CNI News
5 May 2024

Although the Thai-Myanmar No-1 and No-2 Friendship Bridges as well as the Myawaddy border trade zone that were closed due to the battles that were taking place in Myawaddy Township, Karen State have been reopened, trucks still have not been able to be used to carry goods, according to traders. 

Though trucks were allowed to pass on the Thai-Myanmar No.2 Friendship Bridge on 30th April, it is not convenient for the trucks from other regions and states to go or come because the Asia Road is damaged reportedly.

At present trucks were going and coming only on forest roads and at the border trade zone, the Thai commodities only were entering, U Thant Zin Tun, a corn trader, told CNI News. 

" 12 wheel trucks carrying onion have been going and coming on forest roads only for long. On the Asia Road, a bridge has not been built as yet at Taw Naw Waterfall. But the No-2 Bridge has been reopened. The Thai goods are entering. The bridges have been reopened. But we haven't used the Asia Road on which many bridges have been broken." he said.

While seeing the KNLA/PDF joint forces

The battles have been breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the KNU/PDF joint forces since early April within Karen State.

Import/export activities and sending MoU workers through the Thai-Myanmar No-1 and No-2 Bridges were temporarily suspended starting from 21st April.

But  now No-1 and No-2 Friendship Bridges will have been opened from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Although it was reported that the Asia Road had been reopened, truck drivers did not dare to go. So, they were not hired, U Aung Myint, an onion trader from Myingyan, told CNI News.

While seeing the Myawaddy Economic Zone

" Both Friendship Bridges have been reopened. Trucks can go on the Asia Road. But truck drivers don't dare to go." he said.

The trade value of the Thai-Myanmar border trade using the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Asia Road was 5,355 million dollars from 1st April to 31st March in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

However, in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the trade plus is only 4,428 million dollars, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce.