2Staff writers Kayleigh Long, Aung Kyaw Min, Kyaw Phone Kyaw, Catherine Trautwein, Toe Wai Aung, Zon Pann Pwint, Aye Nyein Win, Nandar Aung, Ye Mon, Myat Nyein Aye, Myo Lwin, Wade Guyitt, Si Thu Lwin, Mya Kay Khine, Cherry Thein

Contributers Stuart Deed, Greg Holland

Editors Myo Lwin, Wade Guyitt

Sub editor Mya Kay Khine Soe

Staff photography Kaung Htet, Kyaw Phone Kyaw, Thiri Lu, Aung Htay Hlaing, Si Thu Lwin, Boothie, Wade Guyitt

Cover photograph Kaung Htet

Cover design Ko Htway

Page layout Ko Khin Zaw

For feedback and enquiries, please contact wadeguyitt@gmail.com, myolwin286@gmail.com

Kayleigh longkayleighelong@gmail.com On the well-paved concrete private roads that border an industrial estate on the northern outskirts

of Yangon, the screech of tires and acrid smell of burning rubber cuts through the night. The driver of a Toyota Skyline comes screaming

down the way, slamming on the brakes and hauling the steering wheel around, which throws the car into a centrifugal spin. The nose and spoiler graze the margins of the field either side, narrowly missing our photographer who dives for cover, just visible in the dull glow of the lampposts and the flickering red brake lights and the haze of upward-drifting smoke.

Thirty metres down the road, the sponsor of the car is on his knees, howling dramatically and shaking his fists at the heavens in a display that appears to be half borne of genuine concern about the welfare of his vehicle, and half about playing up to the glowing semicircle of iPhone screens capturing the moment.

Since the early 90s, a loose-knit group of car enthusiasts has met on a semi-regular basis to pit their suped-up vehicles against one another. We met in a low-key beer station where the group of 10 or so obligingly answered some questions.

Broadly speaking, there are three categories of racing all, needless

to say, illegal: street, drag and drift. Street racing takes place on public roads and relies more heavily on the skills and knowledge of the drivers. Drag is purely about speed, going hell-for-leather in a straight line against an opponent. Drift, to put it rather clumsily, is when you make a car go sideways.

One man, the acknowledged go-to guy on engines, says he first became fascinated with machines in first or second grade. A self-taught mechanic, he explains the phenomenon of the unique-to-Myanmar super saloon that came about as a direct result of Myanmars restrictive car import policy and resulting sky-high prices.

These vehicles, he explains, were Frankencars: While something might have had the body of a Honda, its engine may have been gutted and replaced by something with rather more grunt. Any car can be a fast car, he grins.

One man proudly tells me the two-seater 1986 Nissan he had until fairly recently was fitted with a carburetor and a double-charged engine that could muster the equivalent power of 280 thoroughbreds, reaching speeds of just over 180km per hour. Its claim to fame was, he said, taking under three minutes to do a lap of Kandawgyi.

When the car import restrictions were lifted in 2012, the market was flooded and the price floor gave way overnight and without warning. Most of the racing guys ruefully concede they lost quite a lot of money.

Under the previous import policy framework, illegal street, drag and drift racing was obviously, for the most part, the domain of the very affluent.

Theres reportedly another echelon

of illegal racing in Myanmar that sees Lamborghinis and Ferraris take the tarmac, the stuff of urban folklore. I ask them about the persistent rumour about a time the airport was shut down at night so some general or others sons could face off in a high stakes drag affair. No ones quite clear on whether or not this is actually true, but all enthusiastically agree it makes for a good story.

A crackdown in Yangon proper in recent years means races have increasingly taken place on the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw highway, or other spots further out of the city.

Asked if the group ever ran into trouble with the authorities in the early years, when theyd run laps of Kandawgyi and drag off on kan baung at Inya Lake, one man dismisses this by claiming his connection to a former MI bigwig meant it was never really an issue. And if it was, he said, the go-to solution was usually to hit the accelerator and outrun them. The police cars they are not very fast.

And thats still largely the attitude on dealing with the authorities. Some of the racers tend to remove their plates when setting out for a nights racing, banking on their ability to lose the police if necessary. The alternative is having the vehicle impounded, which entails a nominal fee of K1500. The bigger hassle is that it is then stripped of its exhaust and other parts.

We make our way in from the beer station in a cavalcade of low-slung vehicles with ripping exhausts, kept conspicuously quiet on the public streets, getting overtaken by the taxis veering erratically on the dark roads.

Its a bit before midnight and everyones satisfied that the understanding reached with the estate would be adequate to ensure

2 Fast 2 Furious:Inside Yangons drag racing scene

Photos: Kaung Htet

3aUng Kyaw minaungkyawmin.mcm@gmail.com

TWO years ago, U Zaw Win was driving a Hilux pick-up between Yangon and Mandalay.I went back to my village after delivering goods to

Yangon. Two villages before mine, I stopped my car when a girl hailed me, because I knew she was from my village. I told her to sit in the front seat. But she said she wanted to sit in the back. When I approached the rain tree [koke koo] at the edge of the village, she told me to stop the car. When I checked in my rear-view mirror to see that she got off, I saw she had no back. I drove home and told my wife. She said the girl had been violently killed that morning.

Buddhist belief in Myanmar says that a violent death (a sein thay) makes it difficult to move on to the next life. And with the number of deaths due to accidents on Myanmars roads, the highways are particularly notorious for stories of the supernatural.

Especially notorious for ghosts is the new Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay highway, which opened officially on October 16, 2010, though it had been driven on well before then. Instead of a myan lan (highway), some people call it ma pyan lan (the road of no return), because despite having the superior surfaces, it has the highest rate of traffic accidents and highest death toll.

Cargo trucks are not allowed to use the new highway, and have to keep to the old Yangon-Bago-Mandalay route. Due to the number of accidents on the new highway, some car drivers even choose to take the old route also, believing it to be safer.

In June 2014 two Buddhist monks held a ceremony to free the unquiet souls haunting the highways and allow them to pass peacefully onward to the next life.

Mandalay Byamasore Sayadaw U Neminda and Nat Sin Tayar Sayadaw Bhaddanta U Panna Teja, from Thanlyin township in Yangon Region, held a merit-sharing ceremony and recited suttas three times along the highway.

Then Nat Sin Tayar Sayadaw invited all the ghosts to climb onboard his Toyota Canter.

On the way to the highway, the truck was empty and light, jumpy. But on the way back to the monastery, the car was not jumpy. It was quiet, with a heavy load. When the car arrived at the monastery, the sayadaw ordered them to get off, and the car was light again, the driver later told The Myanmar Times.

The spirits were detained in a large padauk tree on the monastery compound as a merit-sharing ceremony was held for them on June 15.

Ko Myo Aung, who lives nearby the monastery, said he saw some unusual behaviour, with dogs howling in ways they never did otherwise.

The ceremony started at about 10am. Coconut steamed rice, beef curry and water, enough for nearly 400 people, was served for those spirits who had a violent death. Family members of victims on the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw highway also attended the ceremony. Top state officials also attended and donated for them. Then the merit of the donation was shared to those spirits, said Ko Thar Gyi, who lives near Kyaik Khauk pagoda and watched the ceremony.

Daw Moe Moe Khine, a doctor, has previously

held a similar ceremony along the same highway. she said the highway was constructed through Bago Yoma forest, and a ceremony was held for those from the evil spiritual world who have been there for ages, with the help of Saya U Khin Maung Tint from Ohbo in Mandalay.

Belief in the existence of the evil spiritual world is a persons right. Anyway, it is stated in scriptures of Buddhas words King Bainma Thar Ra in Gatauma Buddhas times gave food to spirits, she added.

Nat Sin Sayadaw said sudden death means people are unable to let go of their old life, leaving them trapped. People who always remember their merit easily change to another life. But those who sink into the life of greed, anger, ignorance and vice, they dont easily change to a new life. They cant escape their old lifes environment.

Belief says that sharing merit or good deeds with this spirits following a donation will release them, and that this change will be marked by a smell, sign or dream. Daw Myat Myat Moe found the same after the ceremony.

I never have dreamed about them, but I smelled a strange sweet smell at home although we didnt use any scent. I got it one day before the merit-sharing ceremony and again after the ceremony. The smell lasted just three minutes. I have never smelled such a smell.

At first, she said, she felt scared and had goosebumps. Then I wasnt scared, but was satisfied and happy for them because they can change to another new life due to the merit we shared.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun

The road of no returnFreeing the ghosts of Myanmars most haunted highway

the way remains clear long enough to have a few races.

And it all goes smoothly enough everyone gets their speed fix and lives to drag another day.

The night did, however, claim one collateral casualty: a street dog unfortunate enough to be trotting across the road when it was collected by a hot rod pushing the 180kph mark.

4Kyaw phone Kyawk.phonekyaw@gmail.com

IN a bid to cut down on the number of fraudulent passes, the theory portion of the driving licence test was changed from a paper-based to computerised system on January 5, according to the Road Transport Administration Department (RTAD).

The computerised system is more systematic, faster and modernised, said U Kyaw Aye Lwin, an RTAD officer from Yangon Region.

