Saturday, September 27, 2014

Thai leader to visit Myanmar next month to help revive Dawei projects

Sep 25, 2014
BANGKOK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thai leader Gen. Prayuth Chan- ocha will pay an official visit to Myanmar next month in a bid to push for the delayed Dawei deep-sea port and industrial estate projects, a high-ranking Thai diplomat said on Thursday.

According to Thai Ambassador to Nay Pyi Taw, Pitsanu Suwannachot, Gen. Prayuth has picked Myanmar in his first official trip overseas since he was named premier.



Besides scheduled meetings with Myanmar President U Thein Sein and other high-level government officials in Nay Pyi Taw next month, the Thai premier will visit the Dawei Special Economic Zone where the constructions of the deep-sea port and industrial estate have been largely delayed due to shortages in funding.

"Gen. Prayuth's planned visit to Myanmar will certainly shore up the confidence of the Myanmar government in the Thai government 's continual support for the Dawei projects," commented the Thai envoy.

The Dawei projects, implemented by Italian-Thai Development Co., had reportedly hit snags due to financial constraints.
International financial backing for the projects has been sought by the Myanmar government as the Thai construction firm appeared to be cash-strapped.

Thailand has planned to build a motorway primarily for logistical reasons between the northwestern outskirts of the Thai capital and a southern Myanmar border area inside Tanintharyi Region, covering a distance of about 160 km.

Meanwhile, Gen. Prayuth and the Myanmar government leaders will discuss topics involving migrant workers from Myanmar who may have entered Thailand and been employed illegally, Pitsanu said.

As many as three million Myanmar migrants are reportedly staying and working in Thailand, and more than one-third of them are in illegal fashion. Most are hired as crewmembers of fishing trawlers and unskilled workers at manufacturing factories and foodshops.

Daily tradings along the shared border between the two countries will also be discussed, he said.

Gen. Prayuth will also meet with some 2,000 Thai nationals who are currently employed in various industrial ventures in Yangon and elsewhere inside the neighboring country, he added.

It would be "unlikely" for the Thai leader to meet with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his planned Myanmar tour, according to the Thai envoy.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=243222

0 comments:

Post a Comment