The initial Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is expected to have a contract finalized between Myanmar authorities and the Italian-Thai Development and Rojana Industrial Park. The contract is scheduled to be signed at the end of May and will allow for the initial phase of the zone to commence.

The initial phase will allow Italian-Thai and Rojana, both Thai companies, to begin working on the first 27 square kilometers of the Dawei estate. The initial phase of the project includes the estate and a 138km road that will run from the Dawei SEZ in Myanmar to a checkpoint in Thailand.

Myanmar is seeking financial assistance from Thailand to construct the road. The two lane road will require funding of up to 4.5 billion baht from Thailand.

The project does not stop with just Myanmar and Thailand. Japan is also expected to join the project once the full phase begins. Japan has an equal partnership in the Dawei SEZ and was initially reluctant to join Thailand and Myanmar until a plan was in place. The new comprehensive plan is expected to be complete by the end of 2015, which will allow the project to be moved further along thanks to Japanese funding.

-- 2015-04-23

A two lane road with thousands of trucks a day using it...I hope it lasts.

"The two lane road will require funding of up to 4.5 billion baht from Thailand."

But the funding seems to come from the Japanese and not from the Thai government. If true, the Junta-led government continues a policy of not supporting economic stimulus for the Thai infrastructure. Good for Japan's economic growth, bad for Thailand's econmic growth.

"The two lane road will require funding of up to 4.5 billion baht from Thailand."

But the funding seems to come from the Japanese and not from the Thai government. If true, the Junta-led government continues a policy of not supporting economic stimulus for the Thai infrastructure. Good for Japan's economic growth, bad for Thailand's econmic growth.

That's the spirit! Tell those Japanese that Thailand doesn't need their money