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Roundup: Thai goods exports to Myanmar to sharply rise via border route: businessman

Xinhua, March 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

undup: Thai goods exports to Myanmar to sharply rise via border route: businessman

BANGKOK, March 12 (Xinhua) - Cross-border trading between Thailand and Myanmar will substantially increase later this year, given a road currently under construction to link the two Southeast Asian states, according to a Thai businessperson on Thursday.

Bilateral trade between Thailand's Mae Sot district and Myanmar 's Myawaddy township is expected to reach 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in a year, compared with 2.1 billion U.S. dollars last year, said Pongchai Tan-aroonchai, deputy secretary general of the Tak Provincial Chamber of Commerce.

Thai goods will be transported along the road linking Myawaddy, across Moei River from Mae Sot, with Kawkareik township inside Myanmar with some of the merchandise being destined for Yangon, the former capital of the neighboring country, he said.

Remarkably, other Thai products transported on the road from Mae Sot district might terminally reach southwestern China and India through Myanmar, according to the deputy head of the provincial chamber.

Through the Myawaddy route, Myanmar has bought varied Thai goods including gasoline, diesel, cell phones and accessories, fabrics, beer, television sets, sandals and instant foods.

The 80-kilometer road will lead to the southern Myanmar city of Moulmein, about 170 kilometers from Myawaddy. The Thai-Myanmar border township is about 450 kilometers from Yangon.

The construction of the new road will be completed by the middle of this year, according to Pongchai.

"Part of the Myawaddy route has been riddled with potholes during rainy season. It will be repaired and improved to make it available for transportation all year round."

"Given the new road to link Myawaddy with the interior of Myanmar, the cross-border daily trading between Mae Sot and Myawaddy will very likely rise up to 100 billion baht (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) in a year," he said.

Besides, a second Thai-Myanmar bridge across Moei River will be built later this year to promote daily cross-border trading, he added.

Mae Sot is designed to become one of Thailand's special economic zones alongside several others, namely Nong Khai across Mekong River from Vientiane, Srakeo sharing border with Cambodia, Trat also sharing border with Cambodia and Sadao district in southern Thailand on common border with Malaysia.

Trade and tourism are expected to flourish within those special economic zones and nearby areas after the planned constructions of infrastructures, logistical systems and other facilities have been completed.

That will coincide with the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community by the end of this year. Endi