Myanmar Hosting VIPs Exposes Growth Challenges: Southeast Asia

Myanmar’s efforts to catch up with the world around it after half a century of military rule is being put to the test this week as a summit of government and business leaders fills hotels and stretches phone networks.

Myanmar hosts the three-day World Economic Forum on East Asia starting tomorrow, with heads of state and executives from companies including General Electric Co., Coca-Cola Co. and WPP Plc attending. Delegates may struggle to communicate over phone networks that have yet to be expanded and will have difficulty finding businesses that accept credit cards. Many hotels are still cash-only, with some only recently accepting Visa and MasterCard payments, including the Parkroyal Yangon.