Thailand FM begin Burma visit

New Delhi - Thailand’s Foreign Minister on Kasit Piromya, on Sunday began a two-day visit to neighbouring Burma to discuss issues of illegal migrants, who often lands on Thailand’s shores, an official statement on Saturday said.

Kasit will begin the official visit on Sunday and during the visit will meet with Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win and will also call on Prime Minister General Thein Sein, the statement said.

Besides discussing wide-range bilateral cooperative issues, Kasit will also discuss on the issue on Rohingya Muslim minorities, who often flees to Thailand claiming they were victims of the ruling junta’s severe persecution.

Since December 2008, at least 1,000 Rohingya boatpeople have been intercepted by Thai authorities, who allegedly arrested them, destroy the engine of their boats and towed them back to the sea with little food and water.

Thailand, however, has denied the allegations of ill-treating the boatpeople, though it admits that they were sent back to the sea according to the law.

Rohingya boat people have attracted regional attention, when several other batches of boatpeople were rescued off the shores of India’s Andaman Islands and Indonesia’s Aceh province.

Kasit is making a visit to military-ruled Burma on Prime Minister Nyan Win’s invitation during the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

During the Asean summit, issue of Rohingya migrants was discussed informally and was agreed to be further taken at a regional forum known as the “Bali Process”.

Nyan Win, during the Summit said, Burma does not have Rohingya minorities but is willing to accept the boatpeople if they could that they are bon in Burma.

Kasit, during his visit will discuss on other bilateral issues including “the issue of illegal migrant workers and anti-human trafficking,” the statement said.

“Moreover, the Foreign Minister will consult with the Myanmar [Burmese] leadership…. on cooperation with the Myanmar [Burmese] side to address the Bengalis/ Rohingyas issue,” the statement added.

Thailand is Burma’s largest trading partner with the overall trading volume between the two countries standing at Baht 144,291 million (approximately USD 4809 million).

While Burma’s main export items to Thailand includes natural gas, timber and lumber, metal ores and scraps, iron and steel, and coal, Thailand’s export to Burma consist of animal fat and vegetable oil, chemicals, iron and steel, and plastic resin.