Fighting on Asia Highway greatly reduces Thai-Myanmar border trade

The Asia Highway runs from Myawaddy on the border to Kawkareik and then on into Myanmar. All goods that have crossed from Mae Sot in Thailand to Myawaddy have to go through Kawkareik before they can be distributed elsewhere in Myanmar. Since 16 December fighting between Myanmar junta troops and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) has intensified along the Asia Highway and in Kawkareik Township. The junta forces have used air strikes, rocket launchers and other heavy weapons. These have destroyed sections of the road and two bridges have also been destroyed by mines. A border trader said that since fighting broke out trucks can no longer use this section of the Asia Highway and as a result the Thai-Myanmar border trade has almost stopped. Also, because of the fighting, trucks carrying vegetables have been delayed for so long their vegetables started to spoil and go rotten, causing traders to lose large sums of money. Some traders cut their losses and sold their vegetables at greatly reduced price in Kawkareik and nearby Kyondoe. Currently, there are still hundreds of trucks stuck on the Asia Highway between Myawaddy and Kawkareik, but some small vehicles and motorcycles are still managing to get through by using a minor road that goes through Htokawkoe. Border traders said that if the fighting continues along the Asia Highway border trade with Mae Sot in Thailand will completely stop and commodity prices in Myanmar will go up. The goods that Myanmar imports the most from Thailand are foodstuffs, textiles, fabrics, cosmetics, machinery and construction materials. Myanmar mainly exports corn, broken rice and fishery products to Thailand.