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United News of India
05-07-2025
- United News of India
Myanmar-Thailand discuss strengthening cooperation on cross-border drug control
Naypyidaw, July 4 (UNI) Amid the growing drug trafficking in Myanmar and Thailand, the two nations held their 26th Myanmar-Thailand Joint Drug Control Meeting in Taunggyi, Myanmar's Shan state, to strengthen cross-border cooperation on drug control, the state-owned Global Light of Myanmar reported today. Representatives from both sides discussed the current drug situation in the two countries and called for mechanisms to strengthen Naypyidaw and Bangkok's ongoing cooperation in controlling drugs, supressing supplies, and other potential areas for future cooperation, the report said. In a statement issued by the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, official said 'It is essential to prioritise the control of precursor chemicals to reduce drug production. It is necessary to enhance the bilateral efforts in the control of precursor chemicals. 'To prevent precursor chemicals and related materials used in drug manufacturing from reaching drug production areas, cooperation will be strengthened with neighbouring countries, including Thailand.' 'The strict preventive operations are being carried out along the border between the two countries, while conducting awareness programmes for the younger generation is also an important aspect,' the statement added. Highlighting the need for cooperation in combatting the drug trade, the ministry noted 'Only through the successful implementation of these projects will the livelihoods of ethnic communities in opium-cultivating areas improve, leading to a decline in opium cultivation. 'The alternative development project in Naungtaya Town, Southern Shan State, implemented in cooperation with the Mae Fah Luang Foundation of Thailand, has achieved success.' With 14 delegates from Myanmar and 11 from Thailand, topics at the table included drug seizure, the control of precursor chemicals, drug inspection and analysis, collaboration on reducing drug abuse, the implementation of alternative development projects, and the chairmanship of the 27th meeting in Thailand. Cross-border drug smuggling has been a long-standing problem between Myanmar and Thailand is a complex and deeply entrenched issue, due to the two countries along with Laos converging at the nefarious 'Golden Triangle' region. The area has historically been a hub for illicit drug production and trafficking, with massive shipments reaching not just the immediate South East Asian countries, but circulating worldwide. The situation was somewhat better managed back in the 2010's due to a politically stable Myanmar, though since has been greatly exacerbated due to Naypyidaw's ongoing civil war.
United News of India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Myanmar junta reiterates commitment to hold national elections in 2026
Naypyidaw, June 26 (UNI) Myanmar's military-led government has reiterated its pledge to hold national elections by early 2026, using the opening of the Peace Forum 2025 in Naypyidaw, to underscore the link between political stability, peace, and democratic transition. Inaugurating the three-day forum on 25 June, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the State Administration Council, announced that preparations are underway for a general election to be held in December 2025 or January 2026. He said the vote would be conducted freely and fairly, with all eligible citizens given the opportunity to participate, reports Global Light of Myanmar. Following the military coup in 2021, Myanmar has been facing a massive civil war, with the junta combatting several armed ethnic factions, in particular the People's Defence Forces which wants the reinstatement of a democratic government. The promise of national elections is a central component of the military's roadmap, though national and international scepticism remains. Framing the country's internal armed conflicts as rooted in unresolved political questions, he pointed to democracy and federalism as central issues. He reaffirmed that constitutional mechanisms would be used to address ethnic rights and long-standing political demands. The forum, held at the Mingala Thiri Hotel, brought together military officials, ethnic representatives, political parties, scholars, diplomats, and civil society actors. Its stated aim is to support peace, the rule of law, and national development — all of which the government says are necessary for credible elections. Min Aung Hlaing said the recommendations generated by the forum would be forwarded to the new parliament once it is elected. He also emphasised the need for continued dialogue and inclusive participation in shaping Myanmar's future political framework. The forum runs until 27 June and includes panel discussions, cultural presentations, and exhibitions, with both local and international participants contributing to discussions on peace and electoral readiness.
Reuters
20-02-2025
- Reuters
Chinese extricated from Myanmar scam centres fly home from Thailand
MAE SOT, Thailand, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A group of 50 Chinese nationals plucked from scam centres in Myanmar crossed into Thailand to take a flight home, a Thai police official said on Thursday, as part of a multinational effort to repatriate 600 Chinese. For years, criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to scam compounds across Southeast Asia, including sites on the Thai-Myanmar frontier, forcing them to work in illegal online operations, the United Nations says. The group arrived crossed into Thailand at Mae Sot, guarded by armed soldiers and military vehicles mounted with machine guns, from the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar, an area flanked by compounds that run the scams. "All 50 have boarded the plane that the Chinese government arranged," regional police official Raveepat Amornmuneepong told Reuters, adding that Chinese authorities will winnow victims trafficked to scam compounds from the criminals in the group. "There are four flights today." The arrivals were part of Thailand's renewed effort to dismantle the compounds with Beijing's backing, following the rescue of Chinese actor Wang Xing after going missing there, having been lured with the promise of an acting job. The plight of Wang, subsequently spirited across the border to the Myawaddy area from which he was rescued, drew widespread interest in China. It also sparked a rare grassroots effort that collected the names of nearly 1,800 Chinese whose families said had been trafficked into Myanmar. The junta in Myanmar, which is battling a widening civil war since its 2021 coup, is also participating in the effort, detaining more than 1,500 people in the Myawaddy area, 250 of them on Wednesday, state media said. "Officials are working with relevant agencies to collect personal information of these individuals for prompt repatriation," the Global Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Thursday. Some scam centre survivors among a group of 260 who returned last week from Myawaddy and are now sheltering in a military camp said cuts and bruises on their bodies were a result of beatings and electrocution inflicted on them. In all, about 7,000 people rescued from scam compounds in Myanmar are waiting to be transferred to Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Wednesday.
