NAY PYI TAW, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar said on Thursday that it will not reopen the long-closed Phaya Thonzu border crossing before formal demarcation is made on the controversial boundary.

Minister of Commerce Than Myint told the House of Representatives or Lower House that border trade activities and cross-border movement can only be made after the demarcation.

The Phaya Thonzu border crossing was opened in 1993 but was closed in 2007, forcing a halt in commodity flow, unemployment for local people and creation of illegal trade and bribery.

The Myanmar Foreign Ministry carried out land survey in 2013 for the reopening of the border crossing. However, Thailand was said to be found building houses and highway on Myanmar side's territory since 1990.

The matter of reopening of the border crossing was submitted to the Thai-Myanmar Joint Boundary Committee in 1999 and 2002, but was rejected by Myanmar.

Most of Myanmar's border trade activities went through border crossings with China, Bangladesh and India since October 1988.

Myanmar has a total of 16 border crossings with neighboring countries.