Min Aung Hlaing to visit Thailand in August; Military claims strategic road in Sagaing Region ‘secured’

Min Aung Hlaing to visit Thailand in August

Min Aung Hlaing is expected to make his first official visit to Thailand since assuming the presidency in early August, according to anonymous sources in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday. The trip would mark his second “official” visit to an ASEAN member state since the regime’s “sham” 2025-26 elections, which ended on Jan. 25, and resulted in a pro-military parliament and administration led by him.

Regime Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe attended an “informal” meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in the Thai capital Bangkok on July 12. During the talks, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow reportedly urged Burma to take concrete steps toward implementing the Five-Point Consensus, the regional bloc’s peace plan urging dialogue among all stakeholders to the conflict since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021.

Tin Maung Swe met with Sihasak prior to the “informal” ASEAN meeting to discuss border security, trade, and environmental concerns on July 11. Min Aung Hlaing visited Thailand in April 2025 to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Bangkok. He made Laos his first official visit to an ASEAN member state July 3-5. Read more on our website

Military claims strategic road in Sagaing Region ‘secured’

The People’s Defence Force (PDF) and political leaders in Sagaing Region told DVB that the regime’s claim of it regaining control over the 120-mile (193 km) long Kalewa-Monywa road on July 7 is “propaganda,” as fighting between regime and resistance forces continues in Mingin Township this week. Mingin, located along the Kalewa-Monywa road is 114 miles (183 km) northwest of the Sagaing Region capital Monywa.

Soe Win Swe, a member of the Sagaing Forum Federation, told DVB that the regime wants to “raise the morale of its soldiers.” The Kalewa-Monywa road is located along the 870-mile (1,400 km) India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMTT) Highway that connects India’s northeastern Manipur State to Thailand’s Tak Province, via Burma. The counteroffensive in Sagaing began in April following the recapture of Tigyaing town.

The PDF in Yinmabin Township told DVB that regime forces had recaptured 20 per cent of the Kalewa-Monywa road while resistance forces remained in control of the remaining 80 per cent. Residents told DVB that regime forces are unable to secure the 81-mile (130 km) long Kalay-Khampat-Tamu road despite regaining control of Khampat on June 20. Yinmabin is located 29-108 miles (46-173 km) west of Monywa and south of Mingin.