Thread: Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge closed by authorities

low level conflict has erupted between authorities, according to several administrators who have spoke with official in Myawaddy. The problem is apparently over the issue of Burmese soil being washed down and deposited on Thai soil

Utterly amazing.

Yup, too funny to be true.

please mister.
Can i have my sod back?

It's sad that so many people who have authority, so often feel the need to abuse it, and in doing so cause unnecessary misery in the lives of others. The above statement could apply to so many news stories.

Thai-Border checkpoint remains closed
Last Updated: 6 hours 55 minutes ago

Movement of goods across the Thailand-Burma remains suspended at the Tak-Myawaddy border checkpoint.

The Thai News Agency reports it's the second day the checkpoint has been closed.

Burmese officials shut the border at the Friendship Bridge crossing the Moei River and at over 20 cross-border trading ports on the Moei River.

Vehicles carrying goods were not allowed from crossing the border but foot traffic could cross the border normally.

Burmese authorities are reported concerned that construction works on Thailand's bank of the the Moei River, eroded embankments on Burma's side.

Yesterday a senior Thai military officer said Thailand was trying to resolve the problem through the Thai-Burma Township Border Committee.

radioaustralianews.net.au

I wonder do the Chinese go all soppy when their land disappears during the rainy season and heads downstream to Burma?

How fracking childish

I like it as a place for a border run - we've done it a couple of times and make a weekend of it including spending the day in Myawaddy wandering around the market. Thai's get a border pass for the day. There's some good accommodation in Mae Sot and the area is quite scenic.

My god isnt it amazing at just how trivial, some of the things are, that these people in authority hassle about

I don't believe it . Next they'll be wanting the water back that ran off the hillside .

Other bridges for trade between Thailand and Laos are called Friendship Bridges, but isn't if a misnomer to call a bridge between Thai-Burma a "Friendship" Bridge.

Who is Burma friendly with other than the Chinese?

Originally Posted by LukDod

Isn't if a misnomer to call a bridge between Thai-Burma a "Friendship" Bridge.

Thai-Burmese friendship stretches all the way back to Ayutthaya period and beyond. What else would they call it? "Nemesis bridge"?

Burmese authorities prove their worth again, but hassling their own citizens and damaging relations with neighbors. Nothing surprises me from a gov't that once canceled most of paper currency based on numerology.

Myanmar shuts checkpoint
Jul 20, 2010

BANGKOK - MYANMAR has completely shut a major border checkpoint with Thailand amid a dispute over construction of a river dyke, Thai officials said on Tuesday.

Myanmar had already prevented vehicles using the Friendship Bridge linking the town of Mae Sot in north-west Thailand with Myawaddy in eastern Myanmar, and since the weekend has also stopped people crossing on foot.

'Myanmar has completely sealed off the checkpoint since Sunday,' Mae Sot district chief Kittisak Tomornsak told AFP by telephone. 'Now we have stopped building the dyke.' The closure has affected traders using the bridge, although many Myanmar migrants cross the porous border illegally.

Myanmar is believed to be unhappy with the construction of embankments on the Thai side of the Moei River because they can cause erosion on its side.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had planned a visit to Myanmar in early August but the trip has been postponed, government spokesman Panitan Watanayagorn said, adding that the delay was not connected to the border issue.

'It's possible that the visit might be delayed beyond August because Myanmar has not yet set the exact date,' he said, adding that Thailand had complied with international standards in the construction of the artificial riverbank.

straitstimes.com

Originally Posted by crocodilexp

Originally Posted by LukDod

Isn't if a misnomer to call a bridge between Thai-Burma a "Friendship" Bridge.

Thai-Burmese friendship stretches all the way back to Ayutthaya period and beyond. What else would they call it? "Nemesis bridge"?

Burmese authorities prove their worth again, but hassling their own citizens and damaging relations with neighbors. Nothing surprises me from a gov't that once canceled most of paper currency based on numerology.

I think you will find that Thailand and Burma have always in history been enemies and that was the reason for moving the capital to where Bangkok is now.

The only trade that goes over the bridge and is taxed are products from/to the west or Japan. Locally produced goods and labour have, and will continue, to just walk across the river at low points when it suits factory owners, local immigration officers and local politicians.

mcot.gtis.co.th

Thai PM hopes Myanmar to re-open Mae Sot-Myawaddy border checkpoint soon
วันพฤหัสบดี ที่ 22 ก.ค. 2553



BANGKOK, July 22 -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said he believed Myanmar would soon re-open the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border checkpoint after Myanmar received information about and better understands Thailand's river bank protection construction project on the Mae Sot side of the Moei River.

