Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Emphasizes Importance of Dawei Port, Myanmar

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, visiting Japan, told on Wednesday Dawei port construction in Myanmar can lead to national economic growth, enhancement of regional cooperative network as well as attraction for overseas enterprises’ investment in the surrounding areas, including Japanese investment in Thailand. Dawei port development would help realization of Thai national project to build an integrated steel plant in the area near Dawei port. However, the integrated steel plant project is likely to delay since Thai government is taking most precedence on flood problem.

Prime Minister Yingluck gave a speech at Thai Investment Seminar held by the Board of Investment of Thailand, Thai embassy, Japan ASEAN Center and Japan External Trade Organization in Tokyo on March 7. She explained the governmental actions for the flood problem and predicted Thai economic growth rate would be 5.5-6.5% in CY2012. She emphasized Thailand could remain one of the best investable countries for Japanese manufacturing industry.

Dawei port project involves construction of a deep sea port and a huge industrial estate. The constructions are ongoing by Thai and Italian enterprises with governmental supports of Thailand and Myanmar. The completion is scheduled in CY2015. Thai government plans to organize logistic infrastructure reaching India and European market for the integrated steel plant project.

Thai government announced the integrated steel plant plan in CY2007. However, the project hasn’t actually progressed due to political unrests and environmental affairs, not having decided the construction area and the inviting offshore steel makers.