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Sponsored Article
MYANMAR TRACKER: PROVIDING REAL-TIME VISIBILITY OF YOUR ASSET
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here’s a call, you’ve heard this story nine times before. One of your cars has been involved in a serious crash. Who’ll contact the family, how can you help? Soon the fear takes over, of why, why and why can’t we stop this? XYL knew it had a problem after ten fatal accidents in three months. It was then the company turned to Myanmar Tracker to successfully solve the problem. Every company has a duty of care to ensure safety for clients, workers and the community. If safety is
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compromised again and again at some stage management needs to take a good hard look at what’s going wrong. Myanmar Tracker knows the pain that companies experience after an accident, when employees are irresponsible with equipment, or steal company assets, it’s not just a financial question but communities can suffer. After investigations into the fatal crashes XYL, one of Myanmar’s largest business conglomerates were told that the major cause of accidents
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was excessive speeding. Addressing the issue was a matter of urgency, not only for the safety of the community but it had cost the company 80 million Kyat ($58,480 USD) and their insurance company was threatening to withdraw their cover. The question for the company was how do you stop workers and clients speeding who are located hundreds of kilometers from the office? Myanmar Tracker to the rescue!
Today, every one of the company’s 90 car fleet has been fitted with a MT Safety Speed. The installed device will stop the car from travelling over 80 kilometres per hour (49 Miles per hour). By introducing the right technologies businesses can not only increase productivity but furthermore decrease their assets operating costs, improve safety and reduce their environmental impact. Reducing operating costs As an industry norm, fuel accounts for 30% of a fleet’s operational costs and in most cases is the largest operational cost. Fleet managers find it challenging to reduce this cost as there are numerous factors that contribute to fuel usage – hard braking, sudden acceleration, speeding and fuel theft to mention a few.
A great success story is of Pongrawe/ Asia Sun, Puma Energy’s main transporter of Jet Fuel. When dealing with the transportation of hazardous cargo, any accident can become a tragedy and an environmental disaster. Hence Puma came to Myanmar Tracker in 2017 to help them implement a fleet management system which would give them the ability to adhere to the strict rules stipulated in the International Transportion of Dangerous Goods Act. Not only was Myanmar Tracker able to reduce speeding violations, and harsh driving by 90 percent but furthermore it also helped to reduce fuel theft and fuel consumption. Within three months Pongrawe/ Asia Sun, was able to reduce their overall fuel bill by 20%. Myanmar Tracker’s “vision is to use technology to continuously improve the lives of our fellow citizens wholesomely: Enhance profitability, cut down wastage and cultivate healthy working environments,” said Yasen Jamal, CEO, Myanmar Tracker. This is no start-up company. Since 1941 the company has grown out of Uganda and integrated its technology into industry, from Canada to the UAE, and the UK. In 2012 the parent company, Jamal Walji Group, saw the opportunity to help modernize businesses and maximise resources in Myanmar.
Myanmar Tracker has worked with large national and multinational organisations in a vast variety of industries ranging from insurance, school, to vehicle leasing companies. Myanmar Tracker brings with them a solid team lead by a CTO from Canada who has 12 years of experience in electronic engineering. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for all businesses. Each client will be offered technology that is crafted to ensure unique outcomes and address problems identified by each client. For example one of the largest Heavy Machinery and Excavator Leasing company’s came to Myanmar tracker asking for a solution to enable them
to track their machinery being used in the remotest places in Myanmar. Places which have no cellular network coverage at all. Over the last two years, they had started experiencing payment delays by their customers, and some of their machines have also disappeared. Myanmar Tracker was able to come up with a custom solution which would not only allow them to track their machinery on a daily bases and, if needed, they could also disable the machine from being used.
so many aspects of life. That’s just today, but Myanmar Tracker sees the potential of applying GPS systems into so many ventures. Just imaging keeping children safe as they return from school. What if parents could view the location of the school bus as it chunks down the road? At the right time, you can stop work, and without wasting time meet your tiny tots as they leave the care of the education system to be in your arms.
