Truce, visa exemption 'keys to bilateral trade'

Chainarong Keratiyutwong, Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission at the Royal Thai Embassy, said in an exclusive interview with Myanmar Eleven that national reconciliation plays a pivotal role in improving border trade and attracting Thai business people to invest in the neighbouring country.

“If you get a stable political climate along the border, we can make a move. Our people can cross and put a lot of investments along the border. If you have a good atmosphere in the country, it will help Thailand’s economy as well because Thai people really like to invest in Myanmar,” said Chainarong.

To attract more investments from Thailand, Myanmar must speed up its peace-building efforts and ensure that there will be no more fighting between the Tatmadaw and ethnic insurgents along the Myanmar-Thai border, he insisted. “I hope that in the next few months the ceasefire accord can be signed. That will be a good indicator,” said Chainarong.

Chainarong added that the legal framework which can attract more foreign direct investments are now under the consideration of Parliament. 

“We encourage investors and businessmen to come here. What they need to do is if they cannot make the decision right now, they should come and see. Finally, at the right time, they should come in with the capital,” said the minister.

He said a visa-free agreement is needed for improving bilateral ties.

On the negotiations for the visa exemptions, the minister said, “We already said it is OK for those who travel by air. The Myanmar side said ‘No, we want all - by land, by sea, also.’ If I were Myanmar, I will accept the visa-free (agreement) for those who travel by air first. Then I will renegotiate it to have the people who travel by land, by sea later. But they said no.”