Latest news with #Surakiart
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Ex-Thai DPM: Myanmar must end conflict or face humanitarian crisis
PHNOM PENH/NBANGKOK (Bernama): Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai said Myanmar military leaders and all resistance groups must end the conflict immediately, failing which could drive the nation into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Surakiart, who was also the former Thai foreign minister, said the derailed peace process coupled with the recent earthquake has only punished millions of innocent Myanmar people. At least 3.5 million have been displaced internally due to the armed conflict and the March earthquake killed over 3,800 people. According to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 15.2 million or one in four people are already facing hunger in 2025. The current ceasefire, declared by the junta to facilitate relief efforts post-earthquake, will expire on May 31. "2025 is a crucial year for peace in Myanmar. We have to work together to ensure that the ceasefire and inclusive dialogue can take place before the election. "The fighting on the ground that we have seen in the past years has come to the point that no one can win total control of the territory in Myanmar,' Surakiart, currently the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council Chairman, told Bernama from Bangkok. The veteran politician served as Thailand's deputy prime minister between 2005 and 2006 and was the foreign minister from 2001 to 2005. He said the fighting shows that the Myanmar people need humanitarian assistance. While the Tatmadaw (armed forces) has announced the election, it will only lead to more division, whether it's free and fair or not, he said. Surakiart said the crucial Five Point Consensus (5PC) adopted by ASEAN leaders in April 2021 has not been fully implemented. He said that through the consensus, it called for the immediate cessation of violence and constructive dialogue among all parties, but neither has happened in the past three years. The deepening crisis continues to be a major geopolitical concern, with Southeast Asian leaders attending the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysia's 2025 chairmanship earlier this week reiterating their call for Myanmar to recommit to the 5PC as the primary framework for resolving the crisis. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has stressed that compliance with the 5PC must be a prerequisite to holding the election. On May 21, Myanmar's Union Electoral Commission (UEC) stated that the election date has been tentatively set and will be announced soon, following the SAC's announcement that the election would be held in December or January next year. - Bernama TAGS:
The Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Myanmar must end conflict or face crisis - Ex-Thai DPM
PHNOM PENH: Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai said Myanmar military leaders and all resistance groups must end the conflict immediately, failing which could drive the nation into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Surakiart, who was also the former Thai foreign minister, said the derailed peace process coupled with the recent earthquake has only punished millions of innocent Myanmar people. At least 3.5 million have been displaced internally due to the armed conflict and the March earthquake killed over 3,800 people. According to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 15.2 million or one in four people are already facing hunger in 2025. The current ceasefire, declared by the junta to facilitate relief efforts post-earthquake, will expire on May 31. '2025 is a crucial year for peace in Myanmar. We have to work together to ensure that the ceasefire and inclusive dialogue can take place before the election. 'The fighting on the ground that we have seen in the past years has come to the point that no one can win total control of the territory in Myanmar,' Surakiart, currently the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council Chairman, told Bernama from Bangkok. The veteran politician served as Thailand's deputy prime minister between 2005 and 2006 and was the foreign minister from 2001 to 2005. He said the fighting shows that the Myanmar people need humanitarian assistance. While the Tatmadaw (armed forces) has announced the election, it will only lead to more division, whether it's free and fair or not, he said. Surakiart said the crucial Five Point Consensus (5PC) adopted by ASEAN leaders in April 2021 has not been fully implemented. He said that through the consensus, it called for the immediate cessation of violence and constructive dialogue among all parties, but neither has happened in the past three years. The deepening crisis continues to be a major geopolitical concern, with Southeast Asian leaders attending the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysia's 2025 chairmanship earlier this week reiterating their call for Myanmar to recommit to the 5PC as the primary framework for resolving the crisis. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has stressed that compliance with the 5PC must be a prerequisite to holding the election. On May 21, Myanmar's Union Electoral Commission (UEC) stated that the election date has been tentatively set and will be announced soon, following the SAC's announcement that the election would be held in December or January next year.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Ex-Thai DPM: Myanmar must end conflict or face humanitarian crisis
