Thailand and the Myanmar Crisis
MYANMAR AND THAILAND STUDIES PROGRAMMES
About the Webinar
As both the member states of ASEAN and the major powers have worked to frame and implement constructive approaches to the crisis resulting from the Myanmar military’s seizure of power on 1 February, Thailand’s role, posture and interests have been the subject of particular scrutiny. There is good reason for this. Thailand shares a border of nearly 2500 kilometres with Myanmar. It plays host to more than two million Myanmar workers, and to camps that have for decades been home to tens of thousands of displaced persons from Myanmar. The Thai military and the Myanmar Tatmadaw have long had close and multi-stranded ties, and Thai business enterprises of all sizes have investments and activities in Myanmar. In August, ASEAN chair Brunei tapped its Second Foreign Minister as the Association’s Special Envoy to Myanmar, after months in which it was widely reported that the latter country’s State Administration Council regime preferred Thailand’s candidate for the assignment. Nevertheless, as ASEAN’s approach to Myanmar has yet to show concrete results, as economic collapse in Myanmar and mounting violence between its military regime and forces opposed to that regime raise concerns over large refugee flows from the country, and as Thailand continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand’s posture vis-à-vis the Myanmar crisis clearly remains central to any resolution of that crisis. In this webinar, a distinguished former Thai diplomat offers his analysis of that posture and the interests that explain it.
About the Speaker
Sihasak Phuangketkeow capped a distinguished career in Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs with service as Permanent Secretary and as ambassador to Japan. He is a graduate of Chulalongkorn and Johns Hopkins Universities, a former Visiting Fellow in the Thailand Studies Programme of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, and an advisor to Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor project.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
Please register here to receive your unique link for joining the webinar.
Limited spaces only, register early to avoid disappointment.
To join the webinar,
1. Install the Zoom client onto your computer or download the app on your mobile device.
2. Click on the unique link in your email.
If you have questions for the speaker, please key in your questions via the Q&A, stating your name and affiliation. The moderator will field them to the speaker during the Q&A session.