On Urban Development

**Humbert** · 16-06-2017, 04:47 AM

Originally Posted by cyrille

Yeah, what a fucking legacy.
And the shit I cop for teaching English to young female Emiratis in the western region of the UAE and thus providing an essential springboard into further education and emancipation.

That kind of comment just shows that you belong exactly where you are.

**Mandaloopy** · 16-06-2017, 08:58 AM

I think one thing that holds Myanmar back is it's banking system- very much in need of being liberalized. It is VERY difficult to send money out of the country and capital controls don't make doing business any easier either. I hear what they ask for collateral against loans pretty much stops all but the most connected starting their own business.

I just managed to send money to Thailand via the informal banking sector. Not the best exchange rate but much cheaper than flights, hotel and food in BKK and black bagging the money in person. It has taken over a year of networking to set this up. Madness really!

**Simon43** · 16-06-2017, 09:07 AM

I did try to work out a way to use Paypal to send money out of Myanmar. I have a Thai Paypal account that is linked to my Bangkok Bank account.

I got a Visa top-up card from AYA Bank, which is used to do online purchases. It works great to buy online from Myanmar.

So then I sent a Paypal invoice from my Thai Paypal account to my private email address. I then tried to pay that invoice using my Visa top-up card, (since that card already works for other website purchases).

Fcuk! It didn't work because one has to enter the registered postal address of the card when completing the payment. Paypal does not include Myanmar or Burma in their dropdown list of countries that are displayed in the address web form.

I tried putting my Thai address, but it was rejected!

I also tried this procedure with Payoneer, but it failed for the same reason.

Since my Visa card is usually accepted for online payment websites, I'm sure that there is a way to do this, but I still haven't found a payment processor that works. (I assume it will have to be an Asian one to have the best chance of success - Paypal is still in the dark ages...)

**Norton** · 16-06-2017, 09:32 AM

Western Union is active in Myanmar. Try them for money transfer.

**Mandaloopy** · 16-06-2017, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Western Union is active in Myanmar. Try them for money transfer.

Aye, but banking hours are 9-3 here which makes it hard to get to on a workday. They are closed on the weekends. There is also a bit of paperwork involved, whereas my money dude just asks for dollars- no tax forms or proving where the money came from.

**Simon43** · 16-06-2017, 01:51 PM

Western Union is active in Myanmar. Try them for money transfer.

Usually only for inbound transfers (I tried in many WU offices in Mandalay last year ==> sorry, no outbound, only inbound).

As for WU in Naypyidqw ==> nope!

**chassamui** · 16-06-2017, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Humbert

Originally Posted by cyrille
Yeah, what a fucking legacy.
And the shit I cop for teaching English to young female Emiratis in the western region of the UAE and thus providing an essential springboard into further education and emancipation.
That kind of comment just shows that you belong exactly where you are.

If what Cy says is true, and I have no reason to disbelieve him, I think he should be applauded for it. As an advocate of female emancipation via education, it is an admirable spin off from what he is obviously very well remunerated to do. Altruistic almost.
Another 50 years or so and population control and terrorism, among others, will have been resolved.

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