Thai businesses across the Maw Daung (or Singkhon) pass, on the southern Thai-Myanmar border, are calling for the border to be re-opened. According to the Bangkok Post, traders based in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan have petitioned the local government to allow land trade with Myanmar, which has stalled as both countries seek to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Post spoke with seafood traders in particular, complaining their shipments of fish from Myanmar face days-long delays as they are forced to travel to an open crossing at the Myanmar town of Mergui, much further south.

Meanwhile, on the Myanmar side, seafood exports have plunged as exports not only to Thailand, but the EU (Myanmar’s second largest seafood buyer), have slowed to a trickle (see related article). Beyond seafood, prior to the pandemic Myanmar made advancements in land trade with Thailand, including a new bridge at the border town of Myawaddy, plans for a new highway linking Dawei with the southern Thai border, and an agreement to change the common trade currency from the US dollar to the kyat and Thai baht.

Nevertheless, as the pandemic continues, the Myanmar government has monitored its own land borders extremely closely. In March, it sealed its land borders from all non-nationals, and recently State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi encouraged the tens of thousands of migrants returning from Thailand to make themselves known to local authorities, promising leniency even if they had crossed illegally.