Bangkok, Thailand
Myanmar’s Deputy Minister of Construction (MOC), H.E. Dr. Win Myint, led a five-member delegation of senior ministry officials from MOC on a one-day visit to the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) to explore collaboration between MOC and AIT. The meeting was also used as an opportunity to discuss the rules and regulations of the engineering council in the ASEAN region, of which AIT as a regional institute is highly familiar with. This meeting was in response to an invitation extended by Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director, AIT Consulting and Mr. Thaung Htut Aung, Project Coordinator, AIT Consulting who both visited Myanmar in June 2013.
The high-level visitors were warmly welcomed to the campus by Interim President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, who reiterated AIT’s strong desire to assist Myanmar’s development through capacity building and technical training. The creation of an Engineering Council in Myanmar, similar to the one existing in Thailand, was high on the agenda during the meeting and Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai promised to assist the officials with contacts and any available expertise as much as possible for such purpose.
H.E. Dr. Win Myint remarked that he is eager to aid the development of his country by dramatically increasing the professional capacity and expertise of its engineers and thus expressed an interest in AIT playing an active role. His Excellency then expounded on the discussions with AIT Consulting for an upcoming 3-month Hybrid Professional Development Programs on bridges and tall buildings for MOC engineers. This program is scheduled to begin in September 2013.
The Interim AIT President stressed that AIT will also work out different modalities for Ministry staff to earn advanced degrees at AIT and added that AIT was open to developing a joint proposal with MOC to approach development aid agencies for financial support.
Other members of the delegation from the Ministry of Construction, Myanmar included Mr. U Kyaw Linn, Managing Director; Mr. U Aung Myat Oo, Chief Engineer; Mr. Nay Aung Ye Myint, Deputy Chief Engineer; and Mr. Tin Oo, Deputy Superintendent Engineer, Bridge Construction Unit 9.
