Myanmar

The Labour Minister stated on 29 Oct 2026 that Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand who boycott the Certificate of Identity (CI) process would be barred from returning home, including during time off, if they do not apply for the document. Few workers have applied at the 5 CI centres in Thailand since they opened on 14 Oct 2026, with workers boycotting in protest at the remittance requirements and campaigning online for Thailand to grant legal stay and work permits without a CI

The ASEAN special envoy for Myanmar, who is also the Philippines Foreign Secretary, ended a 2-day visit to Myanmar on 29 Oct 2026 with no public meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar's foreign ministry stated that the envoy and the Foreign Minister held discussions on restoring Myanmar's role and rights within ASEAN. The Philippines' foreign ministry stated that the envoy spent 28 Oct in Shan State overseeing humanitarian schemes for people displaced by the civil war

The Myanmar Tourism Marketing Association coordinated a booth dedicated to Myanmar at ITB Asia in Singapore

Operators in Bagan have stated that visitors are now mostly domestic pilgrims who spend less than foreigners. Foreign arrivals to Bagan fell from more than 400,000 in 2019 to around 15,000 in 2023. Artisans in lacquerware, sand painting and puppetry have been moving into work such as tour guiding and manual labour, with demand from European visitors weakened because several European governments continue to advise against travel to Myanmar, and fears are that these crafts will increasingly see fewer young people learning them

The MLVT Rally 2026, organised by the Myanmar Grand Rally Series, will take place from 4-20 Dec, covering 6,000km across Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. It will be the first overland car rally in Myanmar since the 1990s

Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone expects to see many travellers from 25-27 Oct, more than 70 hotels and 20 guesthouses have been fully booked during the Thadingyut Holidays. On the full moon day, eve of the full moon and the first waning day, 3,000 small hot air balloons will be released, and 1,000 will be launched daily from key sights around the zone

Thailand welcomes US engagement with Myanmar's military-backed government, following 2 rounds of talks in Tokyo within a month, and expects discussions at the ASEAN summit in Manila in Nov 2026 on how to proceed with Myanmar, the Thai Foreign Minister stated on 23 Oct 2026. He said engagement does not mean legitimising the regime and cited some shift in ASEAN's position after Min Aung Hlaing's recent visits to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, but said it was unclear whether the summit would address restoring Myanmar's full representation

Myanmar has extended its trial visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists arriving by air from China, India, Japan, South Korea and Macao for another year, the Ministry of Culture, Hotels and Tourism announced. The scheme for Chinese and Indian tourists is in its third year, running from 30 Aug 2026 to 29 Aug 2027, and for Japanese, South Korean and Macao tourists in its second year, running from 21 Oct 2026 to 20 Oct 2027

Aung San Suu Kyi's son, Kim Aris, stated on 22 Oct 2026 that he had spoken directly with his mother for the first time in more than 5 years whilst she remains under house arrest. A spokesperson for Min Aung Hlaing reported that the conversation took place by telephone through Myanmar's embassy in London. Kim Aris called for regular, direct and private family contact, and for independent medical access for her

Myanmar was ranked last place in the Internet Freedom Index for the 3rd consecutive year in 2026, according to Freedom House

A Myanmar tourism promotion office opened in Kunming, and held a high level dialogue to mark its opening. An MoU was signed between China based companies and Myanmar travel companies to ease arrangements for Chinese tourists

Myanmar's military-backed government released rare photographs of Aung San Suu Kyi on 19 Oct 2026, showing her receiving 2 books, a sealed envelope and a diplomatic communication from Britain's King Charles, which government officials had delivered. The spokesperson for Min Aung Hlaing announced the delivery on social media. No foreign leader or envoy has publicly met Aung San Suu Kyi, which makes the delivery a rare instance of foreign contact

Representatives of the United States and Myanmar's military-backed government held a second round of talks in Tokyo last week, according to people familiar with the matter, following earlier talks in Nay Pyi Taw. The US delegation was led by the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research and the talks covered scam centres and the release of an American businessman, with rare earths also discussed

The Ministry of Culture, Hotels and Tourism is forming 3 committees under the Myanmar Tourism Law of 2018, namely the Central Committee for National Tourism Development, the Tourism Committee and Regional Tourism Committees, the Deputy Minister stated at a meeting with hotel and tourism associations in Nay Pyi Taw on 12 Oct 2026. The ministry is also formulating tourism promotion projects across regions and states, along with initiatives to enhance digital payment systems, e-ticketing and the use of AI technology

The Myanmar Tourism Marketing Association (MTM) attended a consultative meeting with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, where discussions were held around rebranding Myanmar’s “Myanmar Be Enchanted” identity, speeding up digital transformation, easing of visas, including tourist visa on arrivals and exemptions, and greater flight access

Hpa-an in Kayin State will hold a release of 200 small and 32 large hot-air balloons at Thiri Playground and an offering of 9,000 oil lamps at Thayhtamanaung Pagoda on 26 Oct 2026, marking the Thadingyut full moon day, according to the Kayin State Regional Tourism Committee. The Kayin State government is organising the festival with government departments, private organisations and local communities to attract tourists to Hpa-an during the Thadingyut festival period

