Myanmar has shown itself to be my favourite country of Asia thus far. I love the place.

While being a poor and an under-developed nation following years of a repressive military dictatorship, it has the potential to be a jewel in the Asian continent. It has all the amenities and the potential raw wealth to rise up and be a major player. From decades of forced self-sufficiency and with access to its own oil & gas, well developed agriculture, and raw minerals it should be able to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes if it can just solve the corruption and the ethnic conflicts within.

Despite the poverty, its people are warm & friendly, always offering a smile and a laugh. If they can forget their ethnic differences and hang on to that, they have bright future in ahead of them. Hopefully the major players surrounding them such as Thailand, China & India, and the major western powers will leave them alone.  Unfortunately their wealth of natural resources and the need for foreign currency makes them a targets for exploitation.

Good luck with the 1st democratic elections in 50 years in September 2015.