BANGKOK, April 22 (Reuters) – Thailand’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that Myanmar’s new president told him detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was being well looked after and his government was considering “good things”.
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, in remarks shared by the government after his meeting with Myanmar’s new president in Naypyitaw, said Min Aung Hlaing, the junta chief-turned-president, did not elaborate.
“Many ASEAN countries are worried about Aung San Suu Kyi and her well-being, and he said they are considering good things, so this could be a good thing,” Sihasak said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“They are trying to show that they are moving in towards a better direction. These things are essential. Because we want them to return to ASEAN. We want to help them but we can’t help them if they cannot help themselves.”
Aung San Suu Kyi, 80, has been detained since Min Aung Hlaing overthrew her government in a 2021 coup.
The Nobel laureate – still wildly popular in Myanmar – has been serving a 27-year sentence for a litany of offences her allies said were politically motivated to keep her at bay, ranging from incitement and corruption to election fraud and violating a state secrets law.
Her sentence was last week commuted by one-sixth as part of an amnesty for thousands of prisoners that included the release of her ally, Win Myint, the ousted former president.
Former military chief Min Aung Hlaing was recently chosen as president by parliament, formalising his grip on power after an election that was dominated by an army-backed party in the absence of viable opposition.
(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by David Stanway and Toby Chopra)
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