Thaksin says he met Myanmar ethnic leaders to resolve conflict

Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra says he has begun meeting with key leaders of Myanmar’s various ethnic groups, to explore ways to resolve the ongoing armed conflict in the country.

"They came with a long list of demands, but I asked them to return with a shorter list, which must be pragmatic,” Thaksin said, during an exclusive interview with Malaysia’s state-run Bernama news agency in Bangkok.

The Burmese junta also needs to adopt a more inclusive approach, by engaging these groups before talking about holding a general election, which may end up not being recognised. "It would be a waste then," he warned.

Myanmar is the "elephant in the room" for ASEAN, he said.

Thaksin has been serving as the informal chief advisor to ASEAN’s chairman this year, Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim.

Thaksin, the father of Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, did not provide further details about when and where he met the ethnic groups.

Before being appointed as Anwar’s informal advisor, Thaksin reportedly met with leaders of some ethnic groups in conflict with the Burmese government in Chiang Mai province in March and April last year.

Thaksin told Bernama that he has confidence in Malaysia's leadership, as ASEAN Chair, in addressing the Myanmar crisis.

He revealed that he "has got down to work to assist and advise" Anwar.

He described Anwar as a "good man with a sharp mind who sees things from both a broad and detailed perspective."

Meanwhile, Thaksin suggested that it would be beneficial if ASEAN could "concede a little bit", if the military junta agree to engage with the various ethnic groups.

He agreed with Anwar that all sides needed talk to defuse the conflict.

Separately, Thaksin proposed that ASEAN adopt a cryptocurrency, adding that the 10-member bloc must not miss the opportunity, as U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to push for broader adoption.

"Trump has openly expressed his support for Bitcoin and other digital currencies, so ASEAN needs to study how we move forward, to ensure we do not get left behind,'' he said.

Since his appointment, Thaksin and Anwar have met twice, in late December and again in early February, to discuss various important matters, including the situation in Myanmar, peace efforts in Southern Thailand and the development of cryptocurrencies.