A Thai Senate visits to
Nai Chan Mon, Independent Mon News Agency
June 27 2005
A Thai high-level politician
team led by a Senate
representing Border Affairs Committee paid a visit to
small furniture and lacquer factory in Burmese
territory of
customers have hoped that the border will be re-opened
next month, according the Burmese furniture traders.
It was the second team of
Thai political community
from
military General from Senate. About 12 Thai
representatives visited to small furniture factories
and had a meeting with Burmese Army commander in Three
Pagoda, Lt.
Col. Soe Htet.
“Thai delegates made sure
that how Burmese furniture
factories are operating, and Burmese commander also
proved that how they (the people) are facing the
problems after closure of the border,” said a member
of Burmese Furniture Origination in the border town.
The majority of Thai
customers who involve in trading
business of importing Burmese furniture, lacquers and
timbers have hoped that the border will be re-opened
next month, although there is no exact promise was
given by the Thai delegate, according a timber trader.
Three Pagoda Pass
Thailand-Burma border was closed by
the Thai authorities after
Department’s accusation came
up that the woods and
timbers in Burmese factories were cut in Thai soil and
stole into
Thai border authorities
ordered to stop importing all
furniture and lacquer from
the Burmese army declared closure of the border on the
next day and barred Thai trucks and tourists to get
into Burmese territory.
After the border closure,
majority of Three Pagoda
Pass residents in Burmese
territory faced many
difficulties the price of commodities and fuel
rocketed. All trading has been stopped and the
economy conditions have been deteriorated that suffer
most to the people in
furniture and lacquer workers became jobless and the
town become quite.
“Now we are thinking to let
our workers to go back
their homes (in
don’t know when the border will be re-opened and we
are hopeless,” said a Mon factory owner who keep his
worker after the closure of the border.
“If the border will not open,
this town soon become a
village, no trade, no people,” quoted a Mon community
leader during he talked to his friend about the
closure.