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Bkk Post - Rise in visitors to Burm



Subject: Bkk Post - Rise in visitors to Burma spurs call for border pass

Bangkok Post Aug, 9, 1999.
Rise in visitors to Burma spurs call for border pass
Preecha Srisathan

More audacious tourists are entering Burma through Kanchanaburi's Thong Pha
Phum district, giving rise to demands for the opening of a new border pass
to accommodate them. The popular route starts from Ban Etong, cuts through
Burma's Ban Hing Gong where the Yadana gas pipeline enters Thailand, and
ends at Kawthaung.

Security screening at Ban Etong is done by the army and is tight as it is
not a proper border crossing.

Tourists passing through must have clearance from the army, which takes up
to seven days to obtain.

A coordinator for the tourists, who declined to be named, said Burmese
authorities did not object to opening a new pass because it trusted the army
would do a good job screening tourists.

Burma would also benefit from the increased income.

Normally, a maximum 20 tourists are allowed into Burma on each tour. The
all-inclusive package costs 4,000-8,000 baht per head with accommodation in
Burma's southern coastal city of Tavoy.

Since the pipeline was linked, 11 trips had been made. Some stopped at
Tavoy, 140 kilometres from Kanchanaburi border, while others went further to
Kawthaung, also known as Victoria Point, opposite Ranong, which is another
five hours by speed boat.

The land journey to Tavoy is safe, with Burmese soldiers constantly policing
the pipeline route to prevent sabotage, the co-ordinator said.

Tavoy is a major port city of six million people. With a diverse ethnic
population of Mon and Karen, it produces mostly fishery products, rubber and
betel nuts. Fresh seafood is also exported to Kanchanaburi.

The city was once part of Thailand, but it was annexed by Burmese forces
after a war with Thailand.

Large sections of the population still speak recognisable Thai and show
traces of the Thai cultural heritage.

Brigadier Maung U, deputy commander of Burma's coastal patrol, said he
favoured opening a permanent border crossing because it would encourage
tourism and investment. He gave an assurance the Ban Etong-Kawthaung route
was safe.