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Thailand eyes transport pact with B
- Subject: Thailand eyes transport pact with B
- From: ausgeo@xxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 03:31:00
Subject: Thailand eyes transport pact with Burma
Date: 08 May 1997
Thailand eyes transport pact with Burma
The Nation
THAILAND will probe Burma's readiness to establish a framework agreement on
cross-border transport during a two-day visit, beginning today, by Transport
and Communication Minister Suwat Liptapanlop.
Deputy Permanent Secretary Sathien Vongvichien said that the agreement should
be in place in anticipation of the growing contacts between both countries,
particularly with the completion of the Friendship Bridge across the Moei
River at Mae Sot-Myawaddi.
Sathien said the agreement would be almost
identical to the one which government officials will sign with Laos, except
with a possible allowance for travel to and from a third country.
He said the bridge, which was completed just two days ago, will not be
operational until a mechanism to administer and maintain the bridge is in
place. Thailand and Burma last year put in place a cross-border trade
agreement.
Sathien said that during the visit, Suwat will discuss a plan to set up joint
committees at government and local levels to deal with traffic, customs,
insurance and jurisdiction issues.
Other topics include proposals to improve and extend road and railway
connections between the two countries. Thai officials will also discuss
improving the road from Myawaddi to Pha Ang and Rangoon with their Burmese
counterparts.
The Mae Sot-Myawaddi route is part of the Asian Highway being promoted by the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
The government last year approved a Bt300 million soft loan to Burma to
improve the road between Thaichilek and Keng Tung provinces which will link up
with Thailand in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.
Sathien said the government will propose that Burma boost the frequency of
flights between Bangkok and Rangoon from 12 to 14 times per week as part of an
effort to boost air transportation links among the six Mekong River countries.