question?

1. Why cars in Myanmar are predominantly white in colour?
2. Why so few motor cycles in Yangon?
3. How many rates of exchange are there for the US$?
4. Why the confusion over Burma or Myanmar?
5. What of the negative reporting in overseas media?

answer

1. Importation of cars is the purview of a few state agencies. Majority were imported as second-hands from Japan, where white cars are favoured. Used car prices are in the multiples as compared to (say) in Thailand.
2. Only officially sanctioned motor cycles are allowed in Yangon. This restriction does not apply to other parts of the country.
3. At least six and counting; the official rate at US$1 = Kyat (local currency unit) of about 6; US$100 bill with a large head of Franklin over the same with a smaller head; which in mid-2010 is about 1,000 local units for the dollar (160 + times more than the official rate); smaller denominations of fifties or twenties fetch a lower rate than for the 100s; rate for the local dollar known as Foreign Exchange Certificate are again worth less than for the dollar banknotes; a different rate of around 50% of the market used for custom duty purposes; hundi or hawala rate for settlement outside the country; another for buying dollars from exporters to be used as payment on imports known as “account transfer”, etc.
4. Burma is the anglicized version of Bamar used by the British during the colonial period. Bamar is the largest of the many ethnic races in the country. Local citizens have and still refer to the country as Myanmar. Similarty, Rangoon is known as Yangon by the locals (since time immemorial!).
5. This is a highly charged question! One needs an in depth understanding of issues minus the emotion before arriving at their own decision. Myanmar/Burma has perplexed many - near and afar. There is no denying that many issues need to be addressed before the people can start benefitting from the country’s natural beauty and abundant natural resources.