Four more political parties submit applications to the Union Election Commission to take part in the national election this year.

Burma's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), apologized to its supporters across the country on Tuesday for “the unsuccessful struggle for democracy” that it had waged for more than 20 years.

RANGOON––In an Irrawaddy survey involving more than 500 people in Rangoon, nearly half said they do not intend to vote in the upcoming election if the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), does not contest it.

Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein may leave his current post to head the new political wing of the  government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), according to sources in Naypyidaw.

The PaO National Organization becomes the seventh group to submit an application to register as a political party in the upcoming national election.

Win Tin, a leading member of the National League for Democracy, says Burma's ruling regime is like “a political rapist” intent on stripping the party of its 1990 election victory.

Senior leaders of the National League for Democracy will meet on Monday to discuss the way forward after deciding not to run in this year's planned election.

Another Rangoon-based political party, the National Political Alliance, applies for party registration to contest in the upcoming election.

Thailand's foreign minister says the country will press the Burmese regime to open its first election in two decades to all political opponents and ethnic minorities.

A political alliance representing Burma's Mon community has decided not to take part in the planned general election.