Thai PM to visit Myanmar on first official trip

[webfact]

Thai PM to visit Myanmar on first official trip

BANGKOK, September 12, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's coup leader and premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha will visit Myanmar on his first official overseas trip, an official said Friday, as the junta seeks to strengthen ties with its former military-ruled neighbour.

Prayut will travel to Myanmar "as soon as possible", deputy foreign minister Don Pramudwinai told AFP, saying the trip could take place by the end of this month or early October.

"The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Myanmar as his first foreign country because Myanmar currently chairs ASEAN," Don said, referring to the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations of which Thailand is also a member.

Prayut is next expected to visit other ASEAN member states beginning with Malaysia, he added.

For decades, former military-ruled Myanmar was treated as a pariah state by the West, but since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011, the nation has been lauded for its dramatic reforms.

Thailand's coup makers, meanwhile, have been chided by the United States and the European Union for grabbing power from an elected government in May, spurring the junta to boost relations with Asian neighbours instead.

In July, when Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing visited Bangkok, the Thai military said it had won the country's backing.

Since the coup, the junta has curtailed dissent in Thailand by hauling in protesters, muzzling the media and threatening those found in breach of martial law with trial in a military court.

Myanmar, which hosted its first ASEAN summit in May, has been a member of the bloc for 17 years but was forced to renounce the rotating presidency in 2006 because of criticism over its rights record and the then-ruling junta's failure to shift to democracy.

Prayut has said he was forced to take power after months of protests against ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra's administration left 28 people dead and hundreds wounded.

He has ruled out holding new elections before October 2015, despite international appeals for a return to democracy.

Myanmar is also set to hold parliamentary elections next year.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-09-12

[fab4]

Oops, this is going to upset the forum evangelists. Not that there's much in the content to argue with, apart from a couple of contentious points, this being one

"Myanmar was treated as a pariah state by the West, but since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011, the nation has been lauded for its dramatic reforms."

Dramatic reforms? I suppose you could say that swapping a uniform for civilian attire and rigging the poll "eligibility rules" so that your most potentially damaging opponent cannot contest the election could be called dramatic, but being lauded for that? Really?

Edited September 12, 2014 by fab4

[KhunBENQ]

First visit to Myanmar, what a surprise

Edited September 12, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[Mango Bob]

I like to see the new PM (old General) spend more time handling domestic affairs than international affairs since he is only going to be in office for one year (right?????) Let his Minister of Foreign Affairs handle those official visits and invite foreigner leaders to come here to see him.

[KhunBENQ]

since he is only going to be in office for one year (right?????)

Some believe so. We will know in a year.

invite foreigner leaders to come here to see him

I doubt there will be a long queue.

[recycled]

The first on many overseas trips no doubt, but let us all hope for better reasons an outcomes than the airhead Yingluck achieved on her frequent jaunts.

[HUAHIN62]

Going to see some friends and get tips on how to stay in power for a long time while bringing the lost happiness back to the Thai people through weekly TV sermons.

[h90]

Going to see some friends and get tips on how to stay in power for a long time while bringing the lost happiness back to the Thai people through weekly TV sermons.

Honestly Prayut always made the impression that he would like to retire peaceful. He didn't seem to be power hungry and from the records he really tried to force the politicians to some peaceful solution without him on the top position.

So I am confident that he won't stay for a long time. Which is sad as he seems to be the best PM since Chuan maybe even since Prem.

[HUAHIN62]

Going to see some friends and get tips on how to stay in power for a long time while bringing the lost happiness back to the Thai people through weekly TV sermons.

Honestly Prayut always made the impression that he would like to retire peaceful. He didn't seem to be power hungry and from the records he really tried to force the politicians to some peaceful solution without him on the top position.

So I am confident that he won't stay for a long time. Which is sad as he seems to be the best PM since Chuan maybe even since Prem.

He will try to stay in power for a very long time and he has done nothing substantial yet. Clearing beaches of the poor and stepping on taxi driver dont amount to clearing the country of corruption. If he fires the corrupt civil servants and put in jail big corrupt businessmen he would have made a start on fighting corruption,up to now its only window dressing. His tendency to handout money like candy will cost the country, world cup footbal B400m, free vacation for officials B 300 m, pension fund changes billions over the next 30 years, big projects B 3 to 5 tn.

[fobuff]

Going to see some friends and get tips on how to stay in power for a long time while bringing the lost happiness back to the Thai people through weekly TV sermons.

Yep from one junta leader to another...

[ratcatcher]

Perhaps he's just going to say hi to Thein Sein and have tea with Suu Kyi and compare notes.

[Upset]

Hail Gen Prayuth....Thailand's Saviour and Protector.

Good to hear that he is visiting Myanmar.

But please do not also forget North Korea, China and also Russia. Thailand needs more economic help.

[mutha289]

since he is only going to be in office for one year (right?????)

Some believe so. We will know in a year.

invite foreigner leaders to come here to see him

I doubt there will be a long queue.

Will they need a visa?

[Tokay]

Cute. Myanmar's head honchos can take him to visit their oracle.

[Peung]

Day 1, Question 1. "How did you manage to come up with a Constitution that allocates 25% of parliamentary seats to the Military?"