The innovation is limitless. Already technology is providing support to monitor with high accuracy, flooding, waste, even soil saturation and temperatures. The world of innovation is changing NR 43, 2020 |
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CRUISING THE UPPER IRRAWADDY RIVER TEXT : SUSAN BAILEY
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ou’ll love it, trust me’, my friend said with a smile as he tried to ease my obvious apprehension about my upcoming trip. The trip in question was a river cruise, plying the upper Irrawaddy from Mandalay to Bhamo, which I had booked on a whim. I love traveling and am game for any adventure, but as the departure date approached, the idea of being stuck on a relatively small boat with strangers for six days was causing me to question my rash decision. Tour companies and industry media have pitched the upper Irrawaddy region as a place to discover ‘old Burma’, a land filled with sleepy agrarian villages and historic vestiges from the colonial-era. And I was keen to escape the buzz of Mandalay and reconnect with the quieter side of Myanmar that is so elusive in the city these days. With the reassurance of my friend, who had done a similar cruise a few months prior, I packed my bag- adding to it a stack of unread books and magazines figuring that, worse case scenario, I could hide away in my cabin and catch up on some reading. NR 43, 2020 |
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As the sun burned off the last of the early morning fog hovering over Mandalay, I headed to the banks of the Irrawaddy River and boarded the RV Metta. Our six-day journey would take us from Mandalay to Bhamo, a cruising distance of around 530 kilometers. Along the way, shore excursions were planned at riverside villages and the town of Katha. Of course, the Irrawaddy River, itself, was also set to be a highlight, as the ship was due to pass through the picturesque second and third defiles. I was joined onboard by the other international guests and the lovely Htet Htet, our cruise guide. Heading north we first stopped at Mingun, a town frequented by most visitors to Mandalay. It was busy, thanks in part to the public holiday, but Htet Htet was quick to point out that these would be the only crowds we
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would see in the coming days. And she was right. We cast off from the jam-packed Mingun jetty and soon found ourselves in the middle of an empty river without another boat in sight. I spent the afternoon relaxing on the top deck, alternating between thumbing through the pages of my book and gazing at the passing river scenery. In the evening, the captain dropped anchor and we disembarked on a sandbank where the crew served up gin and tonics as the sun set. Rather than the jam-packed days of most organized tours, life on the ship moves at a much slower pace and by the second day I had fallen into the rhythms of river-time. The engine starting up at 6.30 AM is my alarm clock, but with the cool morning temperatures I would linger a bit in the warm confines of my cabin before dragging myself to the
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upper deck for a cup of strong, hot coffee and breakfast. Mid-morning we’d go ashore with Htet Htet leading us on a walk through a village, enough exercise to help us work up an appetite for lunch back on the ship as it continued sailing upstream. The afternoons featured another shore excursion if possible or an on-board lesson on things such as thanakha application, making tea leaf salad and traditional puppetry. The stops along the way offered a study in contrasts: even as Myanmar changes, many of its traditions are firmly intact. We ventured through the pottery workshops of Nwe Nyein, where massive 50-gallon vessels were crafted by hand. We stumbled upon a small monastery where the kitchen was buzzing with villagers who had gathered to prepare massive quantities of curry, rice and salads
for a pagoda festival the following day. We shopped in fresh markets with the kitchen staff, learning about the local produce on offer and how it was used in traditional recipes. In each of these villages, however, we saw folks glued to the screens of their mobile phones, teens in jeans and branded t-shirts driving noisy motorbikes and other reminders that we are in 2020. While I thoroughly enjoyed these village wanderings, the highlights of the cruise for many of the guests were Tagaung and Katha. Tagaung is the site of the first Pyu Kingdom, dating back 2000 years, and an archeologists’ dream. Although we were not able to visit the excavation site, the tiny museum in town has hundreds of artifacts from beads and coins to urns and tools.
