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Myawady border trade totals $1.456 billion in about eight months

The value of border trade via the Myawady border post between 1 April and 25 November hit US$1.456 billion, according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce. The figures showed a drastic drop of $148.545 million recorded in the corresponding period last year. The trade policy changes and political instability in the border areas resulted in an extreme fall in export to Thailand. The border trade between Myanmar and Thailand through Myawady, Tachilek, Kawthoung, Myeik, Hteekhee, Mawtaung and Meisei amounted to $3.452 billion, which is an increase of $451.342 million from the year-ago period.

Myanmar sent agricultural products (chilli pepper, onion, rice powder, turmeric, dried lily buds, coffee bean, green gram, rubber, cinnamon, macadamia nuts in shell, plum from Bago and peanuts), fishery products (anchovy, clam, hilsa, crab, shrimp and other fish) and finished industrial goods on a Cutting-Making and Packaging basis (men’s sweaters, women’s shirts and other clothes) on 27 and 28 November through Myawady border trade zone to Thailand.  Onions, rice powder, chilli pepper, coffee beans, peanut, rubber, green gram and fishery products are the main export items to Thailand.

Thailand’s demand for Myanmar’s kitchen groceries has risen as it resumed the tourism businesses in the post-COVID period and the restaurants and food businesses widely used them. Fishery products are directly sent to Bangkok, Thailand, through Mae Sot. The fast and fresh delivery service is the priority. About 33-34 trucks are leaving for Thailand. The authorities are inspecting the goods onboard with the lists in the declaration form. The cloth rolls, construction materials, industrial raw materials, pharmaceuticals, motorcycle parts, footwear, clothes, fruits, food products, cosmetics, gas, lubricants, household goods, foodstuff, bicycles, stationery, auto parts, tiles, feedstuff, fertilizer and electronic devices are imported with 161 trucks. A batch was exchanged for K67 in early November and K79 at the end of November. The exchange rate fluctuation influenced the import volume.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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Passport Online Booking System suspended on 5 December

The Myanmar Passport Office announced the suspension of applications for the passport through an online booking system on 4 December and advised against purchasing QR Codes through brokers at expensive prices.

The Myanmar Passport Office introduced the online booking system on 21 March 2022 and, according to the new system, the applicants must make an online appointment on www.passport.gov.mm by entering details such as the applicant’s name, father’s name, date of birth and gender and, only after they have received the QR code, they can come to the office in person.

Those who have received the appointment will have to bring the printout of the passport online appointment letter or the screenshot of the QR code. Now, some changes are being made to the online booking system to enable the applicants to make an appointment round the clock. Therefore, the current system was suspended on 5 December. However, those who have already had an appointment through the old system can come to the office on the appointed day. The date when the new online booking system can be used will be announced again, it is learnt.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar