Thailand is ready to support Laos when it assumes the Asean chairmanship next year and begins work trying to solve the Myanmar crisis, says a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahidda-nukara held talks with his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith on the sidelines of the Asean-Japan Summit in Tokyo earlier this week, said Usana Berananda, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Asean Affairs.
Ms Usana said Mr Parnpree had told the Lao minister that Thailand has been working on humanitarian assistance for Myanmar.
Mr Saleumxay said Laos would like to support Thailand’s effort, adding that Laos also wanted to see Asean deal with the situation in Myanmar.
Ms Usana said Laos is sincere in wanting to solve this problem; however, the complexities of the situation — there has been fighting between the government and ethnic minorities for over 70 years — make finding common ground between the sides very difficult.
“Laos will try its best because they are a neighbouring country with many stakeholders in Myanmar,” she said.
“The Thai foreign minister has always reiterated that Thailand is ready to support Laos’ chairmanship of Asean next year. However, we will not pressure them as we believe, according to the status quo, that there can only be certain progress on certain issues,” she added.
The military regime that seized power in Myanmar in early 2021 has shown a willingness to hold a general election, she said, though the timing remains uncertain.
The junta has continued to postpone polls on security grounds, and it has extended a state of emergency several times. Meanwhile, the army is facing increasingly stiff armed resistance on several fronts.
Asean members have sent signals to Myanmar that the election needs to be as fair and free as possible, said Ms Usana.
“However, the election might not be absolutely free and fair because each area has certain limitations,” she said. “We need to keep an eye on how to help and ensure an election will help solve the problem in the long term. Yet, it is up to Myanmar because it is their internal affair.”
Mr Parnpree recently met Than Swe, the Myanmar deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on the sidelines of the 8th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing, according to the website of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Thai minister expressed appreciation for Myanmar’s assistance in the repatriation of Thai nationals from Laukkaing, the site of clashes between the army and ethnic rebels, and reaffirmed Thailand’s support for the Myanmar peace process.
Both sides also agreed to work together to boost humanitarian assistance, in line with the implementation of the so-called 5-Point Consensus agreed on by Asean leaders and the head of the Myanmar junta in 2021.