Bangkok: Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced that Thai authorities are vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and are prepared to evacuate Thai citizens immediately if the situation escalates. This announcement follows the recent resumption of hostilities in the region.
According to Thai News Agency, Sihasak made these remarks during a Ministry assessment meeting in Manila. He assured that the Thai government is ready for all possible scenarios to safeguard its nationals, drawing on previous successful evacuation operations, including those from Iran.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Sihasak also touched upon the situation in Myanmar. He expressed Thailand's support for direct dialogue and engagement in line with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, offering to facilitate peace talks between the Myanmar government and ethnic minority groups in Bangkok or Pattaya.
Sihasak acknowledged that progress in Myanmar would be slow. He pointed to recent developments, such as the transfer of Aung San Suu Kyi from prison, and emphasized that allowing the ASEAN Special Envoy, who is the Philippine Foreign Minister, to meet with her would signify further advancement. He urged ASEAN to adopt a realistic approach and suggested that the bloc should respond positively if verifiable progress is made, such as permitting Myanmar's foreign minister to rejoin meetings. Additionally, the ASEAN Special Envoy plans to visit Myanmar to advocate for the delivery of humanitarian aid through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) and international organizations.