Overview

• Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as ASEAN chair, met Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in Bangkok to push for a ceasefire extension and humanitarian aid coordination.
• The talks follow a devastating March 28 earthquake in Myanmar that killed over 3,600 people and created a rare opening for diplomatic engagement with the junta.
• Anti-junta groups, including the National Unity Government and Karen National Union, have criticized the meeting, warning it risks legitimizing the military regime accused of ongoing rights abuses.
• The declared 20-day ceasefire, initiated on April 2, has been repeatedly violated by junta airstrikes, according to the United Nations and independent reports.
• Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, serving as Anwar’s adviser, is reportedly involved in back-channel efforts to mediate Myanmar’s conflict.