Though the new program will automatically schedule re-sit appointments for those who failed sooner, for those who fail by a small margin, and later for those with a higher number of incorrect answers the change is not just for clerical reasons, U Kyaw Aye Lwin said.

There used to be frequent allegations that the RTAD gave permission for driver licences to be granted to people who dont know the traffic rules well. So we changed the driving licence test to be computerised.

Standardisation of testing will remove the potentially susceptible human element from the equation. Broker-based cheating also has been a common complaint, something the RTAD says it is cracking down on as well.

There used to be licence brokers who came and told the answers to the examinees. But we are not allowing the brokers to enter the exam room now, U Kyaw Lwin said.

RTAD staff officer Daw Swe Swe Nyunt said the new system rewards only those who actually study as they should. And early results show prospective drivers really do need to buckle down and study if they want to pass their theory exam.

Half of the examinees passed [the paper-based test] before. After computerisation, the pass rate has dropped to one-third, said Daw Swe Swe Nyunt.

I think the people who want a driving licence cant make it via the brokers anymore, said U Hnin Oo, owner of Htate Tan private driving school. If they really want to take it,

they must learn the traffic rules by heart.

One prospective test-taker told The Myanmar Times that hes nervous about the computer-based interface interfering with his focus.

I am going to face a lot of difficulty if the test is computerised. I dont know how to take it because I have no computer skills, said Ko Maung Soe.

But users need not worry, said U Kyaw Aye Lwin of the RTAD. Examinees wont need to press a lot of computer keys, he said only the left, right, up and down arrows and the keys will be in different colours as well. Guides will also demonstrate the process in the exam room before the test begins, he said.

More people fail the traffic rules portion of the exam than the practical portion, according to Daw Hla Hla Win of TV private driving school in North Dagon. This is in spite of the fact that the government publishes a guidebook for the exam and the traffic police department publishes a book of sample questions.

There is almost nobody who passes the exam in their first try, driving school official U Hnin Oo said, adding most take two or three tries to pass, while those who have difficulty studying or lack education can take longer.

The licence exam used to be held in Ywarthargyi, far from downtown. Now the test is written at the RTAD office in Myinthar ward of

Thingangyun township, a more central location.

In Yangon, around 300 people sit the driving licence exam daily, according to the RTAD. The test has 50 questions and examinees must score 40 or above.

Taxi drivers face more comprehensive tests when applying for their licences the taxi driver licence exam has 100 questions and 80 right answers are needed to pass though some taxi drivers have told The Myanmar Times that they drive without a taxi licence.

If we are caught, we can get back our licence by paying K1500 to the traffic police department. So, it is no problem, said U Tin Ko, a taxi driver from Mayangone township.

Driving licence test goes digitalNew test format makes cheating and passing harder, officials say

This picture (taken circa 1905) shows the first automobile in Yangon, here seen in the yard of Chatsworth, the lavish Edwardian-style mansion of British architect Thomas Swales. Aside from his fame as the first person in Myanmar to import a car, Swales also designed a number of the citys landmarks, including the Sofaers Building, the Burmese Favourite department store beside Sule Pagoda, the Methodist Church, the Freemasons Hall and an extension of prestigious private school St Pauls College.

While the make and model of the vehicle are unknown, the photo captures other details that would, in the decades ahead, come to characterise Myanmars long love affair with cars namely, the right-hand drive, the lack of seatbelts and the unlicensed minor in the drivers seat to the concern of basically no one nearby.Photo: Supplied/Yangon Heritage Trust. This and other fascinating historical images spanning the citys entire history are on display at the YHT offices on lower Pansodan until March 31.

Drivers-to-be sit for road regulations testing at the new computerised facility at the RTAD last week. Photo: Kyaw Phone Kyaw

5

6Catherine traUtweinnewsroom@mmtimes.com

THE spread of connectivity has driven some people in Myanmar to head to the information superhighway to buy and sell cars.

And in the continuing race for customers, one cars marketplace sees online platforms pulling ahead of legacy competition in a matter of years.

Right now [the share of people engaging with online classifieds] is not so high, but people have started moving toward the online industry, said Ko Wai Yan Lin, CEO of Rebbiz.

My expectation is that in the next 2 to 3 years, online classifieds/advertising in general will overtake traditional print media, he told The Myanmar Times by email.

Some have called Myanmar Asias only remaining frontier market. Over the past few years, e-commerce platforms have gradually cropped up to take on an old media standby: the classifieds.

MyanmarCarsDB debuted on January 4, 2012 Independence Day in Myanmar. The site started with a handful of listings that came through family and friends. Ko Wai Yan Lin laughingly remembers their initial reaction: Whats wrong with you? Since that time, the platform has racked up nearly 50,000 listings and 6 million page views via its Android application and the web.

The company recently announced a capital injection from Frontier

Digital Ventures, a Kuala Lumpur-based investor that specialises in the online classifieds industry. Ko Wai Yan Lin couldnt put a number on the investment but called it a big amount for us.

Though Frontier Digital Ventures head Shaun Di Gregorio started his firm in May 2014, he has been in online classifieds for about 15 years. In a press release announcing Frontiers investment in MyanmarCarsDB, he called Myanmar the last untouched market in Asia.

All of a sudden we see consumers in these frontier markets who are leapfrogging ... in that transition from old media to new media, he told The Myanmar Times. Time is being compressed in this transition.

MyanmarCarsDB, with its freemium model, makes money off of its platform through advertising and subscriptions rather than transactions, according to Ko Wai Yan Lin. Right now, the majority of sellers on MyanmarCarsDB are individual used-car dealers that for the most part dont have physical showrooms, he said.

His companys product, which lets users narrow their search down with filters, makes the hunt for cars more convenient, he said.

Private car importer and ship captain Ko Aung Myin Moe said MyanmarCarsDB has users all over Myanmar, and that he had connected with people from the northern states on the platform.

Though he said he thinks the classifieds business will be around

for quite a few years as Myanmars migration to online services will take time, he has seen the power of the internets immediacy.

Buyers contact me five minutes after the car was uploaded, and [I] sell out within an hour, he said.

Chief editor U Kyaw Thu Hein of High Speed weekly journal thinks the classifieds business in car journals will remain important in Myanmar because they are easy to pick up on street corners, and because people like to read physical journals rather than online. He also said people dont yet have the skills or time to search online, and that crawling internet speeds also deter users.

[Listings in] big newspapers like The Sun and Daily Mail are going up online by the second, he said. However, the sales from print media do not decrease.

MyanmarCarsDB goes head-to-head not only with classifieds in print, but also a competitor courtesy of international incubator Rocket Internet. At the end of 2012, Motors.com.mm revved its engines into the industry, racking up 10,000 vehicle listings and 160,000 monthly visitors by the end of last year.

Motors.com.mm operates on a freemium business model as well; big dealers can sign contracts in exchange for advertising services like profile management, according to country manager Rianne Roggema.

Of the platforms sellers, nearly all are dealers and brokers, while individuals who can list cars for

free make up about 5-10 percent. Right now, Motors.com can count around 270 dealers on its site, Ms Roggema said.

Quality of the advertising platform, which sees no commercial transactions but instead matches buyers and sellers online, help Motors.com.mm take on competition, according to Ms Roggema.

Ko Wai Yan Lin claims a home field advantage for MyanmarCarsDB. Specifically, he mentions its CIF tools, which yield the actual price a customer will have to pay for a car.

We know [Rocket Internet] has very deep pockets, he said. Our philosophy is to just focus on what users want ... We just focus on simplicity and localisation, how to make sure local people can use [our product] easily.

Even with the industry expanding, the shift from offline to online shopping wont happen right away. Its very hard to get the trust of consumers, Ko Wai Yan Lin said. Our main objective is to make it simple.

Motors.com.mm currently runs ads in offline media. For now I think that especially in Myanmar, were working side to side, Ms Roggema said.

However, she explained that the countrys geography and population spread make it a prime market for internet advertising. As soon as the internet will be there, thats going to be the way to reach people, she said. So to be honest, its not

even a question; in the end [online marketing] is going to be the easiest way and the fastest way.

Ko Wai Yan Lin called mobile the future, a sentiment echoed by many as millions in Myanmar get connected to the web by way of service rollouts from legacy telco MPT and recent international entrants Telenor and Ooredoo. The majority of Motors.com.mms users access the platform via mobile, whether through its website, Android application or iPhone application.

Motors.com.mms application now allows for users to post listings from their phones. And while a small percentage of the platforms sellers are currently individual consumers, mobile might change that. The fact that we have that application is going to give people the opportunity to upload their own car and sell it to their neighbour, Ms Roggema said.

This progress could be pushed along by users clicking and keying more nimbly than before.

The education shouldnt be as hard as what he have done the last few years, because right now almost everyone is familiar with mobile applications, especially Facebook. Nobody needs to explain how to use [it] ... like Viber, no one teaches them, Ko Wai Yan Lin said. The most important thing is how we can make our application user-friendly.

With mobile on the rise, it seems that while online and offline might move neck and neck for now, in a few laps the internet might outstrip an older way to advertise.

