Prayut government maintained close ties with Myanmar junta in 2022, despite repression

[webfact]

A demonstration against the Myanmar military junta’s execution of four prisoners, outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok on July 26, 2022. Myanmar’s junta executed four prisoners including a former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, state media said on July 25, in the country’s first use of capital punishment in decades. (Photo by Manan Vatsyayana / AFP)

While the international community has put in a lot of effort into resolving the political crisis in Myanmar after General Min Aung Hlaing’s coup last year, Thailand in contrast has tried to maintain the status quo, including good relations with the junta as usual.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also a former coup architect in Thailand, has faced criticism for turning a blind eye to the crisis in the neighboring country where another military general has brutally suppressed dissidents and armed ethnic groups.

 

The Tatmadaw, as the Myanmar military is known, has killed some 1,388 people and arrested 16,540persons since the coup to topple the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi last February, according to figures collected as of December 8 by the human rights defender, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

 

The battle for democracy

 

The coup ignited fierce resistance from the people, notably the young generation who want to see democracy in the longtime military-ruled country, as well as from ethnic groups who have been fighting for autonomy for decades.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/prayut-government-maintained-close-ties-with-myanmar-junta-in-2022-despite-repression/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-12-19

 

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[heybruce]

What a surprise:  Thailand's military government doesn't want to upset Myanmar's military government.

 

"SOON AFTER General Min Aung Hlaing mounted a coup against Myanmar’s elected government, a year ago this month, the army chief wrote to the prime minister of next-door Thailand for advice. How, he asked Prayuth Chan-ocha, to build a flourishing democracy?"  https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/02/03/myanmars-generals-have-a-dubious-role-model-in-thailand

[ozz1]

Peas in a pod stick together this is shameful by this pm hopefully thai people realise what he is like and get him out

[Pique Dard]

like attracts like

[stoner]

shocker.

[Srikcir]

Not "despite repression" but 'in support of repression.' 

[Boomer6969]

What did you expect?

[brianthainess]

They both Gotta keep the back door open, in case either need to do a runner from their own population.

[stoner]

52 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Not "despite repression" but 'in support of repression.' 

fantastic comment ????

 

[daveAustin]

The surprise would be if he did not. This is who Prayut is and, if truth be told, Thailand as a government has always been shoulder to shoulder with dodgy types when it suited.  

[lujanit]

Prayhoot is just a hypocrite.  Recently the following was reported here:

 

"BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union to constructively interact with all sides for humanitarian purposes."

 

In this case he was talking about Ukraine.  Horses for courses I guess.

[RandiRona]

Why single out Burma? China , Saudia, middle east are all autocratic repressive systems with a fantastic ties with Thailand. It's not like Thailand has any democracy which these generals adhere to. They just look out for themselves.

[engamann]

Ofcourse him do , they are the same kind of people , rolling in the tanks and steal what them want.

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, RandiRona said:

Why single out Burma? China , Saudia, middle east are all autocratic repressive systems with a fantastic ties with Thailand. It's not like Thailand has any democracy which these generals adhere to. They just look out for themselves.

The difference is that the generals in Myanmar are asking the generals in Thailand for advice on setting up a "democracy" that is subservient to the military.  https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/02/03/myanmars-generals-have-a-dubious-role-model-in-thailand

[roquefort]

While the international community has put in a lot of effort into resolving the political crisis in Myanmar after General Min Aung Hlaing’s coup last year

 

What exactly has the international community done to resolve the crisis?

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand in contrast has tried to maintain the status quo, including good relations with the junta as usual.

Prayut likes his brothers in arms..

[expat_4_life]

I find nothing particularly wrong with Thailand maintaining a good relationship with Myanmar, they are neighbors.

 

Thailand relies on Myanmar for 14% of its LNG (pipeline gas) and many other products.

 

Leave Myanmar to sort its own domestic problems.

Edited December 19, 2022 by expat_4_life

[spidermike007]

They are like minded. Thankfully the locals are not murderous, though. This administration has never been known for taking a moral stand, nor for it's own morality or ethics. No real effort was ever made to fight corruption, malfeasance, or a crooked judiciary. 

 

Prayuth and his kind must go. 

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Prayut government maintained close ties with Myanmar junta in 2022

It's a bromance, plain and simple

[AgMech Cowboy]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand in contrast has tried to maintain the status quo, including good relations with the junta as usual.

There is a saying, "Keep your friends close and you enemies closer" or something to that effect. Myanmar may not be Thailand's enemy, they have the high potential to be one.  I'd say Prayut is being very smart by maintaining a relationship with Myanmar.  I suspect he and the government are constantly working to help resolve the situation there and return Myanmar to a better situation. 

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

There is a saying, "Keep your friends close and you enemies closer" or something to that effect. Myanmar may not be Thailand's enemy, they have the high potential to be one.  I'd say Prayut is being very smart by maintaining a relationship with Myanmar.  I suspect he and the government are constantly working to help resolve the situation there and return Myanmar to a better situation. 

Both Prayut and the generals in Myanmar think the best possible situation is one in which the military is in charge of government, not the people.

[zzaa09]

11 hours ago, ozz1 said:

Peas in a pod stick together this is shameful by this pm hopefully thai people realise what he is like and get him out

Shouldn't be terribly surprising to those in the know and those who carefully study contemporary history.

Long been the accepted and friendly relationship between the two power blocks. 

 

It's even been suggested that the once highly revered Thai influencer and puppet master was quite the admirer of the successive Burmese regimes and was looking for Thailand to mirror these Juntas......but with a particular Thai twist. 

 

Has it ever been a wonder why, of the last 40-50 years, that Thailand has never officially called out or been critical of the cycling Burman regimes....

 

Closer than peas in a pod.