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Roundup: Myanmar, Thailand vow to push forward Dawei SEZ development

Xinhua, August 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Myanmar and Thailand have pledged to push forward the development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Myanmar's Taninthayi region.

Development of the over 200-square-kilometer Dawei SEZ will be carried out in two phases -- the Initial Phase Development and the long-term master plan, according to the recent fourth meeting of Myanmar-Thailand Joint High-Level Committee Meeting on comprehensive development of the Dawei SEZ held in Nay Pyi Taw.

The high-level meeting was co-chaired by Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula.

A consortium of Thai-based developers signed the Initial Phase Development concession agreements with Myanmar authorities on the development of industrial estate, power plants, LNG terminal, initial township, small port, water reservoir, two-lane road to Thailand and telecom landline.

The initial phase development work, which is expected to be completed in eight years, is predicted to create about 300,000 jobs for local people by 2025, while bringing in foreign investment and technology.

The long-term master plan project includes building infrastructure such as a deep seaport and a highway connecting the SEZ with Thailand, LNG terminal as well as a larger industrial estate.

Meanwhile, Japan, at a trilateral meeting, also reiterated its willingness to provide loan assistance to the Dawei SEZ project in accordance with a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) signed in July on trilateral collaboration among Myanmar, Thailand and Japan for the development of the SEZ.

The project, upon completion, will be one of Southeast Asia's largest industrial complexes that includes highway links to Bangkok and the eastern seaboard of Thailand. The roads are expected to not only promote regional connectivity but also enhance international investors' confidence in the project.

The Dawei SEZ project had been delayed for years after it started in November 2010 in accordance with a framework agreement between the Myanmar Port Authority and the Italian-Thai Development Company.

Myanmar and Thailand began to seek revival of the project at the end of 2013, revising its plan of developing the zone by inviting international companies to bid for the project following the pull-out of the Italian-Thai company which had failed to keep on with the project work.

The Dawei SEZ Management Committee said that the former agreement with the Italian-Thai company on the project has been terminated to make way for invitation to prospective international investors and developers to tender for the project competitively and transparently. Endi