The Myanmar government continues to invest in its southern coast with an ambitious new highway connecting Dawei to Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
An official call for tender bids will be released soon, Dawei Special Economic Zone Management Committee Secretary U Tint Tun Naing told The Myanmar Times. The project will be financed by a MMK 220.6 billion, 0.1 percent interest loan from Thailand. The road will replace the current dirt track connecting Dawei to the Thai border and is planned to be completed in three years.
U Tint Tun Naing said the road will be a crucial component of the Dawei Special Economic Zone. If completed, the Dawei Special Economic Zone would include nine zones and a deep sea port. It will be the largest SEZ in Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, progress has been slow since work began in 2008. Disputes with Thai partners stalled progress entirely in 2013, with the Myanmar government complaining of performance issues from Thai construction companies. Work resumed in 2015 with new investment from Japan.
The Myanmar government is also investing heavily in the region’s tourism infrastructure. An Italian company was recently approved to construct a USD 3.2 million hotel in Kawthaung. The government also recently put out an invitation for tender bids for a large-scale renovation of the Dawei Airport.
