LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & Annoyances
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Considering all the bad news that trickles out of Myanmar, it may sound like a rather unsafe country to visit. For the vast majority of visitors, the truth is quite the opposite.
Air Travel
Government-operated Myanma Airways has a sketchy safety record. In 1994 a flight missed the runway at Kawthoung, killing 16; in 1998 it took authorities 24 hours to realise one of its planes had crash-landed near Tachileik, while another flight crashed en route from Thandwe (Sandoway) to Sittwe, killing 10 passengers.
Bugs, Snakes, Rats & Monkeys
Mosquitoes, if unfended, can have a field day with you. As a Burmese character in George Orwell’s Burmese Days says: ‘At night, master too drunk to notice mosquitoes; in the morning, mosquitoes too drunk to notice master’. As alcohol won’t help, bring repellent from home, as the good stuff (other than mosquito coils) is hard to come by here. Also, many guesthouses and hotels don’t have mosquito nets.
Myanmar has one of the highest incidences of death from snakebite in the world. Watch your step in brush, forest and grasses.
Rats aren’t very rampant. Family-run guesthouses, like regular homes, might have a rodent or two. Wash your hands before sleeping (we’ve heard of happy rats licking cake-covered fingers clean at night) and try to keep food out of your room.
If you trek in Shan State and stay in local accommodation, you may hear little footsteps at night.
Monkeys, too, can get a little friendly in some places. A guide outside Monywa pointed out natural medicines for ‘not shitting’, ‘shitting’ and ‘snakebite’, but said there’s nothing for monkey bites. ‘Monkey bite is normal’, he said. But we think you should try to minimise your chances of getting rabies.
Crime
Most travellers’ memories of locals grabbing your money are of someone chasing you down because you dropped a K500 note (about US$0.50) in the street (‘you dropped this, sister’). In remote towns such as Shwebo or Monywa, you can feel pretty confident leaving a bag on the ground at a bus station while you go for a quick tea. But don’t tempt anyone: inflation is rising in an already poor country (that K500 note is worth at least a half-day’s work for many). There has been a smattering of reports of street crime, particularly in Yangon, which include burglaries of some expats’ homes. Exercise guarded caution on vulnerable occasions – ie when you’re carrying your bags – and when in particularly touristy places.
Electricity, or Lack Thereof
Power outages everywhere – Yangon and Mandalay included – can render your fan useless for hours. Many smaller towns have outright short scheduled periods for electricity, such as a few hours in the afternoon (or in the evening if Myanmar TV is airing a premiership game). Many hotels and shops run generators 24 hours, and won’t be affected.
Insurgents & Bombs
In the months before this book went to press, Myanmar saw some bombs set off, purportedly placed there by insurgent groups. In May 2005 three bombs at two Yangon shopping centres and a Thai trade expo killed up to 20 people and injured several hundred. (At first, the junta blamed the USA for the incident; no-one has claimed responsibility.) During the previous month a bomb killed at least three at a Mandalay market. In December 2004 a small bomb went off at a central Yangon restaurant, injuring one person. The Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors supposedly claimed responsibility for this act. A few other explosions in Yangon were reported, without injuries, in mid-2004 and mid-2003. An explosion in May 2003 in a cinema in Pyu, near Bago, killed one and injured 47 people.
Despite treaties between the government and most insurgent groups in the late 1990s that give limited autonomy to many areas, violent incidents on the Myanmar-Thai border could erupt at any time, including several outbursts (and bombs) in and around Tachileik. Land mines are another threat (on the Myanmar side of the border). Most travel advisories warn against travel in this area, most of which is restricted to foreigners. Crossing the border here, though, is likely to be OK, but seek advice first.
In Kayin State, splintered Kayin groups live in a potential battleground between the Karen National Liberation Army and government troops. The Myanmar border in a restricted area of Kayin between Um Phang and Mae Sariang occasionally receives shelling from Myanmar troops in pursuit of Kayin (also known as Karen) or Mon rebels. The risks of catching a piece of shrapnel are substantially lower if you keep several kilometres between yourself and the Thai-Myanmar border in this area – fighting can break out at any time.
The presence of Shan and Wa armies along the Myanmar-Thai border in northern Mae Hong Son makes this area dangerous if you attempt to travel near amphetamine- and opium-trade border crossings (off limits to foreigners); obviously, these aren’t signposted, so take care anywhere along the border in this area.
In the past there have been reports of bandits holding up vehicles at night, most commonly in the Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) division in southeastern Myanmar – often in pockets restricted to overland travel for foreigners.
Some ‘revolutionaries’ maintain the sympathy of most locals. In the aftermath of the 1990 election controversy, a group of student protestors hijacked a plane from Bangkok to get worldwide attention, and tearfully handed out snacks with apologies to the inconvenienced passengers.
Politics
Talking politics can get not only you but also the locals you’re speaking with into trouble. Let them introduce the subject and proceed to talk with discretion. Human-rights activist James Mawdsley was arrested in 1999 after handing out political leaflets; he was freed after 415 days. (He describes the experience in his 2002 book The Iron Road: A Stand for Truth and Democracy in Burma.) Following the 10th anniversary of the 1988 democracy demonstrations, 18 foreigners were arrested for handing out leaflets. In January 2005 another Westerner was arrested for handing out leaflets outside Yangon City hall.
Be aware that if you’re interested in seeing Aung San Suu Kyi’s house in Yangon, or are dropping by an NLD office, you not only risk trouble (possible deportation) but you implicate your taxi or trishaw driver too. Guides, trishaw drivers, vendors and hotel staff are often able to talk at length with foreigners without suspicion due to their day-to-day contact with foreigners. Some can be surprisingly frank in their views. Teahouses carry the reputation as being open-discussion forums for some locals – but not all. Again, let the local lead the conversation that way.
Restricted Roads
Many overland roads are closed to foreigners. However, in places you can enter there are (perhaps) surprising levels of freedom to stop and look around where you want.
Online Travel Advisories
Governments’ advisory websites for people travelling to Myanmar:
Australia (Click on ‘Travel Advisories’)
Canada
UK (%0870 606 0290) The most comprehensive; click on Travel Advice and select Burma.
USA (See the Consular Information Sheet for Burma)
Scams & Hassle
Myanmar touts are pretty minor-league in comparison with those in India or the tuk-tuk drivers in Bangkok. Most hassle is due to commissions. These small behind-the-scenes payments are made, like it or not, for a taxi or trishaw driver or guide who takes you to a hotel, to buy a puppet or even to eat some rice. Often it doesn’t affect the price you pay.
Arriving at a bus station, you’re likely to be quickly surrounded by touts, some of whom will try to steer you to a particular hotel that offers them a commission. Be wary if you hear that your chosen place is ‘no good’, though in some cases we found that trishaw drivers who had warned us ‘foreigners can’t stay there’ ended up being correct. If you know where you want to go (and it’s a good idea to pretend to, if you don’t), persist and they’ll take you.
Bus tickets in Yangon are sometimes sold at inflated prices.
Be wary of offers of fanciful jade or other gems – Myanmar has rich mines for these precious stones – as some are filled with worthless rock or concrete mixture.
Many people may approach to say ‘hello’ on the street. In some cases, they’re just curious or perhaps want to practice some English. In other cases, the conversation switches from ‘what country you from?’ to ‘buy some postcards?’ or ‘where you need to go?’ It’s all pretty harmless.
You’ll be asked to change money frequently.
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