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Subject: Rangoon lets trawler fleet return to fishing grounds

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Rangoon lets trawler fleet return to fishing grounds
Private deals signed as junta eases ban


Achara Ashayagachat


Thai trawlers are back in Burmese waters following an easing of the ban =
imposed after the Oct 1-2 embassy siege, the Thai Overseas Fisheries =
Association said yesterday.

Trawler operators entered into contracts with locally-licensed trawlers =
after Rangoon relaxed the ban citing eased border tensions, said Wanchai =
Sangsukiam, the association president.

Under the deals, the Thai catch must be landed in Rangoon and subjected =
to a 10% export tax, said Mr Wanchai.

Before Rangoon imposed the ban, Thai operators could fish in Burmese =
waters under two arrangements. They could pay a monthly concession fee =
of $100,000 which allowed them to bring their catch to Thailand, or buy =
a contract from Burmese operators, costing $6-8,000 a month with a =
condition that the catch be landed in Rangoon.

Some 400 Thai trawlers opted for the first option and 100 the second, =
fishery officials said. The continued suspension of concessions led them =
to buy contracts from the Burmese.

Some operators complained that Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan had =
succeeded only in persuading Rangoon to open its land border during his =
talks with the junta last month.

Mr Wanchai said operating regulations were now being revised and it was =
likely foreign vessels might be allowed to operate on fishing grounds =
about 65km offshore.

"It will be a good chance for 50-70 deep-sea vessels but of little =
benefit to the majority," he said.

Sources said Burmese leaders were also debating how to balance between =
earning hard currency and promoting domestic industry.

A power struggle between Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, secretary 1 of the ruling =
State Peace and Development Committee, and Gen Maung Aye, =
commander-in-chief, has been settled, the sources said.

That left more room for Gen Maung Aye, whose former base controls =
coastal areas, to handle fishing interests, they added


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<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D+4>Rangoon lets trawler fleet return to =
fishing=20
grounds</FONT></H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D+2><I>Private deals signed =
as junta=20
eases ban</I></FONT><BR><BR>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000><!--BYLINE--><B><FONT size=3D3>Achara=20
Ashayagachat</FONT></B><BR>
<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>T</B></FONT>hai trawlers are back in Burmese =
waters=20
following an easing of the ban imposed after the Oct 1-2 embassy siege, =
the Thai=20
Overseas Fisheries Association said yesterday.</P>
<P>Trawler operators entered into contracts with locally-licensed =
trawlers after=20
Rangoon relaxed the ban citing eased border tensions, said Wanchai =
Sangsukiam,=20
the association president.</P>
<P>Under the deals, the Thai catch must be landed in Rangoon and =
subjected to a=20
10% export tax, said Mr Wanchai.</P>
<P>Before Rangoon imposed the ban, Thai operators could fish in Burmese =
waters=20
under two arrangements. They could pay a monthly concession fee of =
$100,000=20
which allowed them to bring their catch to Thailand, or buy a contract =
from=20
Burmese operators, costing $6-8,000 a month with a condition that the =
catch be=20
landed in Rangoon.</P>
<P>Some 400 Thai trawlers opted for the first option and 100 the second, =
fishery=20
officials said. The continued suspension of concessions led them to buy=20
contracts from the Burmese.</P>
<P>Some operators complained that Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan had =
succeeded=20
only in persuading Rangoon to open its land border during his talks with =
the=20
junta last month.</P>
<P>Mr Wanchai said operating regulations were now being revised and it =
was=20
likely foreign vessels might be allowed to operate on fishing grounds =
about 65km=20
offshore.</P>
<P>"It will be a good chance for 50-70 deep-sea vessels but of little =
benefit to=20
the majority," he said.</P>
<P>Sources said Burmese leaders were also debating how to balance =
between=20
earning hard currency and promoting domestic industry.</P>
<P>A power struggle between Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, secretary 1 of the ruling =
State=20
Peace and Development Committee, and Gen Maung Aye, commander-in-chief, =
has been=20
settled, the sources said.</P>
<P>That left more room for Gen Maung Aye, whose former base controls =
coastal=20
areas, to handle fishing interests, they=20
added</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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