Bangkok, Yangon take first step to better ties<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Reuter): Thailand and Myanmar hailed a new chapter in
\ntheir rocky relations following a visit to Yangon by the Thai
\nprime minister but analysts said yesterday more time and effort
\nwas needed to dispel years of mutual mistrust.<\/p>\n
Thai premier Banharn Silpa-archa was given a warm welcome when
\nhe arrived in the Myanmarese capital on Sunday, becoming the
\nfirst Thai premier to visit Yangon in 16 years.<\/p>\n
Relations between the two have been chilly for some time,
\nlargely because of Myanmarese suspicion of lingering Thai support
\nfor rebel armies battling the Yangon military government.<\/p>\n
A perception in Myanmar that Thai business is driven solely by
\nthe desire for fast profit has also soured ties, diplomats in
\nYangon and Bangkok said.<\/p>\n
Last year, an angry Myanmar shut its border crossing points
\nwith Thailand, cutting off virtually all trade between the
\nneighbors.<\/p>\n
Analysts said Banharn's visit followed a long campaign by
\nThailand to get relations back on an even keel and ensure that
\nThailand does not miss out on investment opportunities as Myanmar
\nopens up to business after decades of isolation.<\/p>\n
While Banharn returned home late on Monday with little in the
\nway of concrete agreements, Myanmar responded positively to the
\nvisit, which the diplomats said was at least a first step to
\nbetter ties.<\/p>\n
\"He got his piece of paper,\" said one diplomat in Yangon,
\nreferring to the only agreement signed during the visit, which
\nsets out guidelines for border trade.<\/p>\n
\"Relations have been rocky, that's an understatement, and this
\nvisit hopefully marks a fresh start, but it seems the Burmese
\n(Myanmarese) want to rebase it on their terms,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The Burmese have been slow to respond to Thai attempts to
\nsettle grievances,\" said another diplomat in Yangon. \"A positive
\nstart has been made but there's a way to go yet.\"<\/p>\n
On the eve of Banharn's trip, Myanmar reopened two crossing
\npoints on the border with Thailand, one in Myanmar's northeast
\nand the other in its deep south.<\/p>\n
But the main trade crossing point, between the Myanmarese town
\nof Myawadi and the northwestern Thai town of Mae Sot remained
\nsealed because of a border dispute in the area.<\/p>\n
As well as the border trade agreement, Myanmar promised to
\nrelease 100 Thai prisoners, most of them fishermen jailed for
\nintruding into Myanmarese waters, a Thai official said.<\/p>\n
\"So much hype for so very little,\" was how one diplomat in
\nBangkok summed up the results of the visit.<\/p>\n
The Bangkok-based diplomat said it would take time for
\nrelations to improve significantly and both sides had to reassess
\npriorities and learn how to deal with each other.<\/p>\n
\"In the past, for Thailand the relationship was security
\ndriven so the military was in charge,\" the envoy said. \"Now, it's
\na trade relationship and the Thais need to sort out when the
\nforeign ministry is going to be put in charge.<\/p>\n
\"Thailand does not have a good image in Myanmar in commercial
\nterms. The Thais are seen going for the quick buck rather than
\nfor long-term investment and that's why they're losing out to
\npeople like Singapore.\"<\/p>\n
The diplomats said there was always the possibility of
\nterritorial disputes along the two countries' long border flaring
\nup and setting back any improvement in ties despite agreements to
\nkeep any disagreement contained.<\/p>\n
\"There's so much scope for border disputes and I don't know if
\nthey can keep them localized,\" one of the diplomats said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bangkok-yangon-take-first-step-to-better-ties-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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