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(1) Prime Minister of Singapore Mr Goh Chok Tong to pay official visit to Myanmar
YANGON, 21 Mar - At the invitation of the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar His Excellency Senior General Than Shwe, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore His Excellency Mr Goh Chok Tong will pay an Official Visit to the Union of Myanmar in the near future.
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YANGON, 20 Mar - Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe received Privy Councillor and Former Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda at Mingala Hall of the Pyithu Hluttaw building at 1.30 pm today.
Present together with Senior General Than Shwe were Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Win Myint, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet.
The guest was accompanied by Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Army General Chetta Thanajaro and Mr Pensak Chalarak whose appointment as Thai Ambassador to Myanmar has already been agreed.
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(3) Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services previews Armed Forces Day Commemorative Exhibitions
YANGON, 20 Mar - Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye inspected the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Commemorative Exhibitions this morning.
He was accompanied by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Chief Strategic Studies Director of Defence Services Intelligence Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, Secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development Council Chairman of the Leading Committee for Observance of the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Chief of the Bureau of Special Operations Chief of Staff (Army) Lt-Gen Tin Oo and Secretary-3 Lt-Gen Win Myint.
Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Rear-Admiral Nyunt Thein, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Maj-Gen Kyaw Than and Chairman of the Management Committee for Observance of the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, senior military officers, ministers, deputy ministers and departmental heads.
They inspected decoration of the lobby, two booths of the Defence Services Records Office, nation building booth and the military commands' booths.
Afterwards, they toured the booths of the Defence Services Directorates, ministries, Yangon City Development Committee, Mandalay City Development Committee, Twelve National Objectives, Defence (Navy) and Defence (Air).
General Maung Aye later visited the Tatmadaw Convention Centre on U Wisara Road and inspected the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day Literary and Art Competitions Exhibition.
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(4) Hotel Nikko Royal Lake opens
YANGON, 20 Mar - Hotel Nikko Royal Lake, a 38-million-dollar project of Ticon and City Reality Co Ltd of Thailand, opened this morning, attended by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt.
The 303-room hotel was built with a cent-per-cent investment of the Thai company, with the supervision of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
Minister for Hotels and Tourism Maj-Gen Saw Lwin and Privy Councillor and Former Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda formally opened the hotel, at the corner of Natmauk Road and Po Sein Road in Tamway.
Member of the State Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Khin Maung Than, ministers, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, deputy ministers, officials of the State Peace and Development Council Office, heads of departments, Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Army General Chetta Thanajaro, Chairman of Royal Lake Co Ltd Mr Chali Sophonpanich, diplomats, officials and guests were also present.
Minister Maj-Gen Saw Lwin said the soft opening was held on 1 November 1997.
Located in the vicinity of downtown Yangon, its offers a panoramic view of the Kandawgyi Lake and its surrounding area with Shwedagon Pagoda in the distance, he said.
Investments are increasing in the tourism industry as the Government is giving priority on its development, he noted, saying plans are under way to conserve environment and culture in promoting the industry.
Mr Chali and Chief Executive Officer and Co chairman of JAL Hotels Co Ltd Mr Tomoya Iwasaki also spoke.
Agreement to built the hotel under permission of Myanmar Investment Commission was reached on 16 November 1994.
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(5) Secretary-l receives Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Army
YANGON, 20 Mar - Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt received Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Army General Chetta Thanajaro at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 3 pm today.
Present together with Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt were Minister for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and Director-General of Political Department U Khin Maung Win.
They discussed friendly bilateral relations as well as strengthening of relations between the two Armed Forces.
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(6) Officials visit warded Convention delegates
YANGON, 20 Mar - Chairman of National Convention Convening Management Committee Brig-Gen Tin Aye this morning visited National Convention delegates warded at Yangon General Hospital.
He was accompanied by Secretary of NCCMC Lt-Col Win Naung, Chairman of Invitation and Reception Subcommittee Col Myo Myint and Secretary of Health Subcommittee Lt-Col Kyi Lin and officials.
Medical Superintendent U Taik Wan and officials of YGH briefed them on health condition of warded delegate U Sam Beak.
Brig-Gen Tin Aye attended to the requirements of the delegate.
Officials then briefed him on condition of delegate U San Aung who received kidney transplant treatment.
