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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.