First round of Salween Dam survey c

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Subject: First round of Salween Dam survey completed: 

April 28, 1999

First round of Salween Dam survey completed

The companies carrying out a survey to build a dam on the Salween River in 
southern Shan State completed their first round of field studies at the end 
of March, according to a S.H.A.N. source that recently returned from Shan 
State.

The site being surveyed is a gorge about 6 km north of Ta Sarng Bridge, 
which links the roads between Mong Pan and Mong Ton townships, 90 miles 
north of the Thai border. The surveying began on October 19 last year, and 
ended on March 31 this year. 

The surveyors, including Thai, Japanese and Burmese companies, have now 
moved out of the area. The rock samples from the dam site were sent to the 
Thai border at Nong Ook, northern Chiang Mai province, in a convoy of Burma 
Army trucks on April 8. It is not known where the samples will be sent to 
for testing.

The Thai companies involved include MDX Power Co., the main Thai 
contractor, as well as AAM, which carried out the general survey, and GMT, 
which drilled and collected samples of the rocks on both sides of the 
Salween. The logging company Thai Sawat was also involved in transporting 
personnel and equipment.

Apart from Thai companies, Japan's Electric Power Development Corporation, 
and the Burmese Company Aye Chan Aye, were also involved.

During the surveying, security was provided by the Burma Army's No. 3 
Tactical Command, comprising Battalions 65, 43 and 225. Surveying was 
halted several times because of security alerts, owing to the presence of 
the Shan States Army's 727th Brigade in the region. 

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Shan Herald Agency for News 

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