Thailand: Thailand has announced plans to host talks with Myanmar’s military leaders, a move that has drawn criticism for undermining regional unity in addressing Myanmar’s ongoing crisis.

The outgoing Thai military-backed government issued a statement stating that the purpose of the informal dialogue is to discuss various topics complementary to the efforts made by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to resolve the situation in Myanmar.

According to the statement, the meeting will be attended by representatives from Laos, Cambodia, India, China, Brunei, and Vietnam, as well as Myanmar, a highly contentious issue because ASEAN leaders agreed to exclude the country’s generals from the 10-member bloc’s meetings.

Myanmar’s generals seized power in a coup last year, toppling the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite reaching a deal with ASEAN two months later to end the violence and engage in talks with opposition groups, Myanmar’s military has failed to honour its commitments.

Thailand’s invitation to ASEAN foreign ministers, shared on Twitter by Human Rights Watch, indicated that the meeting would discuss a proposal to “fully re-engage Myanmar at the leaders’ level.”

Indonesia, which as the current ASEAN chair has for months been trying to engage key stakeholders in Myanmar’s conflict in an effort to kick-start a peace process, declined Thailand’s invitation. Indonesian Foreign Minister Mr. Retno Marsudi stated that the bloc had not reached a consensus to re-engage or develop new approaches to the Myanmar issue.

Malaysia also declined the invitation, citing prior commitments, but emphasised that ASEAN’s peace plan remained the valid reference and mandate for addressing the Myanmar crisis, according to a statement by the Malaysian government. Cambodia announced that its Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn, who previously served as an ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, would be represented by his deputy.

Thai Foreign Minister Mr. Don Pramudwinai defended the meeting, stating that its purpose was to provide Myanmar with an opportunity to provide an update on the situation. Mr. Pramudwinai clarified that Thailand was not organising the meeting on behalf of ASEAN and that an open invitation was extended to all interested nations.

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