Myanmar has opened a new international express mail service to link the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw and the second largest city of Mandalay with the outside world, said the local-language Myanmar Times pre-published on Wednesday.

Articles and parcels from the two locations can be safely mailed to 102 countries in continents covering Europe, America, Australia, Asia and the Middle East in a short duration of time depending on the distances between the country of sender and that of receiver, the report said.

Service charges for the express mail service are to be paid in foreign exchange, the report quoted the state-run Express Mail Services (EMS) International as saying.

Articles such as explosive, pornographic matter, jewelry, narcotics, censorless video feature, printed matter without scrutiny, consumers goods banned by the customs, export commodities banned by the other countries, animal and antique are prohibited for mailing, the report added.

According to the EMS International, which is under the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs, it has expanded its services to 32 more countries since July last year, bringing the total number of countries to where the EMS International is accessible to 62.

The Myanmar EMS International handles prompt mailing of such parcels as documents, business papers, samples and government- permitted goods.

Myanmar initiated the international express mail service with Singapore in January 1995 and with Thailand in September 1996.