Reports are circulating on social media that the Myawaddy–Kawkareik Asian Highway, a vital trade artery between Thailand and Myanmar, is preparing to reopen. While some sources suggest repair work is underway at the Myawaddy Trade Zone and the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge No. 2, local entrepreneurs and traders remain skeptical about a definitive timeline.
Mizzima contacted trade entrepreneurs based in Myawaddy, who said that while they have heard reports of the Asian Highway reopening, there has been no official confirmation or indication of a specific timeline.
Many believe the road will reopen, and while some territorial control has been restored, the situation is not what it once was. Considering current conditions, reopening is possible.
However, although there is widespread expectation it will resume operations, no exact date has been confirmed. Overall, the chances are about 50-50, a source close to the Myawaddy Chamber of Commerce told Mizzima.
Meanwhile, despite reports of repair work at the trade zone and Bridge No. 2, a local trader said that in reality only routine, rotating cleaning operations are currently taking place.
Buildings within the trade zone have sustained significant damage and will require extensive, long-term repairs before they can be brought back into use.
“The buildings in the trade zone have been looted, electricity cables stripped, and much of the infrastructure left in ruins. Restoring the area will require major renovations that could take around a year and a half. There has been no systematic cleaning of the trade zone, although a district official in Myawaddy has instructed that it be cleaned once a week,” a trader based in Myawaddy said.
Procedures and regulations for reopening the Asian Highway and resuming trade remain unclear. Traders said no directives have yet been issued regarding foreign exchange use, the issuance of import licences, or how to handle goods that were previously licensed but not imported.
Additionally, the ongoing fuel crisis is seen as a further obstacle to the resumption of trade.
At present, with the Asian Highway closed, goods are being imported via alternative routes, including Kyat Oo Taung Road and Road 1018.
There are also instances of goods being held up due to high taxes and the confiscation of Thai products by the Military Commission.
On March 25, a meeting was held at the Ratchamanu Special Task Force Headquarters in Mae Sot, Tak Province, between Thai authorities and the Military Commission led by the battalion commander of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 275, based in the Myawaddy garrison. Following the meeting, local residents, traders, and drivers expressed hope for the reopening of border trade routes.
However, military tensions persist in northern Kawkareik Township near Out Bo Te and along the old Dawna Taung Kyaw Road, with the security situation remaining unstable amid ongoing airstrikes.
As a result, even if the Asian Highway reopens, concerns remain over whether the safety of civilians and the security of goods can be ensured.
