Myanmar junta leader seeks Thai PM help to restore democracy after coup

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Wednesday received a letter from Myanmar’s new junta leader seeking help to restore democracy, according to a Reuters report. Chan-ocha himself first seized power in a coup. In 2014, the Thai PM overthrew an elected prime minister and stayed in office. He told reporters that he was a strong supporter of democracy in the neighbouring country.

On February 1, Min Aung Hlaing’s army overthrew elected Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and detained her. He alleged her of fraud in an election last year that her party won in a landslide. The electoral commission had dismissed the army’s claims.

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Chan-ocha said that he was in favour of a democratic process in Myanmar, adding that it was most important to maintain good relations as it impacts the people, the economy, border trade, particularly now.

Ever since February 1, people in Myanmar are on streets demanding Suu Kyi’s release. The junta leaders has blocked social media and some news channels. Youngsters are outraged and are using creative posters and slogans to register their protest. 

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Last year, protests were witnessed in Thailand as Prayuth’s opponents demanded that he step down, accusing him of engineering the last election to continue the domination of Thai politics by the army and monarchy, which he denies.

The Thai and Myanmar armies have had close working relationships in recent decades despite a distant history of enmity between the countries.