The Myanmar authorities have opened temporary passport issuing offices in three border towns linking Thailand to facilitate Myanmar workers to work in the neighboring country, a state-run newspaper reported Tuesday.

 

Such offices were inaugurated on Monday at the border towns of Myawaddy, Kawthoung and Tachilek opposite to Thailand's Maesot, Ranong and Maesai respectively, the New Light of Myanmar said.

 

Temporary passports will be issued within a day for prospective Myanmar citizens which will work in Thailand, the report said, disclosing that applications of 8,961 Myanmar workers based in Bangkok and recommended by the Thai Labor Ministry were sent to the Myanmar Foreign Ministry for the first time.

 

The report confirmed that testimonials for 30,000 applicants will be issued soon.

 

The measure is seen as Myanmar's bid to stop domestic illegal migrant workers to work in Thailand.

 

Under an agreement between the Myanmar Foreign Ministry and the Thai Labor Ministry recently, Thailand offered to grant 10,000 Myanmar workers to work in industries, factories and restaurants in Thailand.

 

According to Thai statistics, there are 500,000 to 600,000 Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand.

 

Meanwhile, establishment of a special economic zone in Myanmar's Myawaddy on the Myanmar-Thailand border is underway under an economic cooperation strategy program of four Mekong countries.

 

Under the Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) agreed by Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand in November 2003, the Myawaddy special economic zone in southeastern Kayin state constitutes one of the three proposed zones to be set up on the two countries' border. The other two are in Hpa-an in the same state and Mawlamyine in southern Mon state.

 

Once the project is on track, it will also attract domestic Myanmar workers to work in the special economic zone.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2006)