Myanmar conflict: Thailand calls for urgent peace talks
Thailand has implored all parties involved to contribute towards the restoration of peace in the ongoing Myanmar conflict via immediate discussions. The plea was made during the annual congregation of 97 high-ranking international diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.
The Thai ambassador to Myanmar, Mongkol Visitstump, provided a status update on the ongoing peace initiatives amidst the conflict that has escalated between the military junta and ethnic armed groups in Myanmar since the coup in February 2021. Mongkol emphasised the urgency of bringing tranquillity back to Myanmar through immediate peace dialogues.
“It is necessary to restore peace in Myanmar through peace talks as soon as possible to help Myanmar and its people, which will also help prevent further problems that might spill into Thailand and other countries.”
In response to queries about Thailand’s reaction to the skirmishes along the Thai-Myanmar frontier, Mongkol elaborated that the Thai government has offered humanitarian aid to those affected and is striving to defuse the crisis through the five-point consensus agreed upon by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members.
This consensus demands an immediate halt to violence and encourages constructive discourse among all factions to seek a non-violent solution. It also proposes mediation led by an envoy of the ASEAN chair, supported by the secretary-general. Furthermore, it calls for humanitarian aid from the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management and for the special envoy and delegation to Myanmar to engage with all concerned parties, reported Bangkok Post.
Mongkol conceded that these measures were inadequate and that additional mechanisms were needed to address the Myanmar conflict effectively.
“As you know, we support the exchange of ideas through meetings, including informal dialogue. It is better than doing nothing. Otherwise, we will miss an opportunity because the very first issue is how to stop the fighting and deliver humanitarian assistance.”
