VICE PRESIDENT U Henry Van Thio inspected Thilawa Special Economic Zone’s Zone A, the temporary headquarters of the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) and the construction site for the Water Resources and Water Management Center yesterday.
Visit to Thilawa SEZ
The Vice President, who is also Chairman of the Myanmar Special Economic Zones Central Committee (MSEZCC), was accompanied by Chairman of the Executive Working Group Dr Than Myint, who is Union Minister for Commerce, and Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications U Kyaw Myo.
He was first briefed by Dr Than Myint on the progress of the SEZ’s various projects in the briefing hall. This was followed by explanations of the SEZ’s processes and development by Thilawa SEZ Management Committee Chair and Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance Dr Sett Aung, Myanmar Japan Thilawa Development Limited’s President/CEO Mr Tomoyasu Shimizu, and Myanmar Japan Thilawa SEZ Holdings Public Co. Ltd Chairman U Win Aung.
The Vice President responded to the reports, saying that there had been noticeable accomplishments and progress. He said the SEZ’s success would have an effect on national economic development and integrity. He urged everyone to double their efforts and provided suggestions as necessary.
Next, the Vice President travelled to Zone A and inspected Zifam Pyrex Myanmar Co Ltd’s pharmaceutical manufacturing, Suzuki Thilawa Motor Co. Ltd’s automotive assembly, Yakult Myanmar Co Ltd’s yogurt production, and Boxpak (Myanmar) Co Ltd’s cardboard box production.
Progress of businesses in SEZ
Zifam Pyrex Myanmar is run by 102 workers with an investment of US$9.22 million from Australia. The antibiotics they produce will soon be distributed to the domestic market.
Japan has put $35 million in Suzuki Thilawa Motor and the factory employs 260 workers who assemble 48 vehicles per day for the local market.
Yakult Myanmar is also another Japanese investment with $47.59 million put into the factory that employs 21 workers. Their health-friendly yogurts will enter the local market soon.
The Boxpak factory is invested by Malaysia and employs 146 workers. $31 million has been put into its cardboard production that supplies containers to domestic food businesses.
There are 112 businesses from 19 countries permitted to work in the Thilawa SEZ and they have put in a combined $1.8 billion as investments so far.
Currently, 74 businesses are running and 18 businesses are beginning to export their wares. The SEZ is also employing over 20,000 workers including permanent and construction workers, according to its management committee.
Visit to NWRC HQ
From there, the Vice President visited the temporary headquarters of NWRC in Park Lane Condominium on New University Avenue, Bahan Township.
There, the Vice President was briefed on the committee’s current progress by Joint Secretary U Win Hlaing and Advisor Secretary Dr Khin Ni Ni Thein. They also reported about the progress of the construction work for the NWRC’s headquarters and the Water Resources and Water Management Center.
The Vice President then inspected the NWRC offices and met with students of the Myanmar Water Academy’s first batch, where he spoke words of encouragement.
Later in the evening, the Vice President visited the construction site of the Water Resources and Water Management Center on Pyidaungsu Kyaung Road in Mayangon Township.
MNA
(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
