The Shan State Army (SSA) laid down its arms in a ceasefire with the Myanmar government two years ago and the state's ruling administration is now enjoying the fruits of the transition to peace. These quieter times have allowed the building of the first vocational college in the rebel-controlled area which will start with the help of Thai tertiary institutes, according to the authority in charge of the matter.
Prajak Kullana, of the Shan State education reform committee, said the ceasefire signed between the Myanmar government and ethnic rebel groups in October 2015 marked a new phase in the economic and educational development of the state, which includes the SSA-controlled area bordering Thailand.
The committee is an organ of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), which is the state's ruling administration chaired by SSA chief Yod Seuk.
"The fighting is over. We're pressing ahead with new developments and re-building our city," a source in the RCSS said.
The council has shifted its focus away from defence in favour of building a foundation for a strong and lasting development in education, the source said.
A steady return to peace has brought greater prosperity. But for economic security to take hold, the state needs quality manpower which can only be achieved through a visionary policy to promote higher education, according to the source.
"Education lies at the very heart of how we can move forward," said Mr Prajak, a Thai-born senior-ranking official in the RCSS. He has returned to Shan State to help design the groundwork for education reform.
His remark was echoed by Gen Yod Seuk who graduated with a master's degree in government from Pathumthani University after two years of study. He travelled back and forth between Shan State and the university in Pathum Thani where he attended weekend classes.
"A leader needs to be well-educated. Education is essential for creating a nation," he said after a commemorative event, highlighted by a colourful military march, marking 71 years since the SSA was established at its base in Doi Tai Laeng early this month.
The SSA gained rose to prominence as the fighting wing of the Shan State during its decades-long armed struggle against the central Myanmar government.
Gen Yod Seuk has worked to mobilised resources and personnel to make Shan people in the SSA-dominated towns and villages better educated.
There are many primary and secondary schools in Shan State. However, there is no higher education institute within the SSA territory which is problematic for an expanding local economy that has continued to attract investments, including from Thai businesses.
Once a military nerve centre, Doi Tai Laeng will be the location of the SSA territory's first vocational college. Construction will soon get under way with the college expected to be up and running in a year.
In the whole of Shan State, which encompasses 33 townships, there are more than 300 primary and secondary schools teaching about 12,000 students and employing more than 600 teachers.
Vocational training is the linchpin of the wider Shan State's educational master plan, and it hopes to integrate it with the region's multi-ethnic schooling system. It is a five-year plan extends to 2023.
Gen Yod Seuk stressed the survival and future of the people hinge on how well they are educated. After the ceasefire agreement was reached, the international donor and non-governmental organisations have scaled back their relief aid to Shan State, forcing the RSCC to look for development funds from other sources.
The vocational college project will come mainly from the RSCC's own coffers. The SSA-controlled territory makes money from foreign direct investments largely generated by Thai businesses. In addition, cash donations are also solicited from ethnic Shan people living overseas, including those in Thailand.
A "Sustainable Education Fund" has been established for the project as well as for other educational causes in Shan State. RSCC executives will be travelling to meet Shan expats and the ethnic Shan residents in the north of Thailand after an election of the council members is held later this month. It is expected Gen Yod Seuk will be re-elected as the RSCC chairman.
After the election, the RSCC will be overhauled. It will assume the function of an executive branch, separated from the SSA.
A source in the RSCC said a number of Thai universities, Ratjabhat institutes and Rajamangala technology universities will be assisting the RSCC with the vocational college project.
They will help to design the vocational college's curriculum and provide academic consultancy while the teaching materials and equipment will be procured by the RSCC.
The vocational courses offered during the initial stage of the college's launch will be geared towards infrastructure developments in Shan State.
The source added if the college proves to be an academic and financial success, it will be upgraded to a university.
The teachers will be Thai-educated ethnic Shan people who are currently working in Thailand. They will be paid a salary commensurate with the cost of living in Thailand, according to the source.
It is hoped the college will be one of the key drivers of growth in the Shan State's SSA territory. In Doi Tai Laeng, the ceasefire has seen the return of people who previously fled the fighting. Many returnees have built their homes with bricks and cement which shows they have confidence in the peace and security.
A more stable territory has led to greater levity, and this was reflected this year at the annual Shan State National Day celebration which coincided with the SSA's 71st anniversary.
The celebration was held in Doi Tai Laeng close to the border area opposite Pang Ma Pha district of Mae Hong Son. The event showcased military parades of both male and female soldiers as well as an outdoor demonstration by martial artists.
One of the highlights of the event was the inaugural Miss Shan beauty contest, which drew many local youngsters to the event.