The highway is considered strategically important to both Thailand and Myanmar, as it will link Thailand to a deep-sea port and planned Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Dawei, a town on the Myanmar side of an isthmus divided between the two countries.

When completed, the highway will serve as a gateway to Southeast Asia's markets with goods trucked between Thailand and Dawei, avoiding the need for ships to sail southwards through the Malacca Straights, the world's busiest shipping lane.

Colliers International Myanmar says that when observing the feasibility of a project such as this, the financial benefits should be weighed against the various costs.

"If there is no possible means to relocate the highway through a different path with less detrimental effects to its immediate environment, it is suggested to plan reimbursements to the community while attempting to limit ecological damages," says Colliers.

A spokesperson for the conservation group, World Wide Fund for Nature says the highway will pass through a region of "huge ecological importance with rich biodiversity."

The spokesperson says the assessment has only looked at the effects on people and the environment within a 500-meter radius of the road, but the impacts will affect a much wider area.

Plans for a highway linking a port project to Thailand has been labeled an "ecological and social disaster" after concerns were raised it will uproot indigenous people from their homes and farms.

Colliers suggests one way to aid the indigenous population is by introducing tourism opportunities to enrich their society and encouraging development along the highway without exploiting them.

"By doing so, it may be beneficial to both parties involved in the long run rather than uprooting ecosystems and communities for a short-term," says Colliers.

Source: Colliers International Myanmar, Reuters.

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