New India-Thailand highway now operational: All you need to know

The Myawaddy-Thinggan Nyenaung-Kawkareik section of Asian Highway No. 1, linking India to Thailand via Myanmar, has been put into service. However, if you intend to take a road trip from India to Thailand, you will have to wait till November when the entire highway is expected to become operational.

Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Chairman of the Kayin National Union General Saw Mutu Sae Po attended an inaugural ceremony of the service along the section on Sunday.

Here is what you should know about the trilateral highway:

1. The section is part of a trilateral highway that will connect Moreh in Manipur (India) to Thailand's Maesot, via Myanmar's Tamu, Mandalay and Myawaddy.
2. The highway is part of East-West economic corridor of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
3. The Myawaddy-Thinggan Nyenaung-Kawkareik section is 25.6 km long.
4. Travel time between Thinggan Nyenaung and Kawkareik will be reduced from three hours to 45 minutes.
5. The construction of the section started in 2012 with the assistance of Thailand.
6. A cornerstone laying ceremony was held at Myawaddy on Sunday for the building of Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge No.2 to link Thailand's Maesot with Myanmar's Myawaddy.
7. India and Myanmar have been discussing starting a bus service between Imphal, Manipur and Mandalay.