As with most Myanmar museums, the signage in the Tagaung Archeological Museum could do with a bit of improvement but the quality and quantity of the display pieces is incredible. Katha is a popular spot thanks, in no small part, to its most famous resident. It is in Katha that the writer George Orwell was stationed in the 1920s. His experiences there are the basis for his popular novel Burmese Days. We spent nearly 3 hours walking around the town, taking in the local market and riverside before venturing further on foot to the remaining colonial buildings. The old British Clubhouse is now a government office but squinting my eyes, I was certain I could see dozens of well-dressed British officers stumbling around with gin and tonics in hand. The
walking tour also took us to the stunning Deputy Commissioners’ house which is prominently featured in the book, the Anglican Church and George Orwell’s former residence. There is a certain charm that comes with old buildings left to age gracefully. While some tourists may feel there is much need for improvement, I found the dusty rooms with their haphazard historic photos and paintings to be a fitting homage to what was, as Orwell puts it, ‘a portrait of the dark side of British Imperialism’. By the time we reached Bhamo on the sixth morning of our cruise, an air of melancholy hovered over the ship’s passengers. With our bags packed and the crew sending us off with a wave, we headed to town for a short tour then on to the small Bhamo airport where our adventure
with Htet Htet wrapped up. We said our farewells and, as we waited for the short flight to Mandalay, I sent a message to the friend who encouraged me to take the cruise. It read ‘You were right- the cruise was simply magical’.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP : With so many companies vying for customers, it appears a daunting task to choose a ship for your journey. But as with most things in life, you get what you pay for! Metta Cruises (https://www.mettacruises.com/) gets my vote for best mid-range option -yes, I am a bit biased as I just traveled with them but they absolutely deliver bang for your buck. Metta has the perfect balance of luxury with air conditioning, hot water showers and great food on board without being overly fancy
and fussy. If your budget doesn’t extend that far, then your best option is to go with the regularly scheduled government boats. The upside is the price. But the downside is not only the time (it’s called the slow boat for a reason!) but also there are no planned shore excursions. The boat WILL stop on the way but if you get off and fail to re-embark on time you may be stranded for a few days! Coming in at the upper end of the scale, Sanctuary Ananda (www. sanctuaryretreats.com) takes the prize. The 21-cabin (or ‘suites’ as the ship prefers to call them) boat is on par with a 5* hotel in every way. The food is superb, staff are top notch and there is even an onboard spa with therapists certified by the high-end brand L’Occtaine en Provence.
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Eat & Drink
NEW OPENINGS FOR JULY Let’s support the daring entrepreneurs bringing in new interesting concepts to the Yangon scene!
Beer Vibe
Noodle Bowl
Rio
Are you looking for a place to have great beer and hang out with friends? Beer Vibe has made its debut in Yangon together with street food stalls. Enjoy a glass of beer with its signature dishes including the famous grilled meat and veggies tray!
Good news for noodle lovers! Noodle Bowl, a new noodle place in town, has made its first step in Yangon with a variety of Shan style noodles such as Pork Breast Kyauk Me Mee Shay, Shan Style Yellow Rice, etc. You can also get Thai food there. It’s your daily bowl of happiness – breakfast, lunch or dinner – you choose!
This very new cafe hasn’t got a wide selection of menu yet it has offered quite a few interesting items - ready-to-drink coffee which is handpicked and acai bowls which are dairy free, no sugar added and all natural! What’s more exciting than that?!
No.(2), Myay Ni Street, Pyay Road, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon 09 40728 8880 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
No (248), Kanbae Road, Yankin Tsp, Yangon 09 980 225850 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sule Origin, 123, Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Township, Yangon 09 407 788100 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
House of Bread
Redhill Blues
Soul Made
House of Bread is a new artisanal bakery cafe inspired by the French boulangerie. Offering several pastries such as bread, sandwich, baguette and more.
Redhill Blues is a prohibition-era style speakeasy bar, where you can get several drinks in a chill night. Cocktails, whiskeys or even open mic sessions – you can all get at Redhill Blues.
Soul made is a local grown boutique fast food cafe offering yummy goodies to fill your stomach. You can get varieties there- coffee, pastries, and more.
No (121), Ground Floor, PKBC Building, Kayin Chan Compound, Ahlone Road, Ahlone Township, Yangon 09 892 892020 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM (Closed On Sunday)
Zawtika Street, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon 09 773 773779 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Citywalk Foodies @TimesCity Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulmademm/ 09 775 133394
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Eat & Drink
DURIAN SEASON! THE FIVE BEST SPOTS TO TRY DURIAN DELICACIES TEXT : NAY THIHA
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ou can love it or you can hate it, but you can’t ignore it when someone brings it into the room. Dubbed the king of fruits, durian is produced in abundance during this season. For those who want to try this “smelly” tropical fruit, here’s our guide. Quick facts about durian: 1. Mon State is the major grower of durian. 2. Imports from Thailand and China can be bought off the shelves and in Chinatown for several months in the summer and rainy season. But the local produce is available only between May and July. They are less expensive and taste better, in my opinion. 3. The local produce is around Ks5,000 and the imports Ks10,000.
WHERE TO TRY DURIAN DELICACIES Ambrosia It’s popular with dessert-goers for the upgraded Burmese pastries, especially sago cakes with different flavours. Its latest addition to the Burmese dessert line-up is “durian brain” which is durian stuffed in double coconut milk puffs. Durian sago cake is an alternative if you like sago seeds. You can find Ambrosia branches in shopping malls like Myanmar Plaza, Junction City, City Mall, etc. Get them delivered to your doorstep: 09 268 882 099, 09 266 956 655 or via Facebook during the office hours.
BreadTalk Myanmar
4. Although there’s no scientific evidence that people with high cholesterol cannot eat durian, you should first consult with your doctor.
