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Bkk articles 13 Sept
Bangkok Post Tuesday September 13, 1994
Home and Regional News
Burma envoy bids Chuan farewell
(PHOTO: Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai welcomes outgoing Burmese
Ambassador to Thailand U Phone Myint who called on him at
Government House yesterday to say farewell before taking up his next
posting in Seoul.)
OUTGOING Burmese Ambassador to Thailand U Phone Myint
yesterday reaffirmed his country's wishes for peace and stability, saying
that current political developments were the result of ongoing
democratic reforms.
Mr U Phone Myint made the statement during a courtesy call to bid
farewell to Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai at Government House
yesterday morning, after completing his mission in Bangkok.
He has been reassigned ambassador to Seoul.
The ambassador said Burma was pleased with bilateral relations
between the two neighbours, especially economic relations following
the signing, on September 9, of the 30-year Yadana gas sale agreement
worth some 10 billion baht each year.
He thanked Thailand for inviting Burma as guest to the 27th annual
meeting of the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok in July.
Mr Chuan replied that even though Thailand was initially criticised for
the invitation, he was pleased the international community has
developed a better understanding of Burma and there was a trend
towards accepting the ASEAN-sponsored constructive engagement
policy towards that country.
He congratulated the ambassador for his contribution to better bilateral
relations, especially his understanding of the border issues.
Mr Chuan reiterated Thailand's policy towards Burma's minorities, some
of whom live along the 2,000-kilometre common border, saying it
adhered to the humanitarian principles in granting them temporary
refuge without intending to allow foreign fugitives to remain in the
country.
He said Thailand was in a difficult position because of criticism from
human rights organisations and the international community.
"However, Thailand considers Burma not only a neighbour, but a
brother who shares a similar culture and religion. Thailand wishes to see
peace and stability in Burma, as well as political and economic
development. Thailand cannot prosper alone, as problems inside Burma
affect us too."
Mr U Phone Myint said he will convey Mr Chuan's message to his
government, formally known as the State Law and Order Restoration
Council.
Bangkok Post Tuesday September 13, 1994
Home and Regional News
Burma imposes stricter border travel rules
Mae Sot, Reuters
BURMA has imposed harsh new travel restrictions in the country's
southeast, apparently in an attempt to stop people going to Thailand to
find work, Burmese traders said yesterday.
Burmese people in the border town of Myawadi must notify military
authorities if they want to travel from their homes for any reason,
including going to nearby forest areas for work or to travel to Thailand
the traders said.
Recently, at least 10 people have been arrested and sentenced to six-
month jail terms under the new regulations said traders arriving in this
western Thai border town.
Last June, Burmese troops in Myawadi for the first time began
preventing people from crossing into Thailand, saying their labour
would only profit Thailand.
Bangkok Post Tuesday September 13, 1994
Business Section
ESCAP's role could support sub-regional transport development
by Nopporn Jampangoen
CONSULTANTS for Asian Development Bank say ESCAP (Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) has an important role in
developing and implementing transport projects in the six countries
along Mekong River.
Padeco Co, which has conducted a sub-regional transport study, and
Norconsult International, which has studied the sub-regional energy
sector will submit their final reports to the fourth conference on sub-
regional economic cooperation between Burma, China, Laos Cambodia,
Vietnam and Thailand. The conference will be held September 15-16 in
Chiang Mai.
Padeco has reported that ESCAP could support sub-regional transport
projects successfully by seeking the support and cooperation of its
member governments in adopting various transport facilitation treaties
and preparing a special publication on transport planning development
for landlocked countries with an emphasis on transport rights and
agreements.
The consultant also proposed revising the ranking of transport projects
into three tiers:
* First would be the immediate implementation of the Bangkok-Phnom
Penh-Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau road, the Thailand-Laos-Vietnam
east-west road corridor, the Chiang Rai-Kunming road improvement
project via Burma and Laos, the Kunming-Lashio (Burma) road system
improvement, the Mekong Delta Navigation improvement studies;
central Vietnam ports' improvement and the establishment of a sub-
regional transport forum.
* Second (1994-2000) would consist of improvements in: the Kunming-
Hanoi road; the southern Laos-Sihanoukville road, the Lashio-Loilem-
Kengtung road; the southern Yunnan Province-northern Thailand-
northern Lao-northern Vietnam road; the northeastern Thailand-
southern Lao-northeastern Cambodia-south central Vietnam road
corridor; the Yunnan Province-Thailand railway; the Yunnan Province-
Vietnam railway, the Thai land- Cambodia-Vietnam railway; upstream
Lancang-Mekong River navigation improvement; Cambodian airports
improvement project; Kunming International Airport improvement;
Burma's airports improvement; and establishment of new sub-regional
air routes.
* Third (2001-2010) would extend the sub-regional railway networks to
Laos through the first international Mekong bridge; Yunnan Province-
Burma railway; railway projects connected with mineral developments in
Laos; Thailand-Burma railway; Red River navigational improvement;:
and southern Laos-Cambodia River navigation improvement.
Padeco has recommended the following six national projects:
* Northeastern Thailand-Lao railway links
* New Phnom Penh port development
* Sihanoukville port improvement
* Cai Lan port development
* Thi Vau-Vung Tau port system development, and
* Yangon-Thilawa port development.
Padeco said these proposed projects would be successful if there were:
capable project management offices in each country and multinational
committees to assure cooperation between or among the countries
involved; and successful completion of the transformation from
centrally planned economies to market economics in the sub-region,
including opening up as much of the transport system as possible to
completion.
These projects would require; extensive personnel training; annual
preparation of maintenance plans on the basis of need, agreed upon
maintenance standards and traffic volumes; recovery of infrastructure
costs through user charges in order to raise public revenues and induce
economic efficiency by compelling users to confront the true economic
costs they impose; and implementation with minimum adverse
environmental and social impact.
A National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) source
said six countries had earlier agreed to implement the following five
transport projects:
* upgrading the Ho Chi Minh-Phnom Penh-Bangkok road link, including
possible extension to Vung Tau
* development of Thai-Laos-Vietnam east-west corridor involving
routes 8, 9 and/or 12 including associated ports and bridges which ADB
was considering;
* development of a road link between Chiang Rai and Kunming via Laos
* development of a road link between Chiang Rai and Kunming via
Burma; and
* upgrading of the Kunming-Lashio road system.
Norconsult International conducting the sub-regional energy studies,
recommended the following six projects:
* Son La and Ban Mai hydroelectric projects including transmission
interconnections
* gas pipeline from Vietnam to Thailand
* southern gas transportation system
* administration of petroleum resources
* a sub-regional strategy for natural gas, and
* a forum to resolve border disputes.