More Check-Points Increase Food Costs in the Border area

Independent Mon News Agency
December 14, 2005

Although Three Pagoda Pass-Thanpyuzayat motor road connecting the border area and Mon State is re-opened, the imported food prices in the border areas has not been decreased down but instead the prices have increased gradually due to huge tax payment to many checkpoints along the road, said the local traders.

The traders claimed they have to pay more checkpoints a long the road. That's why they set higher price for goods and commodities in the Town.

Currently there are about 30 checkpoints are set up along the road by the ethnic armed groups and troops of Burmese Army in this 60 mile-long motor road. Some soldiers even they are not at check-points have demanded money from the traders by force, said the traders.

“Last week a pack of rice has 650 Baht and now the price has reached up 720 Baht per sack,” a Three Pagoda Pass resident told. This is the rice price of 3-tins sack.

Other prices of foods and commodities which are carried from inside Burma , such snacks, onion, dry chilly and others have increased. Due to the price increase, the people who live in Thai territories those have relied on foods from Burma have faced impact.

Along the way, there are the local Burmese army, police, militia, immigration, New Mon State Party (NMSP), Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), Karen Peace Front (KPF) and Karen National Union's (KNU) checkpoints. But most of checkpoints are Burmese army's checkpoints.

Three Pagoda Pass-Thanpyuzayat motor road was recently opened and it was only road the travels and traders can use during dry season to travel from the border into Mon State .

Due to bad condition of road and tight checking along the road, ten wheels cars and some trucks with heavy loads have to spend for 5 days for 60 miles long road. They have to wait for an hour for every check-point to hand over the soldiers to check their goods in trucks and bargain for the tax payment.

Currently Burmese Army's troops are also launching the military operations along the motor and check every passengers and trucks intensively as they worried the Karen rebels could use the road and travel deep inside Burma .

“I have seen that even the passengers have identity card, the soldiers interrogated and demanded money from them. Some paid for 3000 Kyat for a checkpoint for allowing them to pass the checkpoint. But I was not checked after I showed my party member card,” a NMSP leader told what he founded on the way.

Additionally, because of more check-points the car drivers who bring the passengers have to pay more money to check-points. Ferry trucks who run along the road also increased up the price of transportation and demanded 20000 Kyat per one way trip – from Three Pagoda Pass to Thanbyuzayat. The price has increased up from 12000 Kyat per one way trip of 2004.