SAMUT SAKHON, Aug 15 – Thailand and Myanmar are keen to jointly develop their fisheries business prior to the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), according to Thai businessmen in the seafood industry.
A 92-member delegation from Myanmar, led by Myeik Chamber of Commerce president U Hla Than, visited Thailand’s fishing province of Samut Sakhon to explore opportunities in fisheries investment in light of the more convenient transport and services between the two countries in the next two years when the Southeast Asian region is integrated under the AEC framework.
The Myanmar delegates visited Thai seafood markets, seafood processing factories and the Sin Sakhon industrial plant in the seaboard province.
Chumpol Sritaptim, a trade official in Samut Sakhon, said the Myanmar businessmen were highly interested in exporting fishing products to Thailand.
At least 45 per cent of fisheries products in Samut Sakhon are currently imported from Myanmar through the southwestern province of Ranong, he said.
He said the opening of a road from the Singkorn checkpoint in Prachuap Khiri khan to Samut Sakhon would facilitate transport of seafood from Myanmar and possibly elevate Samut Sakhon as the major hub of seafood trading in Asia.
