Business (September 2009)

Thailand Aims to Pump new Martaban Gas by 2013

Thailand still sees enormous potential in Burma’s offshore gas reserves. (Photo: PTTEP)

Thailand’s state oil and gas developer, PTTEP, plans to have gas flowing from the new M-9 offshore site in the Gulf of Martaban by 2013. PTTEP has confirmed gas reserves in the block of at least 50 billion cubic meters (1.7 trillion cubic feet). The Thai Energy Ministry said PTTEP hopes to sign an agreement soon with Burma’s state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise to begin producing 300 million cubic feet per day by the end of 2013. It said 240 million cubic feet is earmarked for Thailand, with the remainder going to Burma. PTTEP says it will spend at least US $1 billion to develop the M-9 block, which promises to be one of Burma’s richest sources of gas.

Burma’s Overseas Job Agencies Offer Discounts

Employment agencies in Burma have begun offering their services at a discount or on credit to attract more Burmese workers to apply for jobs abroad. With the demand for cheap Burmese labor growing in countries recovering from the recent sharp economic downturn, many head-hunting agencies are even turning to rural areas in search of new recruits. However, many agencies say they are still having difficulty meeting demand from Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates because the number of overseas job seekers is steadily declining. The cost of finding a job overseas is high by Burmese standards and is often an insurmountable obstacle for those seeking opportunities to earn money abroad.

India Forms Police Unit to Fight Border Arms Trade

Police in the Indian state of Mizoram have formed a special unit to try to stem an increasing trade in illegal weapons from neighboring Burma. Weapons recently seized in Mizoram include rocket launchers, M-16 rifles and Chinese-made pistols, Mizoram police chief Sharma Laldina told The Telegraph newspaper of Kolkatta. Indian police believe many weapons follow a route from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand via Burma’s Chin State. Northeastern India’s remote and ethnically diverse states are home to numerous rebel groups fighting for autonomy or independence from New Delhi. The porous jungle border between Burma and India and corruption involving army units on both sides make it difficult to counter the lucrative trade, Indian reports say.

Thailand Remains Burma’s Top Trading Partner

Thailand was again Burma’s top trading partner in the 2008-9 financial year, with bilateral sales reaching US $3.05 billion. The bulk of this, $2.65 billion, was the value of gas imported by Thailand, according to Burma’s Central Statistical Organization. Thailand’s exports to Burma totaled almost $400 million, putting Thailand ahead of China, India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Burma imported a wide range of products from Thailand, including rice, rubber, jewelry, shoes, computers and electronic equipment, said the Burmese statistics office. Aside from gas, Thailand imported timber, marine products and agricultural produce from Burma.

Bangladesh Urged to Challenge Burma’s Maritime Claims

The Bangladeshi government is being urged to lodge a formal complaint to the United Nations over “illegitimate claims” by Burma and India to large swathes of the Bay of Bengal. The claims “demonstrate disregard for the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh,” said the Bangladesh Resources Protection National Committee in a statement. The committee said the Bangladeshi government should take action now in preparation for its 2011 maritime boundaries submission to the UN’s Law of the Sea agency. Burma, Bangladesh and India dispute sea territory fronting their coastal regions in the Bay of Bengal, but the issue has become more contentious as all three countries seek to expand offshore exploration for oil and gas resources.