Thai media outlets report that the military council has closed the Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge No. 2 starting August 18 without any prior notification to Thai authorities. This bridge serves as a crucial route for trade between the two countries and is the main crossing point for cargo trucks. Before the closure, approximately 500 trucks from Thailand’s Mae Sot side were already stranded as they were denied entry into Myanmar.
According to a border trader, this closure came after the military council leader issued an order on August 12 to combat illegal trade and prevent armed groups from collecting taxes. The situation reflects the military’s losing control and resorting to whatever measures they can implement. Additionally, the Deputy Commander of the Southeast Command and his team were arrested for allegedly allowing trucks to pass through in exchange for bribes. The current circumstances suggest that the military is taking desperate measures as they lose their grip on control. The trader noted that there is no clear indication of when the bridge might reopen.
While Friendship Bridge No. 1 remains open for regular operations, Bridge No. 2 is the primary route for cargo transportation. During the military commission meeting in Naypyidaw on August 12, Min Aung Hlaing ordered strict enforcement against illegal trade, claiming that armed groups were gaining strength through tax collection from illegal border trade. Earlier in August, Deputy Military Leader Soe Win ordered the arrest of 15 officials, including Colonel Banyar Win, the Deputy Commander of Southeast Command, and Customs Director Soe Nyunt Aung, for accepting bribes from incoming cargo trucks at the Thai-Myanmar border.
