Mekong Memo Myanmar 20230926

Mekong Memo Myanmar Weekly, September 26, 2023: Business, politics, finance, trade & legal news.

We monitor and filter the very best and most insightful stories from Southeast Asia directly to your inbox every week.

By reviewing a wide variety of media including legal, financial and other relevant industries along with government and NGO sources, we are able to sift through the noise and bring you only what we believe to be relevant to an informed observer of Myanmar business news.

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With that said, here is your Mekong Memo Myanmar for the week of September 26, 2023:

Headlines:

Myanmar and China Make Biometric ID Move

Military Product Drive Faces Resistance

Central Bank Puts Currency Licences in Check

Export Earnings: Honey Sales Soar as Fishery Exports Dip

Gem Licensing Fees Face Sixfold Surge

Myanmar Opens Diplomatic Doors to Four More Nations

ASEAN's Evolving Stance on Myanmar: Towards Political Intervention

Myanmar Touts Prime Tourist Spots for Upcoming Season

Junta Eyes Overseas Workers' Hard-Earned Cash

China Welcomes Myanmar Workers with New Permit

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Myanmar and China Make Biometric ID Move

Myanmar's military regime is collaborating with China to implement a new electronic identification system, aiming to collect biographic and biometric data of its citizens. This move has sparked concerns among rights activists, fearing increased surveillance and potential human rights violations. The junta's officials recently visited China, discussing the project and seeking expertise. Critics argue that this system will be used to monitor opponents of the military coup, especially with China's vast experience in citizen surveillance. The junta has indicated that a national census is a prerequisite for future elections.

Read more: Biometric Update, Frontier Myanmar

Military Product Drive Faces Resistance

In a bid to counteract significant revenue losses since the 2021 coup, Myanmar's military junta is pressuring merchants to stock and sell military-manufactured goods, which have been the target of widespread public boycotts. Leaked documents reveal the junta's directive to investigate stores not selling specific products, including certain SIM cards. This move is seen as an attempt to counteract the nationwide resistance movement's strategy of boycotting military-made products, such as Myanmar Beer and Mytel SIM cards, to financially strain the regime.

Read more: Myanmar Now