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¡¡¡¡YANGON, May 9 (Xinhuanet,by Duan Tingchang ) -- A four-day Thailand Trade Exhibition,which is the
fifth one, opened at the Yangon Trade Center here Thursday.
¡¡¡¡The exhibition, sponsored by the Department of Export Promotionof the Thai
Ministry of Commerce, is supported and assisted by theMyanmar Ministry of
Commerce.
¡¡¡¡The 108 Thai companies participating in the event have
set up atotal of 136 booths. Over 20 category of products are being displayed,
including auto parts and accessories, chemical products,children products,
construction material, cosmetics, electrical appliances, food products,
furniture, garments, textile and fashion accessories, household products and
kitchenware, leather products and footwear, and pharmaceutical and sanitary
products. ¡¡¡¡
¡¡¡¡Matyawongse Amatyakul, a Thai official taking part in the exhibition, told
Xinhua that the aim of holding such exhibition isto expand Thai-Myanmar
bilateral trade and to push the continuous development of the economic and trade
cooperative ties between thetwo countries.
¡¡¡¡He also said beginning this year, Thailand will hold trade exhibitions
twice a year in Myanmar to enhance exchange of commodities between the two
countries.
¡¡¡¡Myanmar and Thailand are neighbors, shared by a common boundaryof 2,096
kilometers. They are both member states of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast
Asian Nations) and BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and
Thailand-Economic Cooperation).
¡¡¡¡In recent years, especially since Myanmar joined the ASEAN in 1997, the
economic and trade ties between the two countries have become closer.
¡¡¡¡According to the latest figures released by Myanmar's Central Statistical
Organization, Myanmar-Thai bilateral trade amounted to852 million U.S. dollars
in 2001, accounting for 16.78 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade. Thailand
has become Myanmar's largest trading partner.
¡¡¡¡In addition to normal trade, the two countries' border trade has also made
considerable progress. Up to now, the two sides haverespectively opened three
border trade points along their common border. They are known as
Tachilek-Maesai, Myawaddy-Maesot and Kawthoung-Ranong.
¡¡¡¡Border trade has constituted an important part of Myanmar-Thai bilateral
trade.
¡¡¡¡To expand border trade and enhance exchange of personnel between the two
nations, Myanmar and Thailand have decided to add a friendship bridge at border
point linking Tachilek and Maesai.
¡¡¡¡Thailand is also Myanmar's third largest foreign investor only after
Singapore and Britain. Since opening to foreign investment in late 1988, Myanmar
absorbed from Thailand 1.29 billion dollars of contracted investment in 49
projects, taking up 17.43 percent of Myanmar's 7.398-billion-dollar total
foreign investment.
¡¡¡¡In 2001, Myanmar drew a total of 57.43 million dollars of contracted
foreign investment, of which 25.75 million came from Thailand, representing
44.83 percent of Myanmar's total foreign investment brought in during the year.
¡¡¡¡During the friendly visit to Thailand of Vice-Chairman of the Myanmar State
Peace and Development Council General Maung Aye in April this year, leaders of
the two countries held talks on enhancement of bilateral cooperation in the
sectors including transport, tourism, fishery and agriculture.
¡¡¡¡Besides, Thailand also made a promise to provide Myanmar with 80 million
bahts (1.9 million dollars) of aid and a low-interest loan of 300 million bahts
(6.9 million dollars) to help the country build two highways.
¡¡¡¡Previously, Thailand also extended two loans of 150 million dollars and
11.5 million dollars for building Myanmar's Mandalay International Airport and
upgrading of Tachilek-Kengtung highway.
¡¡¡¡Foreign ministers of Myanmar, Thailand and India also met here in April
this year for transport linkages of the three countries. The meeting decided to
construct a 900-mile (1,448- kilometer) highway from Moreh in India to Mae Sot
in Thailand through Bagan in central Myanmar.
¡¡¡¡On completion of the highway, it will greatly enhance economic and trade
cooperation between them and personnel exchange.
¡¡¡¡In the past few years, Myanmar and Thailand also successively signed
agreements on tourism cooperation and avoidance of double taxation, and set up a
Myanmar-Thai Joint Trade Committee. These moves have further brought the two
countries' economic and trade ties closer.
¡¡¡¡The rapid development in Myanmar-Thai economic and trade ties is
inseparable from the active push by leaders of the two countries. In the past
five years, Myanmar leaders Senior-General Than Shwe, General Maung Aye and
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt respectively visited Thailand, whereas Thai Prime
Minister came toMyanmar for two times.
¡¡¡¡This exchange of visits at high levels has pushed the development of the
two countries' economic and trade ties.
¡¡¡¡Development of friendly and cooperative ties between Myanmar and Thailand
will not only bring about well-being to peoples of the two countries but also be
beneficial to peace, stability and development of the region. Enditem
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