CHAING MAI- March 6. Chiang Mai Governor Wichian Puttiwinyu is pushing to open Lak Teang gate on the Thai-Shan State border for commercial purposes.

The Chiang Mai governor and the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce held a Thai-Burma border committee meeting in February 2014, pushing to open Lak Teang gate, on the border of Wianghaeng district, northern Chiang Mai province.

The Chiang Mai governor will propose the plan to the Thai Ministry of Interior, then approach the Burma government. The Thai side is ready to open, as roads are well constructed, and it reported that on the Burma side, construction is underway of the road which connects to Lak Teang.

Over 500 Shan refugees are sheltering in a camp on the Thai side near Lak Teang gate, which has been closed since 2002.

They fled from fighting between the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and joint Burma Army-United Wa State Army forces in 2002.

It is not known what impact the opening of the border gate will have on the refugees. In 2012, there were plans to resettle the refugees at Mong Taw-Mong Hta across the border in Shan State. However, the plans were halted after Shan CBOs voiced concerns that the area was still heavily militarized and there was no guarantee of safety for returning refugees.