Reports indicate that the transportation challenges from Htoekawtkoe , the 1018 and Thitkatay roads, specifically along the Dawna Taungkyaw route, coupled with persistent rainfall, have resulted in a decrease in the arrival of rice vehicles in Myawaddy. Consequently, many rice shops have shuttered, leading to a spike in rice prices.

Compounding the issue is the restriction on the old Myawaddy Taungkyaw road, which permits only large trucks to travel downhill, accruing higher gate fees. Conversely, trucks laden with goods bound for Myawaddy are prohibited, allowing only empty trucks to ascend. This restriction has reportedly led to a decrease in the influx of rice into Myawaddy.

On June 12, the Shwe Ohgyi rice shop in Myawaddy announced the resumption of rice truck arrivals after a month-long hiatus, with trucks previously halted at the base of Kawkareik hill.

Despite ongoing efforts, prominent rice shops along the sugarcane road in Ward-3 remain shuttered, further exacerbating the upward trend in rice prices. Local residents are grappling with increased challenges in procuring rice due to these closures.

Facing the scarcity, some residents have resorted to purchasing rice from Mae Sot Market in Thailand, albeit with a preference for locally sourced rice. However, heavy rainfall has impeded transportation along Htoekawtkoe, the 1018, and Kyat U Taung roads, causing a three to four-day halt on up-bound vehicles. Toll fees for vehicles, even those without cargo, have soared into the hundreds of thousands, adding to the financial burden of locals. The toll for down-bound vehicles exceeds Ks1500,000. Many residents attribute these challenges to the greed of a few individuals, appealing for the reopening of the crucial Asian Highway to facilitate border trade.

The closure of the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Dawna Taungkyaw road, also known as the new Asia road, since December 1, 2023, until June 2024, following the Kawkareik clashes, has further compounded the strain on Myanmar-Thailand border trade.