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AFP-Myanmar Seeks More Revenue From

Subject: AFP-Myanmar Seeks More Revenue From Thai Airways

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Thursday, November 18 7:32 PM SGT=20

Myanmar Seeks More Revenue From Thai Airways
BANGKOK (AP)--Myanmar's aviation authority is in negotiations with Thai =
Airways International for a bigger share of the revenue the Thai carrier =
makes for flying to Myanmar's capital, Yangon, officials said Thursday.=20
Sayamol Khajadphai, a spokeswoman for Thai Airways, said the Myanmar =
government is seeking as much as 12% of Thai's estimated $16 million =
annual revenue from the route or face a cut in the current 14 flights a =
week.=20

"It is true that we make money from flying this route, but we have to =
pay for operating costs," Sayamol said. "The profit is a small portion =
and it is a lot less than what they have asked for."=20

A Myanmar government spokesman, on customary condition of anonymity, =
said the negotiations were based on "universally accepted norms" and any =
comment at this stage would be premature.=20

The Bangkok Post newspaper reported Thursday that the talks have been =
going on since early this year and authorities in Myanmar, also known as =
Burma, want them settled without further delay.=20

The newspaper said Thai Airways profits from the route amounted to only =
5% of the revenues.=20

Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan plans to visit Myanmar in the next few =
days to improve relations soured since exiled student activists from =
Myanmar seized the country's embassy in Bangkok on Oct. 1.=20

They were allowed to go free under a deal that prevented bloodshed to 38 =
people they had held hostage, but Myanmar has accused the Thais of =
coddling terrorists and closed the border with Thailand in retaliation.=20

Thailand has since forcibly expelled thousands of illegal workers from =
Myanmar and ordered student dissidents, who fled a bloody crackdown on =
protests against military rule in 1988, to register for resettlement in =
third countries.=20

Surin said he hopes to resolve the problems before an informal summit =
next week in Manila of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian =
Nations, to which both countries belong.=20


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<P><B>Thursday, November 18</B> 7:32 PM SGT=20
<H2><FONT size=3D4>Myanmar Seeks More Revenue From Thai =
Airways</FONT></H2>BANGKOK=20
(AP)--Myanmar's aviation authority is in negotiations with Thai Airways=20
International for a bigger share of the revenue the Thai carrier makes =
for=20
flying to Myanmar's capital, Yangon, officials said Thursday.=20
<P>Sayamol Khajadphai, a spokeswoman for Thai Airways, said the Myanmar=20
government is seeking as much as 12% of Thai's estimated $16 million =
annual=20
revenue from the route or face a cut in the current 14 flights a week.=20
<P>"It is true that we make money from flying this route, but we have to =
pay for=20
operating costs," Sayamol said. "The profit is a small portion and it is =
a lot=20
less than what they have asked for."=20
<P>A Myanmar government spokesman, on customary condition of anonymity, =
said the=20
negotiations were based on "universally accepted norms" and any comment =
at this=20
stage would be premature.=20
<P>The Bangkok Post newspaper reported Thursday that the talks have been =
going=20
on since early this year and authorities in Myanmar, also known as =
Burma, want=20
them settled without further delay.=20
<P>The newspaper said Thai Airways profits from the route amounted to =
only 5% of=20
the revenues.=20
<P>Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan plans to visit Myanmar in the next =
few days=20
to improve relations soured since exiled student activists from Myanmar =
seized=20
the country's embassy in Bangkok on Oct. 1.=20
<P>They were allowed to go free under a deal that prevented bloodshed to =
38=20
people they had held hostage, but Myanmar has accused the Thais of =
coddling=20
terrorists and closed the border with Thailand in retaliation.=20
<P>Thailand has since forcibly expelled thousands of illegal workers =
from=20
Myanmar and ordered student dissidents, who fled a bloody crackdown on =
protests=20
against military rule in 1988, to register for resettlement in third =
countries.=20
<P>Surin said he hopes to resolve the problems before an informal summit =
next=20
week in Manila of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, =
to=20
which both countries belong. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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