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http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/national/3684-myanmar-to-adopt-metric-system
David Pearl MetricPioneer.com 503-428-4917
----- Message from c...@traditio.com ---------
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 12:07:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: c...@traditio.com
Reply-To: Martin Morrison <c...@traditio.com>
Subject: [USMA:53316] Myanmar-Burma to Adopt SI Metric System
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
Cc: USMA Column -- Don Hillger <hill...@cira.colostate.edu>,
Gary Brown <gsbr...@aol.com>, Lorelle Young <lorelle...@aol.com>,
Valerie Antoine <valerie.anto...@verizon.net>
http://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/myanmar-burma-to-adopt-metric-system/
Myanmar-Burma to adopt metric system
October 10, 2013
Myanmar is preparing to adopt the metric system or the International
System of Units (SI System) as the country.s official system of
measurement, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
One of the reasons is to streamline the weight measuring process in
exporting agricultural products such as rice, beans and maize for
which various measurement systems have been widely applied,
according to Dr. Pwint San, Deputy Minister for Commerce.
.In exporting rice and other agri-products, kilograms is the common
measurement unit, but Myanmar has used FPS (foot-pound-second) and
CGS (centimetre-gram-second) Systems in measuring goods. Therefore,
initiatives will need to be launched to replace them with the SI
System, and to achieve the widespread use of metric units among
farmers, sellers and the whole country at large,. said Dr. Pwint San.
The deputy minister discussed the subject in parliament after MP Aye
Naing of Sinbaowel Constituency asked for legislating on measurement
units according to international standards.
.Weight and other measurements as well as quality indices to be
legislated under the law for standards should lead to a position
convenient for international trading. Now there are opportunities
for Myanmar to trade with European countries and the United States,
and so the standards used in our country should match with those
used in the others,. he added.
The deputy minister also pointed out the clumsiness of using
different measurement systems. Unnecessary costs and delays also
occur when weights have to be re-measured, and goods have to be
re-packaged; especially when trading with countries who do not
accept certain measurements.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology has been tasked
with announcing the metric system as the official measurement system
of Myanmar.
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