Burma as a traveler

[Gaybutton]

For those tourist truly interested in helping to bring about a change in government in Myanmar here are some ideas.

 

"To Save but One Life is to Save the World" - The Talmud

[Guest Geezer]

“NO, dear, if there's anyone trying to shut something down…”

 

 

"No, I was referring to your use of the word "dear" which, unfortunately, has been an old habit."

 

 

 

Yes, very old and supercilious -- a condescension to which readers have been exposed for years, finally earning Hedda a spot on the “Ignore” list.

 

Now if I could just get Mrs. Clinton to stop saying, “You know?”, in every paragraph.

 

 

Oh by the way, this avitar was taken in Burma.

[Nikom]

Another good contact site for Yangon is >> http://in.guys4men.com/index.php

 

This site is based in India but covers the whole world! One of the posters on this site even has some "nice" pics!

 

Enjoy!

[Gaybutton]

Nikom, do you have any recommendations regarding donations to disaster relief organizations that can be relied upon to see that the money is actually used to help the cyclone victims? I think many who read this message board would like to help, but nobody wants to donate money that will end up in the pockets of the junta instead of going to help the victims.

[Guest]

Nikom, do you have any recommendations regarding donations to disaster relief organizations that can be relied upon to see that the money is actually used to help the cyclone victims? I think many who read this message board would like to help, but nobody wants to donate money that will end up in the pockets of the junta instead of going to help the victims.

 

While waiting for Nikom, I was sent this article and it had some sources. I sent some money to the Red Cross and earmarked it for Burma.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../MNCQ10H4IN.DTL

 

How to help

 

For information about Burma and Cyclone Nargis or to donate to relief efforts, contact one of these organizations:

-- Burmese American Democratic Alliance: badasf.org

-- Burmese American Women's Alliance: bawalliance.org

-- Foundation for the People of Burma: foundationburma.org

-- U.S. Campaign for Burma: uscampaignforburma.org

-- Doctors Without Borders: doctorswithoutborders.org

-- UNICEF: unicef.org

-- CARE: care.org

-- Church World Service: churchworldservice.org

-- American Red Cross: redcross.org (The Red Cross has an international response fund through which people can designate donations for the Burma cyclone.)

 

 

[fedssocr]

AVAAZ is donating money directly to the network of monasteries in Burma. THe people are gathering at temples and monasteries because they are the only thing left in some areas. THe monks are tending the people as best they can.

 

This organization seems to be well established.

 

Here's an email I got today:

Dear friends,

 

Burma has been devastated by a cyclone—and by the military junta's failure to help its people cope. Help raise relief funds for distribution by Burma's monks:

 

CLICK TO DONATE!

 

In the wake of a massive cyclone, tens of thousands of Burmese are dead. More than 40,000 are missing. A million are homeless.

 

But what's happening in Burma is not just a natural disaster—it's also a catastrophe of bad leadership.

 

Burma's brutal and corrupt military junta failed to warn the people, failed to evacuate any areas, and suppressed freedom of communication so that Burmese people didn't know the storm was coming when the rest of the world did. Now the government is failing to respond to the disaster and obstructing international aid organizations.

 

Humanitarian relief is urgently needed, but Burma's government could easily delay, divert or misuse any aid. Today the International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma's powerful grass roots network of monasteries—the most trusted institutions in the country and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities. Click below to help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a leader of the monks:

 

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/77.php

 

Giving to the monks is a smart, fast way to get aid directly to Burma's people. Governments and international aid organizations are important, but face challenges—they may not be allowed into Burma, or they may be forced to provide aid according to the junta's rules. And most will have to spend large amounts of money just setting up operations in the country. The monks are already on the front lines of the aid effort—housing, feeding, and supporting the victims of the cyclone since the day it struck. The International Burmese Monks Organization will send money directly to each monastery through their own networks, bypassing regime controls.

 

Last year, more than 800,000 of us around the world stood with the Burmese people as they rose up against the military dictatorship. The government lost no time then in dispatching its armies to ruthlessly crush the nonviolent democracy movement—but now, as tens of thousands die, the junta's response is slow and threatens to divert precious aid into the corrupt regime's pockets.

 

The monks are unlikely to receive aid from governments or large humanitarian organizations, but they have a stronger presence and trust among the Burmese people than both. If we all chip in a little bit, we can help them to make a big difference.

