Burma and Tourism

Always been a tough call whether to travel to Burma, one of Southeast Asia's last unspoilt destinations or not given the detention of Suu Kyi and given the odious nature of the military Junta and its brutal suppression both of dissent and the country's ethnic minorities. On the one hand since much of the country's up-market tourist infrastructure is owned by the junta either directly or indirectly foreign currency would be going directly to the regime. On the other hand small-scale tourism puts the same resources into the hands of an impoverished people and provides vectors for the transmission of ideas and information.

For years Suu Kyi called for a tourism boycott on the country but in a week that has been full of political theatre Suu Kyi now appears to have softened her stance as I reported earlier. Quite who the 'close acquaintance' through who she has made this announcement is remains unknown, most likely her doctor, but it marks another move on the complex chess board that is Burmese politics.

For more detail see the story in The Telegraph below.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/burma/6026879/Burma-opposition-leader-Suu-Kyi-Tourism-might-help.html