Brig-Gen Tin Aye thanked medical specialists who successfully transplanted kidney of the delegate.
Kidney transplant operations are successfully performed at YGH. Those wishing to donate cash to National Kidney Foundation may contact 280151.
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(7) 300 USDA membership applications submitted in Thongwa
YANGON, 20 Mar - A total of 300 Union Solidarity and Development Association membership applications of Thongwa Township Maternal and Child Welfare Association were submitted at Basic Management Multiplier Course No 4/98 organized by Thongwa Township USDA at Basic Education High School No 2, Thongwa Township, this afternoon.
Member of the Central Executive Committee of the USDA Deputy Minister for Information U Thein Sein accepted the membership applications handed by Vice-Chairperson of TTMCWA Dr Soe Soe Hla.
U Thein Sein lectured on the aims and objectives and duties and responsibilities of the association at the course.
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(8) Six new roads put into service in Yangon East District hailing Armed Forces Day
YANGON, 20 Mar - Six newly-built roads were put into service in Dagon Myothit (North) and Dagon Myothit (South) townships this morning hailing the 53rd Armed Forces Day which falls on 27 March.
The roads are 4,275-foot Bayintnaung, 5,900-foot Bandoola and 2,300-foot Yazadrik in Dagon Myothit (North) and 2,970-foot Nathamyine, 1,750-foot Kanthaya and 2,175-foot Padonma in Dagon Myothit (South).
Besides, Pyinnyatazaung Street repaved on self reliance was put back into service in Ward 43, Dagon Myothit (North), this morning.
The new roads of Dagon Myothit (North) were jointly undertaken by Yangon City Development Committee and Special Construction Group of Dagon Myothit (North) and those of Dagon Myothit (South) by Special Construction Group of Dagon Myothit (South).
Pyinnyatazaung, 922 feet long and 12 feet wide, was repaved at a cost of over K 1.8 million - over K 1.4 million contributed by the public and K 302,070 provided by the State.
The ceremonies to put the roads and the street were attended by Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister U Than Shwe, Chairman of YCDC Mayor U Ko Lay, Secretary Col Myint Aung and Member Col Thaung Wai, Chairman of Yangon East District Peace and Development Council Lt-Col Aye Lwin and township authorities, USDA, Red Cross and Auxiliary Fire Brigade members, officials, guests and residents.
Township authorities concerned and officials formally opened the roads and the street.
The minister, the mayor and officials inspected them.
The new roads will ease traffic jams on roads linking the townships and downtown area and contribute toward development of the district.
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(9) Special Market Festival continues
YANGON, 20 Mar - Special Market Festival hailing the 53rd Anniversary Armed Forces Day sold nearly K 3.18 million worth of goods today.
Sales at the festival, which is being held at Government Employee's Cooperative Syndicate showroom on the second floor of Nyaungbinlay Plaza, amounted to nearly K 2.89 million yesterday.
The festival which began on 16 March sold goods valued at over K 1.43 million on that day.
The second day sales reached nearly K 1.85 million and the third day over K 2.77 million.
Twenty-four booths of cooperatives and 19 private shops are selling various kinds of textile and clothing, social goods, foodstuff and electronic goods at fair prices daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
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(10) Minister for CPT receives Vice-President of Alcatel Telecom (Asia Area)
YANGON, 20 Mar - Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs Brig-Gen Win Tin received Vice-President Mr Yves Salle de Chou and party of Alcatel Telecom (Asia Area) of France at his office at 1 pm today.
Present also were officials of Myanma Posts and Telecommunications.
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(11) Hninzigon Home for the Aged offers soon to Sayadaws
YANGON, 20 Mar - Soon-offering ceremony was held with the sponsorship of the Executive Committee of Hninzigon Home for the Aged this morning.
Soon was offered to 15 members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee led by Vice-Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Mawlamyine Buddha Sasana Theikpan Kyaungtaik Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maharatha Guru Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Suriya Bhivamsa and Thirisanda Kyaungtaik Sayadaw.
The Vice-Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee administered the eight precepts to the congregation. The Sayadaws recited the parittas.
Chairman of the Executive Committee U Maung Tin supplicated on the purpose of the donation.
Members of the Executive Committee, aged persons and donors offered alms to the Sayadaws.
The Vice-Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee delivered a sermon.
Then, soon was offered to the Sayadaws.
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