New Delhi: A Myanmar court on Thursday charged a Thai woman with killing a US diplomat in Yangon, according to the two attorneys familiar with the case, the Associated Press has reported. The Thai national, whose identity was not released, was also charged with violating the country’s immigration code that applies to foreign nationals who commit a crime in Myanmar.
As reported by the AP, the American diplomat died on May 11 as a result of stab wounds to the head and neck at the Sakura Residence and Hotel—barely 1.5 km from the American Embassy—which is popular with diplomats, business people and other international visitors.
If convicted, the woman faces facing a sentence ranging from 10 years in prison to the death penalty. It remained unclear if had she entered a plea or had legal representation during the hearing at the Kamayut Township Court.
Myanmar, run by a military junta after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing seized power from the elected Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, has seen many casualties because of widespread protests that have expanded into a bloody civil war, leading to authorities rarely speaking to the media.
The police involved in the investigations, the prison cell where the accused is believed to be held, and the Myanmar court all refused to comment.
The US State Department did confirm the diplomat’s death, but refused to provide further information and details regarding his identity. The US State Department’s Asia Pacific Media Hub on Thursday referred to the American Embassy in Myanmar inquiries about whether the American observers attended the hearing, but the embassy declined further comment, repeating its initial statement on the death and directing all other questions to the local authorities, as cited in the AP.
Thailand’s foreign ministry confirmed that it is actively providing consular support to the detained Thai national. However, officials noted they lacked immediate information regarding whether the ministry had successfully arranged legal representation for the accused woman before the court appearance.
Further inquiries were directed to the Thailand Embassy in Myanmar, which declined comment over phone and did not immediately respond to an email, as noted by the AP.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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