Border crossing goes legal

The Burma government opened today, ‘Htee Kee’ in Southern Burma, a new border trading post between Thailand and Burma.

Htee Kee is a border checkpoint crossing Kanchanaburi province of Thailand and Burma’s Myitta Sub-Township in the Tanintharyi region. The Dawei-Kanchanaburi road link passes through Htee Kee.

The opening ceremony of the Htee Kee border trading post was done by Burma’s Chief Minister of the Tanintharyi Region, U Myat Ko, and by Thailand’s governor, Mr. Chaiwat Limwannatha, of Kanchanaburi Province. Officials from the Karen National Union’s (KNU) Mergui-Tavoy District and the Mon also attended the opening ceremony.

Minister Myat Ko said in his speech at the opening of the Htee Kee border trade crossing.

“Our neighboring countries now have better relations and this increases benefits for local people and will help develop trade links. Following the opening of the Htee Kee border trading post, our government will facilitate and secure trade. The government will also implement telephone and mobile communications in the area and upgrade transportation.”

U Myat Ko said in his speech that the crossing will allow business people and citizens on both sides to trade and cross legally.

“Border passes and temporary borderpasses will be issued.”

Minister U Myat Ko the opening of Htee Kee border trading post is the sixth on the Thai-Burma and in the Tanintharyi region alone there are four trading post – Myeik, Kawthaung, Maw-daung (or Mo Daung) and Htee Kee.