Classifieds hit the open road the internet

Selected new car dealersBrand Year Kyat (lakhs)

Toyota Mark ll 2001-2006 155-270

Toyota Mark X 2005-2009 225-480

Toyota Crown 2001-2006 175-340

Toyota Surf 2006 340

Toyota Fielder 2009 150

Toyota Prado 1996-2003 320-450

Toyota Axio 2007-2011 155-260

Toyota Premio 2001-2010 145-245

Toyota Vitz 2007-2011 85-135

Toyota Wish 2003-2009 165-270

Toyota Caldina 2001-2005 160-230

Toyota Alphard 2003-2012 250-360

Toyota Probox 2006-2009 85-90

Toyota Belta 2007-2011 125-148

Nissan Ad van 2006-2009 85-90

Honda Fit 2008-2009 90-95

Honda Civic 2007-2010 145-200

Honda Insight 2008-2011 110-135

Mazda Demio 2007-2009 90-95

Suzuki Swift 2008-2012 95-135

20 most-traded second-hand cars in Yangon market (as of January 22)

Prices vary according to year, model and type of fuel, and can change without notice. The Myanmar Times presents this data for information purposes only. Consult your local dealer for more detailed information before you make a decision.

BMWCorner of Nar-nat-taw Street and Pyay Road, Kamaryut Township,Yangon Tel 098633209 info@ pac-bmw.com

CHEVROLETNo 242 Upper Pazundaung Street, Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, YangonTel 01-9000621www.chevrolet.com.mmcontact@chevrolet.com

DFMYaung Ni Oo Services Co LtdNo 19 Baho Road, Sanchaung township, Yangon Tel 01-2304801, 2304802www.Dong Feng-Myanmar.comFacebook DFM Myanmar

FORD Capital Automotive LimitedNo 3 Insein Road, Ward 12, Hlaing township, Yangon Tel 01-521959, 9669081~83, 01-52195862 www.ford-myanmar.comFacebook Ford Myanmar

HYUNDAI Hyundai Motor MyanmarNo 2/6, 2 Quarter, corner of Insein Road and Thamine Station Road, Mayangone township, YangonTel 01-653271~2, 654881~4Service Center 01-653273www.hyundaimm.comFacebook hyundaimm

ISUZU MTG Motors Trading Co. Ltd.Building H, Hlaing Yadanar Housing, Insein Road, Hlaing township, YangonTel 95-1503590, 514165 mtgmotors.trading@gmail.com

JAGUAR LAND ROVERCapital Automotive LimitedNo 3 Insein Road, Ward 12, Hlaing township, YangonTel 01-521958~62 Mandalay 02-5089280 http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com

KIA and PEUGEOTNo 22B, 23A Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin township, YangonTel 09-73180000, 09-977008888 Facebook Kia Myanmarwww.kia.com.mmNo. 74 corner of Yangon-Mandalay Road Kywe Sae Kan 11 Road, Chan Mya Tharyar ward, Pyigyitagon township, Mandalay

KING LONG and SSANGYONGSuper Seven Stars Co.LtdNo. 50 Pyay Road, Hlaing township, YangonTel 01-507382, 507094www.supersevenstars.com

MANMyanmar First AsiaNo 212, R-11 Mingalardon Garden City Industral Zone, Yangon Tel 09-47039670 mansates@mfagroups.com

MAZDANo 96, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Saya San Quarter, Bahan township, YangonTel 01-554633

MERCEDES BENZCycle & Carriage Automobile Myanmar Co. Ltd. No 51 Pyay Road, Mayangone township, Yangonwww.ccamyanmar.com Tel 01-666712, 664059, 09-95057045

MGNo 351 Pyay Road, Sanchaung township, YangonTel 01-501705www.lsautomobile.com

NISSANUnited Diamond Motor No 443 Pyay Road, Kamaryut township, Yangon Tel 09-33251066, 09-6500249, 09-31405203, 01-401346 Mandalay showroom Tel 02-36469, 09-402609551 Facebook Nissan Myanmar

TATAApex Greatest Industrial Co.,Ltd.Junction of Kantawgalay St & Bo Min Khaung St, Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, Yangon Tel 01-246701, 255922 apexgreatest@gmail.com

TOYOTATTAS Co.Ltd Aye and Sons Services Ltd.No 87A Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan township, YangonTel 01-400950, 01-502206, 01-545424ayensons@ttasmyanmar.com.mm www.toyota-myanmar.com

Toe Wai Aung

7Last of Nepals car porters recalls life

without roads

ammU Kannampilly

AT 92, Dhan Bahadur Gole is the last known survivor of a generation of porters who carried luxury cars on foot across steep mountain passes to Nepals rulers in Kathmandu.

Before the Himalayan nation built its first highway in 1956 only the capital city had paved roads, and porters were the only means of getting cars to the wealthy Rana dynasty.

Gole had never even heard of cars when he started working as a porter at the age of 20, let alone seen one.

Although Chitlang village where he was born in 1922 is just 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Kathmandu, it has only been accessible by car for a decade.

His father was a farmer and collected taxes on behalf of the Ranas, who ruled Nepal until 1951 as hereditary prime ministers.

We never had any money the Ranas took all the taxes, we had to rely on farming to feed ourselves, Gole told AFP at his home in Chitlang village.

By contrast, the Ranas could afford not only to splash out on Mercedes and Ford cars, but also to pay dozens of porters to carry them over the mountains from India.

Their fondness for luxury cars was so well known that in 1939, Adolf Hitler gifted a Mercedes Benz to then ruler Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana to persuade him to keep Nepals feared Gurkha troops out of World War II.

Goles first day in the job began at 5am. After tying logs together to build a bamboo stretcher for the car, he and 63 other porters hoisted their cargo on their shoulders and started to walk.

Dressed in thick cotton clothing and wearing flimsy slippers, they

chanted pull it, pull it, take it forward as they navigated steep passes and crossed fast-flowing rivers, trekking for nearly five weeks.

After we delivered the car to the driver, he turned it on and it came alive. It was like watching someone perform magic, said Gole.

One of the worlds most isolated countries, landlocked Nepal was largely inaccessible by modern transport at the time.

Over the next few years, Gole carried several cars, only resting for a couple of days in between assignments.

He earned about 25 rupees (US$0.25) for a months work, which helped him build the house he now shares with one of his grandsons and his family.

We had to take care and keep the car safe while going uphill, while crossing rivers, while managing sharp turns, he said.

But we had fun we were all young, we were friends and every day was exciting.

The work came to an end with the construction of the Tribhuvan Highway which connected the Kathmandu valley with the southern town of Birgunj near the India border.

They built the road and that was it. They didnt need us anymore.

By then, the Ranas had lost power. But in Chitlang, little had changed.

We had no school, no road, no doctors, no toilets. None of the kings did anything for us, Gole said.

When Nepal finally abolished the monarchy and became a republic in 2008 after a 10-year Maoist insurgency, Gole was eager to cast his vote in the countrys first post-war elections.

Despite widespread frustration over successive governments failure to agree on a constitution for the new republic, Gole said he remained optimistic about the countrys future.

Everything is better now. We have electricity, water, food, he said.

Besides, if you dont like a government, you can kick them out. Earlier you couldnt do anything.

Today Gole, a widower who has been married three times, has more great-grandchildren than he can remember.

He sports a bushy moustache and says he still wakes up early and goes for a walk through the hills every morning.

He said all his former colleagues had passed away in the six decades since they last worked as car porters.

During all that time, he has never once been in a car.

I guess cars must have been useful to our kings, but they were of no use to me, he said.

I have no interest in riding in a car. I am happier at home. Anyway, I am too old for adventures now.

AFP

Chitlang, Nepal

Last of Nepals car porters recalls life

without roads

Photo: AFP

Zon pann pwintzonpann08@gmail.com

SIXTY years ago, a couple from Yangon decided to drive a motorcycle across half of the globe. Their adventures lasted 365 days and covered 30 countries and their escapades and experiences are more real, remarkable and exciting

than the exploits of Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days.

In 1955, Daw Tin Tin Sein and her husband U Ba Toke, a forest conservator in the Burma Forest Service with a passion for photography, had been married for two years. He was 43; she was but 18. They had a young infant daughter. But they were also struck with wanderlust, curious about visiting

remote corners in the western edge of their country, places like the Naga territory, the Chin hills and northern Kachin State.

But when they started actually planning a trip to see these places, they decided to dream even bigger and go a lot further than the border.

We tried to go beyond the limits of what is thought to be possible and wanted to see the natural wonders of the world. We decided to travel around the world, Daw Tin Tin Sein, now 80, told The Myanmar Times last week by telephone.

What seemed at first like a crazy fantasy was made possible by the fact that U Ba Tokes job as a government officer meant that, under the Service Regulation and Financial Regulation (SRFR) law, he was permitted to take a years paid leave for travel. Looking to take full advantage of that, the couple began applying for visas for a proposed route that would take them from Yangon northwestward through India, then across Asia and Europe, and then across the ocean to America.

The couple also drummed up their own publicity and fundraising. A conversation with Nation newspaper editor U Law Yone led to a front-page story about their endeavours. It also led to a surprise sponsorship: U Law Yone gave them K1000 a fair bit of money in those days.

