Mae Sot - Myanmar Border Still Closed

Burma still closes border following coup

MAE SOT, TAK: Burmese officials still close their border checkpoint opposite Mae Sot, causing trucks of Thai firms carrying sea foods form Burma to Thailand left stranded there since Tuesday.

Krissada Thongthammachart, Mae Sot customs chief, said Burmese officials claimed that they were still awaiting order from their superiors in the Burmese capital to reopen the border pass.

Krissada said the officials declined to reopen the border pass because Thailand closed their checkpoint on Thai side on Tuesday without informing their Burmese counterparts first.

A source claimed that sea foods in the Thai trucks had started to rotten, causing damages worth some Bt50 million.

-- The Nation 2006-09-24