Global rallies call on Thailand to stop support for Myanmar regime; Min Aung Hlaing to visit Vietnam

Myanmar protesters outside the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 2. Their banner reads: “Demand the Thai government to immediately stop engaging with the terrorist military regime against the will of the Myanmar people.” (Credit: Myo Min Swe)

Rallies call on Thailand to stop support for Myanmar regime

Over 20 Burma nationals and their supporters protested outside the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, demanding Bangkok stop engaging with the regime in Naypyidaw. “We have launched a global campaign to ask Thailand not to legitimize [regime leader Min Aung Hlaing],” Myo Min Saw, the protest organizer, told DVB.

Similar protests were held outside Royal Thai embassies in the U.K., U.S., Australia, South Korea and France on Sept. 2 with diaspora organisations in each country delivering an open letter warning that high-level engagement with Min Aung Hlaing risks providing political legitimacy to his regime, which seized power from an elected government in a 2021 military coup.

“We expect the Thai government to respect the voices and democratic will of the Myanmar people,” Myo Min Saw added. These protests follow Min Aung Hlaing’s official visit to Bangkok on Aug. 6-7, where he met with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Bangkok described the visit as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation with Naypyidaw.

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Min Aung Hlaing to visit Vietnam this week

Min Aung Hlaing will pay an official visit to Vietnam Sept. 4-6. This will be his third visit to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member state, following his most recent trips to Laos and Thailand, since being inaugurated president by a pro-military parliament on April 10.

He will meet with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng during his trip this weekend. He is also expected to attend the Myanmar-Vietnam Business Forum and visit digital technology and industrial facilities in Vietnam, regime media in Burma and Vietnamese state media reported.

The visit to Vietnam follows Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung’s visit to Naypyidaw on Aug. 26 to meet with his regime “counterpart” Tin Maung Swe. The two discussed measures to boost cooperation and increase bilateral trade at the 10th Meeting of the Myanmar–Vietnam Joint Commission.