ข่าวเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจประจำสัปดาห์

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  The large scale electricity project, 1,280 megawatt coal power plant in Kayin State could be against the constitution and existing electricity laws

  could be against the constitution and existing electricity laws TTCL Co’s plan to build a $3 billion 1,280-megawatt coal power plant in Kayin State could be against the Constitution and existing electricity laws. The Thai company had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kayin State government to conduct project feasibility studies a few months ago. But according to the Constitution, large-scale electricity projects of more than 30MW are to be managed by the Union government, whereas Region and State governments are permitted to build and manage projects below 30MW as stipulated under the electricity law.
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  Due to the lack of facilities at Kan Pike Tee border gate, Kachin State, Myanmar traders are losing out from trade

  The government should take steps to raise investor interest in Kachin State. These include designating Kan Pike Tee border gate as an international gate as well as providing basic infrastructure and improving trade conditions at the border between Myanmar and China, local merchants said. If the government is able meet these requirements, it will set the stage for a more robust tourism sector and raise border trade levels as trading difficulties are overcome at the border gates. After the Muse 105 Mile Trading Zone which is located at the Northern Shan State border, Kan Pike Tee in Kachin State is one of two border gates which see the most trading activity with China. The other gate is Lweje, which is also in Kachin.
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  Kayin State Chief Minister calls for reclaiming vacant, fallow, virgin lands to attract investors in Kayin State

  VACANT, fallow, virgin land is need to be reclaimed for attracting investors when they visit Kayin Investment Fair which will be held in November, said Kayin State Chief Minister Nan Khin Htway Myint at a coordination meeting held on 20 October with State and Township Committees for Re-scrutinizing Confiscated Kayin State Farmland and Other Lands, State Land Management Group, State Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Group. As investors in Kayin State can enjoy 7 years of tax exemption, more foreign investments are likely to flow into the state. At this time, we have to explain the land sector and so, Kayin State government and the related committee need to centralize land records and manage vacant, fallow and virgin land.
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  To achieve high water and purification efficiency in industrial use, the Dow Chemical company showcases water purification products for the Myanmar market at the Myanmar Water Show 2017

  One of the exhibitors at the Myanmar Water Show 2017 in Yangon this week is the Dow Chemical company. From lowering waste water generation for residential customers to achieving high water and purification efficiency in industrial use, world leader in sustainable water separation and purification technologies Dow Water & Process Solutions, a business unit of Dow DuPont Specialty Products, introduced its latest range of advanced water treatment technology products to the Myanmar market, according to a press release October 26. The products, specifically designed for industrial and residential applications, are being showcased at Booth F09 at the Myanmar Water 2017 at the Tatmadaw Exhibition Hall in Yangon from October 26 to 28. The list of key products includes:
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  Jade market is stable although the government stopped granting gemstone mining licenses

  Despite the govern¬ment not granting gemstone mining licenses, a negative im¬pact on the jade market hasn’t been felt, according to Kachin State Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association (KSGJEA). “I think the government will introduce a new sys¬tem, which should have been implemented long ago. We have to carefully consider the process of granting large scale min¬ing licenses. Even though granting mining licenses has been restricted, there is still enough supply in the market,” said U Zay Lwan, the chairman of Kachin State Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneur As¬sociation. There are 19,000 jade mining plots in Myanmar, according to the 2015 Global Witness report, and all licenses will expire before 2021.
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  China stopped buying maize from Myanmar at Muse 105 mile Trading Zone since October 20, 2017 but the demand still exists

  At the Muse 105 mile Trading Zone, the largest border gate between Myanmar and China, Chinese purchases of Myanmar-produced maize has grounded to a halt. “We don’t know why the Chinese have stopped buying. It happens sometimes, as even though there may have been changes to their import policies, demand still exists. We hope they will recommence purchases by the end of this month,” said U Thein Win, office staff leader at Lashio Commodity Broker. According to the broker, China stopped buying maize from Myanmar at the border since October 20. Earlier this year, border trade at Muse was temporarily suspended after an armed conflict hit Myanmar’s Kokang region in northeastern Shan State.
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  To boost their export volume, Myanmar’s handicraftmen look for overseas markets

  Handicraftsmen in Myanmar are looking for over¬seas markets to sell their wares to, especially in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, according to Trade Promotion Depart¬ment of Ministry of Com¬merce. Myanmar has a long tradition of producing handicrafts. Myanmar’s handicraft market for both local and foreign buyers has grown in the last couple of years, as venues to buy items have expanded from historical pagodas, and local mar¬kets — like the Bogyoke Aung San Market — to art galleries and shopping malls. In spite of this, the handicraft market has been slow to turn into an organized industry even as the market has risen. The Myanmar Handi¬craft Art Association and Ministry of Commerce are making efforts to boost the export volume of My¬anmar’s handicrafts to foreign countries. This includes offering courses on marketing, holding workshops, job fairs, and linking local businessmen with the foreign buyers.
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  Foreign investors who rent land in industrial zones have to pay property tax

  Foreign investors who hire land plots in industrial zones have to pay property tax, said MP Kyaw Zeya, secretary of Yangon Region Finance, Planning and Economic committee. Six government ministries are tasked with handling land management, and there are 10 kinds of land, including army-owned land. But the other authorities can only handle the land when the home affairs ministry designates the rules for them. The committee made field trips to around 20 factories in Minglardon Industrial Zone.
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  India has pitched for a coastal shipping agreement with Myanmar to bring down trading and transport costs

  India has pitched for a coastal shipping agreement with Myanmar on the lines of the agreement it signed with Bangladesh. This will bring down trading and transports costs sharply and lead to a reduction of turnaround time which again impacts on costs. India has already agreed a direct container shipping service between India and Myanmar from the Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh state in Oct 2014. This service is expected to change the way sea trade has been so far on the East Coast. The new service, with the 1,200 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) vessel MV Kamal, will connect Chennai-Krishnapatnam-Yangon- Colombo. It is expected to facilitate faster trade at lower cost.
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  NAAF Galaxy, which comprises six companies including three local companies, and Maungdaw Government signed a MOU to develop Kanyin Chaung economic zone

  The Maungdaw government and NAAF Galaxy, which comprises six companies including three local companies, will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on October 30, said Aung Myint Thein, chairman of the Maungdaw border traders association and secretary of the Kanyin Chaung trade zone implementing committee. “We are developing Kanyin Chaung economic zone project. We developed it as a trading zone after 2012. The vice president and Union minister for planning and finance instructed us to develop an economic zone. It will not be big like a special economic zone; we will analyze which products we can export,” he said. “The planning and finance minister will be here at the end of this month to inspect the project. We will sign the MoU with the NAAF Galaxy company on October 30.” The three local companies are Khin Aye Myat Phyu and Family Aye Chan from Maungdaw, and Oakka Zwe from Buthidaung.