Negotiation in progress for border reopening

Chan Mon, IMNA

June 20, 2005

Three Pagoda Pass border would be opened soon after the visit of Thai Deputy Prime Minister visit, said a Thai-Raman businessman who accompanied the Deputy Prime Minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Chaturon Chaisang together with Kanchanaburi Province Administrator, and officials from other five departments, visited furniture and timber production factories in Three Pagoda Pass, Burma side to make sure that wood products are legally processed.

Mr. Chaturon met local Burmese army commander, making sure that the border was closed by Rangoon on May 20. Burmese military ordered to close the border trade after Thai Royal Forest Department ordered to stop importing wood products from Burma, according to the Thai-Raman businessman.

"There is a lot of complaints made by "Par Mike" (local Thai Royal Forest Department officer) to the Deputy Prime Minister, the wood were cut not from Burma, but from Thai soil," said the Thai-Raman businessman.

"I think soon we will here that the border will open because the Deputy Prime Minister has already investigated on the border case. He will negotiate with Royal Forestry Department to reveal the law to allow free trade of wood from neighboring countries."

But, some businessmen do not agree that the border will open soon.

"I don't think the border will open soon. Only if Thai allows wood products such as furniture, lacquer and "Parkay", Burma will open the border," Nai Thein a Parkay timber exporter said.

Thai has allowed such furniture and lacquer but not allowed "Parkay" according to businessmen. Parkay is a kind of timber and it has highest price in wood production; it has about 20 thousands Kyat per ton.

The import of Parkay to Kanchanaburi, Bangkok and others area has benefited Thai traders, where most of Burma businessmen have been relying on trading.

After the border closure, no Thai goods were allowed to import Burma territory.

Many Burmese residents faced need of food from Thai, such as fish oil, vegetable and others. Thai food price jumped in Burmese side and more that a thousand of Burmese furniture and lacquer workers became jobless, said the members of a furniture association. There were about a hundred more furniture and lacquer factories in Three Pagoda Pass, being a main business in Three Pagoda.

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