Thailand Presses for Myanmar's Reintegration into ASEAN
Speaking to a state broadcaster, Phuangketkeow said Thailand was prepared to act as a "bridge" between Naypyidaw and the regional bloc, but stressed that Myanmar's junta must first demonstrate responsiveness to both ASEAN and the broader international community.
Myanmar has been shut out of ASEAN's annual high-level meetings since a military coup toppled its civilian government in 2021. Four years on, the country remains mired in civil war. Rights monitors report that ethnic clashes have killed thousands and uprooted nearly three million people as the junta continues battling armed opposition forces across the country.
Bangkok's position centers on reviving ASEAN's stalled five-point consensus — a framework calling for an immediate halt to violence and the launch of inclusive political dialogue. Phuangketkeow was unambiguous about the limits of Thailand's role, however.
"Bangkok is willing to help in any way we can, especially in supporting dialogue, but we will not dictate what should be discussed. Ultimately, peace talks must come from within Myanmar itself," he said.
The remarks followed informal bilateral talks with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Than Swe in the southern Thai resort city of Phuket. The two ministers discussed tightening cooperation along their shared 2,400-kilometer (1,500-mile) border to curb transnational crime — a growing concern for Bangkok as instability next door continues to spill across the frontier.
Phuangketkeow also indicated Thailand's openness to facilitating local-level contacts with Myanmar's ethnic border communities, if such a request were made, as part of broader peace-building efforts. Yet he was clear about where responsibility ultimately lies.
"It is up to Myanmar to initiate internal dialogue first," he said, adding: "Thailand wishes to see sustainable peace and stability in Myanmar, which would benefit Thailand's national security as well as bilateral economic cooperation."
For Myanmar to credibly chart a path back into ASEAN's fold, Phuangketkeow outlined a set of concrete expectations — launching dialogue, permitting humanitarian access, reducing violence, and curtailing attacks on civilians. Meeting those benchmarks, he said, would send the positive signals needed to make reintegration a realistic prospect.
ASEAN's current membership comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.
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