Myanmar's Labour Department has blocked the departure of more than 300 overseas workers on leave in the 3 weeks to 12 Oct 2026, mostly for failing to meet 2023 mandates to pay 2% income tax and remit 25% of their earnings through official channels, according to The Irrawaddy. Labour Ministry data showed that many returnees from Singapore and Malaysia were barred from returning to their jobs and asked to resubmit applications. Since May 2026, workers returning home on leave have needed an endorsement letter from the Myanmar embassy or consulate in their host country, supported by written permission from their employers and proof of income tax and remittance payments. The Labour Minister has called collection of the funds a key duty and threatened penalties for workers who do not comply

The Philippine President stated that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs a new approach on Myanmar because the Five-Point Consensus, whilst correct in principle, is not working. He said the Philippines proposed the new approach as ASEAN chair at the summit in Cebu in May 2026, and described Min Aung Hlaing's visits to Malaysia and Cambodia as the start of a new approach. He added that ASEAN would have to move towards recognising the Myanmar government if it is to help resolve the conflict, although he maintained that the Five-Point Consensus is non-negotiable

More than 37 million people, 68% of Myanmar's population of more than 54 million, are multidimensionally poor or at risk of multidimensional poverty, according to a United Nations Development Programme report. Nearly 18 million (32.6%) are poor and more than 19 million (35.5%) are vulnerable, based on a household survey of nearly 7,500 people in 2025. Rakhine State is the worst affected, with about 1.66 million residents facing the most intense poverty, whilst Sagaing Region has about 2.38 million people in less severe poverty and Ayeyawady Region ranks third. The report cited low education, insecure jobs, rising prices, natural hazards and armed conflict as drivers

Malaysia's Prime Minister stated that his government undertake “whatever possible” to support Myanmar's reintegration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, after meeting Min Aung Hlaing during his 2-day visit to Malaysia on 7-8 Oct 2026. He also pledged to keep working with Myanmar on repatriating Myanmar nationals from Malaysia, and thanked Min Aung Hlaing for accepting the return of 10,493 so far. Min Aung Hlaing stated that Myanmar nationals held in Malaysian immigration detention centres would be brought back as soon as possible, with navy ships to be dispatched, and that he would formally request Malaysia's permission

The United States has begun direct talks with Myanmar's military-backed government, reversing efforts to isolate it after the 2021 coup, according to 7 current and former US officials and others familiar with the outreach. The US Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research joined talks with Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw on 15-16 Sep 2026, the highest-level contact since the coup, aimed at securing the release of a detained American businessman. The outreach has focused on shutting down scam centres targeting Americans and could extend to access to Myanmar's rare-earth deposits

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens against travelling to Myanmar, especially to areas where forced labour camps may be located, as the ministry has few channels to provide assistance in the country. Myanmar carries a yellow (moderate risk) rating on Taiwan's four-tier travel alert system, the lowest in use there, whilst Rakhine State and other areas are under a red warning, the highest level, partly because of military airstrikes. The East Asian and Pacific Affairs Department Director General stated that its Myanmar representative office has almost no channels to provide assistance or rescue in conflict areas

Min Aung Hlaing stated on 5 Oct 2026 that domestic instability was a major factor hampering economic growth, at a meeting with ministers and chief ministers in Nay Pyi Taw. He blamed armed resistance groups for destroying infrastructure, which he said had depleted resources and held back development, and sanctions for restricting access to international markets and hurting manufacturing and trade

Myanmar began rolling blackouts on 5 Oct 2026 to reduce the risk of plant shutdowns and system breakdowns as El Niño heat lifted consumption, according to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. Yangon has been split into 2 zones, each receiving 4 hours of power in alternating blocks, whilst industrial zones on LNG-plant power lines and key government departments keep 24-hour supply. Officials have warned that the outages could last at least 8 months, until the 2027 rainy season, as hydropower reservoir levels fall

All 88 hotels, motels and guesthouses in Bagan's ancient cultural zone in Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, are fully booked from 24 Oct 2026 for the Thadingyut holiday period of 24-26 Oct 2026, according to the Bagan branch of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism. Visitors began booking online in the first week of Oct. Thadingyut arrivals typically reach about 150,000 per day, mostly day-trippers

The Myanmar Tourism Bank has launched MMQR payments using MTB Pay

The Philippines has noted that it is “monitoring developments and expresses concern over the attacks which resulted in destruction, loss of lives and injuries to those affected” after an airstrike killed 50 civilians in Rakhine State

Floods and landslides in Dawei District, in southern Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region, killed at least 40 people by 30 Sep 2026, according to local rescue groups. Landslides hit 25 places in the district, and 15 bridges and at least 260 homes were damaged or destroyed. Local groups reported that Myanmar military aircraft bombed Yaewaing Village on 30 Sep 2026 and Pi Taing Village on 1 Oct 2026, with no casualties reported

Min Aung Hlaing toured the site of a planned replica of Yangon's Laik Khone timber assembly hall on Pyay Road to inspect progress in what some call a vanity project. The original hall, completed in 1956, was demolished in 1990