MYANMAR

LANGUAGE

" The official language of Myanmar is Burmese. However the country's geographic and ethnic diversity means that upwards of 100 indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country.

" Myanmar's recent history of British colonisation means that English is widely spoken and is taught to children from a young age.

BUSINESS ATTIRE

" Myanmar's diverse geography, from the highlands of the Tibetan plateau in the north to the coastal plain on the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal in the south, means that the temperature can vary greatly throughout the country.

" On the whole, Myanmar enjoys a predominantly monsoon, equatorial climate on the coast and a humid temperate climate in the extreme north. For most of the year, lightweight tropical business suits are appropriate attire for men and women conducting business in Myanmar. Smart trousers and a shirt and tie for men, or a skirt and blouse for women may also suffice.

" Most Burmese men wear a traditional sarong referred to as a "longyi" with a western-style shirt. Women wear a similar outfit comprising a sarong with matching top. Most Burmese business people, however, will wear a western-style suit or shirt and tie when dealing with foreigners.

" During informal meetings you can wear a smart shirt or blouse with a collar as an alternative to a jacket and tie.

INTRODUCTIONS

" The use of business cards is widespread in Myanmar and it is not uncommon for the owner of even the smallest tea-house or restaurant to present foreigners with his/her card.

" Always distribute and receive cards with both hands as a sign of respect and always take a few seconds to read cards presented to you. Never place a card immediately into your pocket or wallet. This is particularly important when dealing with Myanmar's sizeable Chinese community, many of whom dominate the country's commercial environment, particularly in the north, around the regional centre of Mandalay.

" Burmese names are unique in that they cannot be classified as given names or surnames. Burmese people are given one name, often two or three syllables long, which denotes neither marital status nor family connections. It is therefore possible, and in fact quite common, for Burmese siblings to have entirely different names. Similarly, women do not take their husband's name when they marry.

" When introduced to Burmese people, always refer to them by their full name, regardless of whether it is two or three syllables long. Never shorten a Burmese name as this is considered inappropriate.

" Burmese is a very polite language which contains around half a dozen honorific titles.

" The most commonly-used honorifics are U (as in U Nu) which means "Uncle" and is the approximate English equivalent of "Mr", and Daw (as in Daw Suu Kyi) which means "Aunt" and is the English equivalent of "Mrs", "Ms", or "Madam."

BUSINESS HOURS

* Government offices in Myanmar are generally open from 8am to 11am and then from around 2pm to 5pm.

* Private businesses and shops usually keep longer hours.

* National holidays are held on the following days: January 4 (Independence Day), February 12 (Union Day), March 2 (Peasant's Day, anniversary of the 1962 coup), March 27 (Armed Forces Day), May 1 (Workers' Day), July 19 (Martyrs' Day) and December 3 (National Day).

MONEY

* Changing money in Myanmar can be confusing for foreigners because the country has two currencies, one for Burmese people and one for foreigners.

* Upon arrival in Myanmar, foreigners are required to change $US300 (payable in cash, travellers cheques, British pounds or with a Visa credit card) into official Myanmar Foreign Exchange Certificates (FEC) at an artificially low rate. This is the currency used for official transactions such as paying hotel bills and so on.

* The official currency of Myanmar, however, is the kyat (pronounced chyat), which is divided into 100 pyas. This is the currency used by Burmese people. The enormous difference in exchange rates between FEC and kyat means that it is financially inadvisable to use FEC for anything other than official transactions.

* In order to save costs, most foreigners convert most of their FEC to kyat and use this currency for day-to-day transactions. Many Burmese businesses will gladly change FEC, US dollars and Thai baht into local currency.

* Try to resolve all financial transactions in large centres such as Yangon, Mandalay or Bago, as it may be difficult to change money in rural areas.

* As in most Southeast Asian countries, it is advisable to carry a small reserve supply of US dollars for use in emergencies.

* It is not customary to leave a tip when services are provided in Myanmar.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

* Most post and telecommunications services are quite unreliable in Myanmar.

* The best locations from which to make international phone calls are the capital city, Yangon and the regional centre of Mandalay in the north of the country.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

* Mingaladon Airport, the country's international airport, is located approximately 15 minutes from the centre of Yangon. A taxi queue can be found outside the airport, however it is not uncommon to be approached by drivers inside the terminal.

* The trip from the airport into the centre of town should cost approximately $US6.

GIFTS

* In the past, visitors to Myanmar were encouraged to take gifts of prestige alcohol and tobacco products, because such goods were unavailable locally. However today, Myanmar has a flourishing black market and most items of this nature are widely available within the country at competitive prices.

* Imported cosmetics such as lipstick and eye-shadow are very popular gifts for women, so much so that in some parts of the country, cosmetics can be exchanged for goods and services.

* Myanmar's history as a British colony means that many Burmese people study English as a hobby and are always grateful to receive English books, language and music tapes and magazines.

GENERAL

* Myanmar is a devoutly Buddhist country and it is important to always show respect for the national religion.

* Never touch a person on the head as this is considered the most precious part of the body. In the same way, the feet are considered the least sacred part of the body and it is considered offensive to point with the feet or even show the sole of the shoe or foot to another person.

* Always remove shoes, socks and sandals when entering a wat or pagoda.

* Never point at a person or image of Buddha with the index finger or feet, as this is considered disrespectful.

* Always treat monks with a high level of respect. Women should never touch a monk or his robe and when handing an object to a monk, should use an intermediary or place the object in a position where it is easily retrievable.

* When travelling around Myanmar, always confirm that it is permissible for foreigners to visit your intended destination. Myanmar is under martial law and is strictly controlled by SLORC, the military-dominated State Law and Order Restoration Council, which is highly sensitive about foreigners travelling beyond officially sanctioned travel routes.

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