July 22 (Reuters) – Myanmar junta chief turned president Min Aung Hlaing will make an official visit to Thailand on August 6-7, the Thai foreign minister told AFP on Wednesday, marking the latest attempt by the war-torn country’s new administration to gain international legitimacy.
The planned trip comes after ASEAN foreign ministers met with their Myanmar counterpart and separately with opposition groups in Thailand last week.
During the visit, Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
“Definitely, I have expectations, but I have to be realistic. Let’s keep moving forward,” Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told AFP regarding the situation in Myanmar.
Myanmar has been in political turmoil since a military coup led by Min Aung Hlaing five years ago, which ousted a democratically elected government.
Min Aung Hlaing was appointed president by parliament in April following military-engineered elections that human rights groups and Western governments dismissed as a “sham”.
(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by David Stanway)
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