The development of a deep sea port in Dawai in Myanmar is also perceived as a tourism opportunity for the neighbouring province of Kanchanaburi in Thailand.
BANGKOK- The Dawei Deep Sea Port project in Myanmar is one of the largest infrastructure project to date as it represents an investment of US$ 8.4 billion. The complex is near the Thai border going to the Province of Kanchanaburi. It is developed by Thailand’s largest construction company, Italian Thai Development Company. The project covers more than 250 square kilometres on the Andaman shoreline. It is planned to include the port but also industrial facilities a steel mill, power plants, a petrochemical complex and fertilizer plant which already raises concerns from environmental groups and surrounding communities in both Myanmar and Thailand. The project could be vital to Myanmar and Western Thailand’s economy: once fully operational Dawei could generate up to US$ 50 billion and could turn into a major maritime transportation with vessels bypassing the Straits of Malacca, saving up to three days in sailing time.
Kanchanaburi, the bridge over river Kwai
They are also plans to develop a tourist zone on both sides of the border with the Tourism Promotion Society of Kanchanaburi already looking at maximize the new infrastructure. The association wants to promote the province as a base to connect with the mega-project.
Thailand’s English daily, the Nation, reported that over 100 local operators gathered to look at ways to promote the western province and woo travellers to stay there if they do business in the area. The province is expected to play a role as a centre to process travel documents or create travel packages to Dawei before visitors return to Thailand for overnight stay.
The Tourism Promotion Society believes that lack of proper facilities in Dawei will then have a positive impact on Kanchanaburi which offers already some 10,000 hotel rooms, of which 10% are classified in the four-and five-star categories. There is a plan for a new luxury hotel of 60 rooms in the Province built by the See Fah Group which owns restaurants in Thailand. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), some seven million tourists came last year to Kanchaburi, of which five million were domestic travellers.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
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