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20/8/09
Myanmar Sand News
Singapore is
buying hundred of thousands tons of sand every month
according to 7Days News Journal. Surveys have been done
during the
months of Feb 2009. There were about 6 companies trying to
export sea
sand and 1 company for river sand. The 6 companies are SBC,
S-Marine,
Star High, Sim Liang Huat, Diamond Palace and a Thai company
represented by Shwe Phone Aung Kyaw co. The combined export
of
existing companies totalled about 500,000 tones and each 1
cubic meter
(roughly 1.5 ton) fetched 3 us$ according to Star High.
Myanmar
Economic Holding Corporation (MEH) is solely responsible for
permitting sand extraction from Myanmar. Those companies who
have got
the right to supply sand to Singapore government have to
open an
office in Myanmar and must apply for permit to extract and
export sand
from MEH. Those who won the tender usually are able to
export 1.5
million cubic meter (approx. 2.25 million tons) within a
year.
 
United Surveyor from Singapore is hired by SBC Company and
Star High
company to survey the west of Shwe Kyunn (Ross Island)
covering
approximately the same area as Singapore Island itself.
United
Surveyor said the findings indicated that the sand resource
found can
be extracted for 10 years at least. "Our boat – Mergui
Princess is
mainly used for survey jobs as there are sleeping bunks and
air-conditioned rooms on the boat. Sophisticated equipments
need
reliable electric power which is provided by onboard
generators which
provide stable 220 volts. They work on your boat all week
long and go
back to Kawthaung from time to time to refuel and restock
the food and
beverages" said the manager from TMC Limited which operates
2
liveaboard vessels in Kawthaung.
There was news about one of the sand companies which hired
Chinese
dredger ran into problems when it extracted sand from Kyunn
Byar Gyi
damaging the trees on the island. The report infuriates
local
commander and an order was immediately released to stop the
operations. General Thar Aye also scouted the area on board
Fortune
Express Speed boat together with Division commander General
Khin Zaw
Oo.
Star High Asia Pacific – owned by Mergui native turned
Singaporean
family – is now exporting more than 100,000 tons a month.
During the month of August, Thai construction material
company teamed
up with Shwe Phone Aung Kyaw General Trading Company and
surveyed West
of Pawel Kyunn (Powell Island).
The sand companies re-breathes new life into otherwise-idle
local boat
owners as the sand barges and dredgers needed supplies
regularly. The
logistics are provided by local boat owners for fresh water,
fuel and
food.
On the other hand, Fishing Industry in Kawthaung complains
that Sand
extraction damages the fish and prawn breeding grounds. The
suction
power of the sand vessels can damage up to 1 mile to the
fishing nets
of small fisherman.
Tourism will be affected but the impact is not known yet as
the tour
season has not started during raining season and there are
still a lot
of places tourists can go free from sand extraction
concessions.
However diving companies already complains that the marine
life is
significantly changed in the past 1 year. The environmental damage
assessment must be carried out quickly to evaluate the
damage before
it is too late.
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