Smooth transition

Dawei villagers cautiously welcome the massive project

Bangkokpost, Published: 14/05/2012 at 02:01 AM  ....

A seven-kilometre patch along the Andaman Sea near the Bawah village in southern Myanmar used to be covered with jungle and some plantations.

Now a few hundred two-storey houses are being built for Myanmar families, which are scheduled to relocate there by the end of the year.

About 12 km away, the massive Dawei Special Economic Zone, which comprises a deep-sea port, a power plant, and several roads is preparing for construction. Developed by a Thai contractor, Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD), the project has been cited as having the potential to change Myanmar's future.
"When I first found out we had to be relocated, I was not happy," said Nwe Nwe Htay, whose family is among 4,500 affected households subject to relocation.

"But once I realised this project will improve the economy of Dawei, I was willing to move," she said.
The 27-year-old Dawei native returned home last year after working for six years in Thailand. Because she can communicate in Thai, she found a job at ITD's Dawei visitor centre five months ago.

ITD employs over 2,000 Myanmar workers at Dawei to build relocation houses, access roads and pavement at the site, as well as a temporary small port for offloading building materials for construction.
Panno Kraiwanit, project manager in charge of relocation and compensation, said only 5% of those in the affected areas have been compensated, with payments varying between 1-10 million kyats (37,700 to 377,000 baht) per hectare.

"We don't set the compensation rate. Affected villagers propose a price, which ranges from 10-50 million kyats (377,000-1.88 million baht) per hectare, then the Myanmar government negotiates and tells us how much we have to pay," he said.

ITD wants to finish the construction of 343 relocation houses by October so affected villagers can move in by November. Altogether, 1,860 households from five villages will be relocated to this area.

The Myanmar government chose two more locations for relocation. Pagaw Zoon, which mostly consists of government-owned palm plantations, will serve relocation of 2,300 households from 10 villages. Padin In is recommended for 52 families set to move from a fishing village near a planned site of an integrated steel mill.
Overall, up to 30,000 affected people have to be relocated. All relocation efforts are projected to be completed by the end of next year. "In addition to houses, we also build hospitals, schools and utility facilities," said Mr Panno.

The main overland access point for Dawei, a 138-km road running from Phu Nam Ron checkpoint in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province, is scheduled to finish its design details at the end of this year, with construction commencing in early 2013. All infrastructure projects are scheduled for completion by the end of 2015.

In Dawei town, locals are supportive of the project because it will create jobs. "Our region is not a developed township and has many difficulties with power outages. We cannot support many industries because of high electricity prices," said a businessman in Dawei.

Transport over the 365 miles to Yangon takes about 10 hours, while the shallow Dawei river allows only small-boat access to the city.

"We welcome the ITD project because it will develop our economy with so many investors coming in, improving the technology and products available from other countries," said the 53-year-old, who travels to Thailand three times a year to buy Thai products for his business in Dawei.

"But one thing we are worried about is environmental and social impacts of the project. The Myanmar government has to do something to control them."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/293158/smooth-transition