Meanwhile, the postponement of his Myanmar visit indefinitely would not affect bilateral ties as the two countries are enjoying strong relations, the Thai prime minister said.

Border trade and transport at the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border was suspended after Myanmar officials shut the border at the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge crossing the Moei River and at over 20 cross-border trading ports along the river July 12.

It is believed that the Myanmar authorities were unhappy with Thailand's building river bank protection on the Thai side because the construction caused soil and rocks to fall into the river.

Mr Abhisit said the project was ordered to be suspended and information on the project was sent to Myanmar's authorities and from now on the two sides would hold talks under the framework of the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC).

The premier said Thailand would like Myanmar to re-open the border first and believed Myanmar will do so soon and after that the processes to improve understanding will start and information would be conveyed to the Myanmar government in Naypyidaw for decision to open the border.

He said Myanmar and Thailand are both concerned about their own river banks and worry that any construction could affect the river's course and the border line. Thailand, therefore, decided to stop the project and hold talks for clarification.

As for his official visit to Myanmar, Mr Abhisit said the scheduled plan had to be postponed as both sides could not find the compromised time schedule that could match up.

The Thai premier gave assurances that bilateral ties remain strong and that he has good relations with the Myanmar leaders and that cooperation between the two countries is running smoothly.

Mr Abhisit earlier said he would visit the neighbouring country in early August, ahead of its first general election in two decades, scheduled to be held sometime this year.

The Thai premier's trip to Myanmar was first scheduled last July but then was postponed as it coincided with the incident in which an American man swam across the lake into the home of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is confined under house arrest.

Mr Abhisit said last month that he will visit Myanmar for one or two days as part of his overseas missions to create better understanding on Thailand's recent political crisis and violent street protests.

mcot.net

Myanmar reviews border closure after negotiations with Thailand
วันพุธ ที่ 28 ก.ค. 2553



BANGKOK, July 28 – Myanmar will consider reopening the Thai-Myanmar border at the Mae Sot-Myawaddy bridge after negotiations with Thailand, Thai Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Wednesday.

The negotiation led to better understanding, Mr Alongkorn said, and the Myanmar officials will report the matter to their leaders for further consideration to reopen the border.

The deputy minister will report the results of the negotiations with Myanmar government on reopening of the Thai-Myanmar border at Mae Sot-Myawaddy Bridge bordering Thailand's Tak province to other Cabinet members on Wednesday.

Mr Alongkorn confirmed that the border closure would not affect the official visit of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in August.

The Cabinet will discuss adjusting working processes of the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) at local and national level in order respond to border problems more quickly and decisively regarding policies to avoid irritations being blown out of proportion and escalating to conflict in the future.

The ongoing closure of the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge and more than 20 ports along the Moei River since July 18 is to protest Thailand’s riverbank protection construction after no response from Thailand to its letter requesting Thai ambassador to Myanmar to hold talks on the issue.

The deputy minister said the problem must be solved, so that the two countries will continue cooperation in mega projects including Dawei deep sea port for goods transportation to Thailand’s Kanchanaburi through Laos and Vietnam.

The Dawei-Kanchanaburi investment is approximately around Bt400 billion (US$12.5 billion). Thailand wants to push the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border zone of some 2,240 acres as a special economic zone, within the near future. The issue will be proposed to the Cabinet for consideration next week.

Mr Alongkorn said the border closure since July 18 caused damage of about Bt88 million ($2.7 million) per day.

Exports in the first nine months of the fiscal year across the Mae Sot- Myawaddi border were valued at Bt25 billion (about $780,000) or 45 per cent growth.

mcot.net

Thai-Myanmar border closure due to domestic problem, according to border colonel
Dolsinee Kritayapimonporn

BANGKOK, 29 July 2010 (NNT) — The Thai-Myanmar border closure is attributed to Myanmar’s domestic situation, according to the 4th Infantry Regiment army colonel in Mae-Sot district.

The remark came on the heels of the Thai-Myanmar border closure as a consequence of Myanmar’s objection to the river bank construction on the Thai side.

