Myanmar’s Coup Leader Asks Thai Coup Leader for Help on Democracy

Thailand’s Prime Minister a former coup leader say he has been asked by Myanmar’s Coup leader  for help to support democracy. Sadly the former general seems blind to the hypocrisy as he too seized power in a coup.

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday he had received a letter from Myanmar’s new junta leader asking for help on democracy.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut, overthrew the elected Government of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014. Furthermore he stayed in office after a 2019 election. An election his rivals said was badly flawed.

According to Reuters Gen Prayut told reporters in Bangkok that he had always supported democracy in the neighbouring country.

Min Aung Hlaing’s army overthrew elected civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb 1 and detained her, alleging fraud in an election last year that her party won in a landslide. The electoral commission had dismissed the army’s claims.

“We are supportive of the democratic process in Myanmar but what is most important today is to maintain good relations because it impacts the people, the economy, border trade, particularly now,” Gen Prayut said. “Thailand supports the democratic process. The rest is up to him to see how to proceed,” he said.

Myanmar Protests Growing

Since the coup, Myanmar has been convulsed by the biggest protests in more than a decade as Suu Kyi’s supporters challenge the coup that halted a tentative decade-long transition to democracy.

Thailand witnessed its biggest protests in decades last year as Gen Prayut’s opponents demanded that he step down, accusing him of engineering the last election to continue the domination of Thai politics by the army and monarchy. He denies any interference.

The Thai and Myanmar armies have had close working relationships in recent decades despite a distant history of enmity between the countries.

Protesters have turned out in huge numbers across Myanmar, a day after police instigated the most violent scenes yet in demonstrations against a military coup that removed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

An estimated 100,000 people gathered in the commercial capital Yangon on Wednesday, according to witnesses, with many more marching across the country.