AS temperatures in Myanmar intensify due to extreme heat, so is the ongoing tension between Myanmar’s junta and rebel groups fighting for control in the strategic hub of Myawaddy and other parts of the country.
The Friendship Bridge No. 2, a major border crossing point for trade between Thailand and Myanmar, reopened earlier this week after fierce fighting between the junta forces and insurgents.
It was temporarily closed for ten days due to damage from the recent clashes.
The border crossing point is crucial for trade and links the Myanmar town of Myawaddy with Thailand’s Mae Sot.
Myawaddy Bridge No. 2 also facilitates the transport of people, goods, and vehicles among the six
member countries of the Greater Mekong sub-region, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.
The bridge handled over $1 billion in trade in 2023.
Myanmar’s military junta controls 11 of the 17 border trade posts including the strategic hub of Myawaddy which facilitated more than $1.1 billion worth of trade from April 2023 to April 2024.
The latest wave of clashes not only halted trade for weeks but also forced thousands of residents to seek refuge in neighboring Thailand.
As the border reopened, violent clashes have plagued parts of eastern Myanmar, with many villagers displaced by the fierce fighting.
