CURRENT AFFAIRS ON THAILAND/BURMA

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Myanmar Closed Border Costs Thai Fishermen Millions, Paper Says

  
Bangkok, Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar's move to close its land and sea
borders with Thailand is costing fishermen more than $1 million a day, as
more than 400 Thai boats and thousands of fisherman have returned to port,
the Associated Press reported in an article published in the South China
Morning Post. Lost trade in consumer goods, building materials and petrol
along the 2,100 kilometer border is costing Thai businesses more than 25
million baht ($625,000) a day, the report said, citing an official at the
local Thai Chamber of Commerce. Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has been
seeking talks with Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, on fishing rights, and
has warned that Thailand may seek alternative sites in Indonesia and
Malaysia if Myanmar doesn't reopen its waters. 

Thailand angered Myanmar after it said it considered five armed dissidents
who seized the Myanmar embassy in downtown Bangkok to be democracy
activists, not terrorists. 

For the Web site of The Associated Press see NWAP <Go> For the Web site of
The South China Sea Morning Post see CNMP <Go> 

Oct/11/1999   23:04