These included a bilateral airline agreement, inked at the Myanmar Foreign Minister’s office, as well as a second agreement to improve an existing shrimp breeding zone with the aim of facilitating development in Rakhine State.

The agreements were signed after 9th meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between the two countries during Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai’s trip to Nay Pyi Taw. 

The airline agreement will replace the existing agreement, which was inked in 1969. “We need to amend the old agreement to make it more relevant to the present time,” said U Nay Win, director from Department of Civil Aviation under Ministry of Transport and Communications. 

In the new agreement, rules governing the aviation sector, including airlines and airline service providers were amended or included. 

Thailand also committed to providing financial assistance for the development of Rakhine State. It will also provide B34 million to assist in the upgrading of the Yay Chan Pyin shrimp breezing zone in Rakhine. 

“This will enable us to enjoy more technology which will improve shrimp farming,” said U Khin Maung Maw, director general of the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation.

“By incorporating modern farming techniques, we can better develop the prawn and fisheries industry in Rakhine, which is one of the main areas producing Myanmar fisheries for exports,” he added. With yields expected to improve, the government hopes the shrimp produced can also serve as food and nutrition for local residents. 

The agreements signed between Myanmar and Thailand are important as they perpetuate diplomatic and trading relationships between the two countries, which began in August 1948. Both countries are also members of ASEAN, said U Kyaw Tin, Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation. 

The ministers of the two countries also agreed to cooperate to double trade by 2022. Currently, trade volumes between Thailand and Myanmar amount to some US$6 billion.

Thailand is currently the second largest trade partner of Myanmar after China and it is the third largest investor, said U Kyaw Tin.

Source: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-thailand-ink-agreements-airlines-shrimp-breeding.html