Half of the gift K500 was used to purchase their vehicle: a 1942-model BSA (Birmingham Small Arms company) motorcycle, dating from the Second World War. Later on, a British newspaper article about the couple entitled Wanderers smile way across world and reproduced in Daw Tin Tin Seins book Kabarhle Tin Tin Sein (World traveller Tin Tin Sein), published in

four parts in 1999 and later gathered into one edition in July 2014 reported that the motorcycle had had at least 10 previous owners, and had been purchased as junk. But despite knowing little about mechanics, U Ba Toke set about fitting it up for the journey.

The bike would prove up to the task though for a while it seemed as if the trip would end almost as soon as it had begun.

With U Ba Toke in front and Daw Tin Tin Sein sitting behind they never switched the pair set off from Yangon to Monywa in Sagaing and then to Kalaymyo. But there they were told by residents that they would not be able to proceed to India via Tamu as planned the route had been blocked by a landslide. They biked back to Yangon to think up another plan.

The setback proved a lesson in how gruelling the trip would be.

The ground there was too rough to ride over. I was very tired from the journey and felt pain when the motorcycle jumped As the journey started, we had the first taste of the trouble that was travelling by motorcycle.

Still, they were not to be easily dissuaded. Since riding to India was impossible, they decided they would simply go by ship then pick up the road from there.

On September 29, 1955, the couple and their motorcycle departed Pansodan Jetty on a steamship bound for Calcutta. Friends, family and journalists came to see them off as they pulled away. Also staying behind was their six-month-old daughter, who remained in Yangon to be cared for by their parents. Daw Tin Tin Seins father had at first

objected to the whole idea of her taking such a risk, but eventually offered his support.

The smooth sailing, however, ended on arrival in India. Immigration officers in what was then called Calcutta asked the couple to show their import permit for their motorcycle, which they hadnt brought because they didnt know it would be needed. The motorcycle was impounded.

After contacting the Automobile Association back home to help them reclaim their ride, the pair chose to stay at a monastery in Calcutta while they waited. They also took advantage of the delay by doing some travelling about southern India by train.

To help pay expenses, U Ba Toke began developing the negatives of the photos he had taken thus far, selling enlarged prints of the places they had seen.

At last, a month and a half later, the motorcycle was returned to them. Unfortunately, it had become covered in rust, necessitating a further four days of delay for repairs before they could be off.

Their first destination was Bodhgaya, birthplace of Buddha,

Yangon India (Calcutta/Wagga Wagga/Lahore/Karachi) Dubai Bahrain Kuwait Iran Iraq/Basra Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) Iraq (Baghdad again) Jordan Egypt (Cairo) Jerusalem

Syria Lebanon Turkey Cyprus Greece Yugoslavia Italy Austria Switzerland Austria (again) Germany (Munich, Stuttgart) Denmark

Sweden (Stockholm) Norway (Oslo) Sweden (again) Finland Arctic Ocean Poland Germany (again) Belgium Switzerland (again, Lutzenberg) Belgium (again, The Hage) The Netherlands (Holland)

France England (Dover/Liverpool/Oxford/London) Scotland (Loch Ness)

England (again) France Spain (Barcelona) Italy (Genoa/Napoli/Rome) Hungary Czechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria Turkey (Istanbul) Iraq (again, Baghdad) India (again, Bombay) Yangon

Steamship

Motorcycle

Motorcycle

Motorcycle

Ship

Motorcycle sent back to Myanmar by SS Warwickshire

Bus/train Train TrainSlept on train Train Train

Ship Motorcycle

Motorcycle Ship Car Motorcycle Motorcycle

Motorcycle

Slept in mechanics workshop

MotorcycleMotorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle

Daw Tin Tin Sein arrested for not speaking local language when U Ba Toke was at bank

withdrawing money. Police commander arrives and frees her

Steamship Car Ship Ship Ship

Stayed at a date plantation offered by locals in Basra. In Baghdad, lived in hotel, gave broadcast, met king.

Faced sandstorm in desert.

Burma to Britainby motorbike

MyanmarIndia

Dubai

Bahrain

Kuwait

IranIraq

Jordan

Egypt

Jerusalem

SyriaLebanon

Turkey

Cyprus

Greece

YugoslaviaItaly

AustriaSwitzerland

France

England

Spain

Hungary

Czechoslovakia

Romania

Bulgaria

Scotland

Germany

Denmark

Finland

PolandBelgium

Netherlands

SwedenNorway

Saudi Arabia

How a remarkable journey took shape

8

The globetrotters pose on their bike in 1955. Photo: Supplied/Kabarhle Tin Tin Sein

September 29, 1955

Yangon India (Calcutta/Wagga Wagga/Lahore/Karachi) Dubai Bahrain Kuwait Iran Iraq/Basra Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) Iraq (Baghdad again) Jordan Egypt (Cairo) Jerusalem

Syria Lebanon Turkey Cyprus Greece Yugoslavia Italy Austria Switzerland Austria (again) Germany (Munich, Stuttgart) Denmark

Sweden (Stockholm) Norway (Oslo) Sweden (again) Finland Arctic Ocean Poland Germany (again) Belgium Switzerland (again, Lutzenberg) Belgium (again, The Hage) The Netherlands (Holland)

France England (Dover/Liverpool/Oxford/London) Scotland (Loch Ness)

England (again) France Spain (Barcelona) Italy (Genoa/Napoli/Rome) Hungary Czechoslovakia Romania Bulgaria Turkey (Istanbul) Iraq (again, Baghdad) India (again, Bombay) YangonTrain Train Train Train Ship Airplane

September 28, 1956

Motorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle

Motorcycle Motorcycle

Saw Milan and Venice

Motorcycle breaks down, workshop demands

equivalent of K5000, 10 times what it was bought for

Motorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle

Crossed the Alps Slept in Black Forest when they could afford

accommodation in Stuttgart

Met king of Denmark

Ship

Stayed at a date plantation offered by locals in Basra. In Baghdad, lived in hotel, gave broadcast, met king.

Faced sandstorm in desert.

Motorcycle Motorcycle Motorcycle MotorcycleMotorcycle

Met Saudia Arabian king, visited Babylonia

Faced cannibals in desert, saved by a

Jordanian

Met king of Jordan Saw Pyramids of Giza

where they spent two nights. (Later destinations holy to other faiths included the Mount of Olives and the Ganges River.) They also visited the Taj Mahal, as well as climbing into the Himalaya hills.

I saw snow on the Himalayas for the first time in my life. It was too chilly. I melted the ice to drink and cooked our rice with cold water, said Daw Tin Tin Sein.

The cold weather wasnt the only surprise. She remembers being taken aback at some of the customs they encountered, especially those of one tribe in northern India.

All brothers who were born of same parents wed a single woman. The brothers, their wife and their children lived in the same house. I had never heard of such custom and I wondered at it. But I saw how the brothers treated their wife and their children kindly. We were told that the custom had been practised since long ago in order to limit the population growth.

They slept in hotels when they could and by the wayside when they couldnt. Occasionally the motorcycle would blow a tyre on the rocky roads and send them flying off, injuring them both. Whenever this happened,

U Ba Toke stayed with the bike while Daw Tin Tin Sein followed a guide to a nearby town, found a mechanic and then led the way back to the scene of the accident.

Despite the hardships, she remembers having a blissful time. A meeting with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at his home was just one of many highlights in India.

From there they continued to Lahore, Pakistan. They planned to ride through the Khyber Pass and on to Kabul, Afghanistan. But we were

told that the pass was unsafe for visitors and robbers might attack us so we couldnt.

It was another setback, but fortunately word had spread by then about these two intrepid travellers. Articles appeared in the newspapers, and a Pakistani radio station invited them to discuss their trip on-air, for which they were paid an honorarium. Such radio appearances, along with

sales of U Ba Tokes photos, kept them on the road.

Instead of going north to Afghanistan, they continued west through Iraq. The most dangerous moment in the trip came when they travelled 1000 miles across the desert sands north of Baghdad.

We spent a night in a petrol shop, in Ramadi in the desert. The night in the desert was terribly cold. The cold was unbearable. The following morning, we continued to bike to Ruthba. At one point we faced a

sandstorm. Unexpectedly we met a group of travellers with camels. They stopped us and dragged us from the motorcycle.

The group surrounded them, shouting abuse in their own language. Then the shouts turned to a beating.

Men, women and children kicked us, one after another. A middle-aged man tied our hands and legs

together. I cried and cried. Though my husband was consoling me, his face fell, Daw Tin Tin Sein said.

It looked as if the journey might come to an ill-fated end. But just as the group was building a fire nearby, a car drove up and stopped. The driver got out and yelled at the group in Arabic, causing them to fall quiet. Then another two men got out of the car and untied the rope binding the couples hands and legs.

Their rescuers, they later learned, had saved them from a group of cannibals.

The man who rescued us said they were making a fire to roast and eat us. He told us to ride off on our motorbike. For our safety, the car kept following us until we reached a safe place, Daw Tin Tin Sein said.

The near-miss wasnt the only time they were saved by strangers: Whenever they faced danger during the trip, Daw Tin Tin Sein said they were always assisted by someone who selflessly came to their aid.

The Dead Sea, the Nile, the Great Pyramids of Giza, the spot where the Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood; Lebanon and Syria soon it was time to leave Asia behind and enter Europe through Turkey.

