A furniture or lacquer factory has to pay three hundreds thousands kyat for concession

Independent Mon News Agency

August 2, 2004

Each furniture or lacquer factory in Three Pagoda Pass has to pay three hundreds thousands kyat (about 300 $ US) to the Burmese military government for factory concession and they have to pay log permission too to open their factory again according to the furniture and lacquer factories owners.

“We also have to pay eight thousands kyat every year for extending concession and 25 thousands kyat (about 30 $ US) for a ton to buy log permission, said Mr. Nai Htay a furniture factory owner.

“Now some furniture and lacquer factories owners are co-operating each other under a name of factory and fill the permission form for factory and log to share for the payment,” Nai Htay added.

“The Burmese authorities only allowed 30 tons of logs for a year of the factory permission form,” he added.

“Now more than 30 factories owners filled the form of permission to the government authorities as legal factory,” said Mr. Nai Myit Hlaing a member of Furniture Factory Association.

“After the factories owners have stopped filling the form, U Aye Ko and some leaders, from the association, will apply the permission form to the Karen State Peace and Development Council. But we do not know how many tons of log will be allowed and wanted us to do permission by the KPDC,” said Mr Nai Myit.

After the factories owners agreed to do permission, the military government authorities in Three Pagoda Pass permitted to open the factories and deported furniture to Thailand according to Furniture Factory Association members.

“The government gave a key to open the factory on July 29 and ordered to the factories owners who do not have permission, they will not be allowed to open the factory in the next year,” said Mr Nai Myit

According to the Association members, there are no factories being opening as legal before the factory run more than 6 years ago.

In Three Pagoda Pass, there are more than two hundred factories, which is the biggest business and thousand of local residents relying on it.

However, on July 7, 2004 the factories owners were ordered by the Burmese military authorities to close the factories and to make permission.

For further information, please contact to Independent Mon News Agency
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