On Tuesday, the township of Tachileik, Myanmar, bordering Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai province, brought in machinery to commenced work along the Sai River, which marks the border between Thailand and Myanmar.
The work follows an agreement between Thailand and Myanmar to build flood barriers and dredge the Sai River. The project aims to prevent future flooding, similar to the severe flood that occurred at the end of 2024.
Workers started by removing old stone walls built earlier, starting from the Pong Thoon community and extending towards the area near the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
Three key areas were targeted: near the bridge, under the bridge, and behind the Allure Resort hotel. The plan includes constructing a reinforced stone and concrete wall approximately 17 feet (5.18 metres) to prevent flooding and erosion.
Chiang Rai’s Deputy Governor Prasong Laon-on shared that Myanmar authorities have started dredging and removing obstructions along the Sai River on their side, near the First Friendship Bridge.
The Myanmar side is responsible for dredging the river from its source to where it meets the Ruak River near Ban Pa Daeng in Kok Chang subdistrict, Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai.
Myanmar authorities have also announced plans to build embankments in three specific spots along the Sai River in Tachileik, across from Mae Sai. These locations include:
- Under the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, measuring 60 feet (18.29 metres) × 2 feet (0.61 metres) × 17.6 feet (5.36 metres).
- Another section under the First Friendship Bridge, measuring 140 feet (42.67 metres) × 2 feet (0.61 metres) × 17.6 feet (5.36 metres).
- Behind the Allure Resort, measuring 180 feet (54.86 metres) × 2 feet (0.61 metres) × 17.6 feet (5.36 metres).
Reports indicate that the 14.45-kilometre dredging project along the Sai River, as part of the Thai-Myanmar agreement, has yet to begin. However, the work has been divided into zones: Zone 1 covers 12.39 kilometres, and Zone 2 spans 2.06 kilometres. Additionally, the embankment construction will stretch 3.96 kilometres.
There are also plans to dredge the Ruak River over a 30.89-kilometre stretch. This task is expected to be completed by May 2025, with a budget of approximately 100 million baht.
