Myanmar ex-junta chief Min Aung Hlaing set for first Thailand visit as civilian leader

Myanmar's former junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, is scheduled to visit Thailand on August 6, his first trip to the neighboring country since transitioning to civilian leadership. This visit signals a concerted effort by Myanmar's pariah state to re-engage diplomatically, particularly with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Min Aung Hlaing led the 2021 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and plunged Myanmar into civil war. Following staged elections in April, he assumed the presidency, a move widely condemned by democracy watchdogs and Western nations. Neighboring Thailand has been at the forefront of efforts to normalize relations with Myanmar, both bilaterally and through ASEAN, which has excluded Myanmar's leadership from high-level summits since the coup.

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He wants to be seen as a responsible member of ASEAN in one way, then paradoxically to totally reject the five-point consensus.

This diplomatic push comes as Myanmar's foreign minister attended an informal meeting with regional counterparts in July. Min Aung Hlaing has already visited India, China, and Laos. Notably, Aung San Suu Kyi was permitted to meet with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross on August 3, her first publicized meeting with a foreign official since her arrest.

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Thailand believed Myanmar, as well as Cambodia, could “do a lot more” to combat scam networks.

Independent analyst David Mathieson described Myanmar's campaign for ASEAN re-entry as a matter of "pure status" for Min Aung Hlaing. However, Myanmar's leaders have resisted the bloc's "five-point consensus" aimed at ending hostilities through dialogue. Mathieson characterized this as "zero-sum logic," where Min Aung Hlaing seeks to be seen as a responsible ASEAN member while paradoxically rejecting the consensus.

Thailand has significant reasons to pursue restored ties. Fighting in Myanmar has spilled across the border, affecting Thailand, which hosts millions of refugees. The volatile borderlands are also havens for cybercrime networks and drug traffickers. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow stated on August 3 that Thailand believes Myanmar and Cambodia can "do a lot more" to combat these networks, a point expected to be raised during Min Aung Hlaing's visit. He also welcomed the meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Red Cross, expressing hope for "positive steps towards lasting peace and stability in Myanmar."

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Myanmar’s campaign for re-entry into ASEAN was a matter of “pure status” for Min Aung Hlaing.