Three Pagoda Pass Border closes with no limited time

Chan Mon

Independent Mon News Agency

May 20, 2005

Three Pagoda Pass border closes with unlimited time agreed by both countries’ authorities and the border close makes big impact to border trading, according to border based traders.

“Because our Thai customers informed us that the Thai authorities plan to close the border for one year period and so that we prepared to carry our furniture products to Thai territory’s markets. But while we were preparing to carry them, the Thai authorities closed the border at about 4:00 PM,” said Mr. U Soe Than, a furniture factory owner in Burmese side.

“We were banned to carry our products to Thai side. Many of furniture products were carried back by the owners,” he added.

Any vehicles from both sides were not allowed to cross the border and just only the people can walk pass the border point.

“We were ordered not to bring any of things from Thai side. Even foods and drinks cannot import to our Burmese side. It was ordered by our Burmese authorities,” Mr. Ko Aung a resident said.

According to Burmese businessmen, the Burmese authorities unsatisfied with the Thai authorities because of banning of the furniture exportsand ordered the Thai people not to import Thai goods.

The people in Burmese territory have faced food shortage problems now in the markets because they cannot import the foods from Thailand where they have been relying on.

Almost of Three Pagoda Pass town residents have been involving on logging and furniture business and they almost buy foods from Thai territory. There are about 25, 000 population in estimation live in this border town including the majority of day laborers. The civilians not only in town face scarcity of foods but also the villagers around the town will similarly face the same situation.

“According our experience, if the border is tightly close, it will make big impact to us. Food price will grow up quickly in Burmese territory. For the poor families they could not afford to buy some foods,” Mr. Ko Aung added.

The Thai authorities are not only closing Three Pagoda town border point. They also closed Hlockhani camp border point which is also in Three Pagoda Pass area. This border area regularly has arguments between the Thai and Burmese authorities because drug and illegal Burmese migrant workers’ migration into the Thai territory. Since March 2005, they have a border line argument between Thai authorities and Burmese authorities. They still could not settle the problem.

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