Full Breakdown
Thailand Offers to Host ASEAN-Facilitated Myanmar Peace Talks
7/15/2026, 11:04:08 PM
Reviving the Stalled ASEAN Initiative
On July 15, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar had conducted separate meetings with the military-backed negotiators and with several rebel factions. All parties, he noted, agreed that a military solution to the civil war was not viable. Thailand is prepared to act as a facilitator and provide a venue for future peace talks, a move described as a “significant step toward reviving ASEAN’s stalled peace initiative for Myanmar.”
Background to the Conflict
The conflict stems from the February 2021 coup that ousted Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s government. Since then, fighting between the junta’s National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee and ethnic armed groups has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced millions. ASEAN’s “Five-Point Consensus,” adopted in 2021, calls for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a political dialogue, but implementation has stalled.
Official Statements & Responses
During a press briefing, Sihasak detailed recent diplomatic activity:
- ASEAN foreign ministers held their first in-person meeting with Myanmar’s foreign minister since the coup.
- The next day, ASEAN envoy Maria Theresa Lazaro (Philippines) and Sihasak met six rebel groups, including the Karen National Union and the Karenni National Progressive Party.
- The rebel representatives expressed openness to dialogue but have not yet formed a unified position.
- Thai officials also met the junta-backed National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee.
- Thailand reaffirmed that it has not abandoned the “Five-Point Consensus” and hopes to eventually bring Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains detained, into face-to-face talks.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We hope that eventually we could find some common ground where we can begin some talks,” — Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand Foreign Minister
- “At the moment it is going to be probably talks for talks: How to conduct the talks, where to conduct the talks.” — Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand Foreign Minister
- “• All sides recognised that a military solution was not in their interests, he said.” — Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand Foreign Minister
- “• Thailand has not abandoned ASEAN's peace plan for Myanmar, known as the "Five-Point Consensus".” — Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand Foreign Minister
