Dawei SEZ to be put on track

 December 2, 2017

The government will seek ways to put the once-suspended Dawei Special Economic Zone back on track as it is considered to benefit not only Myanmar but also the south-east Asia region.

“To implement the project, ways must be sought to hold talks between Myanmar, Thailand and Japan” said Vice President U Henry Van Thio.

The Vice President made the comment at a meeting with local authorities at the Dawei SEZ project yesterday.

He also called on authorities to resume construction of the two-lane road that would connect Myanmar and Thailand as soon as possible while taking measures for implementing other related works.

The highway that is part of the project would link Dawei with Bangkok and the Greater Mekong Subregion, while the deep-sea port would link Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with India, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, significantly shortening transportation time and eliminating the need to navigate around Singapore through the Malacca Straits.

The Vice President’s comments indicate the Dawei SEZ project that could result in thousands of jobs along the Myanmar -Thailand border is back on track after years of fits and starts.

A high-level committee and a task force have been formed in order to restart and speed up the Dawei Special Economic Zone.

The Dawei SEZ that includes a highway and a deep-sea port has been in the works for years. Myanmar and Thailand first signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the area in 2008, and two years later Myanmar granted a 60-year concession to the Italian-Thai Development (ITD) Public Company (ITD) to develop a deep-sea port, industrial estate, road and rail links to Thailand’s Kanchanaburi.

The ITD withdrew from the agreement in 2013 citing financial difficulties, before resigning the concession agreement in 2015.

Formed on 28 February, the new committee and task force will re-start the joint project between Thailand and Myanmar that aims to link the Andaman Sea to Bangkok and the Gulf of Thailand, according to the President’s Office.

At the meeting with local authorities yesterday, U Henry Van Thio heard reports planned for building infrastructure, resettling local people, and reviewing the project. During his tour, Vice-President U Henry Van Thio also assisted in development of tourism in Taninthayi Region. The Vice President also met with U Saw Hsar Pu and U Saw Tunar of the Karan National Union and discussed the peace process and regional development tasks.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar