Myanmar’s military junta boss Min Aung Hlaing will visit Bangkok on April 3-4 to attend the Bay of Bengal region summit, according to a highly placed source.
The source confirmed that the military junta leader will participate in the 6th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which will be hosted by Thailand.
It will be his first visit by the junta leader to Bangkok since the 2021 coup.
The summit will be preceded by a series of senior officials’ meetings to prepare key issues for discussion.
It will also mark the first summit-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. All BIMSTEC member states have confirmed their leaders’ participation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join leaders from the seven-member regional grouping—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand. The summit was originally scheduled for November last year.
Founded in Bangkok in 1997, BIMSTEC aims to deepen economic cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal. It serves as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia, fostering economic, social, and cultural ties across the region.
During the summit, members will hold a series of bilateral meetings to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations. The source added that the Bangkok summit will also focus on maritime cooperation, sustainable development, and regional connectivity.
On the sidelines, Thailand and Bhutan will sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aimed at bolstering trade relations, improving market access, and enhancing cooperation in tourism, agriculture, education, and renewable energy.
In 2024, trade between the two countries reached 460 million baht, with Thai exports to Bhutan valued at 457 million baht and imports from Bhutan totaling 3.47 million baht.
