The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said yesterday that the Asean Troika Plus meeting to help resolve the Myanmar crisis might be held after this year's Asean Summit.
Bolbongse Vangphaen, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asean Affairs, said yesterday that Laos, as the Asean chairman this year, accepted Thailand's proposed initiative regarding the Asean Troika Plus meeting at the 57th Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) last month in Vientiane.
"Currently, we are discussing with this year's Asean chair when it will be held.
"However, as of now, it is expected that the Troika Plus meeting might be held after the main Asean Summit, which will be held this October," he said.
Mr Bolbongse spoke to the media yesterday at an event to mark Asean Day 2024, commemorating the establishment of Asean 57 years ago.
Asean member states, including Thailand, have been collectively helping Myanmar solve their internal problems. However, it depends on Myanmar itself whether all relevant stakeholders inside the country are ready to engage in dialogue, he said.
"Asean member states, including Thailand, are trying to persuade all relevant parties to talk to each other as the effects of the Myanmar crisis have escalated across Asean, especially in Thailand, which shares the longest border with Myanmar," he said.
The Asean Troika Plus is a community body comprising the foreign ministers of the previous, present, and future chair countries of the bloc -- Indonesia, Laos, and Malaysia, respectively.
The "plus" refers to other Asean members interested in facilitating peace or are concerned about the crisis.
It also includes other stakeholders such as Myanmar's neighbouring countries and countries/international organisations that have appointed their own special envoys to Myanmar.