According to Senior Colonel Padung Yingpaiboonsuk, the closure is an offshoot of the Myanmar troops’ refusal to follow orders from the central government.

Colonel Padung also said he hoped the two sides would mend fences soon, as the closure has affected citizens from both countries.

The Colonel also urged Thais to be patient and avoid doing anything that might exacerbate the border situation.

The Thai-Myanmar Mae Sot-Myawaddy border checkpoint has been closed since July 12th.

thainews.prd.go.th

Thai delegation held another talk with Myanmar counterparts on Fri
Nereita Tancharoen

BANGKOK, 30 July 2010 (NNT) – Thailand dispatches a delegation to negotiate the reopening of Thai-Myanmar border at the Mae Sot-Myawaddy Bridge.

The unofficial Policy Committee meeting between Thai and Myanmar delegations was reported to start off on Friday. The Co-Chair of the Myanmar-Thai Joint Boundary Committee, Vasin Teeravechyan had attended the meeting on behalf of Thailand's Deputy Minister of Commerce, Alongkorn Ponlaboot.

Mr Vasin led the Thai delegates to the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar across the Moei River in Tak Province this morning, amid warm hospitality provided by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, U Maung Myint at Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.

Such topics as the dispute over a river dyke construction in Moei River has been discussed at the meeting. However, citizens of both countries are now being able to travel freely across the border after the gate was closed for a while. The Burmese counterpart also pledged to continue the construction of the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.

Negotiations between Mr Alongkorn and Mr U Maung Myint had been held unsuccessfully for two times with regards to the disputed matter.

thainews.prd.go.th

Thai-Burma border closure continues
1/08/2010

The Mae Sot-Myawaddy border closure has resulted in more than 20 billion baht in lost revenue, Mae Sot Customs House chief Pimkanchana Lorsiripaiboon said on Sunday.

"The border has been closed for over 20 days and prices of many products such as seafood have soared," Mrs Pimkanchana said.

Taxis and motorcycle taxis were seriously affected by the continued closure since no people from Burma crossed to the Thai side, she said.

"The Thai government needs to negotiate with the Burmese government in an effort to restore the situation urgently," the customs official said.

Some people smuggled into the country to bring their children to doctors and buy Thai products in Mae Sot city.

bangkokpost.com

Thailand meets Burmese demands, border to reopen
Ko Wild
Wednesday, 04 August 2010

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A nearly month-long closure of the Thai-Burma border is set to come to an end, with multiple border checkpoints including the Friendship Bridge connecting Mae Sot on the Thai side with Myawaddy on the Burmese side, ready to resume business.

The deal was clinched with Thailand’s acquiescence to send construction materials to Burmese authorities, who are to take charge of erecting an embankment on the Burmese side of the Moei River separating the two ASEAN neighbors.


An illegal border crossing straddling the Moei River. Such points are vital to the daily livelihoods of populations on both sides of the divide.

Burmese authorities ordered the closing of the Friendship Bridge in addition to around 20 other illegal border checkpoints in early July in protest over Thailand’s construction of a river wall, which Bangkok claimed was necessary to define the international border.

Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce agreed to not only supply Burma with its own materials, but to defray all expenses related to construction on the Burmese side, a Thai official told Mizzima.

Burma, it is said, will only reopen the border gates once construction materials are received.

“Thailand will pay to build a river embankment on Burma’s side to protect the river bank. They began sending bags of cement yesterday,” a resident from Myawaddy, who is close to the authorities, told Mizzima on Tuesday. Another resident of Myawaddy said Burma has thus far received 40 trucks of cement and construction materials.

Due to the lengthy border closure, the usual busy trading center of Myawaddy had become largely inactive. However, some traders bribed Burmese officials with 4,000 kyats (USD 4) and were permitted to cross over illegally.

“Casual workers were affected. Peddlers, interpreters, porters, jewelers and small furniture-businesses were seriously affected by the closure of the border checkpoints,” remarked one border resident.

A Burmese journalist in Mae Sot added, “The city has become inactive. The Mae Sot Market has become sluggish. The border closure damaged the border trade.”

According to Thai government statistics, the total value of trade via border checkpoints along the Thai-Burma border is about USD 4,300 million per annum, with the value of trade via the Mae Sot-Myawaddy road alone is estimated at USD 724 million.

mizzima.com

Originally Posted by Mid

construction materials

Thai Soil ???