MPS AGM and Philatelic Talk to be held on 28 Feb 2016

Myanmar Philatelic Society (MPS) AGM and Philatelic Talk to be held on 28 Feb 2016.  MPS executive committee broadcasted the message about the AGM and talks on philately.  It will be held as per following programme:

Venue : Kyaukse Hall (Kyaukse Dhamma Yone), near Yuzana Center, 

            The corner of Shwegondaing Rd and New Yay Tar Street, Bahan Township.

Date : 28 February 2016 (Sunday)

Time : 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

I heard that U Kyaw Myint Maung, the well known philatelic and author of many philatelic books and publications, will give the talk on the topic of developing the philatelic society.  Based on my pas experience, there can be some exhibits showcase by members, and dealers selling the stamps, covers and catalogs.  Please do visit when you are available for the philatelic knowledge and networking purpose.  

The invitation card (from MPS facebook page)

Myanmar Post Box Stamp

First time ever, postbox of Myanmar is depicted on the stamp.  Thailand post regularly issue the national children day stamps in January every year, and feature ASEAN for that issue.  ASEAN childrens, greetings, rickshaws had been featured from 2013 to 2015.  In 2013, there is one more new year issue which features ASEAN flowers.  In these issues, kids in Myanmar national dresses, "greeting in Burmese - Mingalarbar", Padauk flower of Myanmar and rickshaw of Myanmar are in stamp designs.

For this year, 2016, national children day stamp issue features the postbox of ASEAN.  For the Myanmar postbox, it is never been featured on postage stamps.  Thailand post issue a sheet of 10 comprising postboxes from ASEAN nations on 9 January 2016.  And official first day covers were also released.  The designer of the stamps are Mr. Thaneth Ponchaiwong of Thailand Post Company Limited and the stamps are printed by Thai British Security Printing Public Company Limited.

Myanmar Postbox

First Day Cover with Myanmar Postbox stamp

First Day Cover with Myanmar Postbox in its cachet

Full Sheet

Standard postbox of Myanmar (seen at Aungban PO)

Innpawkhon Post Office

Innpawkhon PO is located on Innpawkhon Village, Nyaungshwe township, Shan State (South).  Click the link for the exact location on the map.  Innpawkhon is the small village in Inle lake.  The post office is just the home for the family of postal staff.  During my visit on 29 Dec 2015, the staff is not at the home.  The family said people rarely comes to this PO for sending the mail.  The PO is grade 6 PO and its postal code is 06083.

Innpawkhon Post Office

Ordinary mail sent from Innpawkhon Post Office (cancelled at Nyaung Shwe)

I leave the mail to be sent out on 29 Dec 2015, the mail was cancelled at Nyaung Shwe on 20 Jan 2016.  I asked for the postmark for my record at the PO, but said the postmark is heavily damaged and cannot be used at all. 

Hlaing Post Office

Hlaing PO is located on Yangon-Insein Road, Hlaing Township, between Ywama Kyaung Road and Kamayut Butaryone (Station) Road. Click the link for the exact location of the Hlaing post office.  It is grade 2 PO and its postal code is 11051.  My friend, Thein Zan Tun, sent me the registered mail from Hlaing PO on 30 Jan 2015.

Hlaing PO

Front - Registered mail from Hlaing PO (sent on 30 Jan 2015)

Back - Registered Mail from Hlaing PO (sent on 30 Jan 2015)

Kyaukse Post Office

Kyaukse Post Office is located in Kyaukse township, Mandalay division.  It is grade 2 PO and its postal code is 05151.  My friend visited this PO and help me record.

Kyaukse Post Office (Credits to Win Htut Han)

The posting box at Kyaukse PO (Mail collection time - 15:00)

(front) Registered Mail from Kyaukse to Singapore (sent on 11 Jan 2016)

(back) Registered Mail from Kyaukse to Singapore (sent on 11 Jan 2016)

Kyaukse Postmark

Deiku Post Office

Deiku Post Office is located on Kon Thei road, between Sar Teik street and Zay Taung Bat street, Deiku township, Pegu (East) Division.  It's postal code is 08061 and it is grade 2 PO. Click the link for the exact location on the map.  My friend visited the PO, took the photo and send me the cover from the Deiku PO.

Deiku Post Office (Credits to Elizabeth)

Front - Registered Mail from Deiku PO (sent on 25 Jan 2016)

Back - Registered Mail from Deiku PO (sent on 25 Jan 2016)

Nyaung Shwe PO

I have visited Nyaung Shwe PO on 30 Dec 2015.  It is located in Phaung Daw Pyan Road, Nyaung Shwe township, Shan state (south).  It is grade 4 PO and its post code is 06081.  Click the link for the exact location on the map.

Nyaung Shwe PO

Post box at Nyaung Shwe PO

(front) Registered Mail from Nyaung Shwe to Singapore (sent on 30 Dec 2015)

(back) Registered Mail from Nyaung Shwe to Singapore (sent on 30 Dec 2015)

Postmark of Nyaung Shwe PO, 30th Dec 2015 is the earliest usage of this postmark.

The RLO or Returned Letter Office postal marking

Two examples of returned aerogrammes from the early 1990’s were studied to track the mail routing and processes. All mails that cannot be delivered are sent to the DLO (Dead Letter Office). Some need to be returned to the sender if the sender’s address is available. There is no date stamp of the RLO (Returned Letter Office) on the mail, only the RLO postal marking that shows the reason for undelivered mail. The name “Burma” is used in the marking. The country name was changed to “Myanmar” in June 1989, but “Burma” is still in use in 1991/1992. Similarly, the name “Rangoon” is used instead of “Yangon”. The reason behind it could be using rubber stamps made earlier than 1989. The GPO arrival postmark uses the name “Yangon”, and the DLO postmark uses “Rangoon”. According to a previous record in The Burma Peacock [Vol 17, No 3, p75], this RLO mark was still in use until September 1995.

RLO Marking

One interesting thing is that the post office staff ticked “Unknown” as the reason of return in the RLO marking. But the actual reason is hand written in Burmese on the mail. Example 1 is “Insufficient address” and Example 2 [next page] is “Addressee Left”. Example 1 stayed at the DLO for four months and Example 2 stayed for two months before returning to Singapore.

Example 1

Example 2

Example 1	Example 2
Singapore 20 May 1991 Yangon GPO 24 May 1991 Insein PO 27 May 1991* Hlaing PO 29 May 1991 Hlaing PO 10 June 1991 Yangon DLO 12 June 1991 Yangon DLO 19 October 1991	Singapore 30 Nov 1992 Yangon GPO 7 Dec 1992 Tamwe PO 8 Dec 1992 Handwritten and Signed Addressee Left 17 Dec 1992 Yangon DLO 21 Dec 1992 Yangon DLO 17 Feb 1992

*  The address shows Insein Road, Rangoon.  Mail sorting man wrongly sorted and sent to Insein PO.  

To reference this article, please cite:

Toe Kyaw Kyar, "The RLO or Returned Letter Office postal marking", The Burma Fantail, Vol. 13, No. 1, Whole Number 47, pp. 12-14, January 2016.