A short trip to Myanmar

I've had to reduce my running mileage over the past 2 weeks due to the knee problem again. On treadmill, I have reduced the distance from 4.0 km to 2.5 to 3.0km. I am hoping to bring up the distance to 4.0 or 5.0 km in the near future.

Tomorrow I am flying to Yangon in Myanmar for a 3 days visit. It has been almost ten years since my first trip to Myanmar in Dec 1999. Back then I was a tourist for two weeks managing to visit many of the major tourist places including Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake. It was very poor country then despite its wealth in natural resources.

One afternoon I went for a stroll in Yangon. Along many streets and roads, there were people sitting on the pavement selling various items that were placed on mats or a piece of cloth. Later I found out that some of the sellers were civil servants such as teachers. Some of the things they were selling were their own household goods or family heirlooms.

Here is what Wikipedia said about Burma's economy:

The country is one of the poorest nations in southeastern Asia, suffering from decades of stagnation, mismanagement and isolation. Burma's GDP grows at an average rate of 2.9% annually – the lowest rate of economic growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Under British administration and until the early 1960s, Burma was the wealthiest country in Southeast Asia. It was once the world's largest exporter of rice During British administration, Burma supplied oil through the Burmah Oil company. Burma also had a wealth of natural and labor resources. It produced 75% of the world's teak and had a highly literate population. The country was believed to be on the fast track to development.

That was nearly 50 years ago. The reason for the poverty and worst economic performance in South East Asia? Economic mismanagement, exploitation by the ruling military junta in power since 1962.

Such is the prevailing suspicion and paranoia of foreigners, I have been only be granted a three months business visa (single entry).

News about Myanmar can be found here.