CNI News
16 June 2025
Foreign investments coming into Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region should be approached with caution, businessmen and economic experts told CNI News.
China, India, Russia, Thailand, and Singapore are currently seeking to invest in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi Region. Then, a Singapore-based company is also planning to start drilling for natural gas there.
Foreign companies that are planning to invest are already awared of the current situation in Myanmar and carefully study and analyze the documents before signing them, as there may be companies that are willing to take advantage of the situation.
There may be companies that come in with the intention of making easy profits, so it is important to carefully study and consider any contracts before signing them, U Aung Pyae Sone, a businessman, told CNI News.
“I have to say that we are fortunate that foreign investment is coming to us at this time. This is the first part. But it is important not to sign every time such foreign investment comes in. It's not because we don't want foreign investment to come in. The international community now knows the situation in our country. Big companies are more understanding. So in this country, we need to carefully study and analyze the contracts that come in with the idea that they will get profits for a song."And we need to explain it to the public in a transparent manner. No matter which government comes, no matter who does it, if we don't tell it to the public, there may be a chance that we will suffer," he said.
While seeing the Indian Ambassador and the Chief Minister of Tanintharyi Region
The Bangkok Post reported in early 2025 that the Tanintharyi coast is the shortest and most convenient route for Bangkok, Thailand, to connect with the Suez Canal and the Middle East.
The Dawei Special Economic Zone project began in 2008 with a memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Myanmar, but the contract was canceled due to delays. New investors are currently being invited.
In addition, the DSEZ will bridge the Indian and Pacific Oceans and connect Southeast Asia and South Asia. The project will also include a deep-sea port which is likely to bypass the congested Strait of Malacca.
When implementing a project, it is necessary to carefully consider the benefits and costs to the country, economic and banking expert U Htay Aung Kyi told CNI News.
While seeing an investment project
“Environmental impact is important. Now EIA and SIA are conducted. It is just norminal. That is one thing. Another thing is we do project evaluation. Feasibility study, we study the feasibility. This is a bit weak here, to be honest. These are not useless subjects. When they do projects, they often do it by hand. I don't want that to happen. Let's make sure to do a feasibility study. Let's make sure to do an environmental study. Next time, how much will I get? Economic internal rate of return - this is something that should be considered based on the global level. One advantage is that gas income is in US dollars. If it is in Kyats, what will the inflation rate affect? The second point is a feasibility study? Thailand and Singapore do a feasibility study. How much will our country benefit? How much will it suffer? These must be considered when a feasibility sudy is conducted." he said.
Businessmen and economic experts believe that Tanintharyi could become a world-class region due to such foreign investment.
Currently, there are four major offshore projects in operation for oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production:
Yadana, Yedagon, Zawtika, and Shwe, and two more offshore projects are under exploration, drilling, and production, for a total of six offshore projects.
In addition, the Mottama Offshore Block (M-10) (Min Ye Thu Project) is the seventh major offshore project in the country and the first offshore project to be implemented under the SAC.
