Authorities are preparing to reopen the Thailand-Myanmar No. 1 Friendship Bridge, which was closed for more than 2 years due to the military coup along with the COVID pandemic, the sources in the region told Than Lwin Times.

Since February 2020, the movement of passengers and vehicles has been banned indefinitely on Thailand-Myanmar No. 1 Friendship Bridge to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Now, the officials from Myanmar side are cleaning the office and preparing to reopen the No. 1 Friendship Bridge on January 5.

According to local residents, the Thai-Myanmar No. 1 Friendship Bridge will reopen on January 6, but the Than Lwin Times has not been able to independently confirm this.

Local residents said that they heard that if No. (1) Friendship Bridge is reopened, registered vehicles will be allowed to enter Thailand.

The Thai side began preparing to reopen the No. 1 Friendship Bridge in December, and the Myanmar side is now doing the same.

Thailand-Myanmar No. (1) Friendship Bridge has been closed for more than two years, but in order to keep commodities flowing between the two countries, trade has been permitted via the No. (2) Friendship Bridge, but passengers are not allowed to travel.