Myanmar junta minister attend talks hosted by Thailand, key ASEAN players absent | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
May 29, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2025
Myanmar junta minister attend talks hosted by Thailand, key ASEAN players absent

World+Biz

Reuters
22 December, 2022, 06:05 pm
Last modified: 22 December, 2022, 06:14 pm

Related News

  • Brussels seeks companies' US spending plans as Trump hails move toward talks
  • The dirty secrets behind Myanmar's rare-earths boom
  • Malaysia PM hails 'significant' engagement on Myanmar as Southeast Asian leaders meet
  • Southeast Asian leaders meet to talk tariffs, truce and East Timor
  • ASEAN, China, and GCC cooperation will boost global stability and growth: experts

Myanmar junta minister attend talks hosted by Thailand, key ASEAN players absent

Reuters
22 December, 2022, 06:05 pm
Last modified: 22 December, 2022, 06:14 pm
FILE PHOTO: Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin arrives to address attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, October 2, 2015. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin arrives to address attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, October 2, 2015. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

Thailand hosted a regional meeting on Thursday to discuss the crisis in army-ruled Myanmar, which a government source said included a rare international appearance by several junta ministers, but key players from the ASEAN bloc did not attend.

Myanmar's generals have been barred from high-profile gatherings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for failing to honour last year's promises to start talks with opponents linked to the ousted civilian government.

The 10-member ASEAN grouping has seen internal discord about engaging with the military that seized power in Feb. 1 last year, derailing a decade of democratic progress and plunging Myanmar into conflict and economic ruin.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

There were no representatives at the talks from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore - the junta's most vocal critics in the regional bloc. Host Thailand has not publicly disclosed the meeting was taking place.

Myanmar was represented by the military's foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin and several other ministers, a Thai government source with knowledge of the meeting said.

It was not clear what was discussed.

Representatives from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam also attended, said the source, who could not be named because the person was not authorised to speak to the media.

Outgoing ASEAN chair Cambodia said the talks were expected to see "frank and candid deliberation on how to accelerate progress" on the regional peace initiative.

ASEAN, which makes decisions by consensus, agreed last month to keep sidelining the Myanmar generals until they comply with its peace plan, which remains the only diplomatic process in play.

UN RESOLUTION ADOPTED

The meeting comes a day after the UN Security Council adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years, demanding an end to violence and for the junta to free all political detainees.

Myanmar's junta did not answer calls seeking comment.

Malaysia confirmed it would not attend the Bangkok meeting but did not provide a reason. The Philippines said its foreign minister would also not join, without elaborating.

The foreign ministries of Indonesia, the 2023 ASEAN chair, and Vietnam said their top diplomats were occupied with an official visit to Jakarta by Vietnam's president.

Singapore's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, a diplomatic source who declined to be identified, read to Reuters what they said was a letter signed by Singapore's foreign minister to the host, which objected to the meeting as ASEAN had agreed to exclude the junta from such events. Reuters could not verify the letter's content.

"Any meeting convened under ASEAN formal or informal should not divert from this decision," it said, according to the source.

Myanmar's ties with ASEAN has been strained over its refusal to halt offensives against a resistance movement backed by ethnic minority armies and a shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which the junta has declared a "terrorist" movement.

The military has warned its neighbours not to engage with the NUG, which is seeking international backing and funds for its campaign to destabilise the junta, amid reports by the United Nations and rights groups of atrocities by government troops.

Thailand hosted a regional meeting on Thursday to discuss the crisis in army-ruled Myanmar, which a government source said included a rare international appearance by several junta ministers, but key players from the ASEAN bloc did not attend.

Myanmar's generals have been barred from high-profile gatherings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for failing to honour last year's promises to start talks with opponents linked to the ousted civilian government.

The 10-member ASEAN grouping has seen internal discord about engaging with the military that seized power in Feb. 1 last year, derailing a decade of democratic progress and plunging Myanmar into conflict and economic ruin.

There were no representatives at the talks from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore - the junta's most vocal critics in the regional bloc. Host Thailand has not publicly disclosed the meeting was taking place.

Myanmar was represented by the military's foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin and several other ministers, a Thai government source with knowledge of the meeting said.

It was not clear what was discussed.

Representatives from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam also attended, said the source, who could not be named because the person was not authorised to speak to the media.

