The junta is spending K1 billion to restore the colonial-era U Ray Kyaw Thu Monastery in Sittwe, which was decimated by Cyclone Mocha, while preserving the remaining original architecture, according to the board of trustees.

Porters at border trade camps in Arakan State’s Sittwe and Maungdaw are struggling as border trade has not yet returned to normal since Cyclone Mocha battered the state in mid-May.

Myanmar’s military regime has slightly eased its mandatory forex conversion rule for exporters, down from 65 percent to 50 percent.       

At the Zedi Pyin IDP camp in Rathedaung Township, which houses about 320 people, 45 out of 48 toilets were damaged by the storm, and IDPs only have three latrines to use currently.

Around 2.5 million pounds of plastic bags are used annually in Arakan State, but local factories can only supply 450,000 pounds, according to local plastic manufacturers.

Myanmar activists have warned Myanmar nationals in Thailand to exercise caution amid the latest developments in Thai politics.

DMG Newsroom
13 July 2023, Sittwe

Waithali sportsground and Danyawaddy sportsground in Arakan State’s Sittwe will be upgraded to include stands, pools and tracks, according to the Arakan State Sport and Physical Education Department.

Waithali sportsground will be upgraded to become a stadium to host state-level sporting events, and Danyawaddy sportsground will also be upgraded, said U Win Maung, director of the Arakan State Sport and Physical Education Department.

“We will upgrade both sportsgrounds. Danyawaddy sportsground only has one...

There remain many villages in storm-hit townships of Arakan State where residents are reportedly facing difficulties as relief items supplied by local organisations are not reaching them.

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported among cattle across several villages in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township.

Other foreign exchange companies are fearful that they might be next in the CBM’s sights.

Over 20 schools from several villages in Bilin Township and Theinseik sub-township and 53 schools in remote areas have been closed since July 1.

Many Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian religious buildings were damaged by the storm, and aid for reconstruction has been slow to arrive and limited in scope.

India has offered to buy 1,000 tonnes of avocados from Myanmar, according to U Myo Nyunt, general secretary of the Myanmar Avocado Producer and Exporter Association (MAVO).

Those in education circles said there are challenges for the students to take the matriculation exam under the new curriculum.

The junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has warned registered political parties in Arakan State not to engage with armed organisations.

Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday promised to fulfil the healthcare needs of local residents in Arakan State, reported the regime mouthpiece Myanma Alinn.

The prices of building materials have jumped due to high demand after many buildings were destroyed or damaged by Cyclone Mocha in mid-May. 

“Our biggest challenge is getting aid to those in need,” a WFP official told DMG.

Thai authorities have reportedly halted the transportation of food for more than 5,000 Karenni refugees who are taking shelter in Thailand’s Mae Hong Son district for a week, from July 7 to 14.