Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit aimed at resolving Myanmar’s escalating civil war, with Thailand asking for further engagement ahead of the country’s embattled military authorities’ planned election.
Myanmar has been in chaos since a military coup in 2021 ignited a countrywide insurrection and a civil conflict that has decimated the 55 million-strong country. The ruling junta has so far refused to engage in dialogue with its opponents, whom it refers to as terrorists.
North Korea’s Army has said that it will totally block off highways and trains connecting with South Korea beginning Wednesday.
Thailand has offered to host an “informal consultation” of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in December to try to find a way out of the intractable conflict that has displaced millions of people.
The junta is conducting a nationwide census to pave the way for an election next year, despite not having control over wide swathes of the country.
ASEAN has so far said little of the proposed election, which has already been widely derided as a sham, with dozens of parties – including the dominant National League for Democracy (NLD), whose government the military toppled – disbanded for not registering to run.
However, Paetongtarn hinted to Thailand’s support for holding the vote, stating that “more political space and dialogue between parties are vital as Myanmar moves forward with elections.”
According to Thailand’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura, members of ASEAN, whose own peace plan for Myanmar has made little headway, are divided between those who want the junta to do more and those who want more negotiations between the warring parties.
Thailand has previously indicated that Myanmar’s other powerful neighbours, China and India, may play a part in the peace process, a position Paetongtarn underlined.
