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Reuters-Myanmar, Thailand to resume



Myanmar, Thailand to resume border trade Sept 17 
08:25 a.m. Sep 09, 1998 Eastern 

BANGKOK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Myanmar and Thailand said on Wednesday they had
agreed to resume suspended border trade from September 17 using the U.S.
dollar as the currency for settlement. 



The joint announcement followed talks in Bangkok between the commerce
ministers of the two countries. Myanmar was represented by Major General
Kyaw Than and Thailand by Supachai Panitchpakdi, who is also deputy
premier. 



``I hope that the volume of trade will increase after the reopening of the
(eastern) Miyawadi trading point,'' Kyaw Than told reporters. 



Supachai said: ``The use of the U.S. dollar is acceptable as we don't have
to bother about currency fluatiuations.'' 



Flourishing border trade between businessmen at the Myawadi border town and
western Thailand's Mae Sot was suspended last November after local
disputes. 



Business was originally due to resume Wednesday but the reopening of a
bridge across the Moei River was suspended until after the talks between
the two governments. 



Since the border closure, the value and volume of trading in the area has
dropped sharply to around 70 million baht ($1.7 million) monthly from 300
million baht before. 



Thai-Myanmar bilateral trade in 1997 amounted to $484.2 million. 



($1-40.60 baht)