General Development of the Living Standard of Myanmar time after time

Union of Myanmar is one of the most unfortunate countries in South East Asia.  In the past, it was one of the most prosperous countries in South-East Asia, but it is one of the poorest countries in the world at present time.  The country was dragged down by General Ne Win government (1962 - 1988) and it was getting worse in the hands of the SPDC government since 1988.  Both governments are not elected by the people and are recognized as Military dictatorship governments. 

At present time, bribery is the biggest issue in the country.  Every social strata or every profession may love to get bribe money or expensive presents even among the high rank military officials and among educated people or government officials including lawyers, medical doctors, engineers, lecturers, teachers, nurses, municipal authorities, custom officials, immigration officials, regional and district officials, metropolitan officials, police, etc.  Dishonesty is everywhere there.  Honest, trustworthy and sincere people may likely to be the victims of the cunning people.  

Due to the weaknesses of education background (I mean international education standard), weaknesses of general knowledge and low social class, very narrow minded and self-centered of the Military dictatorship government officials, the country can hardly developed up to international standard. 

Even the teachers who teach international recognized academic education like GCE, LCCI, TOEFL, GMAT, etc and vocational education like typing, hair-cut, painting, arts & crafts, sewing, etc may not have enough qualification or teaching knowledge for their students.  Very poor teaching service is given to the students, but demand high price from the students.  Many teachers have no teaching ethic at all. 

In Myanmar, all local schools may take under table money for the new admission students.  The amount of the money or valuable things they demand from the parents depends on the rank or popularity of the school.  Some may ask 6 digits amount of money and or the set of computer.  Many graduate people are jobless or unemployment in the Union of Myanmar. 

Although the quantity of graduated persons is increasing, the quality of the education is decreasing or totally hopeless.  Many countries in the world do not employ the educated persons from Myanmar especially he or she is educated under the SPDC government.

Quality of education in Myanmar was at the peak level during the British Colonial time or it was recognized by the whole world. 

Quality of education in Myanmar during the BSPP Government (General Ne Win Government) was in decreasing rate compared to the colonial time, but it is somewhat better compared to the SPDC Government (General Than Shwe Government).       

Many parents in Myanmar especially in rural area do not encourage or support education for their children because they may not know the real value of the education.  Primary school education is the highest for many poor people who live in the villages of Myanmar.

In Myanmar, earning money for survival of life is essential so that people think that schooling is just the waste of time and waste of money for nothing.  They said that once their children get graduated, what they can do?  How they can get jobs and how much they will earn?  What is / are the hopes of their children in Myanmar and what is / are the future of their children in Myanmar?  The parents also told that instead of schooling, they can work in the fields, or at shops, or everywhere.  They can earn right away and it is more practical.

So, children of the uneducated parents or illiterate parents have no chance or very limited chance to get primary school education at school and living or grow up in the illiterate or uneducated surrounding.  So, they have no chance to understand the value of the education.  So, the entire village people have primary school education or there are many illiterate people.  You can see that in many villages in Myanmar. 

Deep weaknesses of the proper health care, weaknesses to educate people (both rural and urban areas) and the weaknesses of the proper education given to the people for decades’ long periods and very limited amount of government budget is spending for the social welfare of the people for all matters, all of these conditions could suffer the ethical and moral of the people.

The poverty of the country and the natural resources of the country are decreasing year after year, but the money from selling of the natural resources of the country may disappear in the thin air. 

Cost of living in Myanmar nowadays is very high compared to the average per capita income in Myanmar so people could afford only cheap or low quality products year after year.

Village people or even some city dwellers cannot afford to buy for one new shirt or blouse once a year for their own. 

Community saving is exercising in the cities.  E.g. 12 people have to put the same amount of money (let say Ks. 10,000 per person) per month for every month.  Each person (one after another person) out of 12 persons can get the sum of money (Ks. 120,000) month after month for the whole year for all 12 persons.  So that he / she can get such amount of money in one time (once a year), but he / she needs to pay only Ks. 10,000 per month for every month.

We don’t know what can happen to the person if he / she cannot pay / run away / no longer pay the monthly share after taking out the sum of money from the community. It is just an oral agreement.

Some community saving is exercising on daily basis.  It depends on the agreement of the people in the particular community.  It is non-government community.  It is not NGO community.  It is unofficial community and form based on the friendship of each person within the community.

Many people do not have a trust to save the money in banks since the banks crisis in Myanmar in early 2000s.  Did SPDC government take any responsible?

When it was under British rule, there were a lot of U.K. products, European products, USA products, etc or people could afford international standard quality products. That time Myanmar was more developed compared to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.  That time, Myanmar even had “Trans”, but how about now?   

When it was under the BSPP Socialist rule (1962 – 1988 Burmese way of Socialism), people could afford the Japanese products as it was the highest quality products in Burma, but when it was under the SPDC dictatorship rule since 1988, people could afford Thai products as it is the highest quality products in Myanmar. 

Cheap quality Chinese goods are most popular products and the best selling in Myanmar local market.

Inflation rate of Myanmar currency can suffer the country economy.  Seven Kyats was equivalent to one US dollar in the past and there was no black market for currency exchange rate.  Myanmar currency was no longer recognize or cannot exchange legally in the currency exchange centers of any country in the world since General Ne Win government took out all the country’s currency deposit money back from the World Bank. 

Coin money is no longer exists under SPDC government in Myanmar.  Coin money exist every country in the world. How about the Bank notes in Myanmar?  Only Kyats 500 notes and Kyats 1000 notes are presentable enough or have decent look.  50 Kyats notes, 100 Kyats notes and 200 Kyats notes are not at all presentable or does not have decent look and are very shortage in Myanmar.

There is a shortage of 50 Kyats notes, 100 Kyats notes and 200 Kyats notes in many retail outlets and some department stores so that cashiers give tissue packages, sweets, instant coffee, etc instead of giving the small change like 50, 100 and 200 kyats bank notes. 

In 1991, the black market average currency exchange rate between the Myanmar Kyats and Thai Baht was 3.00 Kyats equal to 1.00 Thai Baht.  In the year 2009 or even in the early 2010, the average exchange rate is 28.57 Kyats equal to 1.00 Baht. 1025 Kyats equal to 1.00 US dollar.

 

SPDC government (General Than Shwe government) rule the country since 1988.  It has been more than 20 years long.  During the 20 years long period, Thailand has many over-head bridges, sky train (BTS), underground train (MRT) and “TRANS” transportations for the people and Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). In Singapore, you can see a lot of developments, stock exchange center and even has CASINO.

SPDC government of Myanmar brags too much that how they could develop the country during their ruling time.  What did they do? No country in the world has a lot of free time to perform dancing and singing for the opening ceremony of each and every bridge.  Almost all advertisements in Myanmar, all sorts of dancing and singing are involved.  SPDC government television line is very lousy for every people.  In English version, the same procedure is broadcasting repeatedly for everyday.  So does in Myanmar version.  People have to listen too much about how government is good for the people by all means.  All ridiculous indeed!