They travelled by ship, train and bus as well as by motorcycle. They even saw Inuit people who showed them how to fish from a kayak in icy northern waters.

In Yugoslavia they were briefly detained for not being able to speak the language, but they were later freed. Otherwise, they got on with English, and everywhere they went their nationality proved to be a

passport to acceptance.At that time, our country had

dignity. If the people knew we were Burmese, they showed respect.

Even their money was accepted. I was impressed that I could convert kyat into local currency in the banks in many countries, she said.

By this point, however, money had run dry. The original goal of a trip round the world was becoming

increasingly unlikely, and their eventual destination proved to be England, where, among other media appearances, they were interviewed on BBC television for a program called In Town Tonight, for which they were paid 190 each.

In the following days, almost every newspaper in London covered the story with the articles about us, Daw Tin Tin Sein said.

From England they shipped the motorcycle home, then returned via train and ship, seeing many countries they had missed on the way out.

Then, a year after they left, the couple flew from India to Yangon the only time they took a plane in 365 days of travel that took them halfway around the world.

After their return, the couple would go on to have five a family of five. Daw Tin Tin Sein worked as a teacher as well as a civil servant, first for the Ministry of Transport and later for the Ministry of Forestry. She gave lectures on Buddhism, and now owns the Myat (Glorious) Bagan Hotel. Her charity, World Tourist Tin Tin Sein Foundation, raises funds for the poor and destititute. She has written several books in addition to her account of the extraordinary journey

Sadly, U Ba Toke, her companion on the trip of a lifetime, passed away in 1996. He was not able to join her on the many trips she later took in her old age to America (the subject of a book-in-progress), Japan and Europe, where she taught a number of classes about meditation.

As for the motorcycle, after their return U Ba Toke treasured it and gave it a well-deserved retirement, riding it no longer. But he had older sons from his previous marriage (he was a widower when he met Daw Tin Tin Sein) and he was afraid his son might try to ride it and damage it. He gave it to his nephew for safekeeping, but since then, Daw Tin Tin Sein isnt sure whats happened to it, and so its no longer among her many keepsakes from their journey.

Another souvenir they didnt get to keep was a brand-new motorcycle, personally given to them by BSA when they visited Birmingham trade regulations, it turned out, prevented them from importing it back to Burma along with them.

MyanmarIndia

Dubai

Bahrain

Kuwait

IranIraq

Jordan

Egypt

Jerusalem

SyriaLebanon

Turkey

Cyprus

Greece

YugoslaviaItaly

AustriaSwitzerland

France

England

Spain

Hungary

Czechoslovakia

Romania

Bulgaria

Scotland

Germany

Denmark

Finland

PolandBelgium

Netherlands

SwedenNorway

Saudi Arabia

9

Another two men got out of the car and untied the rope ... Their rescuers, they later learned, had saved them from a

group of cannibals.

10

StUart DeeDnewsroom@mmtimes.com

BEFORE it was concreted over in the past 18 months, if youd looked closely enough at upper Thein Phyu Road during monsoon youd have seen a curious thing: lines of thick iron running in parallel north-south.

The lines, of course, were rails for a tram or train part of a British-era public transport network that linked Yangon and got people around quickly and relatively easily. Trams even went to Shwedagon Pagoda. The transport network also included a rail line to Mandalay and beyond, and Yangons famed circular line.

As anyone who has travelled on the trains can attest, years of underinvestment have reduced them to shadows of their former selves.

However, as Yangon slowly chokes while more and more cars clog its limited road network, the circle line appears an unlikely saviour for commuters.

Travelling the circle line on a touristic venture with family Ive been surprised by the trains ability to scythe through the city, quickly cutting from the central station across downtown through some of the most congested areas to Ahlone township and then north through Kyeemyindaing to Insein.

And when I last moved house, I wanted to be near the train line because I think rail is the correct future of mass transport for the city. And the Japanese International Cooperation Agency has been working on a master plan for Yangon for several years, with newspaper stories of the proposed plans and expenditures flowing regularly.

In September, Eleven Media reported the Ministry of Rail Transportation plans to spend US$700 million upgrading the circle line, with the top speed of trains set to more than double from 30 miles (48 kilometres) per hour to 80mph (128kmh), which strikes me as slightly far-fetched.

This estimate amount does not include the cost for the sky train. An estimated $700 million will be spent only on the upgrade of the railway and train coaches, U Tun Aung Thin, general manager for lower Myanmar, told Eleven.

The story added that the upgrades

will include replacing carriages, fences and sections of the track, as well as installing automatic gates, and are designed to make rail the main mode of transport within the city.

Recently I had to make two day-long trips to downtown for work and was appalled on the first day at how difficult it was to enter downtown by car. But getting out was far more difficult seemingly every direction was blocked. And junctions were riddled with drivers doing the wrong thing to try and get ahead: making an extra lane in incoming traffic, crossing intersections from the non-turning lane, even running red lights. The experience was beyond frustrating and made me look into car insurance, because in such a maelstrom having an accident is only a matter of time.

On day two I decided to put the train line to the test because I knew that the nearest station was only a short walk from my home. Actually, the station is less than 10 minutes walk and easy to find my home station is Bauktaw, slightly west of Waizayandar Road.

Finding the ticket booth was refreshingly easy and my one-way ride to downtown set me back K300; a comparable taxi fare would be about 10-fold more costly.

To my surprise a couple of tourists also arrived at the station after I did, and quickly retraced my steps in buying tickets. However, they had asked an additional question that Id stupidly failed to ask: How long to downtown? The answer they were given was between 45 minutes and an hour, a long way off the 25 minutes Id estimated.

Trains arrive at the station about every 15 minutes and one rolled in at about 9:45. My initial impressions were good: The train seemed quite clean and in reasonable condition, and Id had a stroke of luck it was air-conditioned too.

I quickly settled down, took out a book and waited for what I assumed would be a quick shunt to central station downtown.

Despite moving along quite slowly, the train did manage to rock and sway about a little more than Im used to, but we soon moved through

Tarmwe, Myittar Nyunt and Ma Hlwa Gone stations, with only short pauses for passengers and a 5-minute wait at one point. With only one station to go we were making good time and have nearly reached the terminus in about 30 minutes.

However, after arriving at Pazundaung station a funny thing happened the slight vibration and accompanying roar of the diesel engines stopped.

After 20 minutes I was willing to cut my losses and get out, knowing that I was close enough to where I needed to get to. But just as I stood up the engines returned to life and the train moved off. Then, barely five minutes later, the train pulled into central station making a total travel time of nearly an hour.

I had heard that the trains were always late, generally uncomfortable and slow, and I guess the reason for the delay at Pazundaung was to clear the track ahead. Overall, though, I was generally impressed with the operation of the train in motion, the ease of finding the station and buying a ticket, and the comfort of the carriages. And

it was nice not to be in my car fighting for space on a congested road.

In fact, it was so nice that I tried again, and again: Subsequent trips have taken about 25 minutes, although Ive had less luck with waiting times at stations, sometimes up to 25 minutes.

And while getting to downtown is simple the lines at Bauktaw run north-south its more complicated downtown when Ive needed to buy a ticket home. Partly this is my own fault if I had studied Myanmar a little more I think the timetable would make sense. At present I find it difficult to plan and just turn up and hope that a) a train is coming soon, and b) that the ticket sellers will point me to the right train.

Theres so much potential in rail transport in Yangon and I am certain that it will be the best option in future. But if efficiency is your measure, youre probably better off in a car or taxi. This is doubly so if the nearest station is more than a short walk from either your home or office because youll still have to battle the traffic.

Seeking a shortcut on the train

GERMAN automaker Daimler on January 5 showed its vision of the driverless car, a prototype vehicle that allows four passengers to face each other as the vehicle finds its way.

In the future, the car brings access to the single most important luxury goods of the 21st century: private space and quality time, said Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche, as he unveiled the self-driving Mercedes-Benz luxury sedan

F 015 at a keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Vehicles, he said, will be exclusive cocoons on wheels that enable people to do exactly what they want.

The futuristic designed car with a sweeping curved form factor still has a steering wheel, unlike the Google driverless vehicle, but the drivers seat and front passenger seat can pivot to allow the vehicle to become a private retreat, according to Daimler.

This is what we believe will be next in the terms of the cars design, concept and communication, Zetsche said.

The prototype was to take a driver along the Las Vegas Strip later on January 5 before being put on display at the huge tech show opening January 6.

The show is devoting an increasing amount of space to automotive technology, including vehicles that offer some autonomy and greater connectivity.

AFP

Las Vegas

Daimler gives look at autonomous living space car

Photo: Stuart Deed

Photo: AFP

11

aye nyein win anD nanDar aUng

SINCE Myanmar allowed the first international-brand new-car dealerships in decades to open in 2013, 16 have set up shop, and owners say sales are rising, with Asian titans like Toyota, Mazda and KIA squaring off against Western heavyweights, including luxury models from companies such as Mercedes, Chevrolet, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Ford which target the wealthiest segments of the population.

