Deputy Commerce Minister re-visits Burma on Tuesday

27 July 2010 (NNT) – Thai delegates led by Deputy Commerce Minister, Alongkorn Ponlaboot visited Burma for the second time to talk over a disputed construction of a river dyke in Moei River.

Mr Alongkorn on Tuesday led Thai delegates to the town of Myawaddy in Burma through Mae Sot District of Tak Province to meet with his counterpart, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Burma, U Maung Myint and the Burmese delegates.

Both parties have discussed the issue of river dyke on the Thai side of the Moei River, which Burma reasoned as a main cause of the recent border closure. Burmese government was reported to be unhappy with the construction as the embankments can cause erosion on the Burmese side.

Mr Alongkorn, however, had asked his counterpart to open the area as both Thai and Burmese citizens had been facing hardships as there had been no trade movements since the shutdown of a major Thai-Burmese checkpoint.

The Deputy Commerce Minister has travelled to Burma for a second time as the first negotiation took place on Monday could not seek conclusion. Lunches have been provided for all Thai and Burmese delegates in Myawaddy by the Thai Chamber of Commerce.