BANGKOK: Thailand’s caretaker government was scheduled to host Myanmar’s ruling junta foreign minister at informal regional peace talks on Sunday. However, key Southeast Asian counterparts have chosen to stay away from the meeting, which has drawn sharp criticism.
So far, only Cambodia has officially confirmed its attendance at the talks.
Myanmar’s generals have been excluded from senior-level meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for nearly two years due to their failure to honor an agreement to initiate discussions with opponents associated with the deposed civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently imprisoned.
Despite this, Thailand, whose prime minister himself came to power through a military coup, extended an invitation to Myanmar’s junta-appointed Foreign Minister Than Swe, along with other foreign ministers from the 10-member ASEAN bloc, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The junta spokesman from Myanmar could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
Thailand’s foreign ministry has been tight-lipped about the attendees of the hastily organized two-day gathering in the resort town of Pattaya. Outgoing Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai sent invitation letters just four days before the planned start, and as of Sunday morning, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun stated he had “no information” about the meeting.
Myanmar has been engulfed in violence since the military coup on February 1, 2021. The military is currently engaged in multiple conflicts as it tries to suppress an armed pro-democracy resistance movement that emerged in response to the crackdown. The junta claims it is fighting terrorists seeking to destabilize the country.
Critics of Thailand’s initiative argue that it risks legitimizing Myanmar’s military government and is inappropriate as it operates outside the official ASEAN peace initiative, known as the “five-point consensus.” Others question why Thailand called for the talks at this time, as a new government is expected to be formed in August following the resounding defeat of the pro-military coalition by progressive and populist parties in the May 16 elections.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn confirmed his attendance at the meeting, as stated by his government on Friday. However, other ASEAN members, including this year’s chair, Indonesia, and Singapore, have declined Thailand’s invitation. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan remarked on Friday that it would be premature to engage with the junta at a summit or foreign minister level.
Nantiwat Samart, secretary to the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs, defended the talks on Sunday, emphasizing that Myanmar should not be isolated or excluded from ASEAN.
Vietnam’s government announced that its foreign minister would not attend the meeting due to a prior engagement, while Malaysia is also not participating, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Philippines, which had not responded to questions by Sunday morning, is considered to firmly support the isolation of Myanmar’s generals.
Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government, comprised of loyalists to Aung San Suu Kyi’s deposed administration, condemned the Thai initiative, stating that inviting the illegitimate junta to the discussion would not contribute to resolving Myanmar’s political crisis.
On Sunday, a group of 81 Myanmar activist groups released an open letter condemning the “secretive initiative,” asserting that it blatantly contradicts ASEAN’s policy of not inviting junta officials to high-level meetings. The letter demanded that the caretaker Thai government immediately cancel the meeting.
