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Secretary-1 attends signing of framework agreement for Dawei Deep Seaport, Industrial Estate and Road and Rail Link to Thailand Project  

       First-ever Special Economic Zone in Myanmar to be established                                                                                        

Nay Pyi Taw, 2 Nov-Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo attended the ceremony to sign the framework agreement for Dawei deep seaport, industrial estate, road and rail link to Thailand Project at Lake View Hall of Shwe Nan Taw Hotel, here, at 6:30 pm today.

At the special meeting of ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers held in Singapore on 19 May 2008, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand signed the MoU on implementation of Dawei deep seaport, industrial zone and road and rail link to Thailand.

According to the report of Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd of Thailand that conducted the feasibility study, the framework agreement was signed.

Also present on the occasion were Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister for Transport U Thein Swe, Minister for Finance and Revenue U Hla Tun, Attorney-General U Aye Maung, deputy ministers, the deputy attorney-general, departmental heads, the chairman of Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd and party of Thailand, Thai Ambassador Mr Apirath Vienravi and senior officers.

Minister for Transport U Thein Swe reported on matters related to the project. Chairman of Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd Mr Premchai Karasuta extended greetings.

Managing Director U Thein Htay of the Myanma Port Authority and the chairman of Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd signed the framework agreement on implementation of the project of Dawei deep seaport, industrial zone and road and rail link to Thailand. 

After the signing ceremony, the Secretary-1 attended the dinner hosted by the Ministry of Transport. Dawei Deep Seaport, Industrial Estate and Road and Rail Link to Thailand construction project is the first-ever Special Economic Zone in Myanmar.

The project includes construction of Dawei Deep Seaport, buildings for shipyard and maintenance work, establishment of zone, petrochemical industries, oil refinery, steel plant, power stations and Dawei-Bangkok motor road and railroad and laying of oil pipeline along the motorway and railroad. The project will be implemented under three phases within ten years.

The construction of deep seaport includes south port and north port. A total of 25 vessels ranging from 20000 to 50000 tons will be able to berth at 22 wharfs simultaneously and 100 million metric tons of goods will be handled a year.

An area of 250 square kilometers has been designated to build a zone where two heavy industrial zones on an area of 20.9 square kilometers, one medium heavy industrial zone on an area of 65.1 square kilometers, one medium industrial zone on an area of 58.6 square kilometers and one light industrial zone on 43 square kilometer, a public area with roads and parks on 13.5 square kilometers and a township community on 20 square kilometers will be included.

A power station that can generate 4000 megawatts will be built for the whole project. For distribution of adequate water supply in the project area, a dam that can store 219 million cubic meters of water will be built and water will be supplied through a water purifying plant that can supply 975000 cubic meters a day.

The 170 kilometer each long motor road and railroad that will link Dawei deep seaport to Myanmar-Thai border will be built phase by phase. the road will reach GMS Southern Corridor that leads to Vung tau and Quy Nhon of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam through Sisophon of Cambodia via Bangkok of Thailand.

The 220 meter wide road includes an eight-lane highway together with railroad, pedestrian lane, local road, Union road and traffic islands. Oil and natural gas pipelines will be laid in parallel with motor road and railroad.

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Minister for Transport, H.E. U Thein Swe delivered Keynote address in Opening Ceremony of the 31st ASEAN Ports Association Working Committee Meeting held in Myanmar.