Why does my Burmese pronunciation of 'ky' and 'py' sounds like I'm eating a sandwich?

I'm a traveler trying to get by in Yangon, but every time I try to say 'kyaung' (school) or 'pyan' (return), locals look at me like I'm struggling to breathe. I suspect the stacked consonants are tripping me up, and I just can't seem to get the airflow right for these specific clusters. Does anyone have a tip for physically shaping my tongue to get that distinct Burmese aspirated sound, or is there a specific drill I can focus on?