Non-governmental organisations on Tuesday called on Aung San Suu Kyi to put on hold two projects with Thailand during her visit to the country.
As the government is preparing for her first visit to Thailand as foreign minister and state counsellor, 23 non-governmental groups are also making their move against attempts by the host Thailand to ink deals with Mrs Suu Kyi during her three-day trip.
"As one of the leaders in the Myanmar government, we urge you to suspend decisions on any projects, pending the completion of strategic and transboundary impact assessments; and allow people to make informed decisions, ensuring transparent and accountable investments, which mutually benefit both Thailand and Myanmar," they said in a statement.
The group included the Sueb Nakasatien Foundation, Assembly of the Poor, FTA Watch and Centre for Kasen Study and Development.
Mrs Suu Kyi will arrive in Thailand from Yangon on Thursday and return to Myanmar on Saturday.
She will call on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday. Her schedule includes a meeting with Myanmar workers in Samut Sakhon on Thursday and a trip to the Tham Hin refugee camp in Suan Phueng district in Ratchaburi on her last day.
The Thai government is keen to use the occasion to revitalise development projects, including the much-delayed Dawei special economic zone. She will reportedly sign an agreement to solve the issue of illegal Myanmar migrants with Labour Minister Gen Sirichai Distakul.
But the NGOs said that local people would be directly affected by the Dawei project due to the loss of land and livelihoods since people living in the area had not be consulted.
They also renewed the call against a plan to build dams on the Salween River, which they claim will damage the environment and make it impossible for ethnic Myanmar citizens in Shan and Karen states to return to their homes from the Thai border as their homeland will be flooded.