Cabinet nod for joint panels on Dawei

 
“In line with the Cabinet’s minutes, I have been appointed to sign agreements on setting up the joint committees. After that, all three panels will be invited to hold discussions in Thailand,” said Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul.
The first of the three committees is the Myanmar-Thailand Joint High-level Committee for Development in the Dawei Special Economic Zone and its Related Project Areas, which is a policy-level mechanism to be co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Myanmar’s deputy president.
The committee’s role is to push progress of agreements under the memorandum of understanding and coordinate promotion for development of the Southern Economic Corridor.
The second panel is the Myanmar-Thailand Joint Coordinating Committee for Development in the Dawei Special Economic Zone and its Related Project Areas, which will be co-chaired by PM’s Office Minister Nivatthamrong Boonsongpaisal and Myanmar’s industry minister.
The third is a subcommittee covering infrastructure and building, specific industry and business development, energy and community development, and rules and laws. Meetings involving each of these fields will be chaired by the relevant ministers from both countries.
 “As to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Myanmar, it is expected to be scheduled for early December,” said Surapong.
In a separate matter, the Cabinet yesterday approved a Transport Ministry proposal for an additional Bt5.4-billion loan for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to cover the agency’s fuel and maintenance costs.
The Finance Ministry will guarantee the loan, of which Bt3.6 billion will be earmarked for fuel bills and the remainder for maintenance.
In September, the Cabinet granted a Bt14.66-billion loan to the BMTA to repay debts due to be settled next year.