Speaking in Burma’s lower house of parliament on Wednesday, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development Kan Zaw announced that Japan and Thailand – assumed to be the prime investors in the Dawei deep-sea port project in Tenasserim – are hesitating.
Responding to a question from MP Aung Soe of Launglon Township in Tavoy (Dawei), Kan Zaw said “implementation is taking place on a step-by-step basis as the project area is immense.”
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He said the initial phase of the project will be completed within the next year and will be followed up with another three-year phase, adding that “potential investors” are hesitating on moving ahead with the special economic zone (SEZ), which is estimated to cost some US$50 billion.
Japan has recently focused its attention on attracting investment for the Thilawa SEZ, situated farther north on Burma’s eastern Andaman coast and with a viable port situated close to Rangoon.
The Dawei SEZ has been put on hold several times, while Naypyidaw has advertised quietly for other investors.
Thai construction giant Italian-Thai Co initially had the contract to implement the Dawei project, but it pulled out last year over a series of setbacks and a failure to attract investment.
