In the past year Burma received a record $20bn in foreign investment, the Ministry of National Planning Development has said. The staggering amount compares with just $302m in 2010 and comes despite Western sanctions against its military government.

China, it’s northern neighbour, was the biggest foreign investor with $8.27bn in the year to March 2011, most of which will be invested in power projects including the deep-sea port on Ramree Island (due for competition in 2013), it’s hydropower, mining and infrastructure at Myitsone and the offshore gas field at Shwe.

Second is Hong Kong, with $5.39bn, followed by Thailand ($2.94bn) who recently announced a project to develop a deep-sea port & facilities at Dawei, with rail and road links to Bangkok.