Rangoon orders checkpoint reopened

[ausgeo@xxxxxxx]

June 16, 1997
BANGKOK POST

Rangoon orders checkpoint reopened
Supamart Kasem 
Mae Sot, Tak


The Burmese checkpoint in Myawaddy opposite Mae Sot district which has been 
closed for the past four days has been ordered to reopen by the Rangoon 
authorities, a Thai customs official said yesterday.

The reopening of the checkpoint will allow the import of goods into the 
country after a four-day closure, said the official.

Since local Burmese authorities sealed the checkpoint last Thursday, more than 
10 million baht worth of goods - fuel, construction materials, tyres and 
consumer goods - destined for Myawaddy has been stranded on the Thai side.

The stranded goods were checked by customs officials of the two countries 
before permission was given for the merchandise to be sent to Myawaddy through 
the checkpoint at about 9 a.m. yesterday.

A senior Burmese official, who refused to be identified, said the checkpoint 
was ordered closed by local authorities at Myawaddy without the knowledge of 
central authorities.

Thai sources, however, said Myawaddy authorities decided to close the 
checkpoint because they were still upset about a recent dispute over the 
dredging of Moei river which demarcates the border.

The Rangoon authorities recently learned the checkpoint was closed and have 
since ordered that it be reopened immediately, said the sources.

Meanwhile, Democrat MP for Tak Chaiwut Bannawat has called on the Foreign 
Ministry to urgently settle the problem caused by the poorly demarcated border 
during the Joint Border Boundary Committee meeting with Burmese officials in 
Rangoon at the end of this month.

He asked the Thai authorities to raise issues on cross-border trading and the 
abrupt closure of the checkpoint by local Burmese officials at the meeting.

Burma must be asked to give an explanation for the closure if it wants to shut 
the checkpoint again, said Mr Chaiwut, claiming the recent closure had 
adversely affected cross-border trade.