Retired General Min Aung Hlaing, former leader of Myanmar's military government, is scheduled to visit Thailand on 6 Aug. This marks his first visit since becoming the civilian leader. Meanwhile, Thailand is moving forward to support the restoration of relations with Myanmar amid criticism that this legitimizes a leader accused of crimes against humanity.
The former general who led the 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a civil war with over 100,000 deaths, was appointed Myanmar's president in April after elections deemed by democracy watchdogs and Western nations as a "staged" effort to whitewash and rebrand the military government.
As a neighboring country, Thailand has taken the lead in reviving relations with Myanmar both bilaterally and through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Previously, ASEAN countries barred Myanmar's leader from attending summits since the coup. However, Myanmar's foreign minister attended an informal regional foreign ministers' meeting in Thailand last month.
Since switching from military uniform to civilian attire, Min Aung Hlaing has pursued continuous diplomatic missions, visiting key allies India and China, as well as Laos, an ASEAN member.
Meanwhile, shortly before the Bangkok visit, Aung San Suu Kyi, still under house arrest, was permitted to meet representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday (3 Aug), marking the first official public meeting with foreign officials since her ousting.
Independent Myanmar analyst David Mathieson told AFP that Myanmar's efforts to reintegrate into ASEAN relations relate to "dignity and credibility" for Min Aung Hlaing. However, the Myanmar leader continues to refuse to comply with ASEAN's "Five-Point Consensus" aimed at ending conflict through dialogue with all parties. He said Min Aung Hlaing wants to be seen as a responsible ASEAN member but outright rejects the group's key agreement.
Analysts add that Thailand has strong reasons to restore relations due to clashes between Myanmar's military and resistance groups spilling over into Thai territory, burdening Thailand with caring for millions of refugees. Thailand also faces problems with scammer call center gangs and drug trafficking networks along its border.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told reporters that Thailand believes Myanmar and Cambodia can do more to suppress scammer networks. This issue will be raised during Min Aung Hlaing's visit. He also welcomed the ICRC's meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, hoping Myanmar's authorities will take positive steps toward sustainable peace and security.
A senior Thai official, speaking anonymously, revealed that Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to receive an official welcome with a military honor guard at Government House this Thursday before holding one-on-one talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The Myanmar leader will also attend a business forum and a dinner, with both sides expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on labor cooperation.
However, activists and experts argue that the Thai government should not accord a dignified welcome to Min Aung Hlaing, who is sanctioned by multiple Western countries and is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, the activist group Justice For Myanmar condemned Thailand's diplomatic actions, stating in a press release, "Min Aung Hlaing must be punished and held accountable for his crimes, not granted false legitimacy like this."
/sourceAFP