Japanese investors show interest in dawei port

Japanese investors have expressed interest in the Dawei deep sea port project in Myanmar, PM's Office Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan said yesterday.


Mr Niwatthamrong made the statement after the "Future of Asia" conference in Tokyo at which investors and bankers were given details of the scheme.

Several representatives from the 300 companies attending the event seemed keen to get involved, especially in the port and industrial complex, he said.

Mr Niwatthamrong was one of six ministers accompanying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on a visit to Tokyo.

Separately, Ms Yingluck met the chief executives of several leading Japanese firms to urge them to invest in the port.

She also discussed the scheme with her Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, who arrived in Myanmar on Friday to meet President Thein Sein, Mr Niwatthamrong said.

Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry has submitted its proposal to Yangon regarding the construction in Myanmar of several "clean" coal-fired power plants, with a combined capacity of 3,000 megawatts. The electricity generated by the plants will be sold back to Thailand, Mr Niwatthamrong said.

The government is also looking for additional energy sources, he said.

Ms Yingluck yesterday reiterated her desire for Japanese firms to invest in Dawei, as well as Thailand's two trillion baht infrastructure scheme, during her weekly televised address, which this week was broadcast from Tokyo.

Mr Abe yesterday backed the development of a major industrial zone near Yangon aimed at deepening economic ties with the former junta-ruled nation.

He observed the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the Thilawa special economic zone project.

"Thilawa is a milestone in the relationship between the two governments and the private sector," Set Aung, Myanmar's deputy minister of National Planning and Economic Development, said.

An environmental impact assessment on the 2,400-hectare project, which will include a port and an industrial park, will be completed in August, he said.

Japan and Myanmar in December agreed to start work this year on the Thilawa project, which is set to launch in 2015.

During his trip Mr Abe is also expected to unveil almost US$1 billion (29.9 billion baht) in development aid and a plan for an electricity grid as part of a strategy to tout Japanese infrastructure firms around the world. BANGKOK POST AND AFP