Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing visits Thailand in quest for legitimacy

Myanmar's junta leader President Min Aung Hlaing received a red-carpet welcome in Thailand, sparking controversy as he faces Western sanctions and a stalled ASEAN-led peace plan in Myanmar's civil war.

Myanmar's junta chief turned President Min Aung Hlaing received a red-carpet welcome in Thailand on Thursday as Bangkok pushes for progress on peace efforts in Myanmar's civil war and its re-engagement with the regional bloc ASEAN.

The retired general, who seized power in a 2021 ‌coup, is the subject of a raft of Western sanctions and has sought international legitimacy since becoming Myanmar's president in April, which followed an election dominated by an army-backed party in the absence of any viable opposition. At an arrival ceremony in Bangkok, Min Aung Hlaing, dressed in a dark business suit, walked a red carpet with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to inspect an honour guard before greeting officials with smiles and handshakes ahead of bilateral talks.

With ‌a civil war raging in Myanmar following the 2021 coup, Thailand is pursuing "calibrated re-engagement" hoping its neighbour will make progress on a stalled ASEAN-led peace plan. The bloc has expressed dissatisfaction with Myanmar's lack ‌of progress and has barred its leaders from attending summit meetings. During talks with Anutin, Min Aung Hlaing pledged to pursue peace and improve ties with the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"Myanmar is on the path of democracy and heading towards a better future," he said. "As we have worked to strengthen friendly relations ... we will also work toward fostering better relations with ASEAN."

ALLEGATIONS OF ATROCITIES His visit follows trips as president to China, India and Laos in a quest for recognition while ASEAN, which did not endorse Myanmar's election, ⁠stands by a ​faltering peace initiative that Naypyitaw has largely ignored.

ASEAN's special ⁠envoy Maria Theresa Lazaro last month said Myanmar's compliance with the peace plan was being assessed and normalisation of ties was "still far off". Myanmar's military has been accused by rights groups and some Western governments of atrocities against the civilian population during the civil war, ⁠allegations that it rejects. A conflict monitor last week said attacks on civilians, including aerial bombings, had escalated sharply.

While Thailand's approach could strengthen its influence within ASEAN as a bridge to Myanmar's leadership, it is treading a fine line between engagement ​and endorsement of Min Aung Hlaing, said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asia expert at Thammasat University. "The line is still very fine, and Thailand now has to continue walking this line and do ⁠so carefully," Dulyapak said.

Thailand's government has faced accusations from activists of ignoring the devastation taking place in Myanmar and entertaining Min Aung Hlaing without a commitment to end hostilities in a war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people. "Thailand must uphold the rule of law and ⁠its ​human rights obligations, while calling on the Myanmar military to cease attacks on civilians," Amnesty International said in a statement.

MYANMAR INVESTMENT PITCH Min Aung Hlaing joined Anutin later on Thursday at a Thailand-Myanmar business summit, where the two pledged to collaborate across multiple sectors and boost bilateral trade to $12 billion annually.

Thailand is the fifth-largest investor in Myanmar with ventures in energy, hotels, banking and manufacturing, but its interests have been hurt by ⁠the civil war, with border trade disrupted and sanctions forcing some Thai firms that do business with the West to withdraw investments. "Our two countries are ready for a new chapter in economic cooperation," Anutin told ⁠the summit.

Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was open ⁠for business and working to develop Dawei, a stalled, strategically located industrial zone with a planned deep-sea port and transport link to connect the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Thursday's talks were "direct and constructive" and Bangkok wanted to facilitate dialogue in Myanmar through ASEAN's initiative.

"We stressed to Myanmar's president that ‌we want to bring Myanmar back ‌to ASEAN," he said. "We are not abandoning regional concerns."