KYAIKKAMI

formerly Amherst, resort town, southeastern Myanmar (Burma). It is situated on a peninsula about 30 miles (48 km) south of the town of Moulmein. Originally a settlement of the Mon peoples, modern Kyaikkami was founded by the British during the annexation of Tenasserim and Arakan states after the First Burmese War (182426) and was named for William Pitt Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst, then governor-general of India. Paddy rice, tea, durians, and mangoes are cultivated in the area. Handicrafts include teak and bamboo carvings. Paved roads and a railway line connect Kyaikkami with Moulmein and Ye.