(LinkAsia: June 15, 2012)
Kara Tsuboi:
To encourage new business ventures in the country, Myanmar is building up its infrastructure and paving the way for foreign investments, literally. It's planning a deep-sea port that would be Southeast Asia's largest industrial complex, and an eight-lane super-highway that would stretch from the west coast all the way to Vietnam. But there are some roadbumps. NHK tells us ethnic violence and budget constraints are threatening to derail those plans.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: June 11, 2012

Reporter:
Dawei is a port town on the Indian Ocean in southeastern Myanmar. Development is underway to transform the city into the country's first special economic zone. Dawei is set to become the western starting point for a major road running across the Indochina Peninsula. Expectations are high for the distribution route that will directly connect the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. The Myanmar government plans to improve roads and port facilities and build a power station and iron mills in the area. Its ultimate goal is to make Dawei the largest industrial area in Southeast Asia.

U Tin Maung Swe, Chairman, Dawei Special Economic Zone:
This land is valuable because it is in between the Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Reporter:
But development is not proceeding as smoothly as the government wishes. Two years ago, the previous military regime granted development rights to a general contractor in neighboring Thailand. But the current government is having trouble securing the budget, which is set to exceed 50 billion dollars. Another issue is ethnic tensions involving minority groups. Last year, an armed group of the Karen people exchanged fire with government troops in an area of Dawei and the development. Karen groups have been fighting with government forces for decades. The current national union reached a cease-fire agreement with the government this January. But their distrust of the government is so deeply rooted that they say they would not approve the development of Dawei unless it helps improve their livelihoods.

Saw Thu Yeh, KNU District Leader:
We will support the development only if benefits will be distributed to all ethnic minority groups. But if the development is likely to ruin our lives and deprive us of freedom, we cannot support it.

Reporter:
Myanmar is drawing a lot of attention as Asia's last frontier. The key to its economic development lies in whether it can overcome challenges, such as ethnic tensions, and transform itself into a true democracy.

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Kara Tsuboi:
There's more bad news for the Dawei project. A Burmese exile newspaper reports that a Burmese investor with close ties to the government is apparently taking his money out of the project.

(LinkAsia: June 1, 2012)
Yul Kwon:
Over the past few decades, Myanmar has been closed to foreign businesses, except those from China and some Southeast Asian nations. It's also been under sanctions from western countries. But those sanctions are fading fast as Myanmar takes steps toward democracy and freer markets. Many countries see Myanmar as the last frontier in Asia. It has plenty of natural resources, a cheap labor force, and pent-up demand for everything from roads to consumer goods. And NHK tells us that Japanese companies are getting excited.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 30, 2012

Reporter:
Tokyo's stock exchange has signed an agreement with Myanmar's central bank. Moves are underway to set up the first stock market in the country. The aim is to deepen bilateral ties and gain a strong base to promote investment in local farms.

Than Nyein, Governor, Central Bank of Myanmar:
He arrived here for a long time and working together for a long time. And I think we believe that he is a very true and very capable partner for us.

Reporter:
Shigeto Inami is a Japanese business person who helped to win the deal. He's the president of a local college in Myanmar. It was created by Japan's diverse security group, together with the local bank. The plan is to expand the college to set up the new exchange.

Inami has lived in Myanmar for 14 years. He stayed behind even when many western firms left the country due to US and European sanctions. He has built a wide network of personal connections with government officials and other key figures. He wears ethnic clothing to work to fit in with the local society. While working on the project, Inami ran into strong competition from South Korea. But in the end, the deep trust he had earned over the years from local officials made all the difference.

Shigeto Inami, Managing Director, Myanmar Securities Exchange Center:
Japanese people take time and nurture relationships, and it's not all about money. I think that our culture struck a chord with the people in Myanmar.

Reporter:
A major Japanese bank is also making inroads in Myanmar ahead of its competitors from other countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation had joined hands with Myanmar's leading commercial bank. Sumitomo Mitsui is aiming to tap the partner's network to offer loans and other financial services to Japanese firms when the local market opens its doors to foreign banks. In Myanmar, most payments are made with cash since automatic teller machines are not so common there yet. This branch handles as many as five million banknotes a day.

Yoshiyuki Morii, Chief Representative, SMBC Yangon Office:
This is Myanmar's leading bank, so its methods are actually the most advanced for this country.

Reporter:
Sumitomo Mitsui plans to recommend to the local partner that it introduces teller machines and other systems. This will help to boost operational efficiency and improve its services. Japanese firms aim to play a leading role in setting up a financial market in Myanmar to boost the local economy and gain the fruits of growth. The trial has just begun.

(LinkAsia: May 11, 2012)
Sydnie Kohara:
Now moving to Thailand, where last year's floods nearly wiped out the World Heritage site of Ayutthaya. The government has done very little to repair the damaged city, but NHK reports that local and international charities have stepped in to rebuild houses.

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NHK World NEWSLINE
Airdate: May 8, 2012

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Insufficient government aid is causing flood victims like Chamlern Manojam to continue to live among the wreckage. Her house is unsanitary; most of her belongings are damaged and covered in grime. She has no source of income and is living on donations of food, water, and other necessities. Rust stains on the walls show that the home was submerged under two meters of water for months.

Chamlern Manojam, Flood Victim:
It's been a really big struggle. We lost everything. We couldn't save anything. We didn't know what to do.

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Last year's floods destroyed at least 170,000 homes in Thailand. Many residents watched the deluge wash away all their belongings, leaving behind a trail of devastation. But there is hope for Chamlern. She is one of the hundreds of people who are getting a new home for free, thanks to the efforts of charitable groups. The goal is to rebuild over 900 homes in eight provinces affected by the floods. So far, 106 have been completed.

I'm here at the construction site where the homes are being built for the flood victims, and each home is built at least two meters above the ground as a flood preventative measure. The walls are made of a special material called Beva boards. They're known for being water resistant and easy to install. Unlike traditional homes in the area, these houses have indoor plumbing, so residents have access to bathrooms in case of emergencies.

Experts fear another major flood will hit Thailand this year. Heavier than usual rain is forecast from May to October. NGOs are working around the clock to prevent a repeat of a natural disaster.

Chamnarn Wangtal, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, Thailand:
The strategy we're using to prepare is to compile a fund that can be used for first response. We are already gearing up just in case. One example is we plan to provide tents as temporary shelters.

Dhra Dhirakaosal, Reporter:
Chamlern feels grateful for her new house. Others who have yet to receive help continue to worry. The public is urging the government to implement preventative measures as soon as possible.

Sydnie Kohara:
The government is building dykes to protect Ayutthaya from future flooding. The residents support this move, but think that the government should do more to take care of people in the area who still lack that elevated housing that we just saw in the piece.