Dam runs into snag

Dam runs into snag

Environment

The Salween Dam project hit a snag yesterday, as only one of its trucks was seen coming and returning to the Burma side of the border with some 50 bags of cement.

The reason was Somkhid Onman a.k.a Sia Ord, who owns the Thai Sawad Co., a sub-contractor of the MDX Group, that had won a contract to construct the biggest dam in the region across the Salween from Rangoon last year. "He had applied for 300,000 liters of fuel, among others," said an informed source, "and as the Chiangmai governor had given authorization only for the MDX Group, confusion arose. The officials also saw it prudent to send in one truck first and wait and see what happened." 

A source from the border thought both the MDX and the local authorities might be concerned about reactions from the Shan State Army's 727th Brigade that is known to be active in the area. 

8 more trucks were seen still waiting across the border. 

Lt-Col Zaw Lin, Commander of Mongpiang-based Light Infantry Battalion 360, with MDX officials, had reopened the checkpoint at 09:00 yesterday. On the Thai side, there were only junior officials and traders who stayed there to observe the proceedings. "We did not close the checkpoint," said the informed source, "it was the Burmese who decided to seal it without even bothering to notify us." 

"On both sides, the word is that the checkpoint will be opened for trade beginning 15 December. But nobody is sure," said a shop owner in Nawng Ook a.k.a Arunothai, the Thai village near the BP-1, as the checkpoint is known. 

Before it was closed in May last year, Nawng Ook held a 3-day market (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) each week that sold goods from Burma.