Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:712 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!bzs From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Myanmar (Burma) Message-ID: <950406190052_76702.1202_CHN55-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: bzs@world.std.com (daemons) Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 19:00:52 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 125 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Myanmar (Burma) ============================================================ Burma (Myanmar) - Consular Information Sheet April 5, 1995 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 Burma 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 of up to four weeks. Land border entry is available only at selected points from Thailand and the People's Republic of China, but is intended only for travel to nearby border destinations. It is possible to enter Burma at Muse from Ruili, Yunan Province in China and continue on to Mandalay and Rangoon. Burmese visas may be obtained at the Burmese Consulate in Kunming in Yunan Province, China. Burmese visas may be issued at the point of entry to certain individual tourists and group travelers. "FITS" must exchange a minimum of $300 (U.S.) 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 Burmese Embassy (Embassy of the Union of Myanmar), 2300 S Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone: (202)332-9044/6, or the Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the U.N., 10 East 77th St., New York, N.Y. 10021, telephone: 212-535-1311. Areas of Instability: Travel to main tourist areas of Pagan, Inle Lake and the Mandalay area is routine. Travel to other parts of Burma is possible, although transportation is difficult. Visiting destinations such as Kyaiktiyo, Moulemein, and Myitkyina may require advance permission from authorities, which takes several days to arrange in Rangoon. Those destinations requiring permission are subject to change without advance notice. Unauthorized travelers may be stopped and harassed by security personnel and turned around. Some persons traveling to places where permission is not expressly required have also reported delays, including temporary detention by local security personnel. Others report being able to travel freely. Obtaining advance permission to certain destinations does not guarantee ability to travel, which is ultimately at the discretion of Burmese military intelligence. There has been one reported guerrilla attack in the vicinity of Kanbauk (Tenasserim) in the vicinity of a planned gas pipeline. Southern Shan State is the scene of occasional fighting between the government forces and Shan United Army (MTA). There has also been recent fighting by other groups in the Thai-Burma border region, and travelers may obtain updated information from the U.S. Embassy at Rangoon. The only legal border crossing in the area is at Tachilek, yet that legal crossing is a potential site for fighting. Even inadvertently crossing the border elsewhere may result in danger. 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, including provision for medical evacuation, has proven 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. The death penalty does exist for narcotics trafficking pursuant to a 1974 law. Currency: Foreign Exchange Certificates (FEC) are de facto exchangeable for Burmese Kyat at market rates. FEC are required for the payment of plane and most train tickets and most hotels. Kyat is accepted for most other transactions. It is possible to purchase FEC with some credit cards at the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank in Rangoon. Although money changers may approach travelers, it is illegal to exchange foreign currency except at authorized locations such as the airport, banks and government stores. Other Information: Roads are poor in Burma. Trains are uncomfortable and not always punctual. Photographing persons in uniform or any military installation is discouraged by Burmese 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. 95-044 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated October 24, 1994 to add information on entry and visa information from Yunan Province in China, currency, and death penalty for narcotics trafficking, and to update information on areas of instability. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories