In pictures: River trade

During the day, there is very little activity along the riverbank that marks the Thai-Burma border.

People living in the shacks on both sides of the river often spend the day sleeping, or lazing around in the sunshine.

But as dusk approaches, they suddenly start moving - hauling crates of produce onto boats to take across the river.

Sometimes they go to extraordinary lengths to get things across, although there is a perfectly good bridge just round the bend of the river.

People living in Burma want essential items, such as cooking oil, fuel and the ever-popular flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Thailand has few import and export regulations - it is Burma that presents the problem. Many of the items leaving and arriving in Thailand are logged with customs officials.

According to the Tak Chamber of Commerce, Thailand imported 30m baht ($850,000) worth of furniture from Myawadi in January alone.

In the same month it exported 46m baht ($1.3m) of diesel and 32m baht ($0.91m) of edible oil to Burma.

Hauling the goods over the river is a family affair. While it might seem farcical given the proximity of the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge, it makes financial sense for all concerned.

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