‘The ground is shifting somewhat’: ASEAN does not want an isolated Myanmar, says Thai foreign minister

Asia

Engagement is the best path towards peace and Myanmar’s eventual reintegration into the regional bloc, said Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow in an interview with CNA’s Saksith Saiyasombut.

New: You can now listen to articles.

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

05 Jun 2026 10:44PM

BANGKOK: Discussions among Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) leaders during the bloc’s recent summit in Cebu indicate a growing willingness among some member states to reassess their approach to Myanmar, said Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow.

“I sense that the ground is shifting somewhat. I think we don't want an isolated Myanmar,” Sihasak told CNA in a wide-ranging interview on Friday (Jun 5).

“We recognise that the way forward towards peace will be step by step. But we need engagement, and I sense that some of the member countries are re-looking at their approach as well.”

ASEAN has continued to grapple with how to handle Myanmar following years of armed conflict that have strained regional unity and complicated efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus.

The Five-Point Consensus is a plan adopted by ASEAN to address the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar after the 2021 military coup.

Since 2022, the bloc has barred Myanmar’s generals from attending high-level meetings for failing to honour its peace commitments.

While Thailand has maintained communication channels with Myanmar's leadership following recent elections, Sihasak insisted that Bangkok’s engagement policy is not unconditional.

Sihasak previously said in February that Bangkok aims to be a “bridge” between ASEAN and Myanmar.

"The (Myanmar) government will also have to address the concerns on the part of ASEAN under the Five-Point Consensus - which is reduction of violence, which is credible dialogue and humanitarian assistance,” he stressed.

Those measures, he said, would serve as the basis for any eventual return of Myanmar to full participation in ASEAN processes.

Thailand's objective is not to abandon the Five-Point Consensus but to pursue its implementation “in a realistic way”, Sihasak added.

VISITS TO MYANMAR

Sihasak pointed to recent diplomatic activity involving several regional countries as evidence that governments are increasingly seeking first-hand assessments of the situation inside Myanmar.

He cited a visit by Malaysia's foreign minister to Naypyidaw last month, as well as plans by Indonesia's foreign minister to travel to Myanmar.

Sihasak also highlighted his discussions with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying the two sides broadly share the same assessment of how to move forward with their approach on Myanmar.

Maintaining close ties with ASEAN would ultimately benefit Myanmar itself, he added, particularly as it navigates growing geopolitical competition in the Indo Pacific.

“It's to Myanmar's advantage when you're trying to navigate geopolitical competition and geopolitics, and you have your ASEAN friends to turn to,” he said.

BORDER SECURITY REMAINS A PRIORITY

For Thailand, the issue extends far beyond diplomacy as it shares a long porous border with Myanmar.

Sihasak said protecting the border “is of utmost importance” to Thailand.

“When I talk about border security, it's how to deal with the scam operations along the border, the influx of drugs, pollution in the air and water, but importantly, also how to prevent the spill of conflict into Thai territory,” he added.

Recent incidents have heightened those concerns, including reports of violence affecting civilians near the border.

On Wednesday, Thai police said three Myanmar migrants were killed after a drone used in their country’s civil war exploded in Thailand’s Tak province, opposite Myanmar’s Karen state.

Sihasak said Thailand has consistently urged Myanmar's authorities to pursue dialogue with ethnic armed groups and seek political reconciliation.

“We are prepared to facilitate these talks if it's the wish of the Myanmar government and the ethnic groups … so that there would be a reduction of violence along the border,” he added.

However, he warned that any conflict crossing into Thailand would not be tolerated.

"We have told the Myanmar government that any encroachment or any deliberate firing onto the Thai side causing any fatality is totally unacceptable.”

MARITIME BOUNDARY DISPUTE WITH CAMBODIA

Sihasak also spoke about a long-running maritime boundary dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

On Tuesday, Cambodia said it had launched a compulsory conciliation process under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), following Bangkok's decision last month to unilaterally terminate a 2001 bilateral agreement that provided a framework for talks over a disputed maritime belt.

For more than 25 years, both nations have laid claim to about 26,000 sq km of sea in the Gulf of Thailand, an area estimated to hold nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and large quantities of oil, together valued at about US$300 billion.

Sihasak told CNA that he had sensed a possibility that Cambodia would launch the UN-backed process, and expressed Thailand’s reservations about the move despite agreeing to take part in it.

“(Cambodia) said we closed all doors because of (the termination of the 2001 agreement). We say, that’s not our intention. We made it clear to them that we're trying to start the talks anew,” he said.

“If we proceed with the process of compulsory conciliation, we would want the scope limited only to maritime limitations. Any discussions, the joint development, is another matter that requires another mandate and requires further discussions between two countries.”

Thailand and Cambodia will each appoint two conciliators, who will then decide on a fifth independent conciliator. The whole process will take at least a year, said Sihasak.

Phnom Penh has rejected suggestions that its decision to initiate the conciliation process reflects a breakdown in bilateral relations, saying diplomatic engagement between the two sides remains ongoing.

OECD MEMBERSHIP TARGETED BY 2028

Beyond regional issues, Sihasak also outlined Thailand's ambitions to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The global policy forum currently comprises 38 member countries that collaborate on key issues worldwide at national, regional and local levels.

Sihasak described membership as a key part of Thailand’s long-term economic transformation. It is seeking to accelerate its accession process and hopes to complete membership negotiations by around 2028, he added.

Sihasak acknowledged that the timeline is ambitious, noting that some countries have taken as long as eight years to complete the process.

“It's not easy because it involves a lot of economic reform. We have to align our standards, our laws and regulations with the standards of OECD, and so that probably would take some time. But we're confident because it's not that we're starting from scratch,” Sihasak pointed out.

“Before starting this process, we’ve had two partnership programmes with the OECD, so we know what OECD is all about. Also, OECD has a lot of knowledge about Thailand and what we need to do, and how they can help us.”

Membership would help Thailand strengthen governance, improve regulatory standards and promote more inclusive growth, Sihasak said.

Most importantly, however, it would send a powerful signal to international investors, he noted.

“When they come to do business in Thailand, (they will) know the rules and regulations here, the governance structure, is up to OECD standard,” Sihasak added.

Source: CNA/lt