TAK : The planned Mae Sot special economic zone should be linked with other megaprojects in Myanmar, Thailand's ambassador to Myanmar Pisanu Suvanajata says.
Linked development would bring extensive benefits to local businesses and residents in Tak's Mae Sot district, he said, with Myanmar experiencing rapid change and economic growth.
Businesses and residents in Mae Sot district must pay close attention to the development projects to protect their economic interests, he said.
The ambassador, who led a study on the Mae Sot project and the Myawaddy economic zone, was speaking yesterday to the heads of government agencies in Mae Sot.
He said the Myanmar government has reached ceasefire agreements with several ethnic minority groups and the country has become more democratic.
Changes in Myanmar have restored confidence among investors who may want to do business there, he said.
He urged local businesses and residents to help find ways to link the Mae Sot economic zone to other megaprojects in Myanmar as those projects would result in big benefits for the locals.
Among those projects were the Yangon and Rakhine economic development zones, and the Dawei deep-sea port project in eastern Myanmar.
A source said Mr Pisanu's delegation visited Mae Sot border district to get details of the special economic zone.
The delegation plans to inspect border checkpoints along the Thai-Myanmar border in several provinces including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. The inspections would be aimed at finding ways to upgrade them from temporary to permanent crossings ahead of the establishment of the Asean Community in 2015.