The lavish spending of former naval commander U Soe Thane may keep Bawlakhe safe for the Union Solidarity and Development Party, and COVID-19 restrictions are making matters harder for competitors.
The UN called the conference a response to a "dramatic shortfall" in aid funding for what it has previously described as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.
BY AFP
The government is adamant that voting will go ahead on November 8, but many of the crucial components in a free and fair election are being hampered by COVID-19.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc with the plans of domestic election observation groups, but an agile response to travel restrictions means the vote will not go unwatched.
BY Ye Mon
