Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Tak to reopen today

Numerous cargo trucks are waiting in a parking area for clearance by immigration and customs officials to enter Myanmar via the Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot district of Tak province, which was closed unilaterally by Myanmar last August.

Myanmar’s immigration officials have notified their Thai counterparts that their government has agreed to reopen the bridge today, to allow bilateral border trade and communications between the two countries to resume.

Myanmar originally closed the bridge in a bid to cut the sources of revenue of various anti-government rebel forces, which had set up roadblocks on routes from the border further into Myanmar and demanded protection fees from hauliers.

Thitiporn Kasomsan, chairwoman of the Tak Tourism Industry Council, welcomed the reopening of the bridge, saying that the resumption of trade, tourism and other services between the two peoples after nine months of stoppage is very welcome.

She noted though that, despite the reopening of the bridge, land communication and the movement of goods from the border into Myanmar remains hampered by the current enforcement of martial law.

The Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge is a vital gateway for trade and tourism between the two countries, because other routes pass through rebel-controlled areas.