Thailand says Min Aung Hlaing’s Bangkok trip not legitimizing Myanmar junta

Following the meeting between Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Myanmar's interim president Min Aung Hlaing in Bangkok, Thailand has confirmed it will assist Myanmar in its reintegration into the ASEAN bloc. This marks Min Aung Hlaing's first official visit to Thailand since the 2021 coup, where he was welcomed with a red carpet and held meetings with parliamentary speakers and delivered a speech at a business forum. According to a joint statement from both countries, Thailand will help Myanmar regain equal participation in ASEAN processes and will further enhance discussions on security, trade, and environmental conservation. Three agreements were signed, including the formation of a joint working group on Thai-based Myanmar worker issues, river pollution caused by mineral mining, and the reopening of the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge between Myawaddy and Mae Sot. Although ASEAN has banned Myanmar's top generals from attending summit meetings for nearly five years, Thailand has maintained a policy of engaging with the junta to resolve border security and cross-border crime issues. While Min Aung Hlaing invited investment in national reconciliation and agriculture, human rights groups criticize that the people of Myanmar are still being oppressed under the barrel of the junta's guns. Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai responded that this is not about legitimizing the Myanmar junta but about discussing with influential figures to resolve issues faced at the border. Supporters of the junta claim that being welcomed with a red carpet in Bangkok signifies gaining international diplomatic legitimacy. Min Aung Hlaing has denied that ASEAN's five-point consensus is not a common stance of all member states, and the parliament has rejected it as interference in internal affairs. It remains to be seen whether Thailand's policy of constructive engagement will lead to peace in Myanmar's conflict or simply provide an exit for the junta.