Glitzy hotels thrown up around the city in recent years with Asian money are almost empty. Unemployment benefit does not exist, nor do trade unions. The unemployed trawl the streets of Rangoon into the evenings looking for work. Singapore, Thailand and Japan used to be popular destinations for Burmese nationals going abroad to make their fortunes. Despite the delicate situation politically economically, no one expects the government to relinquish power quickly or easily.
People spend their spare time praying at the pagodas, with little to aspire to.
They feel the government has too much to lose to let go of the reins. To Third Army has joined with local people to set up territorial defence forces in border villages prone to attacks by foreign troops. To protect Thai lives and property in border areas, the Third Army has assigned the 7th Infantry Division's special task force to give local villagers military training. Five groups of territorial defence forces have been set up so far this year with more than 1500 male villagers as members. The Third Army also plans to set up 24 more territorial defence groups in all the northern provinces.