Mr Sihasak landed at Phuket International Airport yesterday ahead of a Ministers’ Retreat with Than Shwe, leader of the ruling military junta in Myanmar from 1992 to 2011, scheduled to take place in Phuket today (Feb 18).
Speaking on arrival, Mr Sihasak said the meeting would be an informal discussion on the future direction of Thailand-Myanmar relations in the wake of the election in Myanmar.
He stressed that Thailand, as a frontline state sharing a long and porous border with Myanmar, has been directly affected by the protracted conflict there.
More than 80% of bilateral trade between the two countries – valued at approximately B200 billion – takes place across the shared border, he said, while Thailand also faces challenges stemming from transnational crime, call-centre scam networks, drug trafficking and environmental impacts such as mining-related pollution originating in Myanmar.
“It is in Thailand’s interest to help Myanmar return to lasting peace and to move forward in accordance with ASEAN’s five-point consensus,” Mr Sihasak said.
He explained that the Phuket meeting follows on from discussions at the recent informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in the Philippines, where the situation in Myanmar was also raised among member states.
“As a frontline state most affected by the situation, we believe that the period following Myanmar’s general election could represent a crucial turning point in promoting peace in line with ASEAN’s five-point consensus,” he said.
Mr Sihasak was careful to clarify that the meeting should not be interpreted as Thailand recognising or endorsing the outcome of the Myanmar election, nor as acceptance of the country’s military-led government or a return to normal diplomatic relations.
“This is not about recognising the military government,” he said. “It is about Thailand playing a role in building relationships and persuading Myanmar to begin dialogue and reconciliation processes.”
He said particular emphasis would be placed on encouraging dialogue with ethnic groups along the Thai border, including the Karen, Kayah and Shan, many of whom remain in opposition to the central government.
Thailand stands ready to act as a mediator if all sides are prepared to engage, he added.
“The election held by the Myanmar government was imperfect, but there is a possibility of transition to peace and dialogue, depending on how the government proceeds,” Mr Sihasak said. “If nothing is done, there may be increased fighting. This is therefore a critical juncture – and we want them to follow the path of peace.”
He said Thailand’s approach to re-engagement with Myanmar would be proportionate and gradual, and should be Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned, with internal mechanisms taking the lead.
“The principle of the discussions is that we want to know how Myanmar will proceed with its new government after the elections and how it will move forward with its internal processes,” he said. “We also hope to move forward with talks and reconciliation to lead to peace in Myanmar.”
Mr Sihasak reiterated that Thailand would play a leading role in encouraging peace efforts, but not in a way that positions Thailand as directing the process.
“Everyone is watching how Thailand will move forward,” he said. “Our role is to help push towards a peace process – such as opening more space for humanitarian assistance, reducing violence against civilians, and initiating dialogue with ethnic groups.”
He noted that today’s meeting would be the first direct discussion focused specifically on the post-election direction in Myanmar.
As such, no formal agenda items or agreements have been set in advance, he said, but he hoped the retreat would establish an atmosphere conducive to further engagement and lay the groundwork for a sustainable peace plan.
“We want to see the beginning of constructive interaction that can lead to lasting peace in Myanmar,” Mr Sihasak said.
MILITARY RULE
Myanmar’s dominant pro-military party won junta-run elections late last month after a month-long vote that democracy watchdogs dismissed as a rebranding of army rule, reports AFP
With massively popular democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi detained and her party dissolved, critics said the ballot was stacked with army allies to prolong their grip on power.
Voting was not held in huge patches of the country controlled by rebel factions fighting in the civil war ‒ another hurdle cited by those questioning the poll’s mandate.
"We won a majority already," a senior official from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) said on condition of anonymity.
Many analysts describe the USDP ‒ which is staffed by retired senior officers ‒ as a civilian proxy of the military, which has stage-managed the poll to give its rule a veneer of civilian legitimacy.
"They won since before the election," said one 28-year-old Yangon resident, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
"They were the only ones in the race, and they were the referee… Almost everyone won’t have faith in the government they will form," he added.
A quarter of unelected parliamentary seats will be reserved for members of the armed forces, under the terms of a constitution drafted during a previous stint of military rule.
A combined house majority of MPs will elect the president after parliament convenes in March.
While the military has touted the poll as an opportunity for reconciliation, rebel factions regard it as illegitimate, and conflict monitors say it is unlikely to stymy the civil war.
Elections were called off in one in five of Myanmar’s townships amid the fighting, but the military waged a withering pre-poll offensive, including attacks rights groups allege may include war crimes.
In junta-held territory, dissent has been purged, with new laws punishing protest or criticism of the election with up to a decade in prison.
Parties that won 90% of seats in 2020 did not appear on the ballot this time, the Asian Network for Free Elections said.
More than 22,000 people are languishing in junta jails, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.
"While the election results within Myanmar have never been in doubt, the election result that matters most is the response of the international community," UN expert Tom Andrews said last week.