Thailand pushes for Asean talks with Myanmar

Foreign minister Sihasak to propose step towards engagement at summit in Philippines

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow says he plans to invite his Myanmar counterpart to meet ‌top regional diplomats, aiming to build consensus within Asean for greater engagement with the new military-backed government of the war-torn nation.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) barred Myanmar’s junta leaders from attending high-level meetings after the 2021 coup in which the country’s generals ousted an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Philippines is the chair of Asean this year and will host the leaders’ summit from May 7-9 in Cebu City.

Junta chief Min Aung ​Hlaing took office as president last month ⁠to formalise his grip on political power in Myanmar after a pro-military party swept to victory in a widely criticised election at the turn of the year.

Mr Sihasak, who met with Min Aung Hlaing a fortnight ago, said he was pushing to ‌restore engagement with Myanmar’s leadership, including at the level of foreign ministers.

“This would be another meeting on the sidelines of the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting,” he told Reuters in an interview.

“And then he can brief us on recent developments, on what they plan to do,” Mr Sihasak added, referring to his Myanmar counterpart.

“Then ⁠we can take it from there. So it’s a step-by-step process.”

A Myanmar government spokesman did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

Last November Mr Sihasak had said it would be “difficult” for Asean to re-engage with Myanmar, while other members of the 11-nation grouping have offered no public backing for the new government.

Mr Sihasak said he would seek to discuss his plan with his fellow foreign ministers, who will gather at the Asean leaders’ summit this ​week, their first since the vote in Myanmar.

“We want to move together collectively with Asean. But we should move. We should do something,” he said.

“I believe that this is not something that Thailand wants to impose unilaterally.”

The bloc agreed on a “five-point consensus” peace plan with Min Aung Hlaing months after protests against the 2021 coup broadened into a rebellion against military rule, but the effort failed to halt the spiralling ​conflict ⁠in impoverished Myanmar.

Last year, Malaysia, then chair of the bloc, underscored the importance of the peace plan, saying it was not too difficult for the Myanmar general to cease violence, launch talks and ease the ⁠way for humanitarian aid.

The civil war has driven more than 3.6 million people from their homes in a conflict that has killed more than 6,800 civilians and triggered one of Asia’s worst humanitarian crises, as aid falls short.

“If we want to watch the situation improve, if we want to see peace, then we have to ⁠think about what we can do,” Mr Sihasak said, underlining that he has pushed elements of Asean’s peace plan ​in meetings with the leadership in Myanmar.

Despite Thailand’s attempts, Myanmar’s new administration remains locked in conflict with an array of armed groups opposed to the military and has made limited concessions, such as house arrest for Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr Sihasak said he did not make a request during his visit to Nay Pyi Taw ‌to see the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize ⁠winner detained since the coup.

“My main concern was to ​see that she was in good health,” he said. “And (that) she probably could be moved to live in better conditions.”