NEWS - Myanmar-Thailand Bilateral T

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Subject: NEWS - Myanmar-Thailand Bilateral Trade Increases

Myanmar-Thailand Bilateral Trade Increases

               Xinhua
               26-JUN-99

               YANGON (June 27) XINHUA - Myanmar-Thailand bilateral
               trade including their border trade reached 50.63 million
U.S.
               dollars in the first two months of this year, increasing
by 56.1
               percent over the same period last year. 

               According to the latest figures published by the
country's
               Central Statistical Organization, Myanmar's export to
               Thailand during the two-month period amounted to 6.92
               million dollars, falling by 2.6 million dollars from the
               corresponding period of last year. 

               However, Myanmar's import from Thailand during the period
               increased to 43.71 million dollars from 22.91 million
dollars a
               year ago. 

               The figures also show that the balance of trade in the
period
               was in favor of Thailand as Thailand's export to Myanmar
               accounted for a high percentage of 86.3 of the total
bilateral
               trade while its import from Myanmar represented a low
               percentage of 13.7. 

               Thailand, one of Myanmar's major trading partners in
Asia,
               began formal border trade with Myanmar in March 1996 by
               opening three border trading points which are Tachilek,
               Myawaddy and Kawthoung. 

               According to official statistics, in 1998 the two
countries'
               bilateral trade including their border trade stood at
441.9
               million dollars with Thailand enjoying a huge trade
surplus of
               255.9 million dollars. 

               Thailand stood the second in Myanmar's foreign trade
after
               Singapore in the year, followed by Japan and China.