Foreign Minister insists informal Myanmar talks are in Thailand’s interest

[webfact]

 

On Sunday, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai defended his country’s hosting of peace talks, which the foreign minister of Myanmar’s ruling junta is attending, which will be shunned by key ASEAN counterparts and which is attracting criticism of the incumbent Thai government.

 

Speaking to Thai PBS, Don said the forum is part of Thailand’s continuing efforts to find ways to resolve the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar.

 

Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Than Swe is attending the two-day meeting, which started on Sunday, along with representatives from Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, India and China, according to a statement from the Thai Foreign Ministry.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/foreign-minister-insists-informal-myanmar-talks-are-in-thailands-interest/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-06-19

 

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[bob smith]

egg > face

[bamnutsak]

Yuck.

 

Not a good look. FM Don should stand down.

 

"Re-engaging" is not something a government with a very limited shelf-life (six-ish weeks) should be doing.

 

What really precipitated the urgent nature of this meeting? Why claim this is transparent, while hiding the previous two meetings?

 

My guess: Myanmar is worried about the transition from the Prayuth regime to a more democratic government, and wants some "guarantees" from the Myanmar-junta friendly Thai "government".

 

 

[h90]

peace talks are so 1990....

these days "peace talks" is almost a dirty word..

[h90]

2 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Yuck.

 

Not a good look. FM Don should stand down.

 

"Re-engaging" is not something a government with a very limited shelf-life (six-ish weeks) should be doing.

 

What really precipitated the urgent nature of this meeting? Why claim this is transparent, while hiding the previous two meetings?

 

My guess: Myanmar is worried about the transition from the Prayuth regime to a more democratic government, and wants some "guarantees" from the Myanmar-junta friendly Thai "government".

 

 

yes you are right...it is only a care talker government that keeps the chair warm....

[Eric Loh]

Why give Mynmar a platform when their military government has make zero efforts to stop the violence and atrocities against their own people. Human right violations and repression are worsening 2 years since the coup. Giving them a stage is a succint endorsement of their actions. The caretaker government will have to take full responsibilty for the message they are sending to the world. 

[HaoleBoy]

Might be some secret lucrative dealings going on .... Or some secretive dealings to hide longer.

Otherwise why engage at this late stage.

[Tropicalevo]

Quote

Foreign Minister insists informal Myanmar talks are in Thailand’s interest

Of course they are.

The military want a bigger share of the drug money.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Tropicalevo

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Don said the forum is part of Thailand’s continuing efforts to find ways to resolve the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar.

Yeah okay.

[h90]

3 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Why give Mynmar a platform when their military government has make zero efforts to stop the violence and atrocities against their own people. Human right violations and repression are worsening 2 years since the coup. Giving them a stage is a succint endorsement of their actions. The caretaker government will have to take full responsibilty for the message they are sending to the world. 

because he is the Thailands foreign minister not some NGO. Myanmar is a trading partner and that is important for the Thai people. The internals of Myanmar is not Thailands business.

[h90]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Of course they are.

The military want a bigger share of the drug money.

There is a lot import/export on the borders that benefit both sides...and also small and medium companies.....Years ago I was in Ranong there was a stead stream of small business....even washing...dirty clothes shipped to Myanmar for cleaning and back. Spare parts to Myanmar, etc.

[h90]

16 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Yeah okay.

That is cheap...why pretending that Thailand want to resolve the crises in Myanmar? Why not being honest. Like we don't care the internal problems in Myanmar, as long as they can pay we are ready to do business and don't care anything else. That sound hard but nothing wrong with it.

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Why give Mynmar a platform when their military government has make zero efforts to stop the violence and atrocities against their own people. Human right violations and repression are worsening 2 years since the coup. Giving them a stage is a succint endorsement of their actions. The caretaker government will have to take full responsibilty for the message they are sending to the world. 

The Thai national oil company, PTT is the major operator in the oil and gas fields there.

 

They were a bit part player until the coup, and took over all the fields when Western conglomerates pulled out due to human rights concerns.

 

No such scruples here.

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s continuing efforts to find ways to resolve the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar.

Easy. Restore the demoratically elected civilian goverment and return the military to barracks!! (wishful thinking).

