Foreign ministers of Thailand and Myanmar early Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop Myanmar's Tavoy deepsea port and related infrastructure projects designed for facilitating goods transport from Europe and the Middle East.

The MoU was signed by Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and his Myanmar counterpart Nyan Win on the sidelines of a special meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Mr. Noppadon told Thai News Agency after the signing of the MoU that both countries would help develop Tavoy deepsea port, construct a 130-kilometre road from the port to Thailand and develop other related projects.

Upon completion, the port will facilitate goods transportation from Europe and the Middle East to Thailand's Laem Chabang port and cargoes could be easily transported to Laos and southern China from there, and transportation could be reduced by more than 10 days, Mr. Noppadon said.

The project fits very well with the West-East Economic Corridor, Mr Noppadon explained, adding that China is also interested in building a dual rail track with trains travelling at a speed of nearly 200 kilometers per hour.

The site construction survey is expected to be completed by the end of this year and construction is expected to take about six years, he added.

Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein invited Thai investors to help develop the Tavoy deep sea port during his recent talks with his Thai counterpart Samak Sundaravej in Bangkok.

Thai Transport Minister Santi Prompat earlier said that construction of the deep sea port would cost between Bt40-50 billion and another Bt100 billion would be needed for developing the nearby industrial zone.

TNA-OANA, 20.05.2008

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