Burma's confusing capital move

BBC News World Edition ^ | Tuesday, 8 November 2005 | By Kate McGeown for BBC

[injin]

Burma's confirmation that it was shifting its seat of government has left many analysts at a loss to explain the move.

After all, why go to the huge trouble and expense of relocating thousands of officials to a remote mountainous region, when there is a well-established political infrastructure in the port city of Rangoon?

[injin]

It is always amazing to see what the fruit salad chested freaks of the Rangoon junta will come up with next. This is a good idea though! It may put them all in a convenient bullseye with little civilian collateral damages potential.

[NordP]

Myanmar - you may remember it as Burma...

[Criminal Number 18F]

...why go to the huge trouble and expense...

Because, my dear BBC airhead, or Beeb Boob if you prefer, as a dictatorial oligharcy, they can? There is in all honest probability no more reason than that.

And the other reason is, because the SLORC are stone barking mad.

Why anguish one's self trying to understand these goons?

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[piasa]

Moamar Qaddafi moved Libya's capital from Tripoli to Sirte some years ago.

He did it so quickly one high ranking official went to work only to find his office had been bulldozed.

[There You Go Again]

I am in utter shock....my life will never be the same after this....who are these people again?

[Bob J]

Because it is easier to defend.

[angkor]

Joseph Silverstein believes the most likely explanation for the relocation is advice by traditional Burmese fortune-tellers. "Everybody listens to fortune-tellers in Burma," he said. General Ne Win, who came to power in 1962, was totally dependent on their advice, Mr Silverstein added.

"In September 1987 he ordered the Burmese currency the kyat to be issued in denominations of 15, 35, 45, 75 and 90 kyats, besides the existing 5 and 10 kyat notes." --- Wikipedia

[Charles Henrickson]

The site of the new capital is in a remote mountainous area

Rangoon already has the necessary infrastructure

[Aquinasfan]

What happened to Laos and Cambodia? Uh-oh, I'm getting old!

[Charles Henrickson]

DON'T PRAISE THIS MOVE;
DON'T SPEAK TOO SOON.
MUST WE RENAME
OUR CRAB RANGOON?
BURMA-MOVE

[Charles Henrickson]

Myanmar . . . shadow
Falling on the capital . . .

[Charles Henrickson]

What happened to Laos and Cambodia? Uh-oh, I'm getting old!

Siam too.

[mikrofon]

"Everybody listens to fortune-tellers in Burma," he said. General Ne Win, who came to power in 1962, was totally dependent on their advice

Their gov't is always in a Ne Win situation...

[xp38]

LOL...you are good

[wildbill]

Reminiscent somewhat of when the murderous Pol Pot regime moved all their population into the countryside.

Radical dictatorships make moves which don't make sense to the rest of the world, but make perfect sense to them, given their skewed vision of reality.

[martin_fierro]

why go to the huge trouble and expense of relocating thousands of officials to a remote mountainous region?

Because of all the cool signs already in place along the Stilwell road!