Vietnamese journalists to visit Burma

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 20:46 Min Thet

Rangoon (Mizzima) - Sixteen journalists from Vietnam will come to Burma on March 25 for three days. The journalists will write about Burmese culture and the natural beauty of the country, according to tourism companies in Rangoon and the Union of Myanmar Travel Association

“The journalists will come to record tourism related subjects. They will record Burmese culture and the natural beauty to promote tourism in Myanmar,” said a director of a tourism company in Rangoon.

Rubyland Tourism Services Co. Ltd will sponsor the trip. It will take them to interesting tourist spots in Burma.

An officer of the Myanmar Travel Association felt that the trip may be a move by the junta to allow the Vietnamese journalists to observe the run up to the forthcoming election. This may be the first step, and then they can come back again, during the election.

"The journalists know that the election law has been announced. So, while covering tourism, they will try to find out about the political changes in Myanmar, and people’s opinion of the election,” said an experienced editor in Rangoon.

Meanwhile, from March 2, Vietnam Airlines has started a service between Rangoon and Vietnam four times a week.

At the press conference on March 2 in Chatrium Hotel in Rangoon, Vietnam Airlines executive Vice President Duong Tri Thanh told domestic and foreign journalists that one of the objectives of starting the service between Rangoon and Vietnam was to provide opportunities for mutual visits to journalists from the two countries.

Both Burma and Vietnam have been listed this year among 12 countries that are "Enemies of the Internet" by Reporters Without Borders on March 12, which marks the World Day Against Cyber Censorship.