 

Click here to donate:

 

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/77.php

 

With hope,

 

Ricken, Ben, Graziela, Paul, Iain, Veronique, Pascal, Galit and the whole Avaaz team

 

PS: Here are some links to more information:

 

For more information about Avaaz's work to support the Burmese people, click here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_report_back/

 

For more information about the cyclone, the humanitarian crisis, and the political dimension, see these articles:

 

New York Times: "A Challenge Getting Relief to Myanmar's Remote Areas." 7 May 2008.

 

BBC: "Will Burma's leaders let aid in?" 6 May 2008.

 

India's Economic Times: Indian meteorological department advised junta 48 hours in advance, 6 May 2008.

 

BBC: "Disaster tests Burma's junta." 5 May 2008

 

Times Online: "Aid workers fear Burma cyclone deaths will top 50,000." 6 May 2008.

 

_________

 

 

ABOUT AVAAZ

Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

 

 

[Guest]

Well here's an interesting little thread from a few years back, which merits a read.

I wonder if any members have been there in more recent years ?

[fedssocr]

I was there in 2011, right before Hillary Clinton's visit.

 

The transportation infrastructure really needs a lot of investment. Now that foreign investment is flooding in my guess is that will happen before too long. Flying domestically is like a trip back to the 70s.

 

But things are changing fairly quickly from what I've read. Great people (for the most part) and some very interesting sights. Bagan is stupendous. And Shwedagon is magical. I spent several days in the northwest at Mrauk U and Sittwe. I think all of the problems there are a real shame. The religious/ethnic violence erupted about 6 months after I was there.

[Bob]

Spent a couple of days in Rangoon (Yangon) about a month ago with my Thai partner, almost exclusively visiting the major tourist sights.  As Fedssocr mentions, the Schedegon Pagoda is truly stupendous and worth seeing both during the day and night.  If I can figure out how to do it, I'll attach a day and night photo of the main stupa there.

 

Given I was with my partner, we didn't go looking for any gay haunts.  I can say we never encountered anything other than friendly people both inside and out of the hotel.  Prices there are about the same as Chiangmai with the exception of the hotels - which seemed rather high to me (we stayed in a nice....maybe 3-star?...place and paid after hefty taxes $172.50 per night).

 

Traffic was pretty horrible most of the time....one spends a lot of time simply sitting in place.  My biggest surprise there, though, was I didn't see a single motorsy (I thought all Asian cities had millions of them).

[Guest shamahan]

I am establishing connections through facebook with gay burmese students in Yangon. If things proceed smoothly politically,

Burma may become much more attractive destination than Thailand  (including for gay visitors)which unfortunately goes more and more deeply in total shit.

Hope to visit Myanmar soon and meet my new friends.

P.S. No matter what you think about Hedda (who was active in this thread), he always thought that Burma may become an attractive gay destination if democracy movement wins. Hope he was right. RIP.

[vinapu]

 

Burma may become much more attractive destination than Thailand  (including for gay visitors)

You may be right but lots of water will flow in Irrawady river before it happens I'm afraid.

 

But it needs to be said loudly that Bagan can be compared to very few sites in the whole world , not only Asia and warrants visit from even remotest corner of the Earth  

[Guest shamahan]

You may be right but lots of water will flow in Irrawady river before it happens I'm afraid.

 

 

It may happen much faster than you think. Myanmar has tremendous natural resources , huge opportunities for tourism and a flood of Western investments waiting for the right moment to enter. It should be said that it also a country in the state of civil war.

It is a multi-national state and the Army has a role as a unifier under circumstances. Aung San Suu Kyi do understand that. If they manage to forge a right compromise, the country may start moving very quickly with double digits growth in economy and tourism.

[fedssocr]

The thing holding tourism back at the moment is lack of hotels and travel infrastructure. Thus you have high hotel prices as Bob mentioned for not so great accommodations. It will take time to build that out. But I agree there is plenty of money just waiting for the right time to flood in. Now that NLD swept the elections, the real work will start. Expectations will be very high for instant positive changes. It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off.

[ChristianPFC]

Burma is on my list of places to go, but with recent visa free entry to Indonesia and Vietnam, these two come first. And then there is the hotel price issue, if I can't get a room for under 20 USD at similar standard and availability as in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia, I will wait!

 

I vaguely remember, I read somewhere mocys are banned in Burma for individual transport (only for army and police).

[vinapu]

Christian

You don't want to miss sights like Bagan, Shwedagon pagoda or great stupa in Mingun over hotel price issue,

 

It still will be cheaper than dying all the way from Europe

[khaolakguy]

 

 

P.S. No matter what you think about Hedda (who was active in this thread), he always thought that Burma may become an attractive gay destination if democracy movement wins. Hope he was right. RIP.

 

 

Hedda is dead?