Pastries with an edge! It offers two lines of cakes and buns made with durian and mango. Durian buns and tarts are best to pair with the afternoon tea. They have gentler flavours, so best for people who want to try the fruit but shunned by its strong smell. They’re the limited edition so buy fast while they last!
5. If you are diabetic, you shouldn’t eat durian.
Check the nearest store here or order online.
6. A myth has it eating durian with carbonated drinks can be fatal. Although it’s not as deadly as it sounds, soda and durian can lead to bloating. So avoid ever pairing them.
Htoo Ice-cream
7. Also, don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or after eating durian. It may not kill you, but can cause heartburn. Reference: Raffles Medical Group
One of the longest running dessert restaurants in Yangon. Its durian ice-cream should be in any must-try food list in the Golden Land. What makes it more special is that the durian ice-cream is available only in the season to ensure the authentic taste. A 6-scoop box for just Ks4,500 is good for sharing with your family and friends. Order above Ks15,000 to get them delivered. Branch (1): No. 22, Upper Pazuntaung Road, near the Pazuntaung Park, Yangon.
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Branch (2): No. 10, between the Sinyaetwin bus stop and Butayone street bus stop, on the Hledan-Inein Road, Hlaing Township, Yangon. 09 975 285954 4 AM – 10 PM
Panda Diaries Another dessert shop for snacks made with durian from crepe cakes to smoothies. You can also get the fruits at around Ks5,000. But the availability of the fruits depends on the suppliers so call them first before you visit. No. 315, Ground floor, Corner of Lanmadaw 3rd street and Anawrahta Road, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon. 09 795 857 545 9:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Wake N’ Bake Almost every durian lover in Yangon knows this place for its assorted
durian pastries and generous durian buffet. If you don’t want to have durian raw for the first time, its durian pillow is a good start. When you become more comfortable with its smell, try durian faluda or sago cake. You can also buy the fruit itself. The buffet is not yet available, though. Branch (1): No. 941(A), Thitsar Road, Ward 7, South Oakkalapa Township, Yangon. 09 798 407 510, 09 798 407 511 8 AM – 8 PM Branch (2): No. 9E(1), Kabaraye Pagoda Road, 8-Mile, Mayangone Township, Yangon. 09 768 751 688, 09 775 120 595 8 AM – 7 PM Branch (3): No. 83, in the corner of Kaingdan Street and Anawrahta Road, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon. 09 795 194 532, 09 896 917 629 8 AM – 8 PM
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Eat & Drink
NEW CONCEPTS AND SPECIALS FOR JULY J
Seeds, each year ranked as one of the best restaurants in Myanmar, the team always makes an effort to create a unique experience.
uly is turning out to be a very exciting month. Apart from several new openings, we have also new concepts being launched in different restaurants. The most recent concept is when you don’t decide what to eat but you only state if you have any allergies/food requirements and then a menu is prepared that fits your taste.
This month a special dining menu package has been created together with Renato Buhlmann from Winelink as a wine supplier. The 4-course menu includes sparkling welcome Cocktail, Canapes, Wine pairing, Amuse-Bouche, Friandises and Chocolate trolley for only USD 77 per person.
From July MYANMORE Deals is also live offering unique deals that can you can access on www. myanmoredeals.com Le’Cellier, managed by Chef Htun Htun, one of Myanmar’s young promising chefs and previously the executive chef of Novotel. As Chef & Director he is taking this beautiful venue to the next level. In addition to the normal menu, they also offer “Trust the Chef” where you can experience Chef Htun Htun’s creativity - 4 courses for US$ 45 and 5 courses for US$ 55 including canapés and a bottle of wine per table. Le Planteur Restaurant & Lounge, has under Chef Christophe introduced a new Bistro as well as every Wednesday a five-course surprise menu with wine pairing priced at US$ 75.- per person.
Shwe Sa Bwe, with Chef Davy back in charge, has taken on an exciting renewal and now offers two tasting menus - a Western (MMK 75,000) and an Asian (MMK 60,000) that are changed every two weeks. This month’s deal is a dinner for two of Shwe Sa Bwe's New Tasting menu including a welcome drink and a lemon tart dessert to take home. Western Menu: MMK 105,000 Asian Menu: MMK 91,000
Joitamoi by Chef Orng, a pioneer in many ways, Chef Orng, 2019 Chef of the Year, provides a six-course dinner with the concept of “No Boundaries…. No Limits” where he showcases his roots and tells his story thru this food journey. Normal price is MMK 69,000 including a welcome drink. This month you can get a special tasting dinner for two people with a bottle of wine. the 6-course menu + a bottle of wine is only MMK 140,000 for two people.
