Maungdaw: Burma's Prime Minister U Thein Sein is scheduled to arrive in Maungdaw on the western Burma border today to survey flood affected areas, said an official on condition of anonymity.

"He is coming to our town today along with many other ministers and army officers by helicopter. He plans to distribute some relief to flood victims in Maungdaw," he said.  

The Prime Minister's visit comes about three days after a team of high level officials visited the flood affected area.

The Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe, Minister of Transportation U Thein Swe, and Minister of Construction U Tin Swe visited the area on 19 June after the floods.

Local residents believe the visit of the Prime Minister to Maungdaw is related to wooing the electorate as well as surveying the floods.

In the past, such visits by high officials to Arakan State were rare, but officials have made many visits to the area recently, so residents believe they are for election campaign on the pretense of visiting disaster zones.