Myanmar of this and that

As we leave Myanmar here are a few odd and ends that we found interesting.
They drive on the right side of the road though most of the cars have a steering wheel on the right side also. Apparently many cars are brought in from Japan and that’s the way they came. They did originally drive on the left but after some election,a right wing party won,so decided everything should be on the right including driving.

The army announced one day on breakfast news that the flag of the country had been changed. It seems that their astrologer told them that the old flag was bad luck!

In much of the country there are motorcycles everywhere but there are none allowed in Yangon. The reason is that a minister was hit by a motorbike and died so no more motorbikes in Yangon! Likely not a bad idea.

Men in the country were the Longyi which is a long skirt. They are nearly all either a check pattern or stripes. Apparently a plain colour means that you are a ‘ladyboy’

At one point when the army wanted to control communications a SIM card cost 4000 USD. It now costs one dollar.

One guide who grew up in a small village in the mountains told us that there was only one phone line in the village at the monastery. When the phone rang, the monk would arrounce over the loud speaker that a call had come in for some person. If the caller left a message that would also be broadcast via loudspeaker!

On becoming 45 yrs old one general celebrated by having a 45 domination note printed, the only place in the world that has one.

Possibly an urban legend - at one time the currency was backed by gold held in Switzerland . However, one general decided that as the economy was good and they had mines and agriculture, they no longer needed the gold to back the currency so he went to Switzerland and removed it from the bank only to lose it all on a horse race! They now have a major inflation problem
with the currency devaluing steadily.Read more