ASEAN Holds First Informal Meeting with Myanmar's Military-Backed Foreign Minister Since 2021 Coup

On Sunday, July 12, 2026, Myanmar's Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe met informally with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok. This meeting marked the first such gathering since Myanmar's military seized power in 2021. The discussions focused on the ongoing crisis in the civil-war-ravaged country. A photograph released by the Thai Foreign Ministry shows Tin Maung Swe posing with ASEAN foreign ministers during the meeting.

The meeting was described as a diplomatic boost for Myanmar's military-backed government, signaling ASEAN's willingness to engage despite the ongoing turmoil.

Sources

• Nikkei Asia