Thein Sein's Thai trip cancelled over 'dissatisfaction'

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Myanmar President Thein Sein will no longer be visiting Thailand as scheduled on Monday and Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha said yesterday.

He did not elaborate on why the trip had been called off and no details were available from Myanmar authorities or the embassy at press time last night.

This cancellation is believed to have stemmed from the Myanmar government's "dissatisfaction" over prodemocracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's trip to Thailand, a highranking Thai government official said, without explaining why her trip, which won a euphoric welcome from migrant workers, had displeased the Myanmar military and government.

During the two day trip, Thein Sein was going to be granted an audience by His Majesty the King and was also scheduled to sign an MoU with the Thai government inaugurating several ambitious projects in the wake of Myanmar's reforms.

-- The Nation 2012-06-02

Myanmar president postpones Thai visit: statement

Yangon, June 2, 2012 (AFP) - Myanmar's president has postponed a state visit to Thailand, an official statement said late Friday, the second rescheduling of the trip within a week.

The southeast Asian nation is currently hosting opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on her first overseas foray in 24 years.

President Thein Sein was initially due to attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia which winds up Friday in Bangkok, but postponed his official visit until June 4-5, sending his Minister for Energy to represent him.

A statement on the presidential website said Thein Sein had again pushed back the visit "because of unfavorable conditions" adding "the visit will be re-arranged after negotiations at a time convenient to both countries."

The statement did not provide further details.

Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi was invited to the forum and has been the star attraction of the two-day gathering on her first trip outside of Myanmar since 1988.

Addressing the forum on Friday she urged "healthy scepticism" over Myanmar's dramatic reforms, saying only the rule of law can cement recent political progress and foster clean investment.

While Western nations have imposed sanctions on resource-rich Myanmar because of its poor human rights record, Asian neighbours such as Thailand, China and India have forged close economic ties, particularly in oil and gas.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-06-02

One can only hope that, in the middle of his hissy-fit, he didn't also threaten to take his cricket-bat home too.

One can hardly blame him; Suu Kyi is a hard act to follow.

One can hardly blame him; Suu Kyi is a hard act to follow.

I saw her interview on TV yesterday. Very impressive woman with great English skills.

Thein Sein had again pushed back the visit "because of unfavorable conditions"

Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi was invited to the forum and has been the star attraction of the two-day gathering on her first trip outside of Myanmar since 1988.

Does anyone think this is just coincidence, or that she is not politically astute enough to know what the result would be ahead of time? No wonder she was locked up at home so long to prevent her from running rings around and hitting these fools on the backs of their legs with sticks...she has them outmatched by several furlongs.

When I read the title I thought Gerry Adams and Martin Maguiness were on their way out