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AP-Thai, Myanmar 1999 Trade Seen Up

Subject: AP-Thai, Myanmar 1999 Trade Seen Up Despite Border Closure

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Thursday, November 25 4:38 PM SGT=20

Thai, Myanmar 1999 Trade Seen Up Despite Border Closure
YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--Thai-Myanmar trade is expected to grow this year =
despite frayed relations and the closure of their long-land border for =
two months, the Thai ambassador to Myanmar said Thursday.=20
Two-way trade in the first nine months of 1999 totaled $382.7 million, =
compared with $410 million in the whole of 1998, Ambassador Pensak =
Chalarak told a press conference ahead of a Thai trade fair in Yangon =
Dec. 1-4.=20

"Since the border checkpoints were reopened, we hope business people can =
make up for lost time by increasing exports and imports," he said.=20

On Wednesday, the four official checkpoints, which are a conduit for =
trade across the over 2,000 kilometer (1,240 mile) common border, were =
opened for business again.=20

Yangon closed them after the siege of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok =
Oct. 1-2 that brought normally cordial bilateral relations to their =
lowest point in years.=20

The reopening came after a visit by Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan =
this week to Yangon to mend ties ahead of a summit of Association of =
Southeast Nations in Manila. Thailand and Myanmar are both ASEAN =
members.=20

Myanmar also suspended Thai fishing concessions in its waters after the =
embassy siege but Myanmar wants to renegotiate the concessions before =
allowing Thai fleets back in.=20

Pensak said in 1998, Thai exports to Myanmar were valued at $347 =
million, while Myanmar exports to Thailand were valued at $63.6 million. =


In the first nine months of 1999, Thai exports were $299.1 million, up =
15% on the same period in 1998. Myanmar exports were $83.6 million, up =
88%, Pensak said.=20


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<DIV>Thursday, November 25 4:38 PM SGT </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Thai, Myanmar 1999 Trade Seen Up Despite Border Closure<BR>YANGON, =
Myanmar=20
(AP)--Thai-Myanmar trade is expected to grow this year despite frayed =
relations=20
and the closure of their long-land border for two months, the Thai =
ambassador to=20
Myanmar said Thursday. <BR>Two-way trade in the first nine months of =
1999=20
totaled $382.7 million, compared with $410 million in the whole of 1998, =

Ambassador Pensak Chalarak told a press conference ahead of a Thai trade =
fair in=20
Yangon Dec. 1-4. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Since the border checkpoints were reopened, we hope business =
people can=20
make up for lost time by increasing exports and imports," he said. =
</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>On Wednesday, the four official checkpoints, which are a conduit =
for trade=20
across the over 2,000 kilometer (1,240 mile) common border, were opened =
for=20
business again. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Yangon closed them after the siege of the Myanmar embassy in =
Bangkok Oct.=20
1-2 that brought normally cordial bilateral relations to their lowest =
point in=20
years. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The reopening came after a visit by Thai Foreign Minister Surin =
Pitsuwan=20
this week to Yangon to mend ties ahead of a summit of Association of =
Southeast=20
Nations in Manila. Thailand and Myanmar are both ASEAN members. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Myanmar also suspended Thai fishing concessions in its waters after =
the=20
embassy siege but Myanmar wants to renegotiate the concessions before =
allowing=20
Thai fleets back in. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Pensak said in 1998, Thai exports to Myanmar were valued at $347 =
million,=20
while Myanmar exports to Thailand were valued at $63.6 million. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>In the first nine months of 1999, Thai exports were $299.1 million, =
up 15%=20
on the same period in 1998. Myanmar exports were $83.6 million, up 88%, =
Pensak=20
said. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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