PHNOM PENH: Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai said Myanmar military leaders and all resistance groups must end the conflict immediately, failing which could drive the nation into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Surakiart, who was also the former Thai foreign minister, said the derailed peace process coupled with the recent earthquake has only punished millions of innocent Myanmar people. At least 3.5 million have been displaced internally due to the armed conflict and the March earthquake killed over 3,800 people. According to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 15.2 million or one in four people are already facing hunger in 2025. The current ceasefire, declared by the junta to facilitate relief efforts post-earthquake, will expire on May 31. '2025 is a crucial year for peace in Myanmar. We have to work together to ensure that the ceasefire and inclusive dialogue can take place before the election. 'The fighting on the ground that we have seen in the past years has come to the point that no one can win total control of the territory in Myanmar,' Surakiart, currently the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council Chairman, told Bernama from Bangkok. The veteran politician served as Thailand's deputy prime minister between 2005 and 2006 and was the foreign minister from 2001 to 2005. He said the fighting shows that the Myanmar people need humanitarian assistance. While the Tatmadaw (armed forces) has announced the election, it will only lead to more division, whether it's free and fair or not, he said. Surakiart said the crucial Five Point Consensus (5PC) adopted by ASEAN leaders in April 2021 has not been fully implemented. He said that through the consensus, it called for the immediate cessation of violence and constructive dialogue among all parties, but neither has happened in the past three years. The deepening crisis continues to be a major geopolitical concern, with Southeast Asian leaders attending the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysia's 2025 chairmanship earlier this week reiterating their call for Myanmar to recommit to the 5PC as the primary framework for resolving the crisis. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has stressed that compliance with the 5PC must be a prerequisite to holding the election. On May 21, Myanmar's Union Electoral Commission (UEC) stated that the election date has been tentatively set and will be announced soon, following the SAC's announcement that the election would be held in December or January next year.
Barnama
4 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
Ex-Thai DPM: Myanmar Must End Conflict Or Face Humanitarian Crisis
By Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Bernama) -- Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai said Myanmar military leaders and all resistance groups must end the conflict immediately, failing which could drive the nation into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Surakiart, who was also the former Thai foreign minister, said the derailed peace process coupled with the recent earthquake has only punished millions of innocent Myanmar people. bootstrap slideshow At least 3.5 million have been displaced internally due to the armed conflict and the March earthquake killed over 3,800 people. According to the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 15.2 million or one in four people are already facing hunger in 2025. The current ceasefire, declared by the junta to facilitate relief efforts post-earthquake, will expire on May 31. '2025 is a crucial year for peace in Myanmar. We have to work together to ensure that the ceasefire and inclusive dialogue can take place before the election. 'The fighting on the ground that we have seen in the past years has come to the point that no one can win total control of the territory in Myanmar,' Surakiart, currently the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council Chairman, told Bernama from Bangkok. The veteran politician served as Thailand's deputy prime minister between 2005 and 2006 and was the foreign minister from 2001 to 2005.
Barnama
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Ex-Thai DPM commends Anwar's proactive Approach To Myanmar crisis
Dr Surakiart Sathirathai delivering a speech at the 'Myanmar 2025: The Prospects for Sustainable Peace' held at Australian National University on April 30, 2025. Photo credit: Bangkok-based Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council Dr Surakiart Sathirathai speaking at the APRC Roundtable Discussion on Myanmar 2025 Going Forward held on April 21, 2025. credit: Bangkok-based Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council From Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, May 26 (Bernama) -- Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai has praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for taking a proactive approach as ASEAN Chair 2025 in efforts to help resolve the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. 'ASEAN countries should support Anwar in convincing all sides in Myanmar to initiate a real ceasefire. And convince all sides to have an inclusive dialogue. bootstrap slideshow 'The Myanmar government would have to look at ways and means to include all parties involved in the conflict and the opposition groups would have to also think of how they can be more practical,' Surakiart, who is also former Thai Foreign Minister, told Bernama in an interview from Bangkok. Anwar had met Myanmar military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and held online dialogue with National Unity Government Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann during his visit to Bangkok in April. 'I call it principled pragmatism,' Surakiart added. The veteran politician served as Thailand's deputy prime minister between 2005 and 2006 and was the foreign minister from 2001 to 2005. He is currently the chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, a non-governmental organisation that gathers thought leaders and experts on security, peace and conflict management for peace and reconciliation in Asia. Surakiart also urged ASEAN to play a more constructive role in the forthcoming election or it will be a futile attempt to promote democratic values and end the civil war.
