Chiang Rai Officials Look to Boost Further Trade with Myanmar

 

CHIANG RAI – Gen Chettha Thanajaro, President of the Thai-Myanmar Cultural and Economic Cooperation Association (TMCECA)  presided over the seminar on the ‘Knowledge for Border Trade’ in Chiang Rai province with participants from the government sector, the private sector, and the general public.

He has said that Thailand and Myanmar are now seeing higher trade value amongst each other, while SMEs in Thailand still have insufficient investment knowledge to penetrate Myanmar.

In the seminar, the TMCECA’s Chiang Rai Branch President Pakaimas Vierra disclosed that the increased connectivity from Mae Sai District of Thailand into the Shan State of Myanmar plays great role in facilitating the border trade.

She has said that the Mae Sai – Tachileik border trade is growing, but the goods transport from Mae Sai to Taunggyi is still an issue.

The Thailand-Myanmar cooperation to construct the R3B road from Keng Tung to Taunggyi will benefit the trade, while the delayed action on this matter will cause Thailand to lose trade opportunities, said the TMCECA’s Chiang Rai Branch President.

On this matter, the TMCECA President has said that he will present this agenda to the government for the concrete promotions in enhancing connectivity.

Meanwhile, the Thailand Commercial Minister Counsellor to Myanmar Boon Intiratana has said that the border trade between Thailand and Myanmar at Mae Hong Son, Mae Sod, and Mae Sai border has the total trade value of 4 billion US dollars.

He agrees that the cooperation to increase road connectivity from Mae Sai to Keng Tung and Taunggyi will help raise trade capability and the competitiveness in addition to Myanmar’s 93 percent tax discount policy after the integration of ASEAN Community.

He has also stated that he will work to help create closer trade cooperation and better relations between both countries. – See more at: http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/NewsEN/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNECO5803010010008#sthash.lsvGhjbn.dpuf