Myanmar prepares for a high-profile visit from U.S. President Barack Obama.<br/> <br />His trip to Yangon on Monday makes him the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country.<br/> <br />It also signals support for reforms enacted since military rulers handed power to a semi-civilian government last year.<br/> <br />He is scheduled to meet Myanmar's president, as well as popular opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.<br/> <br />American tourists in Myanmar, whose numbers have increased since the transition, said they approved of growing U.S. engagement.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES TOURIST FROM ILLINOIS, BEN WARNER, SAYING:<br/> <br />"I don't think it could be too fast. I think the more that we support changing countries into democracies, the better off the world will be."<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES TOURIST FROM ILLINOIS, SY NAGORSKY, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Sometimes in a country like this that's making moves forward, you need to be a little bit sensitive to where the people come from. So I think that he should measure his words and think about what he's saying."<br/> <br />Obama is also making stops in Thailand and Cambodia during a tour seen by some as a move to counter China's influence in the region.
