BANGKOK/YANGON -- Fresh economic data from private research groups suggest that Myanmar's economy is deteriorating more sharply than feared after the Feb. 1 coup, with heightened risks of soaring inflation, collapsing trade and increased poverty.
At the same time, recent days have seen a remarkable display of the military's grasp on Myanmar's natural resources, with a multi-million dollar, 10-day auction of gems, jade and pearls in the capital, Naypyitaw.
