Myanmar-Thailand celebrate complete construction of 2nd friendship bridge

BANGKOK, March 19 (TNA) - The construction of the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge across the Moei River has been completed, with a ceremony to celebrate the development set on March 19. Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha jointly presided over the ceremony held to celebrate the complete construction of the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge on Tuesday morning. Accompanied by his entourage, including Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam and Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda, the Thai prime minister earlier arrived in Mae Sot area of Tak Province in the vicinity of the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge via a military plane from Bangkok. The 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, once opened for public services, is believed to considerably ease the congestion of the 1st Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, located nearby, for the cross-border transport of goods between Thailand and the neighboring country in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Besides, the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge will support growing regional transport connectivity networks, including those under the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) initiative in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and a triangle cross-border road project between India, Myanmar and Thailand. After the ceremony, the Thai prime minister is scheduled to hold talks with the Myanmar top politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate on bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring nations on labor and cross-border transport connectivity issues, as well as joint development projects of border areas and the solution to the problem of cross-border smog. Before leading his entorage to fly back to Bangkok later on Tuesday, the Thai prime minister is also scheduled to follow up the progress in the construction of Thailand's new border checkpoint structure and other border control facilities in Mae Sot and to meet people living in the border area. (TNA)