Thailand questioned over Min Aung Hlaing’s upcoming ‘state’ visit to Bangkok

The whistleblower group Justice For Myanmar (JFM), established in 2019 by a covert group of activists, called on the Thai government to stand with the people of Myanmar and reject regime leader Min Aung Hlaing’s “criminal network” before a scheduled meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok Aug. 6-7. “As Myanmar’s neighbour, Thailand must stand firmly with those struggling for a future federal democratic Myanmar,” Yadanar Maung, the JFM spokesperson, stated in a press release on Aug. 3. In the statement, JFM requested Bangkok hold Min Aung Hlaing’s regime accountable for “transnational and international criminal activities” and cut all sources of funds, arms and aviation fuel to Naypyidaw. Thai opposition lawmaker Kannavee Suebsang questioned his own government’s reception of Min Aung Hlaing, who is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity over his leadership of the Myanmar military during the “clearance operations” against Rohingya communities in northern Arakan State in 2016-17. This is the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with the 2016-17 military attacks being labelled a genocide by the U.S. government in 2022. Min Aung Hlaing also led the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021 that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) government and led to an armed uprising against the return to military rule in Myanmar. The Myanmar crisis since 2021 has gripped the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which adopted the Five-Point Consensus, the regional bloc’s peace plan, in April 2021. Min Aung Hlaing agreed to the framework but didn’t implement it upon his return to Myanmar. For this, ASEAN has barred him and all senior regime officials from attending high-level summits and meetings since October 2021. “Is Thailand using this visit to help create a way out of the Myanmar crisis, or is it opening the door to granting ‘legitimacy’ to those who hold power in Myanmar? ” Kannavee Suebsang shared in a post on his social media account. On July 31, Min Aung Hlaing dismissed the Five-Point Consensus during a speech to parliament, stating it wasn’t the “consensus” of all member states. Kannavee Suebsang is also a member of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a regional network of incumbent and former lawmakers. On July 27, APHR welcomed ASEAN’s decision to continue its five-year-long freeze of senior regime officials at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting July 20-24, but it called for more concrete action against Min Aung Hlaing for his non-compliance with the Five-Point Consensus. On July 21, Thai Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Manila, Philippines, that progress on the Five-Point Consensus will happen “incrementally.” He added that Thailand and Myanmar must bilaterally address transnational crime, including cyber scam operations and drug smuggling, along its 1,501 mile (2,416 km) long shared border. On July 9, Myanmar’s parliament led by the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) administration released a statement rejecting the ASEAN Five Point Consensus, stating that the peace plan contradicts the bloc’s long-standing principle of non-interference in the affairs of member states. Min Aung Hlaing is sanctioned by the U.S.A., U.K., E.U., Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia since he orchestrated a military coup that ousted the elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government on Feb. 1, 2021. Explore the DVB Sanction Monitor Dashboard The post Thailand questioned over Min Aung Hlaing’s upcoming ‘state’ visit to Bangkok appeared first on DVB.