'Don't want to live in Yangon anymore': Skilled workers leaving for jobs abroad 2 years after Myanmar coup - CNA

“There are so many problems and it’s a very difficult situation for so many people to survive in our country,” said another Myanmar expatriate, Ye Thu Aung, 38.

His family operates guesthouses in the mountainous town of Kalaw, Shan State. They used to welcome both international and domestic travellers but that changed after the coup.

“Now, there is no one coming from abroad,” he told CNA. 

“I was very disappointed in the situation. I felt like we’d lose our future in our country. That’s why I changed my life plan to come to Bangkok.”

Ye Thu Aung left Myanmar in February last year, hoping to find a job or a business opportunity in the Thai capital. His parents and two siblings remain in Kalaw to keep the guesthouses running.

Eventually, the family plans to move their business to Thailand and provide hospitality services to Myanmar travellers. 

“For Myanmar people, the future is difficult to survive,” he said. 

“There are so many jobless people in Myanmar. So, our young people go abroad.”

Despite his two degrees in technology and business development, plus eight years of experience in the hospitality sector, Ye Thu Aung was not able to secure a job in Bangkok. 

Like many Myanmar expatriates, he cannot communicate in Thai and only holds a student visa, which does not allow him to work. 

Currently, he is studying interior design and relying on financial support from his family. He has no plan to return home. Even if the military regime comes to an end, he believes Myanmar’s economy will still take many years to recover.

“I’ll stay here or try another country if I can find a job with a visa,” said Ye Thu Aung.

THAILAND SEES A SURGE IN MYANMAR PROPERTY OWNERS

Myanmar has a long history of military rule. It was governed by the military for 49 years, following a coup led by Ne Win in 1962.

The country enjoyed a decade of civilian rule before another military takeover reversed its course in 2021.

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2023-01-31 22:02:00Z
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