Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing to attend BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, seeks key bilateral meetings

Min Aung Hlaing seeks legitimacy with election critics call a sham.

Myanmar's junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, will attend a regional leaders' summit in Thailand next week, seeking high-level bilateral meetings, three sources with direct knowledge told Reuters. This marks a rare visit to a Southeast Asian nation since he seized power in a coup that led to a civil war.

Min Aung Hlaing remains under widespread Western sanctions and is barred from ASEAN summits due to the Myanmar military's failure to implement an agreed peace plan with the bloc.

He is set to participate in the April 3-4 summit in Bangkok of BIMSTEC, a regional grouping of mostly South Asian nations. According to sources, Myanmar's delegation is seeking bilateral meetings with key leaders and officials, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammed Yunus.

"They have been reaching out asking for meetings," one source said, referring to Myanmar officials.

A spokesperson for Myanmar's military government could not be reached for comment. When asked whether the Myanmar general would be attending, Thailand’s foreign ministry stated that all BIMSTEC leaders had confirmed their participation.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leading to mass protests that escalated into armed rebellion. The United Nations estimates that over a third of Myanmar’s population now requires humanitarian assistance.

Min Aung Hlaing’s trip to Thailand is significant as he seeks to gain legitimacy for his plans to return the country to democracy through an election, which critics dismiss as a ploy to prolong military rule.

On Thursday, he announced that the election would be held in December, promising a "free and fair vote" and a transfer of power to the winning party.

Regarded as a pariah by many nations, Min Aung Hlaing leads a military accused of widespread atrocities, allegations the junta denies.

His international travel has been limited, with previous visits primarily to Russia and China. His movements may be further restricted following the International Criminal Court’s announcement in November that it would seek a warrant for his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity against the Rohingya.

BIMSTEC includes Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.