Burma Related News - Jan 18, 2003.

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Friday January 17, 2:24 PM
Drugs to top agenda at Thai-Myanmar summit

BANGKOK, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Tackling drug trafficking will top the agenda of a summit between Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Myanmar counterpart, General Than Shwe, in February, officials said on Friday.

Thaksin told reporters he would pay an official visit to Yangon, his second in less than two years, on February 9-10 and discuss a "wide range of topics" with the ruling military.

Relations between the neighbours and historic enemies occasionally deteriorate sharply over Thai complaints about what it sees as Myanmar's failure to act on drugs and Myanmar accusations Thailand backs rebels fighting the Yangon junta.

Thaksin aide Pongsak Ruktapongpisal told Reuters the talks would include ways to cut supplies of heroin and methamphetamines from Myanmar through crop substitution and tourism cooperation.

"We prefer to call the crop-substitution schemes development projects for people living along the hills at the border because Myanmar has been upset by allegations in the Thai media that it is a major source of drugs," Pongsak said.

The Thaksin government declared a much-publicised "war on drugs" after it took office in early 2001. Thailand and many Western countries accuse Yangon of turning a blind eye to the production of vast quantities of methamphetamines and opium by ethnic minority forces inside its borders.

This month Thaksin ordered officials to stamp out drug use and trafficking in Thailand within three-months, a task anti-narcotics and law enforcement officials say is impossible.

Asain Tribune

Date : 2003-01-18
THAI signs Burma deal
By Choosak Jirasakunthai

Bangkok, Jan. 18: Thai Airways International and Myanmar Airways International yesterday signed a code-sharing agreement for the Bangkok-Rangoon route. The agreement takes effect next month.

THAI currently operates two daily flights between Bangkok and Rangoon, while the Burmese flagship airline operates one.

THAI president Kanok Abhiradee said the carrier is looking into expanding its flight network in Burma.

THAI is also interested in signing more code-sharing agreements with other regional airlines, he added. THAI will join the Stock Exchange of Thailand's promotional road show to London and New York next week.

Meanwhile, Thai Airways International (THAI)'s cabin factor - the percentage of occupied seats on all flights - rose to 73.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year from 67.5 per cent in the year-ago period, THAI executive vice president, commercial, Tasnai Sudasna na Ayudhaya said yesterday.

Last October, the airline's cabin factor was 73.9 per cent compared to 66.2 per cent in the previous October, Tasnai said. It rose to 74 per cent lastNovember compared to 67.3 per cent in November 2001, he added.

However, the number of occupied seats dropped to 72 per cent in December, just slightly higher than the 69.2 per cent recorded in December 2001, Tasnai said. He attributed last year's 8-per-cent rise in the number of passengers to utilisation adjustments.

Such adjustments will continue, as THAI will offer three extra flights on its Bangkok-Beijing route during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, he said.

During low tourist season, May to June, THAI will participate in a promotion campaign with hotels and travel agencies, Tasnai said. The airline also plans to launch a new promotion to increase the number of business-class tickets it sells, he said.

Booking trends so far this year indicate that the carrier could see sales growth, but the possibility of a war between the US and Iraq is a concern, he said.

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Asian Tribune
Date : 2003-01-18
Win Aung, Myanmar foreign ministerWould arrive in India on 19.
Yangon, Myanmar, Jan. 17:

Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung will go to neighboring India next week for bilateral talks to improve warming relations between the two countries, an official said.

It will be the first official visit to India by a Myanmar foreign minister since the current military junta came to power in 1988.

Win Aung will arrive in India Jan. 19, at the invitation of his Indian counterpart, Yashwant Sinha, said Thaung Tun, the director-general of the Foreign Ministry's political department. The visit will likely last three or four days, he said.

Myanmar and Indian officials accompanying the two ministers will discuss cooperation and several issues including a possible visit to India by Myanmar junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, Thaung Tun said.

Exchange of visits is the core of strengthening ties between countries. Under the globalization period, no country can stand alone. Myanmar is playing an active role in regional politics," Thaung Tun said.

Than Shwe had visited India's neighbors, Bangladesh in December and China in January.

Myanmar-India relations had been strained since the junta came to power in September 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. But the relations have improved significantly since 2000 with the exchange of visits by officials from both sides.

Gen. Maung Aye, the No. 2 in state hierarchy, visited India in November 2000 and Jaswant Singh, the then Indian foreign minister, visited Myanmar in February 2001.

India is one of Myanmars major trading partners with Myanmar enjoying a favorable trade balance. India is also suspicious of its rival China's close military ties with Myanmar.

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The Nation
PM to Burma for drug talks
Published on Jan 18, 2003

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he would visit Burma next month for talks focusing on increasing joint cooperation to tackle drug trafficking.

"I will visit Burma from February 9 to 10. Topics of discussion will include border and tourism cooperation, with a focus on joint suppression of drug-related crimes," Thaksin said.

The PM also said he would seek a clear position from Burma concerning the burgeoning drug factories along the Thai-Burmese border.

"I will of course raise the problem of drug factories on the border.

"I will make it clear that the problem must be tackled as soon as possible," the premier said.

Thaksin has vowed to eradicate drug-related crime in Thailand and has accused Burma of being a major source of drugs, particularly amphetamines.

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The Nation
THAI signs Burma deal
Choosak Jirasakunthai
Published on Jan 18, 2003

Thai Airways International and Myanmar Airways International yesterday signed a code-sharing agreement for the Bangkok-Rangoon route. The agreement takes effect next month.

THAI currently operates two daily flights between Bangkok and Rangoon, while the Burmese flagship airline operates one.

THAI president Kanok Abhiradee said the carrier is looking into expanding its flight network in Burma.

THAI is also interested in signing more code-sharing agreements with other regional airlines, he added. THAI will join the Stock Exchange of Thailand's promotional road show to London and New York next week.

Meanwhile, Thai Airways International (THAI)'s cabin factor - the percentage of occupied seats on all flights - rose to 73.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year from 67.5 per cent in the year-ago period, THAI executive vice president, commercial, Tasnai Sudasna na Ayudhaya said yesterday.

Last October, the airline's cabin factor was 73.9 per cent compared to 66.2 per cent in the previous October, Tasnai said. It rose to 74 per cent lastNovember compared to 67.3 per cent in November 2001, he added.

However, the number of occupied seats dropped to 72 per cent in December, just slightly higher than the 69.2 per cent recorded in December 2001, Tasnai said. He attributed last year's 8-per-cent rise in the number of passengers to utilisation adjustments.

Such adjustments will continue, as THAI will offer three extra flights on its Bangkok-Beijing route during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, he said.

During low tourist season, May to June, THAI will participate in a promotion campaign with hotels and travel agencies, Tasnai said. The airline also plans to launch a new promotion to increase the number of business-class tickets it sells, he said.

Booking trends so far this year indicate that the carrier could see sales growth, but the possibility of a war between the US and Iraq is a concern, he said.

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