Thai shift on Burma human rights?

http://jotman.blogspot.com/2009/01/thai-shift-on-burma-issue.html

Friday, January 16, 2009

Irrawaddy reports that Thailand's new PM Abhisit said it is time for "change" in regards to Thailand's policy with regards to Burma. Abhisit elaborated:


The Thai government will use a “flexible engagement” policy in relation to Burma under the Democrat administration, he said. The “flexible engagement” policy was outlined by Surin Pitsuwan, the former Thai foreign minister and current secretary-general of Asean in 1999. He said Asean should move from a “constructive engagement” approach to the "flexible engagement" policy.

“Flexible engagement” was about open and frank discussion on issues such as human rights, leading to cooperative solutions — a pooling of sovereignty rather than its dilution, so as to make Southeast Asia a secure and prosperous region, according to analysts.
What this could mean in practice remains unclear, but considering that Thailand has been one of the junta's staunchest defenders, it is a hopeful sign that a Thai PM would acknowledge this much.

In November Myanmar's junta sentenced numerous critics, including a poet and blogger, to long prison terms. See here for background on Burma.

Posted by Jotman on 16.1.09