SINGAPORE, 12 April 2021: Pandaw, a pioneer of luxury river cruises in Southeast Asia and India, has cancelled all cruises in Myanmar due to the “current deplorable situation.”
Pandaw Cruises founder Paul Strachan, in a statement released at the weekend, said it was “with great sadness that we must cancel all future cruises in Myanmar (Burma). We believe the current deplorable situation will only deteriorate further, and it may be some time before any kind of normality returns, and it is safe to travel.”
Pandaw is one of just a few travel enterprises to come out openly and support the people of Myanmar with medical assistance. As the death toll rises from what citizens call “military terrorism”, international travel firms and hotel brands will need to reevaluate their business in Myanmar. Ultimately public opinion as expressed on social media channels will demands corporations stop sitting on the fence. They risk being accused of hedging their bets when their CSR programmes clearly identify support for human rights as one of the basic Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the UN.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a Thailand-based human rights group, reported 618 total deaths as of last Friday and 2,931 people under detention since the coup took place 1 February.
Myanmar was where Pandaw was born and provided the foundation for successful cruise itineraries in Indian, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Despite political ups and downs in Myanmar, the country was Pandaw’s most popular destination over the past 26 years.
According to Strachan company’s seven ships are docked safely in Bagan and being watched over by the local community, many of whom have worked for the company.
Pandaw’s emergency appeal to provide medical services for Myanmar residents wounded by the military junta forces raised USD100,000 in just one week that was channelled to Pandaw Clinics. They are providing medical assistance and other forms of humanitarian support to traumatised communities.
Pandaw is one of just a few travel enterprises to come out openly and support the people of Myanmar with medical assistance. As the death toll rises from what citizens call “military terrorism”, international travel firms and hotel brands will need to reevaluate their business in Myanmar. Ultimately public opinion as expressed on social media channels will demands corporations stop sitting on the fence, hedging their bets when their own CSR programmes suggest they support human rights.
“We have also been able to share these funds with a number of other NGOs that we believe are making a marked contribution in helping the injured in the streets of Yangon and other cities.
(Source: News Pandaw)
Further donations can be made on www.pandawclinics.com.
