[Kabar-indonesia] Thaksin makes surprise trip to Myanmar [2 reports]

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

also: Thaksin holds rare meeting with Myanmar junta leader

Thai PM Thaksin makes surprise trip to Myanmar

YANGON, August 2 (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
made a surprise one-day visit to military-ruled Myanmar's new jungle
capital on Wednesday to see junta supremo Than Shwe.

Thaksin is the most important foreign leader to make the trip to
Naypyitaw, an administrative town around 400 km (250 miles) north of
Yangon, which Myanmar's military rulers announced to the world in late
2005.

It was not immediately clear why Thaksin visited Thailand's
internationally reviled neighbour, which was hauled over the coals at
a southeast Asian foreign ministers' meeting last week in Malaysia for
failing to move towards democracy.

On his departure from Bangkok, Thaksin told reporters the trip
involved "bilateral and multilateral issues" but declined to
elaborate.

He was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, army
commander-in-chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Foreign Minister Kantathi
Suphamongkhon.

"It could be anything. To discuss an important bilateral issue or to
review the outcomes of recent meetings in Kuala Lumpur or something
else," a retired diplomat in Yangon said.

Thailand is one of the former Burma's biggest foreign investors and
trading partners, in particular in telecommunications and energy.

With its colleagues in the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN), it has preferred a policy of "constructive engagement" with
Yangon's recalcitrant generals to the sanctions and isolation favoured
by Europe and the United States.

---------------------------------------

Agence France-Presse
August 2, 2006

Thaksin holds rare meeting with Myanmar junta leader

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flew to neighboring military-ruled 
Myanmar where he held a rare meeting with the junta's reclusive leader, Senior 
General Than Shwe.

But he refused to reveal the purpose of the hastily arranged trip, avoiding 
reporters' questions upon his return.

"We talked about social issues, economics and politics but I can't disclose 
the details," Thaksin said.

He also refused to comment on Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's detained 
pro-democracy leader who is under house in Yangon.

Thailand's army chief General Sonthi Boonyarataglin, who made the trip with 
Thaksin, said that "the talks were aimed at developing relations with each 
other."

"Today marks the beginning of new cooperation. I will travel to Myanmar again 
at the invitation of (the junta's number two) Maung Aye and I will also meet 
him and Than Shwe," Sonthi said.

Thaksin also brought along Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, Foreign 
Minister Kantathi Supahmongkhon and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat 
for the meeting in Myanmar's new administrative capital, a place that few 
outsiders have seen.

Most of Myanmar's government and military offices moved in February to the 
new capital in a jungle compound, which Than Shwe has dubbed the "abode of the 
king," outside the central town of Pyinmana.

An official at Myanmar's information ministry confirmed that Thaksin met Than 
Shwe, but would not give any indication as to what was discussed.

Thaksin stayed only a few hours, leaving Bangkok shortly after noon and 
returning in the evening.

The visit comes amid growing international pressure on Myanmar, formerly 
known as Burma.

US President George W. Bush on Tuesday renewed economic sanctions on Myanmar 
over its failure to make democratic reforms and its human rights abuses, 
including the house arrest of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Last week Myanmar was the subject of heated debate at a meeting of the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which also expressed concern over the 
regime's failure to move toward democracy.

While Thailand has also urged Myanmar to free Aung San Suu Kyi and make 
"tangible progress" toward reforms, it maintains close economic ties.

Thailand's largest energy firm PTT said Monday it had joined the race against 
China and India in a bid for exclusive rights to Myanmar's northwestern 
natural gas reserves.

Thailand already pipes about one billion cubic feet of gas per day from 
Myanmar's offshore reserves in the southeast in the Andaman Sea.

Energy-hungry Thailand is also financing construction of dams on Myanmar's 
rivers near the border to generate electricity for its own needs.

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------