7 Dec 2022
Trading
First anniversary of China-Lao PDR railway offers another export channel via Thailand’s borders to promising areas in China ... Read more
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22 Sep 2020
Thailand is facing hurdles in transporting goods across the border to Myanmar again after a recent announcement by Myanmar to tighten its cross-border controls as part of its COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Such controls include a requirement for truck drivers from Thailand via Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai checkpoint to switch shifts with a Myanmar national before entering the town of Tachilek. Myanmar has also imposed a cross-border quota, allowing only six trucks per day to cross from each side. Such trucks are required to register with Myanmar’s Road Transport Administration Department and comply with the regulations of Shan State’s Road Transport Administration Department, effective September 17, 2020. It is expected that such restrictions will directly hurt Thailand’s cross border exports to Myanmar via Chiang Rai’s Mai Sai border checkpoint. During 7M20, such shipments were valued at THB6.55 billion. Since the volume of Thai shipments to Myanmar is set to decline, there could be a shortage of numerous goods in Myanmar. ... Read more
25 Jun 2020
Border trade is an important product distribution channel for Thailand to neighboring countries (Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and southern China). Border trade shipments represent 30 percent of Thailand’s total export value from all cross-border channels combined. During periods of intense COVID-19 transmission,... Read more
10 Apr 2020
Plummeting oil prices and measures aimed at combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in some of Thailand’s neighboring countries caused our border-trade and cross-border exports to contract 8.6 percent YoY during 2M20. The spread of the COVID-10 respiratory disease in all member ASEAN states at this time will likely weaken such Thai shipments further during 1H20. However, Thailand’s border-trade and cross-border exports to Malaysia and Singapore have been supported by stronger demand for intermediate products that are essential for the production of medical supplies and work-from-home products, whereas our border-trade and cross-border shipments to Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao PDR will likely shrink throughout the year due to declining commodity prices. Meanwhile, China, which has survived the COVID-19 crisis, will likely be able to recover faster than other countries during 2H20 and this may allow it to bolster some export categories to Vietnam, though many Chinese export categories will have to depend on the recovery in global markets. As a result, its exports overall will continue to contract. ... Read more
15 Nov 2019
The latest development at the Thailand-Myanmar border this year is very interesting with the opening of the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge at the Mae Sot checkpoint in Tak on October 31, 2019. The new bridge was built to ease traffic congestion at the first friendship bridge. Moreover, the authorities have planned to extend the business hours to facilitate the transport activities there. Additionally, the Initial Implementation of Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (IICBTA) for countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and its addendum, that Myanmar commenced the agreement with Thailand on October 22, 2019, will facilitate transport at the Myawaddy-Mae Sot checkpoint in Tak. Authorized vehicles from each side will be able to cross the border and be granted a permit to stay in the other country for 30 days. Therefore, cargo trucks from Myanmar can cross the Mae Sot checkpoint to two destinations, namely, Laem Chabang Port, Chon Buri, and the border province of Mukdahan. At the same time, vehicles from Thailand can carry goods from the Mae Sot checkpoint all the way to the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Yangon (extended from Myawaddy originally). This will help Thai companies save time and transport costs and facilitate exports via cross-border trade.... Read more
28 Sep 2018
Over the first eight months of 2018, Thailand’s border trade and transit trade were valued at THB922.312 billion, growing 6.5 percent YoY. Although growth was slower than the 9.8-percent pace reported in 2017, KResearch views that the THB-denominated amount of our border trade and transit trade for the entire year will increase around 7.5 percent, given high oil prices and foreign exchange rates that will likely soften compared to the previous year.... Read more