Fortunately, I was able to visit Burma on several ocassions during the recent short period of democracy and what  enjoyable, fascinating and friendly experiences I had visiting Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan and Hsipaw (Shan State). 

[spidermike007]

Don: Can you please stop slaughtering your people and picking on minorities? And don't rape them. It makes us look really bad. Can you try to control your dreaded soldiers and army?

 

Than Shwe:

Sorry. We are simply having too much fun. All this power and the billions of dollars we are stealing from the resources is intoxicating. We never liked the minorities anyway. And many of our senior monks are racists. So, it works for us. This is what we wanted all along. Democracy and policies that benefit the people would have really gotten in the way of our robber baron M.O.

 

Don: Well, as army despots, we do share some of your views. Except, we don't like genocide. Guess there is not much more to talk about. I know you love good wine. I brought a beautiful bottle of 1990 Cheval Blanc. Care for some? 

 

 

[bamnutsak]

42 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I brought a beautiful bottle of 1990 Cheval Blanc. Care for some? 

Puhleez. It's the '47 or he's not getting out of bed.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, h90 said:

because he is the Thailands foreign minister not some NGO. Myanmar is a trading partner and that is important for the Thai people. The internals of Myanmar is not Thailands business.

I am not interested to make a comment if he is PTT NGO. Because he is the Foreign Minister and his action have bearings on the image of Thailand and foreign relationship with other countries. ASEAN leaders have boycotted the talks and as one of the founding member of ASEAN, he should take the que and respect the group's policy that they will not engaged in any meetings with Mynmar until they see significant changes as regards to their oppression of the civilian and human rights abuses. The internal affairs of Mynmar is not Thai military junta business because both are similar in suppressing people's will and freedom of choice. . 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Eric Loh
add word

[h90]

8 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I am not interested to make a comment if he is PTT NGO. Because he is the Foreign Minister and his action have bearings on the image of Thailand and foreign relationship with other countries. ASEAN leaders have boycotted the talks and as one of the founding member of ASEAN, he should take the que and respect the group's policy that they will not engaged in any meetings with Mynmar until they see significant changes as regards to their oppression of the civilian and human rights abuses. The internal affairs of Mynmar is not Thai military junta business because both are similar in suppressing people's will and freedom of choice. . 

Both Russia and China are in good conditions with Myanmar....That is the biggest and the country with the most population. Currently the government is only a caretaker government and should not do anything of significance. In Myanmar it is a decades long fight between military families which are either close to USA or close to China. Thailand can only loose if it takes a side. Whoever is the government in Myanmar should be respected by Thailand. Similar...yes would you have want that all the world boycott Thailand after the coup and Thai people can't export, die because lack of medicine...like they do in Myanmar. Or better let the trade continue?

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, h90 said:

Both Russia and China are in good conditions with Myanmar....That is the biggest and the country with the most population. Currently the government is only a caretaker government and should not do anything of significance. In Myanmar it is a decades long fight between military families which are either close to USA or close to China. Thailand can only loose if it takes a side. Whoever is the government in Myanmar should be respected by Thailand. Similar...yes would you have want that all the world boycott Thailand after the coup and Thai people can't export, die because lack of medicine...like they do in Myanmar. Or better let the trade continue?

You dont see the contradiction and banality in your posting? 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Puhleez. It's the '47 or he's not getting out of bed.

Well, the 1990 is a $1,500 bottle. In the US. In Thailand it would likely be $5,500, if one could find it. That is likely within the range of Don's daily bottle budget. 

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Easy. Restore the demoratically elected civilian goverment and return the military to barracks!! (wishful thinking).

Fortunately, I was able to visit Burma on several ocassions during the recent short period of democracy and what  enjoyable, fascinating and friendly experiences I had visiting Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan and Hsipaw (Shan State). 

Mandalay and Bagan are amazing. At least they were. Yangon is OK. For a capital it is only of modest interest. Burma does have alot to offer a tourist. Hope the people are able to eventually get rid of the serial killing army maniacs, and parasites like Than Shwe. 

