Thailand and Myanmar have agreed to extend the hours of the Mae Sot-Myawaddy checkpoint by three hours to 8.30pm, starting Jan 1.
Tak governor Somchai Hathayatanti said on Wednesday that the in Tak province will open daily from 5.30am to 8.30pm, as proposed by the public and private sectors in the northern border province. Currently, the checkpoint opens daily from 6am to 6pm.
The extension is part of preparations for the launch of the Asean Economic Community in 2015, said the governor. Besides, it will help boost cross-border trade, he added.
An annual report from Mae Sot customs stated that cross-border trade at the checkpoint totalled more 50 billion baht this year. Trends point to future increases in volume.
Myanmar's recent push for political and economic reforms has significantly boosted the trade volumes at the Mae Sot crossing. In 2001, cross-border trade volume stood at 22 billion baht. Trade increased to 39 billion baht in 2012 and to 46 billion baht last year.