Thai Senate President Meets Myanmar Commander-in-Chief, Agree to Boost Cooperation

Mr. Mongkol Surasajja, President of the Thai Senate, welcomed General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, for discussions aimed at promoting cooperation between the two countries. The meeting took place at the Thai Parliament from August 6th to 7th. President Mongkol expressed his pleasure regarding the successful joint discussions held the previous day between the President of Myanmar and the Prime Minister of Thailand, as well as the exchange of cooperation documents on labor, sustainable river water management, and peaceful space exploration technology. He expressed hope that these collaborations would lead to expanded strategic cooperation in all dimensions. Furthermore, President Mongkol commended General Min Aung Hlaing's national development policies, which focus on promoting economic, social, and environmental development for the well-being of the people. He noted that Myanmar is a neighboring friendly country to Thailand, sharing a border of 2,400 kilometers, and is a natural strategic partner linked geographically, in security, trade, and investment. He highlighted that approximately 4 million Myanmar nationals currently reside and work in Thailand, emphasizing that Thailand and Myanmar must move forward together stably, peacefully, and sustainably. President Mongkol also stated that the Thai Parliament and the Myanmar Parliament have good relations at both bilateral and multilateral levels within the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). He stressed that the parliaments of both countries, as legislative bodies, must cooperate to improve laws and exchange best practices to address new challenges they face together, including cross-border environmental and pollution issues, narcotics and transnational crime, human trafficking, and online scam networks, all of which directly impact the security, economy, and welfare of the citizens of both nations. As President of the Senate and Vice President of the Parliament, he reaffirmed readiness to promote cooperation with the Parliament of Myanmar through exchanges among legislative leaders and parliamentary friendship groups of both countries. He also expressed delight in learning about the establishment of the Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Association by the Myanmar Senate, chaired by the former Myanmar Ambassador to Thailand, who possesses deep knowledge and understanding of Thailand-Myanmar relations and is expected to be a significant driving force in connecting the parliamentary relations of both countries. On behalf of the Thai Parliament, he pledged support and commitment to promoting cooperation between the Thai and Myanmar Parliaments, believing that this visit will achieve its objectives. General Min Aung Hlaing expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the Thai Senate President, noting that this was his 19th visit to Thailand and expressing hope that it would further strengthen cooperation between governments, parliaments, and peoples. He mentioned that a new government and parliament have been established in Myanmar in accordance with its constitution and expressed a desire for the Myanmar Parliament to cooperate with the Thai Parliament for mutual experience exchange. General Min Aung Hlaing further stated that Myanmar and Thailand share good relations in culture, religion, and various other aspects, and he believes these ties will become even stronger in the future, particularly regarding progress in addressing transboundary haze issues and pollution in rivers in Thailand's northern region. He acknowledged that while there are many obstacles in governing the country, his administration is committed to moving towards full democracy in accordance with the country's laws and expressed his determination to develop the nation for the better. Regarding the approximately 4 million Myanmar citizens residing in Thailand, he requested that they be looked after and protected appropriately in accordance with Thai law. Source: INN News