U Aung Thet Lwin, head of sales at Mercedes Benz Myanmar, says over 100 Mercedes Benz vehicles have been sold to date, with that number set to increase dramatically in 2015. He said after-sales services is an unsung plus

when it comes to buying new.We give full service for the cars

no need to worry about spare parts. Buyers know better and come to buy cars from our place. He said the C Class and E Class models are proving most popular, priced at around K200 million (about US$200,000).

Chevrolet often mispronounced here as Charpalet said word-of-mouth and good reputation rather than advertising drive its sales. Importer U Htoo Aung Kyaw, executive director of Pacific AA Motor Company Limited, said building a bond with customers is their focus.

We will get trust for a long-

term relationship with customers if we can give the best service Here people are not familiar with insurance and service. Thus, we remind them by phone to check their car as people dont know when to

check the kilometres on the indicator or how to check the car after buying it. We stay in touch with our customers, U Htoo Aung Kyaw said.

BMW also enjoys a good reputation in Myanmar, though the sales centres opened only recently. Executive director U Chan Myat said having BMW here is a good sign for everyone.

When BMW arrives in Myanmar, the other business investors will trust they can invest in Myanmar,

said U Chan Myat.The imported BMWs are

manufactured in Munich, Germany, to suit Myanmars climate and petrol type, he said, which puts them at a higher price point than other offerings between $70,000 and $500,000.

Jaguar Land Rover is taking a sophisticated approach to advertising. General manager Michael Pease said the company is

looking to build market share via product placement in Myanmar movies, such as theyve done elsewhere via placement in James Bond films, among others. Two of Jaguars recently introduced new models go for $103,500 and $107,500.

Ford says it is selling more single-cab trucks than luxury cars at the moment, though that may change. U Aung Thet Lwin says that despite some challenges from brands like Lexus, which have more of a following due to Japans history in the Myanmar auto world, Ford is without strong competition.

Brand new cars have more strengths actually. So the market of new cars would grow when the government lowers the tax and car prices become within the reach of people. Even now there is becoming a market as expected, said U Aung Thet Lwin.

He also noted that new car dealers are competing with one arm tied by government import restrictions which require left-hand-drive models only. Used cars can be imported in either orientation, and most drivers still opt for right-hand-drive models, since its a format they know and trust in spite of the obvious safety issues.

Luxury cars at the starting line

aye nyein winayenyeinwin.mcm@gmail.com

TOO many cars are on the streets. Traffic is bumper to bumper. Were moving at a snails pace. The number of cars keeps increasing. The roads are jammed.

Weve all heard what everyone thinks. But are there really too many cars in Myanmar? Or is this just Yangons problem?

Registered vehicles doesnt mean all vehicles, but its the best tally we have. There are over 640,000 registered automobiles nationwide, including over 40,000 buses, over 82,000 light trucks, over 16,000 heavy trucks, and even specialised vehicles such as fire engines or logging trucks (though there are no official listings by brand, so its impossible to tell how many Toyotas, Hondas, and so on).

Among these, over 430,000 are in Yangon. This includes 57,000 taxies, which means taxis make up 13 percent of the registered vehicles on Yangons roads (roughly one taxi for every 91 people, given the recent population estimate of 5.2 million).

For decades car imports were the province of the elite. Starting in 2011, however, old cars could be traded in for a slip giving the right to import a new one, first for dealers and later for individuals. According to figures from the Road Transport Administration Department, since car imports were authorised the number

of registered vehicles in the country jumped by more than 210,000. As of the end of 2014, more than 100,000 old vehicles have handed in.

Even if they dont import on their own, they would sell the permit slip, said U Kyaw Aye Lwin, regional staff officer of the RTAD.

Accident figures show one byproduct of the influx, Police Colonel Kyaw Htwe said.

In 2012, official numbers show 11,650 traffic accidents; in 2013, 13,900; in 2014, nearly 15,000. Injuries climbed correspondingly, with 19,700, 23,000 and 25,000 respectively; deaths did too, with 3300, 3600 and over 4100.

The real figures, Pol Col Kyaw Htwe said, will be higher. Accidents in rural areas are not all included. Some accidents might not have been informed to the police station.

In Yangon Region in 2014, 3008 accidents caused over 42000 injuries and 588 deaths, with an average rate of 8.3 accidents, 11.6 injuries and 1.6 deaths per day. The total reported damages were K1,273 million, or about US$1.2 million, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Lin Htut.

While the Minister for Commerce U Win Myint said in 2014 that the car import policy wouldnt change again following complaints

of frequent policy shifts causing difficulties for importers in December 2014 it was announced that import controls would be instituted effective January 1, 2015. Among other reasons, the move is an effort to curb traffic jams in the countrys biggest city, along with road widening and other investments.

An announcement was made January 1 that a car import licence will be given only if a recommendation can given proving access to a parking space can be shown. But cars already imported are parked on roads due to not having parking spaces. That causes road traffic problems. It is necessary to create parking spaces for already imported cars fast, said Pol Lt Col Lin Htut.

Although some think there are too many cars and imports should be cut off, some say there are too few cars compared to the population of Myanmar. Then why are the roads jammed? The major cause is that there is no habit of following traffic rules, he said.

Buses, private cars, actually all cars break the rules. So we increased arrests from our side. We are planning workshops too.

He said the bus system is in particular need

of overhaul. We are aiming to form a public company

to change the bus transportation system. As you know, bus drivers and bus helpers earn more money if they run their buses more times because they get their wages by sharing the income. That wage system is a weakness. Bus transportation needs the governments support, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Lin Htut.

Meanwhile, brokers, importers and showroom owners have been setting out together to find answers to the citys traffic problems. Last year in a workshop they discussed letting cars park overnight again in Batar vehicle trading centre on Insein Road in Kamaryut township. About 2000 cars are running day and night in town because they cannot park in the station overnight.

Also discussed was the prospect of YCDC giving spaces outside of town to vehicle trading stations, and building new modern parking buildings meeting international standards in those spaces. Replacing private car use with school buses for children coming to and from school is another point of emphasis.

Pol Col Kyaw Htwe said imports would keep rising, and more flyovers need to be built if necessary to smooth out the flow cross by congested intersections. Automated traffic lights are also being expanded in 2015.

No word yet, though, when drivers plan to start following the rules of the road.

Translation by Kyawt Darli Linn

Urban crawlHow to solve Yangons traffic woes?

Chevrolet showroom on Upper Pazundaung Road. Photo: Thiri Lu

Jaguar showroom in Hlaing township. Photo: Thiri Lu

Mercedes showroom on Pyay Road, 7 Mile. Photo: Thiri Lu

12

ye mon anD myat nyein aye

IF the mantra for vehicles these days is out with the old, in with the new, where, exactly, is out?For many cars, thats Thilawa

special economic zone one of three locations in which vehicles are dropped off and disassembled, either for recycling or for re-sale as spare parts.

Mandated by the Myanmar Economic Corporation in early 2014, the Thilawa SEZs car cemetery, as it is colloquially known, replaces the Insein Steel Mill, which previously handled old cars. The other sites for used car disposal in Myanmar are Myaung Dakar Industrial Zone, in Hmawbi township, Yangon Region, and Yamethin township, in Mandalay

Region.The car cemeteries are something

of a museum of late-20th-century vehicles. Following decades in which imports were strictly controlled, effective September 19, 2011, the government instituted a scheme under which legacy vehicles could be turned in for a slip of paper granting the right to purchase a more recent-model vehicle. Since then more than 400,000 new or used cars have been imported a sea change for Myanmars roads.

The car cemeteries are where formerly prized, coddled and life-supported vehicles are being finally put to pasture. They act as a sorting ground for everything from assembled-in-Myanmar Shan Jeeps to journeyman imports like Town Ace and Super Saloon. Even trucks and buses come to the end of their roads here.

I used my car for over 10 years, said Yangon resident U Saw Myint, who recently made the fateful drive to Thilawa SEZ. This car was very lucky for me and sometime I feel like this is a path of my life. But nowadays, many people are using the latest cars and they are more comfortable than old cars. I worry obsessively about my old car, but I have decided to throw away it to change it for a new car.

Vehicles are lined up to be registered and be checked by the Road Transport Administration Department and MEC officials. Unlike U Saw Myint, most bringing cars to Thilawa are agents. Behind the lineup is a wall of car bodies nearly the height of a telephone pole. Some look fairly new. Others are dilapidated, and some are crushed.

Contrary to popular belief, old cars are not simply melted down whole in a steel mill. Rather, an

active market exists in the car cemetery, dealing in reclaimed spare parts, many of which will later return to the market.

Agent U Aung Kyaw Sann, who works in the cemetery as an agent, says those looking to dispose of their old cars are unaware of the money to be made from stripping it and selling the parts.

Car owners hire agents to get the slip they only want a slip. So, we take off the parts of old cars which are to be melted in the steel mill, and we dont need to go the market directly. The brokers will come to buy the parts.

On the used parts market, newer components are more highly valued, but even some old parts may find their way to markets like Bayint Naung in Yangons Mayangone township.

Our duty is check that the cars are really old or not, and whether

they have been used for 20 years, said an RTAD official. I think the owners dont get the money from their cars when the parts are sold.

Owner U Ko Aung said he did not bother trying to earn money from selling spare parts from his old vehicle. He only wanted the slip for a new one, but he sees the potential value.

I guess the spare parts from the old-car market could potentially be a huge market in the future because those parts are cheaper than the new parts, he said.

However, some involved in importing new cars have told The Myanmar Times that the government should prevent the market in spare parts salvaged from trade-ins. They said old parts will reduce fuel efficiency and safety of otherwise up-to-date vehicles.

It also means parts of these cars are again cheating the cemetery, and driving among us once again.

Rust In PeaceMyanmars car cemeteries

myo lwinmyolwin286@gmail.com

UP until three years ago, many of the buses, trucks and passenger cars in Yangon were vintage models and remnants of the Second World War. What most owners had on their minds first thing in the morning was to check fuel, water, air and oil si-ye-lay-waing, as it is known widely in Myanmar language.

That meant checking the fuel (either petrol or diesel), the water in the radiator, the air pressure of each tyre and the engine oil level. These are the four musts, especially for buses. Most buses, which were usually Chevrolet and Dodge, had reminder notices written and hung in a place visible to the driver.

Today, for drivers of newer cars, these notices are mostly yesterdays news, as they have the luxury of simply checking their dashboard displays, which show red, orange or green lights depending on whether or not anything is faulty.

Under this government, at least two major visible changes have been made. The number of mobile phones has jumped from 1 million to 9 million in two years. And the number of registered vehicles has

jumped from 250,000 to 640,000 over just three years.

Of course, all these cars are creating more traffic jams but that just gives everyone more time to talk to each other on their phones.

One signal most people ignore, however, is the seatbelt light. As few wear them, and the light is irritating, many ask the mechanics and discover that the red light can be turned off by putting a small stick into the negative side of the seat belt. Otherwise, most drivers go to the workshop only when they hear or feel sounds or vibrations when driving that signal a problem.

Suspensions used to need regular fixes, particularly among taxis, but repaved roads have helped in that areas. One major problem still unsolved, though, is the need to check the fuel systems.

U Phone Zaw Win, vice president of the Automobile Technical Division of the Myanmar Engineering Society, told The Myanmar Times that a major problem is the variation in octane value, which leave spark plugs with carbon residues after only a short time.

The air filter is also important as the air has to pass through some sensitive electronic filters and the clean air is also important, he said.

Ko Thiha, a mechanic from Desire Autoworks, said most of the cars at his workshop have engine vibrations or reduced power problems.

Most of the cars that came to us have engine power problems. They complained that their cars speed has slowed down and the pick-up time takes longer, said Ko Thiha.

We discovered the quality of the spark plug insulator has become poor so that the internal combustion power is not sufficient inside each cylinder.

Ko Thiha said in the past they were able to simply clean the plug, but newer-model cars get damaged beyond repair and require swapping out. Such problems, he said, are more common in smaller, 3- or 4-cylinder cars with 1000cc or 1300cc engines, because they are designed with more RPM (revolutions per minute). In bigger cars, a weakness in one or two spark plugs has less of an effect as there are still four or six others working.

For cars with fuel system problems, we normally recommend replacing the new filter and cleaning the injector. If a model has the injection system that cannot be taken out for cleaning, we use an ultrasonic cleaner to take out the carbon residues. Then the engine gets back to its full power, Ko Thiha added.

The Myanmar Times spoke to numerous taxi drivers, owners

and mechanics, and all said these problems are common in newer models. Comments like I have to change to new plugs once every two months and I replace my plugs once every three months were popular.

The big question here is what is causing the problem: the quality of fuel being sold or the quality of the cars being imported.

The number of filling stations has increased dramatically in the past few years, from just 260 government-owned stations and zero private stations in 2010 to only 12 government-owned but 1163 privately owned stations as of December 2014.

U Thiha Aung, managing director at Myanmar Vehicle Tech Co Limited, said the spark plugs look like they have the symptoms of gasoline additive problems accumulated ferrocene on the spark plug insulator causing a misfire. Generally, this chemical is used to increase the octane number in gasoline.

He said the chemical can bring more power by boosting the octane number, but can damage the spark plugs and catalytic converter. He said fuel additive is the probably cause, though he cautioned this is not yet proven by testing.

U Phone Zaw Win of the MES said there was a gap in knowledge

between mechanics who used to repair older models and those able to work on newer vehicles that have arrived lately, as the newer models use more electronic technology.

The MES, which is a non-profit organisation, has been conducting three-month training, covering topics such as the use of different on-board diagnostic scan tools, the use of repair manuals and the understanding of diagnostic trouble codes.

The tools are not expensive. We just want the car workshops in Myanmar gain knowledge about todays newer models, said U Phone Zaw Win, who graduated from Rangoon Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Engineering in 1965, majoring in automobiles.

Many mechanics are familiar with the old cars and they need to know about the change in technology. They need to have scanners which are cheap and affordable, like a medical doctor needs a stethoscope.

The knowledge gap is wider than in Thailand and Singapore. We have created low-cost scanners so that the mechanics can pinpoint the fault of their cars.

He said its particularly important to know your car well when on a long trip, and to use oil and lubricant suited to the model you drive.

Do corroded spark plugs mean bad fuel?

Cars are stacked sky-high at Thilawa. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

A bottle of fuel powers this car on its last ride. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

13

I came across this man and his ride on the backroads of Hpa-an. The motorcycles customisation was inspired by the Yellow Ranger from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and is fitted with a machete, a chain whip and a metal bar for helping people, he explained.

aye nyein winayenyeinwin.mcm@gmail.com

ROUGHLY 90 percent of imported motor vehicles in Myanmar use right-hand drive, with steering wheels on the right side, according to official figures. That would be unexceptional, if not for the fact that, roughly 90pc of the time, the roads themselves run in the opposite manner, meaning cars are on the right side of the road but the steering wheels, and hence drivers, are also on the right, with a better view of the kerb than the traffic. (The other 10pc of the time, of course, occurs when someone blindly pulls out into oncoming traffic the only way to catch a glimpse of whats oncoming.)

As a former British colony, Myanmar used to drive on the left side of the road using RHD vehicles, consistent with British practice. (Only about 35pc of the world currently drives on the left, and British influence is usually the explanation.)

But following a surprise edict from General Ne Win in 1970, the direction of traffic changed overnight from left to right. The steering wheels of cars didnt,

though, so people had to just put up with relying on honks and passenger guidance when merging into a lane.

With a civilian government back in power and a flood of imported cars now coming in, the country has three options: change the flow of traffic, change the kinds of cars allowed as soon as possible, or just keep on as before.

There doesnt seem to be any discussion of the first option, but the second has floated around as a rumour from time to time, with some believing imports might be limited to only LHD vehicles starting in 2015. (New cars are already limited to LHD only, but make up a very small minority of cars sold.) Authorities have yet to make public any such announcement of limiting used cars to LHD as well.

The numbers of imported cars with LHD are hardly seen, said U Kyaw Aye Lwin, head of Yangon Regions Road Transport Administration Department.

In seminars and meetings relating to motor vehicles, authorities say to allow only LHD in importing vehicles, but the RTAD cannot speak about this new policy exactly because people prefer RHD, he said.

He said limiting imports wont be easy, though adds some sort of policy will surely be needed to untangle Myanmars traffic conundrum.

Japan is the top car exporter in Asia, with a 45pc share of the top five nations. New Japanese imports are available in both RHD and LHD drive, as the factories produce both orientations. But used vehicles more common for imports are in RHD format, as that is how Japan drives.

But Myanmar has adopted a right-hand traffic system, so vehicles with right-hand drive are not convenient for people in Myanmar, said U San Myint Oo, managing director of the RTAD.

He said the RTAD only enforces existing laws, though added the roads would be safer if import companies were limited to cars of a suitable orientation. But he said that some changes may need to be made to signage, bus doors and so on, to help them match the rules of the road.

If the import law was to be changed, the new vehicle law, now in draft stage, would need to be debated, approved, and only then modified, with all ministries approving.

If the law is enacted, I

hope regulations related to vehicles will be included to keep motorists safe, said U Soe Htun, chair of the Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association.

Police Captain Win Lwin of No 2 Traffic Police Office was hesitant to blame accidents on LHD versus RHD, citing unsafe driving practices as a more probable culprit.

If motorists can control their speed and follow traffic rules, there will be no accidents and motorists and pedestrians will be safe. It also mainly depends on the motorists driving skill.

Taxi driver U Maung Maung disagreed, saying cars being forced to pull out blindly to pass was a major cause of accidents and something that could be made much safer with LHD vehicles.

We have heard that the government will allow importing only left-hand drive vehicles in the future. It will be good when such a policy is practiced, he said.

Until then, it seems the third option, doing nothing, has the lead.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun and Emoon

Left is right (But right is left) Which side are you on?IN feudal societies people wore swords on their left, which meant they mounted horses from the left. That was easier done from the side of the road than the middle, so traffic stayed on the left side of the road.

In the late 1700s in the US and France, the biggest thing on the road was the teamster (a person driving a team of horses pulling a wagon), who sat on the back left horse so he could whip to the right. The driver needed to see if he was about to hit anything on his left, and as the biggest things on the road reversed traffic.

