According to Aurun Co. Ltd.’s managing director U Htay Twin, the Aurun Company has been awarded a contract with the Mon State government to establish the State’s resort project; the first stage of development will begin in 2015 with the construction of the project’s initial resort.

“We estimated [a] 12 million US dollar [budget] for the first step of this resort project,” said Managing Director U Htay Twin, “Based on the situation, we will then expand the project. We will carry out [the project according to] the rules and regulations of the Union Government’s Ministry of Hotel and Tourism, the Myanmar Investment Commission, and Mon State Government directions.”

The resort will be constructed along eight miles, starting near Ka-byar-wa Village along to the mouth of the Ma-kyi-chaung stream. In addition to bungalows, guest rooms, dining rooms, swimming pools, hotel office rooms, staff bedrooms, and parking lots, the resort will feature about 120 high standard rooms.

U Htay Twin stated that at the moment, the main concern for the company is to obtain the land for the project. According to recent land surveys, there is little vacant land along the beach zone, with the majority of the land surveyed for the project privately owned as local villagers’ orchards and plantations. When company representatives met with the Minister of Mon State, they were told that the state government would help the company negotiate land acquisition.

U Htay Twin continued that, with permission from the Mon State government, the Aurun Company surveyed land prospected for the project in April, 2014. The Company sent a land survey report to the state government in July, 2014, followed by a meeting with respective state ministers.

Along with this resort project, the Aurun Company plans to carry out local development projects as well, including projects to improve road infrastructure in order to establish easier access between villages, the development of healthcare departments, local libraries, markets, and trucks for local commuting.

“This project will lead to local benefits. The state government encourages this project, since its aim is to develop the tourism sector; it [the state government] will help with any sectors that it can. It [the state government] is negotiating with local village heads and local [residents] in order to get the land [for the resort project],” said Nai Lawi Aung, Mon State Minister of Energy and Electric Power.

According to the Aurun Company, it has long-term plans that will invite domestic and foreign investment to the area for local development. When the company sees positive results from this initial project, it will move ahead with several other projects, including high-rise buildings, nature tourism, environmental protection and marine research, and ethnic literature and culture development.

Ka-byar-wa beach is one of the nicest beaches in Mon State; however, transportation and communication infrastructure are in a bad condition and, with government troops and other unofficial Mon armed groups currently active in the area, the area has been designated by the government as a black zone.