[Date Prev][Date Next][Date Index ]

[burmanet2-l] Burma Related News - Jan 18, 2003.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
BURMA RELATED NEWS - January  18, 2003.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINES
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters - Drugs to top agenda at Thai-Myanmar summit
Asian Tribune - THAI signs Burma deal
Asian Tribune - Win Aung, Myanmar foreign ministerWould arrive in India on
19.
The Nation - PM to Burma for drug talks
The Nation - THAI signs Burma deal
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------