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NEWS - Junta demands rise in airspa



Subject: Re: NEWS - Junta demands rise in airspace fee

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The article below indicates that SPDC is a absolute blackmailing and ramson
demand without understanding the propability. Stupid ! military mentality.]
Yet Thailand is going to agree to that?Thai FM is heading to yangon
tomorrow.
Surin should rather join Burmese democracy drives and have a meaningful
life.

panyoma/syd

Rangoon Post Co-Editor wrote:

> BANGKOK POST - November 18, 1999
>
> Junta demands rise in airspace fee
> Aviation dispute set to cloud Surin visit
>
> Nusara Thaitawat and Amornrat Mahitthirook
> Rangoon is demanding a bigger slice of the revenue from air travel
> between
> Thailand and Burma, or a major reduction in the number of seats on
> offer, an
> informed source said.
> Burmese aviation authorities told Thai Airways International to hand
> over
> 12% of the revenue from its profitable Burma route.
> If not, the number of seats available each week on the service, flown by
> THAI and Myanmar Air, must be reduced by about 1,000 to 2,500, the
> source
> said.
> The ultimatum has been issued as Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan
> prepares to
> leave on a visit to Burma tomorrow.
> A delegation from the Civil Aviation Department, headed by its new
> director-general, Sawat Sitthiwongse, is due in Rangoon today. Burmese
> authorities have rejected a written "provisional understanding" between
> THAI
> and Myanmar Air made two years ago which raised the number of seats per
> week
> to 3,800.
> They said that was 300 more seats a week than a formal agreement
> concluded
> about four years ago between the civil aviation authorities of the two
> countries. The number of seats was not a matter to be decided between
> airlines, they said.
> THAI currently operates 14 flights per week on the Burma route, using an
> Airbus, and Myanmar Air two, using smaller planes.
> THAI earns US$16 million a year from its Burma flights, of which it
> claims
> only 5% is profit. The route is one of its most lucrative as there is no
> competition from other airlines.
> Rangoon's demand for 12% of THAI's revenue was in total disregard that
> there
> are costs involved and only 5%, or $800,000, was net profit, the source
> said.
> Senior officials involved in the talks are playing down the issue, as
> any
> comment could further sour the already deteriorated relations between
> the
> two countries.
> An informed source said THAI was expected to table a proposal to help
> find
> passengers for Myanmar Air, and a more equitable profit sharing formula.
> Talks have been ongoing since early this year. One source said Burmese
> authorities have made it clear that the issue has to be settled without
> further delay.
> The delegation, which is due back in Bangkok on Saturday, is composed of
> senior officials from THAI, the Civil Aviation Department of the
> Transport
> Ministry, and the Economic Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry.
> Burma closed its land and maritime borders with Thailand in the
> aftermath of
> the occupation of its embassy in Bangkok on Oct 1-2 by Burmese dissident
> students.
> Thailand gave the raiders safe passage to the border after they released
> all
> hostages. Burma has demanded their apprehension and trial.



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<HTML>
<FONT SIZE=+1>The article below indicates that SPDC is a absolute blackmailing
and ramson demand without understanding the propability. Stupid ! military
mentality.]</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1>Yet Thailand is going to agree to that?Thai FM is heading
to yangon tomorrow.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1>Surin should rather join Burmese democracy drives and
have a meaningful life.</FONT>

<P><FONT SIZE=+1>panyoma/syd</FONT>

<P>Rangoon Post Co-Editor wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>BANGKOK POST - November 18, 1999

<P>Junta demands rise in airspace fee
<BR>Aviation dispute set to cloud Surin visit

<P>Nusara Thaitawat and Amornrat Mahitthirook
<BR>Rangoon is demanding a bigger slice of the revenue from air travel
<BR>between
<BR>Thailand and Burma, or a major reduction in the number of seats on
<BR>offer, an
<BR>informed source said.
<BR>Burmese aviation authorities told Thai Airways International to hand
<BR>over
<BR>12% of the revenue from its profitable Burma route.
<BR>If not, the number of seats available each week on the service, flown
by
<BR>THAI and Myanmar Air, must be reduced by about 1,000 to 2,500, the
<BR>source
<BR>said.
<BR>The ultimatum has been issued as Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan
<BR>prepares to
<BR>leave on a visit to Burma tomorrow.
<BR>A delegation from the Civil Aviation Department, headed by its new
<BR>director-general, Sawat Sitthiwongse, is due in Rangoon today. Burmese
<BR>authorities have rejected a written "provisional understanding" between
<BR>THAI
<BR>and Myanmar Air made two years ago which raised the number of seats
per
<BR>week
<BR>to 3,800.
<BR>They said that was 300 more seats a week than a formal agreement
<BR>concluded
<BR>about four years ago between the civil aviation authorities of the
two
<BR>countries. The number of seats was not a matter to be decided between
<BR>airlines, they said.
<BR>THAI currently operates 14 flights per week on the Burma route, using
an
<BR>Airbus, and Myanmar Air two, using smaller planes.
<BR>THAI earns US$16 million a year from its Burma flights, of which it
<BR>claims
<BR>only 5% is profit. The route is one of its most lucrative as there
is no
<BR>competition from other airlines.
<BR>Rangoon's demand for 12% of THAI's revenue was in total disregard that
<BR>there
<BR>are costs involved and only 5%, or $800,000, was net profit, the source
<BR>said.
<BR>Senior officials involved in the talks are playing down the issue,
as
<BR>any
<BR>comment could further sour the already deteriorated relations between
<BR>the
<BR>two countries.
<BR>An informed source said THAI was expected to table a proposal to help
<BR>find
<BR>passengers for Myanmar Air, and a more equitable profit sharing formula.
<BR>Talks have been ongoing since early this year. One source said Burmese
<BR>authorities have made it clear that the issue has to be settled without
<BR>further delay.
<BR>The delegation, which is due back in Bangkok on Saturday, is composed
of
<BR>senior officials from THAI, the Civil Aviation Department of the
<BR>Transport
<BR>Ministry, and the Economic Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry.
<BR>Burma closed its land and maritime borders with Thailand in the
<BR>aftermath of
<BR>the occupation of its embassy in Bangkok on Oct 1-2 by Burmese dissident
<BR>students.
<BR>Thailand gave the raiders safe passage to the border after they released
<BR>all
<BR>hostages. Burma has demanded their apprehension and trial.</BLOCKQUOTE>
&nbsp;</HTML>

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