MYANMAR’S temporary ban on import of frozen foods and various other products from Thai border town Mae Sai across to Tachileik triggered chaos today (Sep. 21) with small traders stuck on and nearby the First Mae Sai-Tachileik Bridge, Amarin TV said.
Myanmar authorities cited a lack of standard inspections and unpaid Myanmar taxes as reasons for imposing the ban. Student transport vans arriving from the Tachileik got stuck amidst the crowd of traders, who were manually carrying goods and placing carts that blocked the traffic lanes. Thai officials had to intervene to restore order, urging traders to limit their cargo-moving activities on the bridge to the 6–9 a.m. window.
Due to the policy changes on the Myanmar side, traders selling permitted goods have been forced to manually carry them across the border — a distance of approximately 100 metres — to a designated drop-off point at the Myanmar checkpoint.
This has inevitably led to increased transportation costs; porterage fees range from 30 to 60 baht per trip, with each trader making at least two trips, in addition to standard border crossing fees. Labourers charge approximately 10 baht per trip to carry goods.
Furthermore, piling goods together during the chaotic transfer process created risks of items being swapped, lost, or dropped, costs that are ultimately passed on to the final price of the goods.
Mr. Saeng, 69, a resident of Pha Taek Village in Wiang Phang Kham subdistrict, Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, who originally was from Kengtung, Myanmar, said that in all his time living here, he had never witnessed such a chaotic scene of goods being transferred in the middle of the bridge.
He expressed deep sympathy for the people of Tachileik, who are facing high prices and emerging shortages of goods. This situation clearly highlights inequality; while the wealthy may remain largely unaffected, the impoverished struggle immensely to find money to buy food for survival.
He added that the price of eggs in Tachileik could rise to nearly 12 baht each, and in remote areas, it might soar to 15 baht. If the situation persists, it could lead to an increase in petty theft in the area.
Additionally, reports indicate that Tachileik authorities have issued a warning prohibiting the sale of alcohol, beverages, and other products from Thailand, stating that violators will face very heavy fines.
Meanwhile, small shops wishing to sell Thai alcohol legally must bear a tax burden equivalent to the selling price, amounting to hundreds of thousands of baht. This has caused hardship for small businesses on the Tachileik side, as they can no longer shoulder these costs.
However, it remains to be seen how the relevant authorities will address this issue.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Small traders moving their goods from Mae Sai to Tachileik amidst the chaos caused by Myanmar imposing a temporary ban on certain products. Photos – PPTVHD36
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