In pre-Revolution France, the left was reserved for nobles and the right for everyone else. Post-revolution, the nobles tried to blend in more, and shared the road with the rest. A keep-right law was passed in 1793.

Countries Napoleon conquered adopted right-hand traffic; those he didnt, including England, stayed on the left. Austria, only half-conquered, remained split until Hitler ordered right-side driving in 1938 after annexation.

The US, after independence, was eager to shed British roots, and cast off left-side driving starting in 1792. In Canada, former French territory stayed right and former British territory stayed left until 1920. Newfoundland, independent until 1949, went right only two years before joining Canada.

After WWII, Korea switched sides when the US, not Japan, became influential. In the 1960s Pakistan mulled a switch from left to right, but rejected it because camels were trained to carry on walking when their drivers were asleep, and it would prove too difficult to retrain them to use the other side of the road.

It is convention for the driver to sit closer to traffic and the passenger closer to the kerb. As the Ford company explained in 1908 when it redesigned its steering wheel, Travelling along the right side of the road the steering wheel on the right side of the car made it necessary to get out on the street side and walk around the car. This is awkward and especially inconvenient if there is a lady to be considered.

Wade Guyitt

In picturesPhoto: Greg Holland

14

Si thU lwinsithulwin.mmtimes@gmail.com

JINGLE bells jangling, the cool breeze caressing your cheek, hearts and hoofs going pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat: Myanmar may have plenty of horse carts, but for carriages theres only one place to go: Pyin Oo Lwin. The Mandalay Region retreat may no longer be a colonial hill station, but its still got a reputation for relaxation. Its horse-drawn carriages are no small part of that image: Like Shwedagon in Yangon and rubies in Mogok, carriages here are a community icon.

You can thank the British for that. The conquering colonials invaded what is now Pyin Oo Lwin in 1886, the year after taking Mandalay. Before they rolled in to the area in great numbers, the town was just a military outpost near a small Shan

village, along the road to Lashio. After, it became a hill station a place of retreat, not from dacoits but the heat.

Pyin Oo Lwin or as it was known then, Maymyo, or Mays Town, after Colonel May, stationed there in 1887 enjoys a breezy altitude of 1070 metres (around 3500 feet) and developed an atmosphere to match. Eventually, as the summer capital of British Burma, it became a place for the Anglo establishment to rule from during the months when the temperature made collars and petticoats untenable elsewhere.

The colonial era is long gone now, of course, and the automobile has since brought an end to carriages most everywhere else. But architectural details such as the Purcell Clock Tower keep memories of past times alive in Pyin Oo Lwin, and the towns penchant for horsedrawn carriages remains also,

albeit reclaimed as a civic symbol.Not to say that theyre not in

decline. By 1965, official records show 153 in operation. Today, there are over 50 less, but not by much, considering the automobile has long since run them off the road most everywhere else.

U Ba Oo, 56, has been driving coaches since he was 14. He says tourism is what keeps the horse carriages rolling in Pyin Oo Lwin.

Pyin Oo Lwin is a good place for relaxing and for tours. Thats why they are still popular. If not for that, they would have vanished long ago.

Of course, novelty fun-rides alone dont a tradition make. But the coaches are also regularly hired by residents for important rituals such as weddings and donation ceremonies.

Three-wheeled and two-wheeled motorcycles have been major threats to keeping coaches alive, something

U Ba Oo sees as inevitable given the march of time. They are necessary for long drives. It is natural to have a loss in gaining development, U Ba Oo said.

Still, he said that even though it not easy to make back even the cost of meals for horses and driver during rainy season, he would die before giving up his horse and carriage.

I wish the authorities to help and support coach drivers. That would keep coaches, the symbol of the town, alive, U Ba Oo added.

Authorities didnt used to like that symbol, however. Under the former military government, VIP arrivals or defence academy graduation days meant that the horse and carriages had to stay off the roads, according to U Kyi, 84.

They came back, he said, due to foreigners requests. Fees were mandated, posted inside of each coach, but today the rate of passage

depends like much else for sale in Myanmar on bargaining.

He said there used to be about a half-dozen different builders and repairers in Pyin Oo Lwin, but now theres only one.

We have been doing this for generations since our grandparents, said U Mut Tar, a 55-year-old carriage maker who lies in Nyan Taw quarter. He also said business isnt too bad though it has shifted since his grandparents age.

We get orders from Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, China and hotels using them just for show. We made a coach for an order from Malaysia for a wedding just today.

Interested in buying one? Expect to pony up between K2.5 million to 3 million, depending on the quality of materials used. But make sure youve got something to pull it. Otherwise youd be putting the cart before the horse.

How carriages keep the wheels turning in Pyin Oo Lwin

Horsepower

mya Kay Khinemya.simplefly@gmail.com

WHEN U Khin Myint Maung went to Nay Pyi Taw last year to receive a promotion, he found on his return that some work had piled up for him in the meantime: a three-day-long traffic jam.

Known for being the most efficient and friendly traffic police officer in Yangon, U Khin Myint Maung patrols the intersection of Dhammazedi and Link from 7am to 7pm. And his sunburnt skin proves he spends those hours right in the middle of things, not snoozing in a traffic hut at the side of the road. He wields his whistle like a surgeon, waves his arms like airport ground crew and all the time never seems to stop smiling.

In 2012 U Khin Myint Maung was given a Hero Award by 7-Day News. But not every traffic officer is as beloved by the public though we wish they

were. He seems to take on his duty not as a job but as a passion.

I think public servants are born from the public, he says, explaining, in one breath, why some officers seem less devoted, and also why he feels the compulsion to serve instead of take advantage of drivers.

Every new police officer, including the traffic police, attends six months of training in Wat Htee Kan, Pyay township. But with 57,000 taxis and over 6500 passenger buses in Yangon alone not to mention the over 400,000 cars traffic seems to be too much to handle. Some members of the public allege some officers are crooked, and even extort money from accident victims. Thats clearly wrong, but its also wrong to put the blame on conditions on traffic police alone.

I give my opinion when I give lectures to upgrading classes in our force, U Khin Myint Maung says. Every police officer is responsible

for clearing the roads. But the public needs to be included in clearing. Once, they could drive as they like. But now, its necessary to line up.

CCTV cameras are set up in 22 of the most congested areas of the city, including Shwegondine, Tarmwe, Myaynigone and 8 mile. There are 10 automatic sets of traffic lights, with more coming in 2015. Still, as U Khin Myint Maung shows, nothing improves efficiency more than someone who cares.

Traffic police earn K135,000-K190,000 a month, for which they must serve with enthusiasm, without shying from the heat or rain, and without resting their arms, legs or lungs.

When I have done my duty, I sit in silence, not talking to anyone. And then I wash and go to bed after 8pm, said U Khin Myint Maung.

Still, he bears it all with a grin. Not only traffic police smiles are better than

frowns for everyone.

Public servant

Photo: Si Thu Lwin

U Khin Myint Maung saves the day. Photo: Thiri Lu

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t.cherry6@gmail.com

GETTING on the bus in rush hour is like squeezing onto a packed rollercoaster. Passengers fill the seats first, leaving latecomers to cram into any available aisle space like sand poured between pebbles in a jar. Theres nowhere to stand without being pressed against someone else. If you have only one hand free, youll end up clinging perilously to the rail, dragged to your destination as the bus starts, stops and sways.

So when the stranger sitting nearby reaches out to him, offering to carry his bag on her lap so he doesnt need to clutch it to his chest while keeping his balance, why does he turn her down? And why does he say no so abruptly?

Actually I really wanted to make conversation with the girl, U Soe said. It is so boring riding the bus for too long with too much traffic.

But while any other day her offer one of thousands like it, happening every day, on buses all across the country might have been gratefully accepted, this day happened to be the end of the month. That means payday and in U Soes bag was all of his earnings.

I do appreciate the girl being willing to help me, he said. But it is human ego to be over-protective of my belongings.

Human ego, it turns out, comes up a lot when people talk about what its like to ride the bus.

Ma June Lay first started offering to hold peoples bags for them in her university years. Students mingled with regular commuters going to work or running errands, and when the buses were packed full, if Ma June Lay had a seat while her friends were standing she would help them by holding their lunch boxes, bags and books on her lap.

It is not any bother to hold a lunch box, but for the person who has to stand having two free hands makes it more secure holding the bar when the bus jumps or brakes suddenly.

The little gesture is a small inconvenience for one person, but it creates a big relief for another. And its something we would all appreciate, if the situations were reversd.

I feel sympathy for others if they get hurt, Ma June Lay said, adding her own hand always hurts when she has to stand without being able to hold on properly.

She used to waver about whether

or not to ask to look after the belongings of those she didnt know, lest people might refuse her offer, or think negatively of her for invading their space. But she takes a more positive view now. Some people, she said, hesitate to accept help if they are new at riding the bus, while others will say no if they are carrying lunch containers which are dirty on the outside, or which could spill and stain someone elses clothing with curry. Those who refuse, she thinks, are being polite also.

If you want to know how selfish people are, try taking a bus, Ko Kyaw Zin said. When people are comfortable, he thinks, they are like angels, and compete with others to see who can do more good deeds. Its only when they are struggling that they become devils.

Like any long, uncomfortable, monotonous experience, the bus is a litmus te