Sihasak hopes Myanmar election will be political transition

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has expressed hope that the upcoming election in Myanmar will represent a political transition as part of the broader peace process.

The Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Sihasak conveyed the message to Myanmar military leaders while visiting Naypyidaw on Sunday.

It said Sihasak was in Myanmar to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries. Accompanied by senior officials from the Thai armed forces, the foreign minister met with acting Myanmar President General Min Aung Hlaing, Prime Minister Nyo Saw and Foreign Minister Than Swe.

“They reaffirmed the close friendship between the two neighbouring countries and agreed to foster cooperation in addressing shared challenges,” said the statement.

It said they also expressed a mutual desire to see peace and development in Thai-Myanmar border areas and concurred that security operations near the border should be carried out with the utmost caution to avoid impacts on the people.

It said the two sides agreed to step up cooperation to combat narcotic drugs and online scams. The Thai side extended an invitation for a senior representative from Myanmar to attend the International Conference on the Global Partnership Against Online Scams to be hosted by Thailand on December 17–18.

The Thai foreign minister expressed hope that the upcoming election will be an important political transition and part of the broader peace process, which Thailand will continue to support.

The Myanmar military junta has scheduled three rounds of elections that it claims will lead to national reconciliation but which have been widely condemned as a sham by the international community.