Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently completed a three-day visit to Myanmar, his first to the former quasi-military state and the first by a head of government since democratic elections were held in the country in November 2015.

The visit, which took place from June 7 to 9, 2016, also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

It included meetings with President U Htin Kyaw, State Counsellor, Union Minister in the President’s Office and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi, Speaker of the Lower House U Win Myint, Speaker of the Union Parliament and Speaker of the Upper House Mahn Win Khaing Than, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and Chairman of Union Solidarity and Development Party and former President U Thein Sein.

Booooooring. Or was it?

State dinners, meetings, and handshakes aside, here are 3 interesting things that emerged from PM Lee's trip:

1. PM Lee was served mass-market Lipton tea at a state dinner hosted by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi

Yes, raising several eyebrows and prompting international publications The Telegraph and Financial Times to quite aptly describe the social media blowback as a "storm in a teacup".

In this Facebook post, for instance, Aye Ne Win (grandson of former Burmese military leader, prime minister, and head of state Ne Win) blasted Aung San Suu Kyi for her lack of taste and recommended instead that "it should be at least Twinings Earl Grey or Fortnum and Mason's Queen Anne Tea":

Aye's comments received their fair share of scorn, with Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters taking digs at his family."Lipton is all we can afford after decades of isolation and corruption. LOL," wrote a Nay Ye Aung.

Financial Times reported that while Singapore's MFA did not respond to a request for comment, "the frugality may have appealed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, chiming with the mantra of simple living that his father and predecessor Lee Kuan Yew proclaimed while building up the island nation".

Now, choice of tea aside, you must be wondering - what exactly is "State Counsellor"?

This new post, functionally equivalent to that of a Prime Minister, was created to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to play a greater role in government. This is because, despite her political party drawing a landslide victory in the November 2015 election, she is constitutionally barred from the presidency as her late husband and her two children hold British nationality.

As State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi can therefore be considered PM Lee's direct counterpart. In addition to her primary duties she is concurrently Minister in the President's Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Not shabby, in the least.

2. Come December 2016, Singaporeans can visit Myanmar for up to 30 days, visa-free

At a meeting with President Htin Kyaw, PM Lee announced that starting December 1, 2016, travel between Singapore and Myanmar will be visa-free for visits of up to 30 days.

This move is expected to facilitate business and tourism between the two countries, despite public perception of lingering political uncertainty.

Currently, one has to pay $35 for a tourist visa or $65 for a business visa, in addition to a $10 administrative fee and hours wasted physically waiting at the consular office.

3. Singapore carriers Singapore Airlines and SilkAir are exploring the possibility of multi-city flights within Myanmar

At a reception with Singaporeans living and working in Yangon, PM Lee announced that the introduction of "stopover flights" may well be on the cards.

National carriers Singapore Airlines or SilkAir are likely to spearhead this development, with multi-city flights plying between Singapore and popular destinations in Myanmar like Yangon and Mandalay.

The move will allow one to exercise more flight options when arranging travel plans to and from these destinations. It is one of several bids to improve connectivity for business and tourism with and within Myanmar.

Top photo from PM Lee’s Facebook page.

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