The notable and lamentable absent guest at the Asean summit table was the one leader whose presence was actually vital. Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar are both experiencing a crushing number of domestic problems, including at least three brushfire wars. But she was needed at the Singapore summit to discuss Rakhine state and the Rohingya. Without the head of government, no progress was possible.
To make matters worse, not only is she Myanmar's national leader, but Ms Suu Kyi is also the foreign minister. Effectively, then, Myanmar had no voice with any influence at the 32nd Asean summit. Recently inaugurated Myanmar President Win Myint is, no doubt, a reliable backer of the leader, but only Ms Suu Kyi can make, authorise and order the carrying out of important policy. Indeed, there were strong and even open suggestions that Ms Suu Kyi missed the Singapore summit precisely because she does not want to make or approve of any new action.
Two images have been shattered because of the Rohingya crisis. The first is the emerging reputation of Myanmar as a nation dedicated to developing democracy. The second is Ms Suu Kyi's personal reputation as a fighter for human and civil rights. The handling of the tragic and sometimes murderous exile of 700,000 Rohingya was bad enough. Far worse was the defence of this systematic violation of rights on a massive scale, and particularly the support by Ms Suu Kyi for what seemed indefensible abuses against the civilian Muslims.
After weeks of diplomatic rumblings, The Jakarta Post argued openly last week that Ms Suu Kyi may be in the process of taking Myanmar back to the isolationism of its recent past. That would compound the tragedy, in multiple ways -- for Myanmar and its citizens, for the Rohingya, and for Asean.
In recent days and weeks, the army, known as the tatmadaw, has fought ethnic groups around the country. For Thailand, the most significant combat and fallout have been against the Karen. As part of that campaign, Myanmar forces shot and killed one of the most prominent human rights and environmental campaigners. The exact circumstances of the death of Saw O Moo on April 5 were somewhat muddy. He was shot on the motorcycle he was riding home from a meeting held to organise assistance for thousands of Karens displaced by the fighting.
The campaign against the Karen, and particularly the fear and retreat of villagers, are important to Thailand. Already home to tens of thousands of refugees from the Karen state, Thailand is more focused on sending refugees home than in welcoming more. This also is a subject left hanging by Ms Suu Kyi's curious decision to skip the Singapore summit.
No one can accuse Asean as a group, or individual members, of alienating Ms Suu Kyi. Indeed, as this column has pointed out many times, Thailand and its Asean partners have remained diplomatically silent during what the UN calls both ethnic cleansing and "acts of genocide" against the Rohingya. It must be Asean, then, that quickly consults with Ms Suu Kyi to bring Myanmar all the way back into the fold. It is unacceptable for a full partner of Asean to act as a part-time member.
While it will not be Asean chairman until next year, Thailand arguably has the biggest role to play in fixing troubles and getting Asean-Myanmar operations back on track. The armies are close and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha could play a pivotal role. Myanmar under Ms Suu Kyi has acted badly over the Rohingya. Handled with skill, the problem can be overcome and Asean can discuss solutions with Ms Suu Kyi and her government.