TAK (NNT) - A Thailand-Myanmar border point at Mae Sot has finally reopened after closing for three years due to the pandemic and political situation in Myanmar. Local officials hope the reopening will help rejuvenate trade and tourism in the area.

 

Thai and Myanmar nationals can once again cross the border between Thailand’s Tak province and Myanmar’s Myawaddy town through the 1st Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge at the Mae Sot border crossing.

 

The reopening ceremony was presided over by Tak Governor Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj and his Myawaddy counterpart U Zaw Tin.

 

The decision to reopen the border at the 1st Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge was reached following an announced ceasefire by Myanmar’s military earlier this month, along with corresponding peace negotiations.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230116144139567

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-01-16

 

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14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Local officials hope the reopening will help rejuvenate trade and tourism in the area.

Maybe the drug trade.

While the official Mae Sot border may have been closed for three years, I’m sure there have been many ‘informal’ border crossings to get people and goods across. 

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai and Myanmar nationals can once again cross the border

Won't do much for tourism then and still no good for border hoppers.

 

Used to be my favorite bounce place because so quiet I could cross and return in about 30 minutes. Then Burma allowed the Chinese to build a lot of casinos and other things on their side and suddenly there were massive queues of Chinese using the crossing which made it take about an hour to cross and return. The Burmese side in particular was total Mayhem.

On 1/17/2023 at 12:27 AM, hotchilli said:

Maybe the drug trade.

This does not require the border to be open.