Thai and Myanmar officials marked the 20th anniversary yesterday of the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge over the Moei River, a transport link that has played a key role in boosting border trade and tourism worth millions of baht.
Travel has developed from small ferries carrying people and goods between the Myanmar town of Myawaddy and Tak's Mae Sot district in northwestern Thailand to booming cross-border trade enabled by the bridge, which was officially opened on Aug 15, 1997.
Former Tak MP Udon Tantisunthon joined businessmen and senior officials including deputy Tak governor and the governor of Myawaddy in celebrating the occasion yesterday.
Mr Udon was instrumental in pushing the bridge project forward.
Looking back to the early days of the 420-metre bridge, he said its benefits soon outweighed expectations.
It was originally intended to boost diplomatic ties, bolster cross-border economic activities and respond to the United Nations' call to foster closer infrastructural links to neighbouring countries, a project dubbed "the Asean Highway" or "A1", according to Mr Udon.
International trade between Thailand and Myanmar has increased considerably, Mr Udon said.
Previously, trade value was limited to between 40 million and 50 million baht a month, but trade value at the Mae Sot border pass has since risen to 6-7 billion baht per month.
He said he expects total trade to hit 100 billion baht this year.
Underpinning this bustling trade is improved road transport. At present, between 100 and 200 trucks cross the bridge each day, helping Thai businessmen open a new market in Myanmar.
Tourists also benefit, Mr Udon said. Up to 300 vehicles of various types travel between the two countries every day, many carrying backpackers and other visitors.
The improved economic results and tourism boom have convinced the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration to further develop border trade.
The regime now ranks Tak as the most important of the 10 border provinces under its plan to develop special economic zones.
