Nanning: Thailand’s new Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont Tuesday told his Myanmar counterpart relations between the two countries would remain unchanged, a government spokesman said.

Surayud and Soe Win held their first bilateral meeting since the military coup in Thailand following a China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit here.

“Thailand … will strengthen their bilateral relations with Myanmar as neighbouring countries as well as being members of the ASEAN countries,” said Thai government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp, detailing the meeting.

“Any projects that have been agreed upon will be continued transparently, accordingly,” he told AFP.
“There will be continuity of the foreign policy, that includes the developing of the diplomatic relations between the countries. That will be carried on as it was before,” he added.

Surayud has been travelling Southeast Asia to introduce himself to ASEAN leaders since being installed by Thailand’s military on October 1.

However, he has not visited Myanmar. Analysts attribute this to Surayud’s antagonistic actions towards the country when he was chief of the Thai army, as well as the political sensitivities of a military-installed prime minister visiting the junta next door.

In an indication of the formal atmosphere of the meeting between Surayud and Soe Win, Yongyuth said both men agreed not to interfere in each other’s affairs, and stuck to updates on their domestic situation.

“Both sides agreed that they would not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. This is according to the principles of the ASEAN community,” said Yongyuth, referring to a long-held principle for the grouping.

“They just expressed each other’s position at the present time, what’s been happening in their countries,” he added.