Outgoing ASEAN chair Cambodia said the talks were expected to see "frank and candid deliberation on how to accelerate progress" on the regional peace initiative.

ASEAN, which makes decisions by consensus, agreed last month to keep sidelining the Myanmar generals until they comply with its peace plan, which remains the only diplomatic process in play.

UN RESOLUTION ADOPTED

The meeting comes a day after the UN Security Council adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years, demanding an end to violence and for the junta to free all political detainees.

Myanmar's junta did not answer calls seeking comment.

Malaysia confirmed it would not attend the Bangkok meeting but did not provide a reason. The Philippines said its foreign minister would also not join, without elaborating.

The foreign ministries of Indonesia, the 2023 ASEAN chair, and Vietnam said their top diplomats were occupied with an official visit to Jakarta by Vietnam's president.

Singapore's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, a diplomatic source who declined to be identified, read to Reuters what they said was a letter signed by Singapore's foreign minister to the host, which objected to the meeting as ASEAN had agreed to exclude the junta from such events. Reuters could not verify the letter's content.

"Any meeting convened under ASEAN formal or informal should not divert from this decision," it said, according to the source.

Myanmar's ties with ASEAN has been strained over its refusal to halt offensives against a resistance movement backed by ethnic minority armies and a shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which the junta has declared a "terrorist" movement.

The military has warned its neighbours not to engage with the NUG, which is seeking international backing and funds for its campaign to destabilise the junta, amid reports by the United Nations and rights groups of atrocities by government troops.

 

Myanmar / ASEAN

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • How termination of USDA-funded trade facilitation project will affect Bangladesh
    How termination of USDA-funded trade facilitation project will affect Bangladesh
  • File photo of Bangladesh Secretariat. Photo: Collected
    Visitors banned from entering Secretariat on Mondays and Thursdays
  • File photo of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Photo: Collected
    Asked for roadmap, govt didn’t give in 10 months, now 'December it is': Mirza Fakhrul

MOST VIEWED

  • Google Pay. Photo: Collected
    Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon
  • Graphics: TBS
    Suspicious banking activities surge by 56% since July: Cenbank
  • Representational image of cable car/Freepik
    Cable car to be installed from Himchari to Reju Khal in Marine Drive Road
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh sees highest-ever per capita income of $2,820 in FY25, BBS provisional data shows
  • IFIC Bank receives Tk6,000 cr in new deposits in six months
    IFIC Bank receives Tk6,000 cr in new deposits in six months
  • Abdul Awal Mintoo, chairman of National Bank Limited. Sketch: TBS
    'Regulatory support must for National Bank to restore depositors' confidence'

Related News

  • Brussels seeks companies' US spending plans as Trump hails move toward talks
  • The dirty secrets behind Myanmar's rare-earths boom
  • Malaysia PM hails 'significant' engagement on Myanmar as Southeast Asian leaders meet
  • Southeast Asian leaders meet to talk tariffs, truce and East Timor
  • ASEAN, China, and GCC cooperation will boost global stability and growth: experts

Features

In recent years, the Gor-e-Shaheed Eidgah has emerged as a strong contender for the crown of the biggest Eid congregation in the country, having hosted 600,000 worshippers in 2017. Photo: TBS

Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maath: The heart of Dinajpur

2d | Panorama
The Hili Land Port, officially opened in 1997 but with trade roots stretching back to before Partition, has grown into a cornerstone of bilateral commerce.

Dhaka-Delhi tensions ripple across Hili’s markets and livelihoods

3d | Panorama
Photo: Collected

Desk goals: Affordable ways to elevate your study setup

3d | Brands
Built on a diamond-type frame, the Hornet 2.0 is agile but grounded. PHOTO: Asif Chowdhury

Honda Hornet 2.0: Same spirit, upgraded sting

3d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

The fight between two brothers; Adidas vs Puma

The fight between two brothers; Adidas vs Puma

1h | Others
Trump is again keen to make Canada the 51st state

Trump is again keen to make Canada the 51st state

3h | Others
Trump's tariff strategy and Europe's investment politics, violence or negotiation?

Trump's tariff strategy and Europe's investment politics, violence or negotiation?

4h | Others
Rumours surrounding the Club World Cup: Which club will Ronaldo join?

Rumours surrounding the Club World Cup: Which club will Ronaldo join?

4h | Others
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net