New Border Bridge To Open January 22, 2006

[george]

New border bridge to be opened tomorrow

CHIANG RAI: -- The second Thai-Burmese friendship bridge, crossing the Mae Sai river, will be opened tomorrow in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district. Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win and his Thai counterpart Kantathi Suphamongkhon will preside over the opening ceremony at Ban San Pak Hee.

The 400-million-baht project, which consists of the second Mae Sai bridge, linking roads and state office buildings was completed in November last year.

Burmese authorities have reportedly launched a massive crackdown recently on narcotics and illegal weapons in the border town of Tachilek to ensure a smooth opening.

Mae Sai district chief Chusak Uppanant, said the new bridge, which was built by the Thai government, was aimed at easing traffic congestion on the 36-year-old Mae Sai bridge, which cuts through commercial and residential areas.

The second Mae Sai bridge would also promote trade and transport between Thailand and Burma and link northern Thailand with China via Burma's 270-km Mae Sai-Tachilek-Kengtung-Talo route.

Mr Chusak said the old Mae Sai bridge, which leads to the centre of Tachilek in Burma, would be mainly used for tourism, while the second bridge would serve border trade businesses. ''The new friendship bridge will eventually boost trade under the quadrangle economic cooperation and the one-stop service system will shorten customs procedures,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the Thai-Burmese Township Border Committee met on Wednesday in Mae Sai district to work out details of the establishment of a permanent border checkpoint and to draft measures on suppression of smuggling between the two countries after the bridge is opened.

Thai exports to Burma through Chiang Rai have reached 2.65 billion baht while imports stand at 258 million baht.

--Bangkok Post 2006-01-21

[Thetyim]

Meanwhile, the Thai-Burmese Township Border Committee met on Wednesday in Mae Sai district to work out details of the establishment of a permanent border checkpoint and to draft measures on suppression of smuggling between the two countries after the bridge is opened.

So this meeting took place 4 days before the bridge is to be opened and is to DRAFT measures of smuggling supression.

The words horse, door and bolted spring to mind.

[cdnvic]

As you can wade across the river much of the year, what idiot is using the bridge for smuggling? Other than tourists bringing back Sqny Polystations, and "sex movie"?

cv

[ovenman]

As you can wade across the river much of the year, what idiot is using the bridge for smuggling? Other than tourists bringing back Sqny Polystations, and "sex movie"?

None of the organized smugglers, but then that's the whole point of the dog and pony show isn't it? The powers-that-be announce the implementation of smuggling suppression techniques that focus solely on traffic using the new bridge, making it appear that they care and that they are doing something about the problem. Meanwhile it's business as usual: all of the real smuggling goes on in the dead of night by simply wading across the river and the appropriate figures receive their tea monies for looking the other way.

[AsiaWolfie]

As you can wade across the river much of the year, what idiot is using the bridge for smuggling? Other than tourists bringing back Sqny Polystations, and "sex movie"?

you forgot to mention those GENUINE MARLBORO CIGGIES, which in fact is nasty Burmese KRAUT

[cdnvic]

you forgot to mention those GENUINE MARLBORO CIGGIES, which in fact is nasty Burmese KRAUT

They come in handy when people beg you to bring them duty free smokes back with you from a visa run .

cv

[george]

Thailand, Myanmar open second bridge for bilateral, China trade

CHIANG RAI: -- A flow of friendly faces--Thai and Myanmar people--characterised a kind of cross-border 'happy hour' traffic between Thailand and Myanmar on Sunday, as the two countries relaxed the need for cross-border documentation.

Thailand and Myanmar on Sunday opened a second friendship bridge across the Mae Sai River, the natural border demarcating the two countries, which Thailand hopes will not only boost bilateral trade but trade with southern China as well.

Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon and his Myanmar counterpart U Nyan Win jointly presided over the opening ceremony of the Second Mae Sai Friendship Bridge at Baan Sanpakhi, Mae Sai subdistrict, Chiang Rai province.

The bridge links Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai with the Myanmar town of Tachilek. More than 10,000 Thai and Myanmar people also attended the ceremony.

The bridge, completed in March 2004, is expected to be a boon to Chiang Rai's special economic zone in the near future.

The two ministers also held talks on many issues regarding goods transportation from Thailand to the southern part of China via Myanmar and the prevention of drug trafficking along the Thai-Myanmar border.

The new 90-metre bridge also gives Thailand an improved road link to China. The first border bridge opened in 1967, but it could not accommodate increased traffic between the two countries.

Thai exports at Mae Sai border crossing totalled Bt1,916 billion (US$47 million) last year, while imports were about Bt385 million (US$9.6 million). Export volume is expected to increase by 30 per cent from last year's level after the opening of the second friendship bridge.

--TNA 2006-01-22