“Some people ask for over 1 billion kyat [US$740,000] for a plot,” said Thabyuchai villager Hla Maung Than. The Rohingya have faced restrictions on movement, access to healthcare and education and other rights since being delisted as a recognised ethnic group in 1982, despite having lived in Rakhine for generations. AFP reports that after the bloodshed broke out in late August, Myanmar tourism operators witnessed a cascade of cancellations. DesertedA few hours south of the conflict zone in Rakhine state lies Mrauk-U, an ancient capital and once-popular archaeological site. Yet the boom in tourist development 500km down the coast in Thandwe suggests that investors are hopeful visitors will eventually return to Rakhine in large numbers.

Source: The Nation Bangkok December 12, 2017 18:46 UTC