Thai foreign minister to visit Myanmar ahead of Asean summit

Thailand’s foreign minister said he will visit Myanmar on Nov 12, days before a regional summit where Bangkok will be pressing to normalise ties with the war-torn country.

Sihasak Phuangketkeow’s trip also comes during raised tensions along the countries’ shared border, where Bangkok said clashes between Myanmar’s military and ethnic rebels caused property damage and injured a Thai civilian in Thailand on Thursday.

His visit, announced late Tuesday, is scheduled shortly before a Nov 16-18 summit of Asean leaders in Manila.

Myanmar’s leaders have not been invited to high-level Asean meetings since former general Min Aung Hlaing led a 2021 military coup that ousted democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a civil war.

Sihasak told reporters in Beijing his government wants to “hear Myanmar’s latest position” ahead of the summit.

“De-escalation by all parties will help create a conducive atmosphere for essential dialogue and the peace process,” he said.

“If there is progress on these fronts, it will be a positive factor for Asean to consider at the leaders’ summit, as we decide how to move forward on the situation in Myanmar, including Myanmar’s participation in Asean meetings,” he added.

Sihasak, who last visited Myanmar in April, said he would meet his counterpart, Tin Maung Swe, on Nov 12, and a meeting with Min Aung Hlaing was “in the works”.

In July, Bangkok hosted a meeting between Tin Maung Swe and foreign ministers of several Asean member states, the first such gathering since the 2021 coup.

The following month, Min Aung Hlaing met with Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok, with the two nations’ military chiefs holding talks two weeks after.

Min Aung Hlaing took over as civilian president in April following elections widely dismissed by monitors as a charade.

Since then he has been given a red-carpet welcome across the region, in India, China and several Asean nations.

Myanmar is expected to send a senior civil servant to the Manila summit.

Thailand has stepped up security on its western frontier following last week’s cross-border fire.

On Wednesday, Myanmar’s military blamed “terrorist insurgents” – how it refers to ethnic-minority armed groups and pro-democracy forces – for wounding a Thai national, according to a statement in state media.

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