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From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com>
Subject: ALL:  NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Myanmar
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Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 17:34:09 GMT
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STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Myanmar
============================================================
Myanmar (Burma) - Consular Information Sheet
 October 24, 1994

Country Description:  Burma, renamed Myanmar in 1989, experienced 
major political unrest in 1988.  Conditions are stable under a 
military government except in remote border areas where longstanding 
insurgencies persist.

Entry Requirements:  Travel to and within Myanmar is strictly 
controlled by that country's government.  A Passport and visa is 
required.  Tourist visas are issued for package/group tours as well 
as to foreign individual tourists (FITS) for stays up to four weeks. 
 Land border entry is available only at several selected points from 
Thailand and the Peoples's Republic of China, but is intended only 
for travel to nearby border destinations.  Myanmar visas may be 
issued at the point of entry to certain individual tourists and 
group travelers.  FITS must exchange a minimum of $200 in U.S. funds 
for dollar denominated foreign exchange certificates upon arrival.  
For U.S. citizens who come by land from Thailand, border entry is 
available only at the border post of Tachilek.  For additional 
information, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Union of 
Myanmar, 2300 S Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 (202) 
332-9044/6, or the Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the U.N., 10 East 
77th St., New York, N.Y. 10021 (212) 535-1311.

Areas Of Instability:  Many areas of the country are open for 
tourists, but authorities may sometimes require advance permission 
for travel to certain destinations.  These areas are subject to 
change without notice.  Care should be used in traveling to southern 
Shan State, the scene of occasional fighting between the government 
forces and Shan United Army (MTA), as well as the Thai-Myanmar 
border region, during periods of active conflict.  Special care 
should be taken not to cross the border into Myanmar inadvertently.  
The only legal border crossing to the area is at Tachilek.  
Travelers in Thailand may wish to contact the U.S. Consulate in 
Chiang Mai for updated information.

Medical Facilities:  Hospital and medical services are available in 
Rangoon.  Elsewhere, medical care is limited.  Travelers may wish to 
take appropriate precautions to avoid exposure to cholera, 
tuberculosis, plague, leprosy, and typhoid.  Malaria is also present 
outside the Rangoon and Mandalay metropolitan areas.  Doctors and 
hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.  
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United 
States.  Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas 
coverage has proved useful.  The international travelers hotline at 
the Centers for Disease Control can be reached at (404) 332-4559 for 
additional useful health information.

Information On Crime:  Security in tourist areas is generally good. 
 Lost or stolen passports should be reported to local police and the 
U.S. Embassy.  The level of violent crime and crime against property 
is low.  There are occasional reports of pickpocketing.  Useful 
information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security 
while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State 
pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad."  It is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C. 20402.

Drug Penalties:  Travelers are subject to the laws and legal 
practices of the country in which they are traveling.  Penalties for 
possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and 
convicted offenders can expect stiff jail sentences and fines.

Other Information:  Roads are poor in Myanmar.  Trains are 
uncomfortable and not always punctual.  Photographing persons in 
uniform or any military installation is discouraged by Myanmar 
authorities.  Customs regulations are restrictive and strictly 
enforced.

Registration:  Americans who register at the U.S. Embassy may 
obtain updated information on travel and security within the country.

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy is located at 581 Merchant 
Street, Rangoon.  The telephone number is (95-1) 82055.

 No. 94-249

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated July 9, 1993, to 
add information on border crossings and the need for permission to 
visit some areas.


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