Dense Fog Prevents Helicopter of PM Landing in Maungdaw
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Maungdaw: Dense fog prevented the helicopters of Prime Minister Lt. General Thein Sein from landing yesterday in Maungdaw, forcing them to divert to Ann Town where the Western Command is stationed, said an elder close to government officials.
"We were waiting from roadsides to welcome him but he did not appear until 12 pm. Later we found out the helicopters were diverted to Ann due to heavy fog which caused poor visibility," he said.
Prime Minister Lt. General Thein Sein flew to Maungdaw from Sittwe with two helicopters early on Monday morning, but his helicopters were unable to land due to the heavy fog. According to a local source the prime minister diverted his helicopters first to Rathidaung, 20 miles north of Sittwe, and later flew to Kyauktaw from Rathidaung.
The elder said, "I received information about PM Thein Sein that he flew to Ann from Kyauktaw in the evening of Monday. He is now staying at Western Command in Ann."
PM Lt. General Thein Sein had plans to inspect the border development near Bangladesh and to talk with businessmen from the border about promoting trade with Bangladesh.
According to a local source, the prime minister's trip to Maungdaw is now uncertain, despite the government's announcement that he will travel again on Tuesday because of other events taking place in the region.
"There was a solar eclipse yesterday evening. Therefore, I do not think he will come back to Maungdaw again as the SPDC high officials believe the eclipse is a portent and omen," the elder said.
Thein Sein arrived in Sittwe from Naypyidaw on 23 January 2009 and inspected many government projects in Sittwe. He is likely to visit many townships in Arakan to inspect the government projects such as castor oil and rubber plantations.
A source from Sittwe said that the prime minister also has plans to visit Sai Din Waterfall in Buthidaung Township as it is the site of a proposed hydropower plant to produce electricity for Arakan State.
Meanwhile, state-owned television yesterday propagated that 15 townships in Arakan will be getting power very soon and that the living standard of Arakanese people will be increasing in the near future.
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