The foreign ministers of Thailand and Myanmar met informally in Phuket, agreeing to accelerate the reopening of border trade and to expand energy cooperation, with hopes of drawing Myanmar back into ASEAN.
On 19 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Sihasak Puangketkaew, Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, revealed after talks with Mr. Than Swe, Myanmar's Foreign Minister from the military government, in Phuket on Wednesday, 18 Feb, that both sides discussed ways to revive border trade and strengthen energy cooperation. Thailand also expressed readiness to support local coordination with ethnic groups along the border, if requested, to promote the peace process in Myanmar.
Both sides also discussed easing restrictions faced by Thai businesses operating in Myanmar, such as regulations on exchange rates and raw material imports. Additionally, they addressed these same issues concerning Thai businesses in Myanmar, including exchange rate and import rules.
It was further noted that this meeting marked the first foreign minister-level discussion between the two countries since Myanmar completed its staged elections at the end of January. Thailand hopes to see Myanmar fully reintegrated into ASEAN cooperation frameworks after Myanmar's military government was excluded from ASEAN summit meetings following the 2021 coup.
Mr. Sihasak stated that Thailand wishes to serve as a bridge to reconnect Myanmar with ASEAN, aiming for Myanmar to be a full member of the ASEAN family again. He added that Myanmar must demonstrate responsiveness to ASEAN and the international community, while ASEAN has not recognized the military government's election results nor sent official observer delegations.
The Thai foreign minister also disclosed that Myanmar informed Thailand of plans to form a new government before the traditional New Year festival in April and affirmed that stabilizing the country would be their top priority.
Source: Thai MFA / Irrawaddy