With a swift breath the teenage boy dives into the turquoise waters of southern Myanmar, a spear clutched in his hand, but below him lies nothing but a graveyard of broken, grey coral. He is one of the Moken, a nomadic seafaring tribe who have perfected this freedive fishing technique over hundreds of years among … Read more
Thousands of rats have descended on villages on an island in southern Myanmar, a local official said on Tuesday, in what some have taken to be an ill omen of impending disaster. Residents of Haingyi island, one of the larger islands in the Irrawaddy Delta, have been battling the plague of rodents since the critters … Read more
The cries of amorous swiftlets echo around the dark room, an unlikely gold mine for traders in southern Myanmar who are cashing in on rising demand for the edible nests from China’s growing middle class. Dozens of buildings dedicated to the tiny birds have sprung up around Bokpyin in recent years, their grey concrete structures … Read more
A Myanmar woman is suing her own son for calling her a “prostitute” on Facebook, the latest case under a controversial law that critics say is increasingly stifling free speech. Police arrested 21-year-old Wana Oo on Tuesday after his mother Tin Tin Hla, from southern Myanmar, brought a case against him over comments he made … Read more
Khin Khin Tun’s back is a patchwork of burns, searing memories she says from when her former employer poured two flasks of boiling water over her flesh — one for each orange she was accused of stealing. The 14-year-old and her sister spent years working as domestic helpers in the city of Mawlamyine, southern Myanmar, … Read more