MYANMAR is planning to expand its communications infrastructure as part of a program by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to narrow the development gap between its older and newer members, a seminar in Yangon was told last week.

Myanmar was planning to increase internet, email and telecommunications facilities in the coming years to catch up with six older members of the regional grouping, said U Tint Lwin, the deputy general manager of Myanmar Post and Telecommunications.

He was addressing a seminar organised by the Ministry of Information to promote awareness about ASEAN. The seminar was held at MICT Park on May 4.

The program, which also puts an emphasis on human resources development and regional economic integration, is aimed at assisting Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Myanmar.

U Tint Lwin said MPT was planning to increase the telephone density by up to three per cent of the population within the next two years, ahead of grouping’s summit in 2006, which is to be hosted by Myanmar.

The connection rate stands at eight in every 1000 people, he said.
The seminar was also addressed by U Aung Myint, a director of the Ministry of Rail Transportation, who said that preparations had begun to upgrade or build roads designated as part of an ASEAN highway network.

He said a 4500-kilometre route linking Tamu, Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan and Dawei was part of the 37,000-kilometre network .

More than 75 per cent of the route needed to be upgraded to meet minimum engineering standards, U Aung Myint said.

The rector of the Yangon Institute of Economics, Professor Kan Zaw, told the seminar that Myanmar was planning to modify the curricula for both basic (primary and secondary) and higher education in order to be on a par with international standards.

Myanmar has already established 450 electronic-learning centres for both higher and basic education throughout the country, he said.