U Zaw Min cautioned that it may be a “risk to open it soon” as the TPP “is not well and fully equipped” but it’s necessary for the tourism revenue it will generate. There will also be an increase in traffic following the construction on the Thanbyuzayat and TPP-Kyarinnseikkyi highways. The drafts are already finished and construction will start at the end of the rainy season.

The chief minister also said TPP will become a township. Currently it is a sub-township, which means banks and court building can’t be opened like in other border crossings like Tachileik and Myawaddy.

IMG_7813The exact location of the Thai/Burma border is another issue that will be needed to be ironed out before opening.
According to one governmental staff “if the border is opened” areas that are currently occupied by Thai shop owners will become “officially legalized”. The government worker advised that the border shouldn’t be opened until the border is agreed upon by both the Burmese and Thai government.

Following on the border opening announcement,12 Thai government officials led by Mr. Chaiwat Limwanta and the governor of Kanchanaburi District of Thailand, met for a closed door meeting with U Zaw Min and others from the Karen State Cabinet at the TPP governor’s office.

The meeting was also attended by Karen State Border Security Affairs and Defense Minister Colonel Aung Lwin, Minister of Road Transport Authority U Khin Maung Myint, Minister of Forestry and Mining U Sar Law La, Minister of Finance and Revenue U Win Htein, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Min Soe Thein, Minister of Electric Power U Kyi Linn and two deputy managing directors from Ministry of Immigration and Population and Ministry of Commerce.

No agreement was reached as to the exact demarcations of the border that is separating the 2 countries, according to a Thai official in attendance.