Asia World Explained

Asia World Group
Founder:Lo Hsing Han, Steven Law (Htun Myint Naing)
Key People:Lo Hsing Han, Steven Law (Tun Myint Naing), Cecilia Ng (Ng Sor Hong)
Industry:Construction, Infrastructure, Energy, Manufacturing, Import-Export, Retail
Divisions:Asia World Company
Subsid:Asia World Co Ltd., Asia World Port Management, Asia World Industries Ltd., Asia Light, Kokang Singapore Pte Ltd., Golden Aaron Pte Ltd., Pioneer Aerodrome Services Company Ltd., Yangon Aerodrome Company Ltd.
Foundation:[1]
Location City:Yangon
Location Country:Myanmar (Burma)

Asia World Group (Burmese: အာရှဓန ကုမ္ပဏီ) is a Burmese conglomerate. It is Myanmar's largest and most diversified conglomerate, with interests in industrial development, construction, transportation, import-export, and a local supermarket chain.[2] About half of Singapore's investment in Myanmar (totaling US$1.3 billion in 2000) comes from Asia World affiliates.[3]

Services

Asia World is one of a few private companies in Myanmar that are involved in port management.[4] According to the Myanmar Port Authority (MPA), Asia World's subsidiary Asia World Port had the largest share of country's freight market in the fiscal year 2012–13, handling 45 per cent of goods that passed through Yangon. In addition to freight handling, Asia World Port handles general goods at Myanmar.[5] In August 2011, Asia World was one of four companies to be granted government licences to import and sell fuel in the country.[6]

Asia World's controls includes the following enterprises and businesses:

Business practices

The company's founder, Lo Hsing Han, is an ethnic Kokang Chinese who controlled one of Southeast Asia's largest heroin trafficking armies.[7] Ten more companies in the group are owned in Singapore, under the name of Cecilia Ng (Ng Sor Hong), Steven Law's wife,[2] who US government officials allege operate an underground banking network that helps transport drug money from Burma to Singapore.[3] The company is associated to the United Wa State Army.[8] Asia World is widely believed to have committed money laundering to fund its activities and business expansions.[9]

Six subsidiary companies of Asia World, including Ahlone Wharves, Asia Light, Asia World Company, Asia World Industries, Asia World Port Management, and Leo Express Bus, are currently sanctioned by the British government as part of investment bans in Burma.[10] Since 2008, Asia World and its subsidiaries, including those run in Singapore, have been part of American targeted sanctions.[11]

Notable projects

Asia World paved and widened the Burma Road that links Myanmar to China in 1998.[12] The company has also operated toll booths on Burma Road since 1998.[13] [14] In 2000, Asia World constructed a major road connecting the port city of Pathein to the beach resort of Ngwesaung.[15]

Between 2007 and 2008, Asia World was responsible for a major expansion project at Yangon International Airport. The company, with the technical assistance of Singaporean firm CPG Consultants, was also responsible for developing and constructing Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, which opened on 19 December 2011.[16]

In August 2013, Asia World was granted permission by Myanmar's government to distribute electricity to 37 towns in the Eastern Bago region of the country.[17]

Asia World was one of two major contractors (the other being Htoo Group of Companies) to build the country's new capital at Naypyidaw, including the National Landmark Garden.[18] The company, with the technical assistance of Singaporean firm CPG Consultants, was also responsible for developing and constructing Naypyidaw Airport, which opened on 19 December 2011.[19] Asia World was responsible for a major Yangon International Airport expansion project, including the construction of a new international terminal (opened May 2007)[20] and extension of existing runways (completed July 2008).[21]

The company has also partnered with China Power Investment Corporation to build controversial dams (including the Myitsone Dam) along the Irrawaddy River in Kachin State.[22] In Yangon, the company has stakes in supermarkets, office towers, condominiums and road construction. In 2011, it partnered with the Yangon City Development Committee to upgrade Strand Road.[23] The company is also involved in garment industries, beer production (Tiger Beer), paper mills, palm oil and infrastructure development.[8] Asia World has also operated a port in Yangon's Ahlone Township since 2000[24]

