Prime Minister Thaksin's surprise visit to Burma

Mizzima News: 2 August, 2006

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a surprise whistle stop visit to Burma on Wednesday, according to official sources in Nay Pyi Daw the new capital.

The special flight carrying a Thai delegation led by Thaksin landed in Rangoon around 1:00 p.m. and is scheduled to return in the evening. Thai Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin and foreign minister Kantathi Supahmongkhon are also part of the delegation.

Burma watchers and diplomatic circles are speculating on a variety of possibilities relating to the purpose of the trip, including Thailand's largest energy firm PTT's plans to enter the race for natural gas along with India and China and the Salween dams project.

The two sides may exchange ideas on the Burmese military junta's plan on the so-called Road Map to democracy and business issues related to former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt, including the Shin Satellite, said a reliable source.

Burma issues have been a subject of discussions in the recent Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Asean Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur given the slow progress towards democratic reforms and the prolonged house arrest of opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Meanwhile, the military junta's self-styled National Convention, the constitutional drafting process and the first step of the Road Map is scheduled to resume and is believed to be concluded this year.

Thaksin last visited Burma in December 2004.