[scottiejohn]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Mandalay and Bagan are amazing. At least they were. Yangon is OK. For a capital it is only of modest interest. Burma does have alot to offer a tourist. Hope the people are able to eventually get rid of the serial killing army maniacs, and parasites like Than Shwe. 

Yangon is NOT the Capital of Myanmar, as Burma is now called, it is a new city called Naypyidaw and has been since 2006!

Edited June 19, 2023 by scottiejohn

[zyphodb]

7 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Why give Mynmar a platform when their military government has make zero efforts to stop the violence and atrocities against their own people. Human right violations and repression are worsening 2 years since the coup. Giving them a stage is a succint endorsement of their actions. The caretaker government will have to take full responsibilty for the message they are sending to the world. 

birds of a feather, flock together...

[Mr Meeseeks]

17 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Easy. Restore the demoratically elected civilian goverment and return the military to barracks!! (wishful thinking).

Fortunately, I was able to visit Burma on several ocassions during the recent short period of democracy and what  enjoyable, fascinating and friendly experiences I had visiting Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan and Hsipaw (Shan State). 

I worked offshore over there a few times and it was pretty grim in the mid 2010s. I went back in 2019 before the latest coup and stayed at the Savoy (now closed, but a brilliant colonial style hotel in the heart of Yangon). The locals were all so positive about their future too. Really sad state of affairs. 

[steven100]

source:https://news.yahoo.com/thais-host-myanmar-junta-official-031652551.html

 

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Why give Mynmar a platform when their military government has make zero efforts to stop the violence and atrocities against their own people. Human right violations and repression are worsening 2 years since the coup. Giving them a stage is a succint endorsement of their actions. The caretaker government will have to take full responsibilty for the message they are sending to the world. 

Birds of a feather in a round about subliminal manner. 

What they say and how the act is a bit contradictory, ain't it? 

 

 

[spidermike007]

15 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Yangon is NOT the Capital of Myanmar, as Burma is now called, it is a new city called Naypyidaw and has been since 2006!

Yangon was the capital, for a long time. Myanmar is name the nationalists gave the new capital. Yangon is still effectively the only major city in the nation. And the same people who are causing genocide, created the new capital. I don't honor them by using either term. Respect has to be earned and should never be freely given. Call me a rebel. Just don't ever call me a robot. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by spidermike007

[couchpotato]

@scottiejohn...Yangon is NOT the Capital of Myanmar, as Burma is now called, it is a new city called Naypyidaw and has been since 2006!

@spidermike007Yangon was the capital, for a long time. Myanmar is name the nationalists gave the new capital. Yangon is still effectively the only major city in the nation. And the same people who are causing genocide, created the new capital. I don't honor them by using either term. Respect has to be earned and should never be freely given. Call me a rebel. Just don't ever call me a robot. 

 

Sorry Mike you are wrong and scottiejohn is correct. You are getting mixed up.

 

The country of Burma was officially changed to Myanmar, and the original Capital of Rangoon was officially changed to Yangon in 1989.

 

Naypyidaw was carved out of the jungle and became the official capital at the end of 2005.

Just a bit of history for you.

 

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by couchpotato

[spidermike007]

4 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

@scottiejohn...Yangon is NOT the Capital of Myanmar, as Burma is now called, it is a new city called Naypyidaw and has been since 2006!

@spidermike007Yangon was the capital, for a long time. Myanmar is name the nationalists gave the new capital. Yangon is still effectively the only major city in the nation. And the same people who are causing genocide, created the new capital. I don't honor them by using either term. Respect has to be earned and should never be freely given. Call me a rebel. Just don't ever call me a robot. 

 

Sorry Mike you are wrong and scottiejohn is correct. You are getting mixed up.

 

The country of Burma was officially changed to Myanmar, and the original Capital of Rangoon was officially changed to Yangon in 1989.

 

Naypyidaw was carved out of the jungle and became the official capital at the end of 2005.

Just a bit of history for you.

 

 

I fully understand the history. It is the root causes of the changes I question. And I have no respect for tyrants, nor the instructions they have given the world, with regard to names. 

[spidermike007]

Financial interests, yes. Moral and ethical interests, absolutely not. But that has never been important to Don, nor his army patrons and goons. It is likely about preserving the supply of natural gas.