The Myanmar problems however requires a solution, and Vientiane will need to consider ways to align regional interests.
Next year, Laos will assume leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations( Asean ), giving Thailand the opportunity to assist its neighbor in resolving Myanmar-related issues, according to observers.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, a former adviser to the National Security Council of Thailand and an authority on international relations and surveillance, recently spoke at the Asean-Myan environment session during the 7th ASEan Media Forum 2023 in Jakarta. He said Thailand may operate with Laos on many fronts.
It is up to Laos’ officials to decide what kind of support they require, Mr. Panitan said, adding that Thailand could not control its neighbor.
In order for officials from the three nations to collaborate more strongly on the Myanmar problems, Mr. Panitan suggested establishing a UN-style liaison office along the Thailand-Myanmar border to serve as the coordinating center for information exchange on Myanmar issues.
Myanmar and Thailand share edges with each other. It might not be a good idea to refuse to cooperate with Myanmar’s State Administrative Council( SAC ). On humanitarian aid as well as peace and safety issues, the Asean you collaborate with SAC. The most effective way to deal with the Myanmar issue, he said, would be productive dialogue and engagement rather than confrontation.
According to Mr. Panitan,” We ] Asean ] must do more, more than we did in the past, to help resolve the Myanmar crisis.”
Some people in Myanmar are experiencing inner conflict every day. Some people, including friends and family, lost their lives. He claimed that Asean needs to demand a truce between Myanmar military troops and ethnic minority groups.
According to Mr. Panitan, Thailand has a long border with Myanmar, making it the country most vulnerable to problems like the emigration of Myanmar immigrants who have been harmed by internal conflict. Some are awaiting relocation to the US and Australia.
When ethnic minority groups and Myanmar military troops engage in combat, they flee across the Thai-Myanmar border to find refuge in rural villages in regions bordering Thailand, such as Tak and Mae Hong Son.
According to Mr. Panitan, Asean may be tenacious in its efforts to address the issues facing Myanmar. We must assist our companion, Myanmar, he declared.
Panitan: SAC and Asean you collaborate.
Sayakane Sisouvong, chairman of the Lao Diplomatic Club and former deputy secretary-general of Asean, expressed his delight at the position of chairman for the organization next year.
Laos will need to figure out how to coordinate the various Asian nations’ regional concerns, particularly the Myanmar crisis. But, Mr. Sayakane argued that the international community ought to assist Laos in resolving the Myanmar problems.
advancement of the five-point discussion
During its Asean chair this year, Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi discussed its efforts to resolve the Myanmar problem.
According to Ms. Marsudi, Asean may get appreciative of the area’s more than 50 years of peace and stability. This is no small accomplishment in the face of growing significant power rivalries somewhere, a more separated world, and wars and crises involving food and energy.
Asean privately has a problem with Myanmar, she claimed. She expressed regret that there hasn’t been as much advancement in the five-point discussion on addressing the political turmoil.
The consensus calls for the following: 1) The immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar; 2 ) constructive dialogue between all parties involved to seek a peaceful resolution in the interests of the people; 3 ) mediation to be facilitated by an Asean chair envoy with the secretary-general’s assistance; 4. Humanitarian assistance provided by the Assen Coordinating Centre for Personal Assistance on Disaster Management; and 5. A visit to Myanmar to meet with all relevant parties.
” We will continue to push for the consensus as required by the[ Asean ] Summit.” There have been initiatives to broaden the conversation.
” We’ll see to it that humanitarian access keeps growing, even in places where there are active conflicts. She stated,” Our emphasis is always on the persons of Myanmar.
She claimed that the chairman of Indonesia aimed to address all of these issues. We require an Asean with the agility to take on these difficulties. She claimed that the Asian you keep South East Asia as an centre of growth.
Marsudi: Increase accessibility to help
Regarding the platform
In light of the contributions of Indonesia’s Asean chairman in 2023, which had the theme” Asian Matters: Epicentrum of Growth ,” the 7th ASEan Media Forum this year emphasized the crucial role that the media played in the regional integration of Asyria.
More than 40 Asian media figures attended the conference, which was sponsored by the European state through the Deutsche Gessellschaft hair Internationale Zusammenarbeit.
According to Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, the media plays a significant role in raising awareness of, fostering knowledge, and dispelling misconceptions about the integration mission of the country.
A well-informed and engaged population is a benefit to the place as Asean moves toward greater cohesion and integration, according to Mr. Kao.