The local Federation of Thai Industries in Tak province plans to push ahead with a scheme to establish a special economic zone across the Thai and Myanmar border after the two cities of Mae Sot and Myawaddy are twinned.

The Thai government is scheduled to discuss making the two border towns the basis of a special economic area when the cabinet has its mobile meeting in Tak on 19 October, Amnart Nanthahan, the chairman of the Tak branch of the Federation of Thai Industries.

Thai exports to Myanmar through the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border checkpoint are expected to reach ten billion baht at the end of this year, Mr. Amnart said.

This is much higher than at any of the other checkpoints along the Myanmar border. If the Cabinet approves the project, there will be further infrastructural development, including an industrial estate and a new airport, Mr. Amnart said.

The planned economic zone is expected to help boost bilateral trade and investment. It would also help create employment for Myanmar labourers so that they don’t have to cross into Thailand looking for work, Mr. Amnart said.

Meanwhile, the local authorities in Thailand’s border province of Mae Hong Son plan to hold a rally to promote cross-border trade between Thailand and Myanmar.

The rally is designed to promote a new border market in Muang district, scheduled to be opened early next year, the provincial governor, Supoj Laowansiri.

Although the actual date has not been set, it will be held later this year before the Ban Huay Phueng Market opens next January, he said.

The rally’s route will run from Mae Hong Son’s Muang district to Myanmar’s Doi Kor and Tong Kee provinces.

The local authorities expect the new market to help boost local Thai-Myanmar trade ties.

Local Myanmar products will be available at the new the Ban Huay Phueng Market, according to Phoolsak Suthornphanichkij, a member of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and former Chairman of the Mae Hong Son Chamber of Commerce.

In related development, Malaysian and Thai leaders are scheduled to meet next week to discuss cooperation in the development of their common border areas, according to the Thai Foreign Minister, Surakiart Sathirathai.

The two prime ministers will lead the talks on development at the summit to be held on Thailand’s southern resort island of Phuket between 13-14 October.

Thailand and Malaysia recently signed a Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS), aimed at boosting the standard of living of residents in five southern provinces of Thailand and four northern states of Malaysia.

During the summit, the two leaders will attend a ceremony to lay the foundation stones of a new bridge across the Kolok river, linking Thailand’s Narathiwat province with Malaysia’s Kelantan state.