In July 2010, the government granted Asia World control of Yangon International Airport's passenger services operations and management, including collections of departure taxes.[25] [26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Tracking the Tycoons. September 2008. The Irrawaddy. 5 March 2012.
  2. News: On the march to do business in Myanmar. https://web.archive.org/web/20090929061423/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KH26Ae01.html. unfit. 29 September 2009. McCartan. Brian. 26 August 2009. Asia Times. 4 March 2012.
  3. News: Burmese Tycoons Part I. June 2000. The Irrawaddy. 5 March 2012.
  4. News: State-owned ports to be privatised as soon as possible . Myanmar Times . 9 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120612212757/http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/timeout/509/med.html . 12 June 2012 .
  5. News: Asia World Port tops the list of Yangon freight handlers. Thiha. 19 September 2013. Consult Myanmar. 9 January 2014.
  6. News: Privatised LPG not market rate: traders. Shwe Gaunh. Juliet. 10 October 2011. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20111014193516/http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/business/596/biz59606.html. 2011-10-14. dead.
  7. Book: Glendinning, Chellis. Chiva: a village takes on the global heroin trade. New Society Publishers. 1 February 2005. 174. 978-0-86571-513-4.
  8. Book: Rotberg, Robert I.. Burma: prospects for a democratic future. Brookings Institution Press. 1998. 179 . 978-0-8157-7581-2.
  9. Book: Falco, Mathea. Burma: time for change. Council on Foreign Relations. 2003. 29. 978-0-87609-333-7.
  10. Web site: CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK. 21 December 2011. HM Treasury. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120505013326/http://hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/investmentban.htm. 2012-05-05. dead.
  11. News: More Junta Cronies Hit By US Sanctions. Wai Moe. 26 February 2008. The Irrawaddy. 5 March 2012.
  12. Zaw. Myinmo. Kudo. Toshihiro. 2011. A Study on Economic Corridors and Industrial Zones, Ports and Metropolitan and Alternative Roads in Myanmar. BRC Research Report. Bangkok Research Center. 6. 23 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20130903171101/http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Download/Brc/pdf/06_chapter5.pdf. 3 September 2013. dead.
  13. Book: Fujita, Kōichi. Fumiharu Mieno. Ikuko Okamoto. The Economic Transition in Myanmar After 1988: Market Economy Versus State Control. NUS Press. 2009. 114. 978-9971-69-461-6.
  14. Book: Chua, Amy. World on fire: how exporting free market democracy breeds ethnic hatred and global instability. Random House. 6 January 2004. 26. 978-0-385-72186-8.
  15. News: Tourism boosts Ngwe Saung growth. Pan Eiswe Star. 1 June 2009. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121117090500/http://www.mmtimes.com/no473/n014.htm. 2012-11-17. dead.
  16. News: Nay Pyi Taw International Airport opens. Zaw Win Than. 26 December 2011. Myanmar Times. 23 January 2014.
  17. News: Asia World Company to provide electricity for Bago Region. 31 August 2013. Eleven Media. 9 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140201192704/http://elevenmyanmar.com/xmlnews/content/asia-world-company-provide-electricity-bago-region. 1 February 2014. dead.
  18. News: Nay Pyi Taw hosts landmark garden. https://archive.today/20120912234417/http://www.mmtimes.com/no456/n018.htm. dead. 12 September 2012. Thein Linn. 2 February 2009. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012.
  19. News: Nay Pyi Taw International Airport opens . Zaw Win Than . 26 December 2011 . Myanmar Times . 5 March 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130506194949/http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/news/607/news3160719.html . 6 May 2013 .
  20. News: Government reveals plan to expand Yangon International Airport. Aye Sapay Phyu. 20 June 2011. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110621055436/http://mmtimes.com/2011/news/580/news58012.html. 2011-06-21. dead.
  21. News: Yangon airport completes runway extension. Pan Eiswe Star. 28 July 2008. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120215121615/http://www.mmtimes.com/no429/b003.htm. 2012-02-15. dead.
  22. News: US embassy cables: how Rangoon office helped opponents of Myitsone dam. 30 September 2011. The Guardian. 4 March 2012.
  23. News: Strand Rd to become main commercial artery: YCDC . Kyaw Hsu Mon . 21 March 2011 . Myanmar Times . 5 March 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110916153515/http://mmtimes.com/2011/business/567/biz56706.html . 16 September 2011 .
  24. News: State-owned ports to be privatised as soon as possible . 2009 . Myanmar Times . 4 March 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120612212757/http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/timeout/509/med.html . 12 June 2012 .
  25. News: Yangon airport departure tax to rise from July. Zaw Win Than. 4 April 2011. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20111019004143/http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/news/569/news56909.html. 2011-10-19. dead.
  26. News: Airport ups departure tax, again. https://archive.today/20120904144206/http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/news/583/news58316.html. dead. 4 September 2012. Zaw Win Than. 11 July 2011. Myanmar Times. 5 March 2012.

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