I arrived at the Myanma Airways office in Myeik at about 4 pm on 21-12-2007 to return to Yangon. The notice board of the office showed that there were 15 seats left for passengers. However, the sale of air tickets was over. One of the personnel said that there would be the go show system at the airport the next day. As such, I went to the private airways office. And I easily got a ticket of Air Bagan there. In the past, it was very difficult to get an air ticket from Myeik to Yangon. One had to wait for about one week or had to try hard through various ways for an air ticket. And one sometimes had to get an air ticket through lucky dip. Now, one can easily travel from Myeik to Dawei by air-con bus and then to Yangon by train. So, one can easily purchase an air ticket. Whatever it may be, the Union of Myanmar has seen development to a certain degree in various aspects including the transport sector.
When the ATR 72 aircraft of Air Bagan took off from Myeik Airport I happened to enjoy the scenic beauty of Myeik archipelago. Managing Director of KMK Co U Khin Maung Kyaw who was seated beside me showed me the fish breeding ponds belonging to his company. In the past, there was no breeding of giant sea perches in cages. KMK Co successfully introduced the breeding of giant sea perches in cages in Myeik by bringing the fingerlings by air to Myeik from the fish breeding centre of Technician U Kyaw Zin of Min Zarni Co in Chuangtha, Ayeyawady Division. The breeding of giant sea perches in cages is making progress in Thailand and Malaysia. Today, Myanmar is keeping abreast of neighbouring countries in the breeding of giant sea perches. Giant sea perches are in high demand in both domestic and foreign markets. Myanmar is blessed with favourable conditions for breeding giant sea perches. The extended breeding of giant sea perches can contribute a lot to the development of national economy. The success in the breeding of giant sea perches is attributable to the efforts of Min Zarni Co that has invested heavily in the project for five years . With the help of Min Zarni Co, a pioneer in the business, KMK Co launched the breeding of the species in cages in Myeik area. Myanmar citizens need to launch businesses everywhere for the development of national economy.

The aircraft of Air Bagan was flying towards Dawei at an altitude of 12,000 feet and I was fascinated by the scenery of Taninthayi Division. The Division is able to produce a large amount of meat, fish and prawn. In my younger days, my mother bought shrimp paste produced from Myeik and put it in glazed earthen jars for the whole year consumption. With protein and iodine from the shrimp paste, we grew up with physical and spiritual development. At present, the division is producing a large amount of natural gas not only for local consumption but also for export. Most of mills and factories in the nation are running with the use of gas produced from the division and buses and taxies in Yangon are no exception. Taninthayi Division is blessed with evergreen forests as well as tin and tungsten. Rubber, an industrial raw material, thrives in the Division. The Division will soon become an oil pot of the nation, for a large number of acres are being put under oil palm there.
The national brethren have been living in Taninthayi Division blessed with natural resources and scenic beauty for years countable by the thousand. In the time of Bagan, the first Myanmar, King Alaung Sithu toured Taninthayi Region, made Bagan people settle in the region. Rakhine nationals also settled in the region. Those from Myeik region were Bamars of Upper Myanmar while those from Dawei region were Rakhine nationals. On Taninthayi mountain ranges lived Kayin nationals. The far-sighted endeavours of ancient Myanmar kings assigned national races to reside in different parts of the nation. Sticks, swords and spears were the only weapons of Myanmar people who fought back alien intruders. Taninthayi Division rich in natural resources is the gateway to the nation.

When the aircraft was descending, I saw the area of Dawei dotted with fertile small islands. There were paddy fields as well as virgin and fellow lands in Dawei area. Taninthayi Division doesn’t enjoy self-sufficiency in rice yet. Hence, the government is striving for the division to enjoy self-sufficiency in rice.
When I made a field trip to the fertile alluvial land I saw some 3,000 acres of arable lands and those where salt can be produced. In the colonial period, paddy was cultivated in those regions where farmers were prosperous as the lands are fertile. As the communist insurgency reigned after independence those lands became mangroves since farmers were unable to engage in agriculture. Those lands can be turned into farmlands. As a huge investment was needed I could not afford. When I raised the matter to a friend of mine who could afford he said the area was far away from Yangon.
At a time when efforts are being made for the emergence of a modern and developed nation we must be able to do agriculture and livestock breeding works, regardless of the regions. The opportunity to do so is within our reach. Than Win, a friend of mine, who firmly grasped the opportunity, is now reclaiming 150 acres of lands in the mouth of Dawei River. When the aircraft touched down Dawei Airport, my thought was interrupted.
I had read the conclusion of the article titled Copycat Political Defiance written by Than Eint Hmu in the 1-1-2008 issue of Flower News Journal. In the article, the columnist asked a question “Is the disintegration of a nation good or bad? ”and “Do you want the Union of Myanmar to be disintegrated?” Columnist Than Eint Hmu asked a question “Do you wish the Union of Myanmar to be disintegrated?” Myanmar nationals made up of Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, etc. do not wish at all the Union of Myanmar to be disintegrated. It is Union Spirit of the entire national people that is desirous of the Union of Myanmar to be integrated and not to be disintegrated.
Naturally, man is used to be endowed with instinct and intelligence. It is an instinct of a man that a mother breastfeeds her baby out of love. It is also an instinct of a man that a father brings up his children out of consideration and intelligence. Likewise, the nationalistic spirit to cherish and safeguard the Union is an instinct of the entire national people.

Although the instinct of a man is upright in nature it could be subject to the influence of environment. Nowadays, some western big nations are making an attempt to harm the instinct of the entire national people who are desirous of cherishing and safeguarding the Union. Those nations under the pretext of democracy are sowing discord and dissension among national races in order to undermine Union Spirit and nationalistic spirit.
Our Three Main National Causes—nondisintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty— is the lifeblood of the Union of Myanmar. We are desirous of democracy. However, Myanmar people will never accept the scheme to undermine and destroy the Union under the cloak of democracy. Myanmar people will have to safeguard the Union at risk to their lives, putting in the fore Our Three Main National Causes—non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty.
The Panglong Agreement which was a decisive factor for the emergence of the Union of Myanmar which turns 61 years on 12 February 2008. The entire national people who are still alive are the generations of leaders of the national races who had signed the agreement. Leaders of the national races handed down Union Spirit and patriotic spirit to their generations as the legacy. The National Convention was successfully held through Union Spirit and patriotic spirit handed down by the ancestors. And an enduring State Constitution is being drafted based on such nationalistic spirit.
Today, the entire national people equipped with Union Spirit and patriotism are striving for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation and for the Union to stand tall among the international community as long as the world exists while warding off all destructive elements at risk to their lives.