Solution to Myanmar crisis: Thailand for talks between military, NLD

Thailand has stressed dialogues and trust between the military and political parties to achieve a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said.

"There must still be attempts from the international community especially its neighbours to find a solution. Our solution is to find a way to establish working relations (between the two sides)," Don said in an interview with Asia News Network in Bangkok on Wednesday.

"It's best for them to walk forward together, as it had proven throughout recent years that by sticking together, trying to depend on one another, or even with sporadic conflicts at times, it is the optimum option for their country," the Thai FM said.

These points were conveyed to Myanmar Foreign Ministry's representative U Wanna Maung Lwin by Don during a tete-a-tete discussion before they were joined by Indonesian Foreign MinisterRetno Marsudi at Bangkok Don Muang Airport on Feb 24.

Asked whether there has been progress, Don said the Tatmadaw, which the Myanmar armed forces are called, would have to assess the situation. "Everyone wants it to end quickly. But they should remember that it has only been a month and many incidents like this happened in the past– none ended quickly."

Thailand has been subject to widespread criticisms especially in social media for its relative silence on the Myanmar crisis.

However, the limited criticism from Thailand or Asean is unprecedented. Since its inception, Asean adhere to the principle of "non-intervention" in the domestic affairs of member states.

The Thai proposed solution to the Myanmar crisis which sprang from the military coup on Feb 1 differs from those made by the international community and Asean and has been conveyed to other Asean members and the superpowers including the US and Japan, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry source.

"Ours is not the only option which Myanmar has…we know they have others (channel). But the progress depends what happen on the streets," said the source.

Protests through the Civil Disobedient Movement (CDM) including strikes by workers and civil servants is now in the 38th day with more than 60 people have been killed due to violent and arbitrary crackdowns and more than 2,000 arrests, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The source said the escalation of violence the streets, or more sanctions will only prolong the path towards the effort to establish dialogue among all the conflicting parties. The Thai side believes that the solution will have to be based on the appreciation and respect for the long history of Myanmar and its political realities.

Although many NLD senior members including its leader Aung San Suu Kyi are under arrest, the Thai side believed that the Tatmadaw can establish communication with other members to inch themselves towards a workable resolution to return to normalcy at earliest opportunity.

The Thai Foreign Ministry source said issue on the official recognition of the Tatmadaw-appointed government or others are in the peripheral with the effort to have both sides establishing a dialogue a priority.

Don said it was paramount that "trust" between all parties concerned. "We have to understand them, and to convey that Myanmar can return to normalcy. "We don't want to see bloodshed on the streets. It has to be a win-win situation."

Thailand has also made known to the Tatmadaw that there should be restraint on violence, de-escalate and not escalate, and find way to negotiate a settlement, he said.

But Thailand conceded that the escalation of violence is worrisome as it will lead to strong reactions from the international community especially western nations resulting in more sanctions which may deepen the crisis. And this may lead to more external interventions including financial support to the protests to supply of weapons to disgruntled part of the population, feared a Thai source who requested anonymity.

Such development could lead to more violent protests and even rising armed ethnic activities which would eventually affect Thailand as a neighbour and Asean as whole.

"So our view is that all the conflicting parties must establish a dialogue because we don't think any one party would gain from chaos nor the threat of instability where it might lead to," he said.

"And In this tech era, threats endangering a state could come from anywhere. It must not happen. This is one of the reasons why we hasten to find a way for all sides to talk," said the source.

The source said Thailand is not acting alone in its endeavour to bring an end to the Myanmar crisis but to "bring our friends on board to help to create a platform lead by Asean to begin a channel of communication where other countries can join in."

Bangkok welcomes China's effort to find a solution to the crisis, he added.