Government working hard to electrify Dawei SEZ as soon as possible

05 October 2019
Government working hard to electrify Dawei SEZ as soon as possible
Photo: Aung Myat Thu/Mizzima

Deputy Minister Dr. Tun Naing of Union Ministry of Electricity and Energy said that his government was trying hard to get electrification which was one of the infrastructure requirements for the success and development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which has been delayed for various reasons.

Dr. Tun Naing who is also the chairman of Dawei SEZ Management Committee said that his Electricity and Energy Ministry was working to build a national power grid transmission line with a Asia Development Bank (ADB) loan in Tanintharyi Region which is the sole region of the country which has not yet been connected with national power grid.

“We have a Dawei SEZ electrification plan from this Mawlamyine-Yay-Dawei national power grid line after building this transmission line,” he added.

The Deputy Minister was speaking at a joint press conference held at the Park Royal Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw October 3 after holding the 9th ministerial-level Myanmar-Thai meeting for the success of the project in the initial phase of the Dawei SEZ project.

In this ministerial level meeting, the two countries agreed on seven points and the two countries will jointly implement the initial phase of this Dawei SEZ project.

Thai Transport Minister Mr. Saksayam Chidchob said at this joint press conference, “We pledge for a  joint implementation of both Dawei deep-sea port project and the road infrastructure to be completed successfully.”

They made the announcement in this joint conference that they would invite third parties besides companies from Myanmar and Thailand to invest in the remaining main portion of this Dawei SEZ project.

This Dawei SEZ has project area of total 196 sq. km and the initial project area which will be implemented with Thailand has just 27 sq. km. The remaining area will be built as the main project.

Dr. Tun Naing said, “Both Myanmar government and SEZ management committee seriously believe that the further work to be done will be more successfully and will be developed more rapidly than the current situation.”

In this first phase of the project, a two lane road connecting Htee Khee checkpoint and Dawei SEZ will be built and loan agreement for this road building project will be signed soon. Union parliament has already given approval to borrow 4.5 billion Thai baht for this project.

For the Dawei SEZ project, the high-level meeting between two countries will be held in Thailand soon.