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Buy the deals and see more on www.myanmoredeals.com
Art
THOE HTEIN: EXPLORING THE FUTURE AND THE PAST Many artists draw inspiration from many aspects of their life. In addition, their view of the time period they’re in and about is infused into their art. What they see, hear and think about - all part of his world - show up in the colours, the medium, and the perspectives they choose. TEXT: MIN PYAE SONE
E
mily Bronte may have penned “Wuthering Heights” from the comforts of her own home, hardly having any contact with the outside world, but in an accelerated time like today, no one really lives in a vacuum anymore; so the experiences the artist lives through are necessarily part of whatever they create. Commentating on socio-political issues - like Thoe Htein, 40, has done – will no doubt bring a tremendous amount of pressure and scrutiny amongst the actively satirical community that is the artists, writers and poets of Yangon. To me, Thoe Htein and his art represent a piece of postmodern Myanmar that we reminisce from time to time. ‘We're people who grew up under the junta. Though, not necessarily good or bad, it provides a form of social nostalgia – a niche used in many of Myanmar contemporary media, i.e. the internet, comedy, and movies. Why are we doing this and what purpose does it serve? Thoe Htein was 9 years old in 1988, a time of political turmoil. He had seen the violence and the period of anarchism that ensued afterwards. This violent struggle that the turmoil symbolized pushed him away from feeling anger and rebellion, but instead, led him on the path of satire. At an exhibition at the 43 Art Gallery, Thoe Htein had showcased his work titled, “Dance Monkey, Dance for Your Banana,” which depicted a monkey equipped in police riot gear, brandishing a shield and baton. The monkey has a tall and slender frame but looks very malnourished; it glares
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at the silhouette mocking it in front of him with its radiating orange eyes. The menacing monkey, with its sickly complexion, is chained on its neck – the captor not in-frame. In his interview with The Irrawaddy, Thoe Htein explained, “The monkey dances whenever its owner plays a cymbal.” The monkey dances in hopes of receiving a banana, an action reinforced by its captor. The monkey has, clearly, not been eating enough to which Thoe Htein answers, “[The owner] does not feed it to be full in fear of it not continuing to dance once it’s full.” Although Thoe Htein is a full-time artist now, he had previously worked in some of Myanmar’s lifestyle magazines, illustrating poems and being in charge of most of the graphic design. In our conversation at a downtown café, he mentions an ordeal which occurred during his time illustrating poems, “I was pretty young back then, so I didn’t know when the poets were trying to disguise words to avoid censorship. I read the blatantly political poem and drew it as I see it fit, and most of the time, the
poem would be featured but the illustration would not be there. I wasn’t angry but I thought it was hilarious.” The illustrations earned him 500ks apiece, and he said jokingly, “Was the same as the price of one beer.” Current day, Thoe Htein incorporates emoticons/emojis - a symbol that highlights the prominence of social media, the state of the culture industry with its hyperbolic and highly repetitive nature – into his works which acts like criticism to the Myanmar media industry plagued by social influencers, staged pranksters, and way-out-of-proportions thirst traps. In one of his pieces, a part of a quadriptych titled “Long Live the Litters,” Thoe Htein imitates a Facebook post that contains the image of a seemingly multi-talented social “goddess” that caters to the monkeys below. Colours are vivid, the lines are neat, and the message is crystal clear. Thoe Htein’s satirical motif and style may have stuck around his career but his earlier works, such as this piece from a 2019 exhibition
”Dance Monkey, Dance for your banana”
at the Moon Art Gallery in Kyautada Township, along with many other aged vehicles, Thoe Htein captures nostalgia from his childhood where times may have been harder than it is now but more complete and overall stress-free. Images that yearned for the past, a grey Yangon skyline. Another one of his featured pieces, the Mazda truck has a bit of history. It also has sentimental value to both the artist and me. Back in 1962 Myanmar, Japan and truck maker Hino agreed to set up a plant in Yangon. They started to also assemble Mazdas in the same factory, later in 1973. The prolific blue Mazda ‘taxi’ started to be used around the mid-90s until the 2010s until more imports of latest cars arrived. This sense of nostalgia can be observed in many of his other works. His works create meaning and prevent an existential threat for the viewer, providing visual comfort and questioning the legitimacy of the “good old times.” Follow him on Facebook @artist. thoehtein for more paintings. NR 43, 2020 |
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