Myanmar: The Streets of Yangon pictures

Aerial view approaching Yangon International Airport

Though small with only three departure gates, the new Yangon International Airport is surprisingly modern and well-organised

The road from the airport to downtown is probably the best road in Yangon. Though there are no traffic jams in Yangon like in other big cities around the world, driving is almost impossible for a foreigner due to lack of road signs and street names

In front of the Parkroyal, a popular hotel among tourists. There is also Traders Hotel nearby

Most buses and taxis are old and in very bad conditions but most people have to rely on them for transportation. Notice the absence of motorcyles on the roads- motorcycles are prohibited in Yangon

Men attending to a bus which broke down in the middle of the road

In the city, people live in one-bedroom flats in 4-7-storey buildings without elevators. They have to climb the steep, narrow and dark staircases. Often more that one family cramp in one unit.

Most men wear these simple sarongs with black or dark-brown sandals

A busy street in the downtown

Hawkers selling food on a sidewalk

Hawkers use low plastic chairs and small tables for their customers

A floating restaurant on Karawait Lake

Myanmar is known for its cheap but high quality gems such as jades

A gated residential area- not many can live here

To the poor, these are what they call home...

A road near a market in the outskirt of Yangon

Streets and buildings are poorly lit at nights because there is not enough electricity in Yangon. People use generators as a back-up if they can afford

Some people make their living going through rubbish at dumpsites looking for sellable items, days and nights. Some even look for discarded food there

Young Buddhist monks going around asking for alms

Though the majority of the people are Buddhists and pagodas are everywhere, there are also mosques like this in the Muslim area within Yangon

Trishaws operators waiting for customers

You don't see any policemen in Yangon because crime rate is low and you can walk freely without worrying about snatch thieves and robbers. They said they could even sleep with their doors wide open

Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor

Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor
New Straits Times 2011/03/07
A. HASHIM, Sungai Petani, Kedah

Traffic offenders waiting to settle their summonses at the Jalan Tun H.S. Lee traffic police station. The government may wish to consider maintaining the discount rates for old summonses.

I AM sure the cabinet's decision to extend the deadline for the discount on traffic summonses will please the people. Those who missed the earlier deadlines now have another chance to settle their summonses.

However, I am unsure whether people will settle the bulk of the remaining 17 million summonses.

This is not because the offenders are stubborn, as some claimed. The biggest hindrance is financial.

Since these summonses go back a few years, most offenders would have accumulated a number of summonses.

With the 50 per cent discount, they still have to pay RM1,500 if they have 10 summonses. For the lower-income group, this amount equals or exceeds their monthly salary.

As it is, these people can hardly make ends meet, so paying for all the summonses at one go is difficult.

Even those who have the money may consider getting another car rather than paying the full sum.

The end result is lots of unpaid summonses and more people driving without insurance and road tax.

Instead of blacklisting motorists, the government should consider allowing them to settle two or three of the earlier summonses first, so that offenders can settle them before they renew their road tax.

Another two or three summonses may be settled the following year. I believe this is a win-win situation.

Better still, maintain the discount rate for all the old summonses. The authorities are also at fault for not collecting the fines earlier, resulting in the offenders repeating the offences and accumulating the fines.

I believe that the offenders have learnt their lesson and would not commit any more offences. If they do, they should be slapped with higher fines.

Those who are caught speeding many times should go to jail or have their driving licences suspended.

Another important area for the government to look at is the manner in which the summonses are issued.

In my case, I found that I had been issued with several summonses for speeding, though I know that I normally observe speed limits.

I suspect that I was caught speeding while overtaking or going downhill.

I have also gone a bit faster to gain momentum when going uphill to save fuel. I am more careful now, but I feel that I have been unfairly treated.

I believe that many summonses were issued without due consideration, for the purpose of meeting quotas rather than catching those who endanger other road users.

The fines for speeding should be proportionate to the excess speed.

Be fair to those who observe the speed limits but occasionally exceed them slightly because of the reasons I mentioned above.

It is necessary for the authorities to post photographic evidence on their website so that offenders can view them online rather than pay for the hard copy. Nobody will be happy to pay for something they are not sure they have committed.

From now on, new summonses should not be left unsettled for more than two or three years without errant motorists being blacklisted.

Even if the offenders are not blacklisted yet, people should be reminded of the summonses when they renew their road tax. Get them to acknowledge the reminders.

To offenders, don't waste any more money on the roads. It is really not worth it.



Read more: Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/18fik/Article/#ixzz1Fs6SgscT

Funny Definitions

Here are some funny definitions I found on the net, which make a lot of sense!

Adult: A person who has stopped growing at both ends, and is now growing in the middle.

Boss: Someone who comes early when you are late and late when you are early.

Chickens: The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead.

Committee: A body that keeps minutes and waste hours.

Conference: The confusion of a man multiplied by the number present.

Diplomat: A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.

Divorce: Future tense of marriage.

Doctor: A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you with his bills.

Etc: A sign to make others believe that you know more than what you actually do.

Experience: The name men give to their mistakes.

Father: A banker provided by nature.

Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful, even though they’re sure you’re not raising them right.

Marriage: It’s an agreement wherein a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her master.

Opportunist: A person who starts taking bath if he accidently falls into a river.

Philosopher: A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead.

Politician: One who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence after.

Psychologist: A man who watches everyone else when a beautiful girl enters the room.

Secret: Something you tell to one person at a time.

Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Working hours: Total hours you spend in office after deducting coffee breaks, reading newspaper, chit-chatting and surfing the internet.

Wrinkles: Something other people have. You have character lines.

Indahkah?

..indahkah?

..dan di saat ramaipun, hati tetap kesepian
bila malam menjelang, tubuh mengejang
darah di nadi bergetar
dan desiran nafas memburu tak menentu
kita semakin terpuruk dalam hidup
namun masih terus hidup.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

sebuah cerita tentang sepenggal kisah kasih
tercecer dalam sebuah wadah penantian yang percuma
merindukan bulan walau cuma tinggal setengah
teringat kisah tiga seperempat purnama

gelap langit gambaran nasib
iringan awan tarian memuakan
celoteh gagak bukan lagi ungkapan kerinduan
sedang bangkai haturkan keharuman

cinta bukan sekedar lelehan peluh semata
kerinduan gejolak jiwa yang terbebaskan
rintihan panjang..
ceceran cinta di peraduan..

tanpa beban lepaskan perkara
terdiam
terbisu
menyaksikan semua yang berlalu ...........!
ah..sakit yang menyiksakan..bilakan berakhir??